Vol.23-11 | 3.14.23

MHLS Expands Access to OverDrive Collections!

The Mid-Hudson Library System will expand access to eBooks and eAudiobooks by extending our Reciprocal Lending Agreement (RLA) in the OverDrive platform to collaborate with 2 more Library Systems. Currently, our agreement includes only the Upper Hudson Library System (UHLS), but on February 9th, the MHLS Directors Association agreed to enter a new agreement that also includes Mohawk Valley Library System (MVLS) and the Southern Adirondak Library System (SALS). The expanded access is scheduled to go live on March 27th in OverDrive platforms including Libby. Patrons will have the option to move between the collections to search for and checkout titles. Each system has agreed to share items that are currently available for checkout and without standing requests. Items with metered access or cost per click will not be available or visible to “visiting” patrons. Visiting patrons cannot place holds or request purchases. 


The access expands the unique titles that are available to patrons and provides potential for access to titles that have local demand but are available in the other system. Our collaboration with each system includes sharing statistical data which MHLS will include in the monthly reports. In our first year of collaboration with UHLS, our patrons checked out 6,349 titles that did not exist within our own collection. Those titles were split evenly between eBooks and eAudiobook.

MHLS Announcements

REMINDER: To effectively communicate with our members the Mid-Hudson Library System maintains a database of contact information for our member libraries. Once a year we request an update of this information, to keep our records accurate. All member library directors are asked to please complete and submit their form for Action Memo #23-01 by Friday, March 24th. If you have any questions, please contact Alexa Stroh, Library Sustainability Associate, at astroh@midhudson.org

MHLS Libraries

Congratulations to the Philmont Public Library! Philmont was granted nearly $12,000 by Partners for Climate Action (PCA) to establish the Philmont Pollinator Pathway. This Ecological Restoration Grant (ERG) will help the library and their volunteers’ plant local species in habitat gardens that will be established at the library, four other public spaces on Main Street, and at Summit Lake to attract butterflies, insects, bees, and birds. Additionally, three-to-five front-yard gardens will be auctioned off to local homeowners who commit to maintain them. 

Photo courtesy of Philmont Public Library

Resource Sharing & Sierra

REMINDER: Make sure you are up to date with the MHLS Resource Sharing Standards. You can find the most recent procedures and policies in the MHLS Knowledge Base. The cooperation of all members of the system is crucial for effective sharing of resources. The guidelines are developed with the Resource Sharing Committee and voted on by the Directors Association.

Sustainable Libraries

The Mid-Hudson STEM Alliance and Empire State Development’s ConnectALL Office invite you to join them for a Mid-Hudson Regional Broadband and Digital Equity Listening Session on March 24 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at SUNY Purchase. There will also be an option to participate virtually via Zoom.


At a critical moment with historic levels of federal broadband funding available to help close the digital divide, this listening session will bring together stakeholders from across the Mid-Hudson Region to identify key challenges and opportunities related to broadband and digital equity, and to share input to inform ConnectALL’s development of New York State’s broadband deployment and digital equity plan.


This event is free to attend but registration is required. 

Hunger Solutions NY is hosting a statewide webinar, Getting Ready for Summer Meals on March 21st at 1:00 pm. Whether you’re starting a new summer meal program this year or building on existing programs, join Hunger Solutions NY to learn about new resources and best practices for reaching more kids and teens this summer. The session will cover the basics of how to get involved, best practices, and outreach resources. All are welcome to attend. Even if you can’t make it, please feel free to register to receive the recording.

Programming

View the online training session Inclusive and Affirming Library Programs for LGBTQIA+ Youth with the Kaleidoscope Youth Center. The session examines statistics related to discrimination within libraries/schools and risks that LGBTQIA+ youth face on a day-to-day basis in their communities, and a discussion of ways that library professionals can improve the general climate of libraries and summer reading programs through various strategies from simple word choice to organizational policy change.


This session was coordinated by the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP). Access the slides, handouts and recording through the CSLP website

Trustee Resources

REMINDER: The NYS Library's LibGuides have moved the following publications to support accessibility, improve navigation, and streamline content management. Please update your links and communicate this with folks in your organization who may use these publications - we don't want anyone to be disconnected from these great resources!

 

 If you have any questions, please contact the Digital Services Unit at the NYS Library at nysldigital@nysed.gov.

Administration & Management

WebJunction invites you to Universal Design at Your Library a one-hour webinar on Friday, March 31st at 3:00 pm.

 

As we work to ensure that our library spaces, services, and programs are welcoming to all members of the community, it is important to know how to design for inclusion. The principles of Universal Design offer guidance on how to design in ways that prioritize usability and accessibility for all. This presentation will introduce the concept of Universal Design, explain how it contrasts with accessibility, and offer concrete advice for how to apply each of the principles of Universal Design at any library. The examples and ideas provided will focus on high-impact changes that can be done within a range of budgets from low (or even no) cost ideas to advice for planning for large-scale renovation projects. 


