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Contact Us
The MHLS Bulletin welcomes submissions from member libraries.
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The election of MHLS trustees will be an item of business at the MHLS Annual Membership Meeting on Friday, October 23rd. MHLS is governed by a fifteen-member board made up of three trustees from each of the five counties served.
Procedures for Election of Trustees:
Article II. Nominations:
Section 2.01 -The county library association of each county for which a trustee is to be elected shall meet for the purpose of selecting a candidate from their county to nominate at the MHLS Annual Membership Meeting. The chair of the county library association shall submit to the MHLS Executive Director the name of the county library association's nominee no later than two months prior to the Annual Membership Meeting.
Section 4.03 - Each member library is a voting unit having one vote.
Three MHLS Board of Trustee vacancies to be filled for terms commencing in January 2021:
- The Columbia County Library Association has unanimously nominated Jill Leinung for her first five-year term (2021-2025).
Jill A. Leinung is a school librarian who recently retired from the East Greenbush Central School District where she taught for 27 years. She is the Section of School Librarians' Past President (2014-15) and has sat as a Councilor-at-Large on the Council of the New York Library Association (NYLA) (2016-19). Jill currently serves as the Section of School Librarians' Representative on the NYLA Legislative Committee, is on the Advisory Board for the NYLA Sustainability Initiative, and is on the Section of School Librarians'/Youth Services /NYLA Youth Advocacy Committee. She is also Vice President of the Board of Trustees for Valatie Free Library.
- The Dutchess County Library Association has unanimously nominated Barry Ramage to serve a second five-year term (2021-2025).
Retired from the financial services industry where he provided investment and planning advice to businesses and individuals, Barry served on the board of the Red Hook Public Library for 12 years, the last 10 of which were as board president. A long-time active member of the Red Hook Rotary Club, Barry has served as a board member and as club president. Barry will complete his first five-year term on the Mid-Hudson Library System board at the end of the year and has served as treasurer for three years and is completing his first year as vice-president.
- The Greene County Library Association has unanimously nominated Debra Klein to serve a second five-year term (2021-2025).
Ms. Klein is currently the Visual Resources Collection Assistant and Archives Associate for Bard College, serving on the Catskill Tree Council and on the Board of the Catskill Public Library. Ms. Klein has a long history with volunteer work going back to volunteering at the Sarasota, FL public library in 1978. Ms. Klein currently serves as the Chair of the MHLS Bylaws, Policy and Procedures Committee and also serves on the MHLS Finance and MHLS Personnel & Planning committees.
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To register for the Annual Membership Meeting, visit
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MHLS Announcements
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 Linda Vittone, MHLS Financial Manager & Personnel Officer, has announced her plans to retire at the end of 2020 after 20 years of service to the Mid-Hudson Library System. "I've enjoyed my time here at MHLS, it's been a great place to work," said Linda, "I will miss my colleagues, but I'm looking forward to enjoying my retirement." Linda has provided excellent leadership to ensure the financial stability and integrity of our organization over the years, overseeing our budget, internal financial controls, and human resources compliance. Famous for being one of the few people who were happy when the Office of the State Comptroller came to audit our organization, Linda has held our organization to a high standard of fiduciary management, aiding the board and executive directors she has served with in their responsibilities as the financial stewards of the government and member funds entrusted to our organization. "Linda's dedication is a tribute to the stability of our organization's financial management strategy," said Ric Swierat, MHLS Board President. "Linda is extremely conscientious and always has her eye on the bottom line," said Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Executive Director, "Her attention to detail and deep knowledge of state funding and reporting minutiae has served MHLS very well over the years." Joan Kay, MHLS Financial Assistant has worked side-by-side with Linda for two decades: "Linda has been a valuable asset to MHLS - a dedicated employee who strives to always do the best job possible for our organization and the libraries that we represent. Linda's warmth and sense of humor bring out the best in others and have made it a real pleasure to work alongside her. I am going to miss her." Linda will retire at the end of the year and will be missed greatly by her co-workers. Her care and compassion, love of dance, and great sense of humor have contributed to making the MHLS workplace a joyous place to be.
