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Contact Us
The MHLS Bulletin welcomes submissions from member libraries.
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2021 MHLS Turning Outward Cohort Program
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The Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS) will be supporting a cohort program for member libraries working to gather authentic input from their neighbors to build long-range plans that will resonate with library stakeholders and the people in the community. In this program, libraries will learn about the Turning Outward mindset and how to apply this thinking to work and decisions made in the library to better understand the community and change processes and thinking to make activities more community focused. As they move through the program, participating libraries will receive support from MHLS and fellow cohort members to engage in community conversations to help people define their aspirations for the place they live, and create long-range plans that position the library to help create the kind of change people want to see in their village, town, or city. This cohort program has been modified from previous years to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission at training and community engagement events including a fully online workshop experience for cohort members. Libraries that wish to update their long-range plans and libraries that require a long-range plan that includes input from the community as called for in the New Minimum Public Library Standards may be interested in this program. For more information, you can register for the 2021 MHLS Turning Outward Cohort Program Introductory Webinar on Friday, January 15th at 10:00 am or contact MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator, Casey Conlin, [email protected].
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MHLS Announcements
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Thomas accepting his five-year service award at the 2019 MHLS Annual Membership Meeting.
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Thomas O'Connell, MHLS ILP Operations Supervisor, will be leaving MHLS on December 18th. Since joining MHLS in 2014, Thomas has played an important role in educating member library staff and supporting the Sierra ILS platform, and spearheaded many initiatives including workflow consultations, lunchtime webinars and helping libraries move to fine free circulation models. Thomas stepped up his efforts during the pandemic and stay-at-home orders to ensure member library staff had access to additional remote training sessions and recordings to help member libraries transition to serving patrons remotely and online, including 20 training sessions in April. Please join Assistant Director / Technology Operations Manager, Laurie Shedrick, the TechOps team, the cataloging department and the entire MHLS staff in wishing Thomas continued professional success in his "next chapter" in public libraries. After the 18th services and questions that would usually go to Thomas can be directed to [email protected].
 MHLS has received a $10,000 Pivoting to Respond Grant from The
Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. "Since late March, The Community Foundations has invested more than $1.8 million in emergency grants to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 in our community," said Cristin McPeake, Vice President of Programs at the Foundations. "With thanks to partners in the Dutchess County Government, Dyson Foundation, United Way of Putnam and Westchester, and United Way of Ulster County, we focused our initial rounds of support on emergency services. Now through partnerships with other grantmakers and our nonprofit colleagues, we are setting a priority on the long-term sustainability of agencies that serve historically marginalized groups, who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. Pivoting to Respond Grants will provide unrestricted support to help maintain existing, effective programs."
"Improving lives is not only our mission but our mandate," said Sally J. Cross, President & CEO at the Foundations. "We are grateful for the trust and the generosity that neighbors have shown in supporting our emergency response funds in recent months. As the economic impacts of the pandemic continue to deepen and widen, we are committed to addressing these challenges. Through this new program, we will connect the goodwill of people who donate to the services that make life better in our region."
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 Thea Schoep (pictured bottom center) director of the Claverack Free Library and member of the MHLS System Services Advisory Committee, recently met with Representative Antonio Delgado via Zoom. Thea said, "I was able to share concerns about the fiscal outlook for 2021, sharing concerns about libraries being part of the federal stimulus package and how it will impact MHLS and all libraries in our system ultimately. Also, broadband and how it's been so difficult in the top of the Hudson Valley... I also shared what libraries are doing to help their communities in this crazy COVID time."
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Professional Development
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 Library staff may now apply for the YSS Spring Conference Scholarships. Two awards are given annually. The first is the New Member Spring Conference Scholarship given to a new member of our profession. The second is the Lisa C. Wemett Spring Conference Scholarship given to a highly motivated established librarian who has had a significant impact on youth and youth services in their community. Each of the scholarships is designed to cover registration fees and up to $250 reimbursement for hotel charges, meals, and transportation costs for attending the Youth Services Section's Spring Conference on Friday, March 26th, 2021. Applicants must be a member of NYLA/YSS. The application deadline is February 1st, 2021. For the application and more information visit https://www.nyla.org/yss_conf.
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The New York Library Association (NYLA) is looking for suggestions of topics and speakers for their 2021 conference. Help shape the content for what will strive to be the #BestConferenceEver - submit your suggestions for topics and speakers that you would like to ensure are included in 2021 programming. Your input will inform the work of the conference curation committee.
Suggestions are being accepted through Monday, December 21st.
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Resource Sharing & Sierra
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Members of the MHLS Tech Ops Team have recently received certification in Sierra administration. Innovative offers a rigorous series of training classes to complete certification in both Systems Administration and Technical Services. Laurie Shedrick, Technology Operations Manager / Assistant Director and Nina Acosta, Assistant ILP Operations Supervisor have both completed the required and recommended courses to receive the Sierra System Coordinator/ Administrator Certificate. Nina Acosta, Kerri Carpenter, Cataloging Specialist and Tara Stohr, Interlibrary Loan & Cataloging Specialist have completed all the required courses, and most of the recommended coursework to receive the Sierra Technical Services Coordinator/Administrator Certificate. Details about the Sierra Certification Program can be found at https://www.iii.com/.
