Vol.21-14 | 4.6.21
Grow with Google Grant 
The Mid-Hudson Library System received $4,300 to support workforce development and small businesses as part of a grant from the Grow with Google Partnership Program through the New York State Library.  
 
The funding was used to augment the shared OverDrive collection with eBook titles related to small business development, workforce development, and job search help, including Civil Service exam prep eBooks along with regional promotion of these resources and the Google Primer app to local business owners.  
 
These new eBook titles can be found at the top of the MHLS OverDrive page and a full list of these eBooks and more titles that support small business and workforce development and job search help can be found in the OverDrive Business and Finance section.  
 
Libraries and resources like these are critical for helping businesses and workers get back on their feet in the wake of the pandemic and our region’s recovery from its economic impact. 
The Grow with Google Partner Program offers free resources to help your library teach people the digital skills that will grow their careers and businesses. Partners get access to get-started guides, presentation decks, outreach materials, discussion groups, workshop support and more. Submit your partner application, https://grow.google/partnerapply/.
MHLS Announcements
Attention Member Library Directors: Please remember to register for the DA Business meeting taking place on Friday, April 16th at 10:00 am. Following the DA meeting the MHLS Leadership Circle will meet at 1:00 pm. The topic will be Writing Your Library’s Comeback Story.  

While library leaders and staff have been hard at work over the past year to meet community needs, the changes residents have had to make throughout every aspect of their lives has been disruptive at best and overwhelming for many. More residents than we may like to admit have lost touch with their local library over the course of the past year and even those who are using online library services or curbside pickup may not realize your library is “open for business.” Add to that the large influx of new residents to the Hudson Valley from New York City during the past 12 months and it is clear: we’ve got some work to do to bring existing patrons back into the fold, invite new residents to connect with library services and to tell the story of how amazing your library has been throughout the pandemic.  
 
At this program Library Directors will join MHLS Executive Director Rebekkah Smith Aldrich and MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator Casey Conlin to discuss the opportunities and challenges our libraries are facing. Please register for this program through the MHLS Calendar.
MHLS Libraries 
The Putnam Valley Library has something or rather someone to celebrate. This year National Library Workers Day, April 6th (today!) has also been declared “Joan Stubbs Day” in honor of Joan’s 30 years of service at the Putnam Valley Library! Joan received commendations from Senator Sue Serino, Assemblymember Kevin Byrne, Putnam County Executive Mary Ellen Odell, Putnam County Legislator Bill Gouldman, and the Putnam Valley Town Board for her service to the library. Dede Farabaugh, Putnam Valley Library director said, “This wonderful woman’s accomplishments are many and varied: she’s managed over 150 kindergarten class visits; handled over one million book requests; sent over 400 care packages through the Books for Soldiers program; helped distribute more than 12,000 pounds of food during the summer of 2020; and survived at least one scratch from former library resident, Muffin the Cat. Joan’s greatest accomplishment, however, is her continual joy in serving the public; we’ve loved hearing her laughter at the circulation desk for the past 30 years. Please join us in celebrating Joan on “her” special day, and every day (because she’s not going anywhere)!” 

Our heartfelt congratulations to Joan and a very big thank you to all of you energetic and innovative library workers on this National Library Workers Day! 
Above: Joan Stubbs pictured with a few of her proclamations.
Professional Development
There are still a few days left to apply for the Library Freedom Project's (LFP) new Crash Courses program. LFP's Crash Courses are free, two-month online training programs for library workers who want to learn practical ways to defend privacy in their libraries. There are two courses open for applications: Systems and Policies (May-June 2021) and Programs and Training (September-October 2021). Applications are due by April 10th so apply now! For program details and application information visit libraryfreedom.org/crashcourse.
Resource Sharing & Sierra 
There is still time to register for Circulation 101 with Laurie Shedrick, MHLS Assistant Director/Technology Operations Manager on Monday, April 12th at noon. This workshop is intended for any new staff or perhaps experienced staff wondering if there are more efficient ways to do things while covering the circ desk. 
Sustainable Libraries
Enroll to become an NYS Citizen Public Health Leader. To continue the fight against COVID and prepare for the next public health emergency, the State announced the launch of a free, online Citizen Public Health Training course for New Yorkers. This innovative course, delivered by the New York State Department of Health in partnership with Cornell University and supported by the State University of New York, will prepare, and equip New Yorkers to become NYS Citizen Public Health Leaders and build an informed network of community health leaders across the state. For more information and to enroll visit, https://www.ny.gov/programs/citizen-public-health-training-program.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This year, EBSCO is providing a total of $200,000 in grants available for libraries looking to fund a library solar project to offset electricity costs. If you’re eager to show your community the benefits of solar energy or to add to your sustainability plans, consider applying to the EBSCO Solar Grant Program now through May 3rd. The winner will be announced online in June 2021.
Reference & Collection Development 
The Sustainable Shelves Program is a new service powered by Baker & Taylor (B&T) that helps libraries responsibly remove weeded or unwanted books from their collections. Through this program, libraries provide B & T with a list of books to be weeded, and B & T arranges to pick up those titles for recycling or resale, with credit available for resaleable books. Learn more at https://ssp.baker-taylor.com/.
Programming
As part of National Library Week, the American Library Association, in partnership with United for Libraries and Booklist, will present a live one-hour conversation with Dan Rather in honor of Take Action for Libraries Day on Thursday, April 8th, 7:30 pm. This free event is open to the public, and libraries are encouraged to promote it among their communities. Early registration is recommended.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) recently uploaded four new reading records created by Nyssa Fleig and Leslie Dayley for the Salt Lake County Library System (SLCLS). The records are available for your library to download and print in the “Online Only" folder found in the CSLP Online Manual. All SLCLS information has been removed from the records to make them easy for any library to use and they are available in both English and Spanish. CSLP has also created sample posts and created graphics for your library to use on social media, which you will find in the 2021 Tails & Tales Social Media Toolkit. The document is a living one, so the CSLP social media team will keep it updated as Summer 2021 approaches. 
Trustee Resources
Nominations are now open for the 2021 Southeastern NY Library Resources Council Twila Snead Award. This award is designed to recognize an outstanding member library, cultural heritage organization, program, service, or staff member. The full criteria and details about how to support a nomination can be found at senylrc.org. The deadline to send in nominations is Monday, May 10th.  
Administration & Management 
REMINDER: Health Emergency Plans are now required for all public libraries (municipal, special district, and school district public libraries) and strongly recommended for association libraries. Examples have been shared and are available below for your reference. These plans do not have to be sent to an agency of NYS but do need to be accessible to your employees through your library's personnel handbook and on your library's website for, at least, employees but the law also implies that the Department of Labor (DOL) could look for it if they are investigating a complaint. 

In the News
Local







National