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 (l-r): Village Trustee George Gaspar, Library Director Gina Loprinzo, staff member Jim DiMauro, Village Trustee Mary Bryde, Mayor Jim Schoenig, Village Clerk Michelle Chiudina, and staff member Danielle Argentieri. (Photo credit Peggy Bruen)
The Village of Brewster recently presented the Brewster Public Library with a proclamation for continuing to serve the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 On Saturday, September 5th the newest Pomeroy Historic Marker in Coxsackie, NY honoring Eleanor Heermance and the Heermance Memorial Library was unveiled. Eleanor Heermance was a forward-thinking woman who left her beautiful home and books to establish the Heermance Memorial Library.
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Professional Development
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As part of the first webinar in the Reimagining Library Services series Libraries Addressing Food Scarcity, Carol Donick, Kent Public Library Director, Rhiannon Leo-Jameson, NorthEast-Millerton Library Director, Liz Potter, Phoenicia Library Director, Gisi Vella, Morton Memorial Library Director (Pine Hill), and Sandy Bartlett, Morton Memorial Library & Community House Director (Rhinecliff) shared their experience in addressing hunger and food scarcity in their communities. These libraries have been critical in helping community members feed their neighbors through library and community garden programs, partnering with organizations who address hunger to distribute food through curbside pickup and delivery programs, and food pantries both tiny and large. Access a recording of the webinar here.
Other resources to help address food scarcity:
Don't miss these upcoming webinars in the Reimaging Library Services series.
- Innovative Programming | Tuesday, October 6th 10:00-11:30am | Register
- Tech Tools for Library Service | Wednesday, October 28th 10:00-11:30am | Register
- Dealing with the Digital Divide | Tuesday, November 10th 10:00-11:30am | Register
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Resource Sharing & Sierra
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There is still time to register for the first webinar in the eCollection Development Webinar Series. On Monday, October 5th at 2:00 pm join Laurie Shedrick, MHLS Assistant Director & Technology Operations Manager for an Introduction to eCollection Development in OverDrive and Best Practices. At this webinar we will be joined by a panel of member library directors to discuss strategic approaches to developing a collection in OverDrive that meet community needs - from analysis of usage to selection and funding to promotion. Panelists include:
- Kristen Salierno, Director, Howland Public Library (Beacon)
- Julie Kelsall-Dempsey, Director, Highland Public Library
- Daniela Pulice, Director, Pleasant Valley Free Library
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Join MHLS ILP Operations Supervisor, Thomas O'Connell for an upcoming
Sierra Lunchtime webinar. All events begin at noon. Please register through the MHLS calendar.
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The New York Black Librarian Caucus (NYBLC) Roundtable of the New York Library Association (NYLA) is now accepting applicants for the Andrew P. Jackson Library Support Staff Scholarship. This scholarship is offered in recognition of 36 years of dedicated service to the library profession by Andrew P. Jackson (Sekou Molefi Baako), who served as director-emeritus at Queens Public Library's (QPL) Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center, past president of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Inc., adjunct instructor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies at Queens College and the Black Studies Program of the History & Philosophy Department at York College. Jackson is also a library consultant/advisor, a mentor to many across the nation, and the first librarian and former QPL staff member to be appointed to the Queens Library Board of Trustees. Applicants must be enrolled in a 4-year undergraduate program, a New York State resident, and willing to join a roundtable of NYLA. The due date is October 15th, 2020. See the application for more information.
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Reference & Collection Development
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MHLS member libraries are invited to join libraries from all over New York State to connect patrons with opportunities to help their neighbors through donation drives, environmental clean-up events, and other community service projects as part of The Great Give Back (GGB) on Saturday, October 17th. Libraries are catalysts and conveners, working to respond to the needs of the people in the community and The Great Give Back gives us a chance to shine a light on this work and connect more people with what's going on at their local library. This year many MHLS libraries are focusing on addressing food scarcity through donation drives, and Riverkeeper has partnered with NYS libraries for Sweep cleanup events along shorelines and at inland locations in the Hudson River Tributary watershed.