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 Applications are now open for The Penguin Random House Library Award for Innovation. The annual award recognizes U.S. libraries and librarians who create lasting innovative community service programs that successfully inspire and connect with new readers. The award consists of a $10,000 cash prize. The award, established in 2019, is open to public, school, and academic libraries. The Penguin Random House Foundation sponsors the $10,000 cash prize given to a library. The jury will award four runners-up $1,000 in Penguin Random House books to eligible libraries.
The nomination must show evidence of hardship, including economic difficulties or natural disasters, and demonstrate successful partnership(s) that work to overcome the hardship. Partners can include schools, local businesses, museums, and other community organizations. The nomination should focus on innovative and unique programming that may include new technology, reading methods or formats, outreach, etc. Nominees are not required to have a Master's in Library Science degree but is preferred. More information about the award, application information, and selection criteria can be found online. The deadline for applications is Feb. 1st, 2021. The awards will be presented at the ALA annual conference that will take place in June 2021.
 Help raise awareness about coping with COVID-19 by sharing resources provided by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is stressful for many people. People respond to stress in different ways and it is normal to experience a range of emotions, including fear, anxiety, and grief. Sharing accurate information about COVID-19 and strategies for coping can be an effective way to manage stress and connect with others. NIMH encourages you to use the hashtag #ShareNIMH in your social media posts to connect with people and organizations with similar goals. To access shareable informational graphics like the one pictured above, visit https://www.nimh.nih.gov/. To find even more social media resources, check out the National Institutes of Health (NIH) COVID-19 social media resources page.
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Reference & Collection Development
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 The Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table (GNCRT) of American Library Association (ALA) and the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation are pleased to announce the opening of the 2021 Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries grant cycle. These grants recognize libraries for their role in the growth of graphic literature and awards funds and resources for graphic novel collection development and programming. Three grants will be awarded: two recipients will receive the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Growth Grants which provides support to libraries that would like to expand their existing graphic novel collection, services, and programs; and one recipient will receive the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Innovation Grant which provides support to a library for the initiation of a new graphic novel service or program. Recipients each receive a $4,000 programming and collection development grant plus a collection of Will Eisner's works and biographies as well as a selection of the winners of the 2021 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards at Comic-Con International. An applying librarian or their institution must be an ALA Member to be eligible and the grants are now open to libraries across North America, including Canada and Mexico.
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 Arts Midwest is now accepting applications for the 2021-2022 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read Program. The NEA Big Read is a community engagement opportunity with grants of up $20,000 for community-wide reading programs (virtual and/or in-person). Organizations can choose one of six available books. They can also tie in thematically related books of their choice to expand the program's potential and reach a wider audience. Past grantees have a proven track record of successfully engaging their audiences through the power of literature and stirring up a passion for reading that persists year after year and developed meaningful and lasting partnerships with other organizations in their community. Studies have shown that reading for pleasure has positive impacts on one's health and this program can also provide entertainment and connection to community members in a time of isolation. The deadline to apply is January 27th, 2021. Learn more about the NEA Big Read.
The Poughkeepsie Public Library District (PPLD) was the recipient of a 2020 NEA Big Read grant. MHLS member libraries who participated in the PPLD-led community-wide reading program included Howland Public Library, Beekman Library, Hyde Park Library District, LaGrange Association Library, Millbrook Library, Staatsburg Library, Grinnell Public Library District, and the Friends of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District. The primary book used for the program was Hope Jahren's memoir Lab Girl, the story of one girl's journey from hanging out in her father's chemistry lab to establishing her own academic research facility. Libraries, education, art, and community organizations celebrated the book with community-wide events for all ages including book discussions, documentary viewings, lectures, cooking events, nature walks, and more.
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The House and Senate are working to pass an emergency COVID-19 relief package, likely to be the last relief bill before Congress for several months. House and Senate leadership are using the bipartisan "COVID Emergency Relief Framework" as a starting point for their negotiations. The framework includes funding for expanding overall broadband access and education but provides nothing for America's libraries. The American Library Association is urging Congress to include direct library broadband and stabilization funding in the relief package.
Libraries have stepped up throughout the pandemic to provide critical internet access, despite having to close or reduce services in response to local and state safety concerns. Yet, with additional broadband funding, libraries could provide even more services to the public via internet hotspots, extending Wi-Fi signals or locating mobile hotspots throughout the community. In addition to broadband funding, funding for libraries and library workers is critical. Library workers across the country were furloughed or laid off in 2020, and many more are at risk now - just when communities need them the most. The recent rise in infection rates is forcing many libraries to again limit services, and costs to reopen safely remain high. The rise in unemployment shows the need for library services, including online job search assistance, resume writing and help applying for unemployment and other public benefits. Direct library broadband and stabilization funding will allow our libraries to reopen safely and connect our communities to vital resources during this time of crisis.
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Administration & Management
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REMINDER: Action Memo 20-09: Salary and Benefits Survey is due by December 22nd. The Salary and Benefits Survey will assess library background, salary, health, and retirement benefits for staff serving in various positions in MHLS member libraries. The link to the Action Memo was published on the MHLS-Notice list on Tuesday, December 1st.
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