Only 2 days left to register for the

64th MHLS Annual Membership Meeting.

Registration closes Thursday, October 19th at 5:00 pm. 

Howland Public Library has received a $15,000 grant, secured by Assembly Member Jonathan Jacobson (D, Newburgh), that will be used for the purchase of ADA compliant desks. Kristin Charles-Scaringi, acting library director said, “We are incredibly grateful to Assembly member Jacobson for securing funding for our new desks. Our staff can continue to provide great service to those who visit the library, now in a more accessible and adaptable way.”

The 2024 Banned Books Symposium is seeking conference proposals. This half-day conference will feature presentations in all capacities of banned and challenged books and programs on Saturday, May 4, 2024, on the campus of Dutchess BOCES in Poughkeepsie, NY.  

Call for proposals are open through November 15th, 2023.  

This Symposium is in partnership with Southeastern New York Library Resources Council, Ramapo Catskill Library System, Mid-Hudson Library System, SUNY New Paltz and BOCES School Library Systems of Dutchess, Orange-Ulster, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster.

Register now for the in-person Sierra Users Group on October 25th from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm in the MHLS Auditorium. The Sierra Users Group is a regular event held for member library staff who use the Sierra software. It is an opportunity to learn about what is coming in the Sierra releases and share ideas and concerns.

We will use this opportunity to provide in-person instruction to the LX starter. LX Starter will provide a new opportunity to customize patron notification. The interface also provides staff with an interface that provides end to end monitoring of notices.

The Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York (DHPSNY) provides New York organizations holding historical records and library research collections free essential training and services including Archival Needs Assessments, Preservation Surveys, Condition Surveys, Strategic Planning Assistance and Foundational Planning Assistance.

Recipients of DHPSNY Planning & Assessment Services are selected by a competitive application process. Applications for the fall 2023 review period are currently being accepted for review and are due by Friday, November 3, 2023. Learn More.

Ask Me Anything (AMA) with Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Executive Director & Co-Author of the Handbook for Library Trustees of New York State is a monthly installment where Rebekkah will answer your questions! Feel free to submit your question here or contact Rebekkah at rsmith@midhudson.org with the subject line: AMA Trustee Question.

Q. Who drafts policy? Trustees or the director?

A. Usually the library director, as the board’s technical advisor, will recommend and draft policy. Policies should then be reviewed by the board’s Policy Committee or appropriate committee before being recommended to the full board for adoption. Check out the “Library Policies” chapter of the Handbook for Library Trustees of New York State for a checklist of what to think through when presented with a new policy.

The New York State Library is announcing a free E-Rate training Session for libraries and library systems. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, November 15 at 10:00 am. Registration is required.

From cybersecurity to wi-fi on school buses to simplifying the application process, it has been a very busy and confusing year for E-Rate! Join Win Himsworth from E-Rate Central to learn about changes, updates, deadlines and more for the 2024 E-Rate cycle.

Library Clerk (2 positions available), Catskill Public Library

Catskill Public Library is seeking two Library Clerks to work in its main building in Catskill and branch library in Palenville. The positions will be from 15-28 hours per week and include some evenings until 7pm and every other Saturday from 10 am - 2 pm. These are provisional civil service positions that pay $15.51 to start. 

Catskill Public Library offers comprehensive training, some benefits, and a pleasant working environment. The complete civil service job description can be found here. Please send a resume and cover letter to Dawn at director@catskillpubliclibrary.org.

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. 

MHLS Calendar