- Templates for logos, social media images, captions, newsletter articles, program ideas, and more can be found on MHLS' The Great Give Back page. Please edit and use these materials as you see fit to share the GGB with your community.
- To learn more about this year's GGB you can access the recording of The Great Give Back Program Idea Exchange held on Wednesday, August 26th can be accessed here.
- To learn more about promoting the GGB this year a recording of The Great Give Back Program Promotion Idea Exchange held on Monday, September 14th can be accessed here.
If your library is planning on participating in The Great Give Back, Please fill out and submit this form.
Publishers Extend Permissions for Online and Virtual Storytime Titles: To help educators and librarians engaged in online learning and storytimes held via Zoom and other virtual means, many publishers relaxed copyright restriction on their works at the start of the pandemic. With remote learning continuing into fall 2020, many publishers have extended permissions for read alouds of their titles. See School Library Journal, and the SLJ COVID-19 Publisher Information Directory for more information.
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 The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) is looking for 2022 programming ideas. CSLP encourages the collaboration of innovative and age appropriate ideas, resources, and programs through the production of programming manuals. The manuals include program ideas, booklists, decorations and activities for four age groups, from babies to adults. Since public librarians are our customers for the manual, they want your ideas! You know what will work best in your libraries. Use this form to submit your idea and any related materials.
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Were you unable to attend the Trustee Essentials webinar in September? No problem! There is a second session being offered next month. Join Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Executive Director for Trustee Essentials on Tuesday, October 13th at 10:00 am. Particularly for new board members, but open to all. Library board members looking for essential, basic information to increase their effectiveness in serving on a library board will benefit from attending this session. Attendees will develop a working knowledge of library funding and organization in New York State; receive a clear overview of stakeholder roles and responsibilities and receive an introduction to Open Meetings Law and best practices for effective board meetings. This webinar provides a foundation of knowledge that other workshops in the MHLS Trustee Education Series will build on. Please register for this event through the MHLS calendar.
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Administration & Management
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The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is now accepting nominations for the 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation's highest honor awarded to libraries and museums for service to their communities.
"This year has presented many challenges for our country, and museums and libraries have found new and unique ways to support and provide services to their communities," said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. "As we acknowledge the enormous impact libraries and museums of all types and sizes have on their communities and the leadership they have shown, we are proud to re-institute the National Medals to recognize those institutions who show imagination and exceptional outreach, support, and collaboration with their communities and partner organizations."
Anyone-an employee, a board member, a volunteer, a member of the public, or a government official-is invited to nominate an institution. Museums and libraries of most disciplines and types are eligible. Regardless of who nominates the library or museum, in order to be considered, the institution must complete the online nomination form November 2nd, 2020.
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MHLS Finance Manager & Personnel Officer: The Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS) is seeking an experienced professional to serve as its fiscal officer. The Finance Manager & Personnel Officer reports to the Executive Director and directs the organization's financial planning, government reporting and banking; serves as the personnel officer; supervises and manages general business office activities.
The person who is right for this position will have fiscal integrity, experience in budget development and financial forecasting; expert knowledge of accounting principles and payroll practices; experience working with benefits, personnel policies and human resources; excellent communication skills; professionalism; ability to problem solve, work with deadlines and maintain confidentiality; and pays attention to detail and is flexible.
A BA or BS degree in Accounting, or equivalent, with five years related experience and/or training is required.
MHLS is located in the city of Poughkeepsie and provides services to 66 member libraries across five counties. Our regular work week is Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. The hiring salary for this full-time position is $65,000 with excellent benefits including New York State retirement, medical and dental insurance, and paid vacation and sick leave.
To apply please submit a cover letter and résumé to jobs@midhudson.org. Review of applicants will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
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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