This event is free to attend but registration is required. 

Job Openings

Library Manager, Red Hook Public Library

The Red Hook Public Library’s Board of Trustees is seeking a dynamic leader with a passion for exceptional library service and the ability to lead a talented team of 13 staff members to enhance the library’s role in a continually changing environment. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated knowledge of sound public library management principles, innovative approaches, and current professional practices. The Manager will need to be an effective communicator among staff, patrons, community groups, and Board members. While not a requirement, it is the Board’s preference that the new Manager be familiar with the Hudson Valley community and knowledge of the operations of a library situated in an exurban environment. The new Manager will be expected to be highly organized, an innovative thinker, and successfully represent the Library in all areas of public relations. It is expected the new Manager will become familiar with and involved with the Mid-Hudson Library System and the library community at large. They will likewise maintain and foster close relations with area schools and other community partners. The RHPL is a municipal library chartered by the Village of Red Hook and serves 11,000 Town of Red Hook residents, all families residing within the Red Hook Central School District area and other regional residents who elect to participate in Library programs.  

The salary range for this position is $58,500 - 69,000, commensurate with experience. Vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays included. The Red Hook Public Library is an EOE. This position reports to the Board of Trustees. 

The principal duties and responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to the following areas:


Operations

  • Manages Library staff comprised of professional, paraprofessional and clerical staff, and maintains a positive labor-management relationship
  • Recruits, hires, schedules, and oversees training of all new employees
  • Performs annual staff evaluations and sets goals for each employee’s annual review
  • Oversees all collection development by choosing and administering the purchase of Library materials and services that best meet the needs of the community
  • Supervises all staff engaged in programming activities
  • Collects data on usage of Library collections and programs
  • Produces or oversees production of monthly newsletter
  • Liaises or assigns staff to liaise with all governmental agencies and community groups
  • Supervises the maintenance of all Library property and recommends repairs, alterations and new construction projects; acts as “Owner’s Rep” on all construction projects
  • Is knowledgeable on the application of computer technology regarding Library systems including online databases, services, etc.
  • Possesses strong written and oral communication skills 
  • Maintains, updates, and ensures adherence to current policies and effectively distributes any changes to staff on a timely basis. Recommends policy reviews as needed
  • Posts all Library information publicly as required by law
  • Keeps informed of professional development through participation in professional organizations, Mid Hudson Library system trainings, workshops, and keeping up-to-date on professional trends and reading materials 


Financial

  • Provides oversight on all financial matters including supervising the work of the Library’s contracted CPA firm who is responsible for providing all financial reports including monthly and annual Balance Sheets, P & Ls, local, state and national filings, annual AUD, and intermittent audits. In addition, the Manager works closely with the CPA firm to administer the bi-weekly payroll. 
  • Monitors monthly expenditures and provides sound fiscal management of the Library
  • Develops and administers the Library annual budget and long range financial plans
  • Actively researches and pursues grant funding opportunities and works with staff to submit applications in a timely fashion
  • Represents the Library when seeking financial support from non-governmental sources such as private foundations


Board Relations

  • Prepares annual operating and capital budget for approval by the Board of Trustees and manages expenses in relation to established budgetary goals and long-range plan
  • Oversees maintenance of the facility and equipment and keeps the Board of Trustees informed of facility conditions and needed repairs
  • Is accountable to the Board of Trustees through its designated officers and committee chairs
  • Recommends policies and procedures and attends meetings of the Board of Trustees and its committees
  • Prepares monthly Director’s Report and monthly Board packages. Posts all materials in a timely fashion in advance of monthly Board of Trustee meetings
  • Keeps Board of Trustees apprised of all material issues or developments in a timely manner

 

Community Outreach

  • Collaborates and builds relations between the Library and the community
  • Serves as a liaison with the Mid-Hudson Library System and various organizations
  • Directs a public relations plan to ensure the community is aware of the library’s services, programs and collections
  • Oversees the maintenance and posting of timely material to the Library website
  • Maintains and posts to all social media accounts in a timely manner 

 

Requirements

  • At least 2+ years of public library (or similar library, nonprofit, or other relevant) administrative experience
  • At least 2+ years of significant personnel supervisory and management experience 
  • Demonstrated budgeting and financial planning experience 
  • Public Speaking experience


Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of 3 professional references (at least one from a supervisor/former supervisor) no later than April 30, 2023 via email to don.trustee@redhooklibrary.org, Board President – Red Hook Public Library. In the subject line please include “Manager Position.”  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 


MHLS recommends that the minimum starting salary of a full or part-time librarian with an MLS degree be at least equal to that of a teacher with a master’s degree in the same community. 

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