Let’s get ready to speak up for libraries! MHLS has put together a checklist to prepare you for Advocacy Week, February 28th - March 4th.
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Attend the MHLS Advocacy Briefing at 2:00 pm today (2/22)! Join Executive Director, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich to discuss the 2022 budget & legislative priorities, effective talking points and what advocacy will look like in the face of the pandemic: How, when and where you can speak up for libraries! You can register for this session up to the start time of the event.
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Register for NYLA’s Social Media Member Training webinar on February 23rd at 3:00 pm. In this 90-minute session, representatives from the New York Library Association will review “social media training” (primary focus on Twitter) led by Christina Romeo, NYLA’s Communications & Marketing Manager. This session will also be recorded and posted on the LAD22 subpage for those that cannot attend.
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Fine tune your talking points about how your library has helped your residents during the pandemic and how MHLS has supported you in this work.
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New Addition to the MHLS Custom Consultations List! MHLS’ Workflow Consultations are designed to provide an evaluation of your ILS’ related procedures as well as best practice guidance for library directors and their staff.
NEW! OverDrive Marketplace: In addition to scheduled group training and recorded training opportunities for OverDrive Marketplace, MHLS now offers a customized opportunity to personalize this training to your library through a workflow consultation request. If you are just getting started with Marketplace, need a refresher or want to dig deeper than ever before, Nina Acosta, Data Operations Supervisor, can work directly in your library account, using your data to make the training experience more meaningful.
NEW! Custom Gigabit Toolkit workflow consultation: The Toward Gigabit Libraries toolkit and Broadband Improvement Plan is a powerful, free tool to help libraries learn about and improve their current broadband infrastructure and internal information technology (IT) environment. MHLS Technology Operations will consult with you and assist you towards finding success with the toolkit. The first step is to access the toolkit. The toolkit is designed to help you to navigate understanding your current environment and provide the tools to develop a technology plan that will bring you up to speed and take you into the future. MHLS can provide you with support in that process.
- Create a current network diagram and inventory to determine weak links
- Review your current broadband contract and the market available in your area
- Monitor the service in your site at peak and low service intervals to reveal success and failures in service
- Review the technology support you have in place.
- Review funding opportunities
- The goals are simple, become proficient in your library’s specific technology environment, learn what can be improved and at what cost, and then explore the options.
Either of these custom workflow consultations can be requested using this form. Select OverDrive Marketplace, or Gigabit Library. We will respond to your request as quickly as possible with next steps and possible dates. |
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Please welcome our two newest member library directors:
- Ben Gocker began working as the new director of the Catskill Public Library in early February.
- Matthew Pavloff started as the new director of the Kinderhook Memorial Library on February 14th. Matt was previously the Teen Services Librarian at Kinderhook Memorial Library.
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The Association for Small & Rural Libraries (ASRL) has chosen the book Sustainable Thinking: Ensuring Your Library’s Future in an Uncertain World (by our very own Executive Director, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich) as their inaugural discussion selection for the ASRL Professional Development Book Club title. Everyone, regardless of ASRL membership status, is invited to join us for a quarterly discussion about a professional development title that is relevant to the needs of library professionals working in rural and small libraries. Our winter quarter (January-March) meeting will be held on March 29th, 2022, featuring an interactive discussion of Rebekkah Smith Aldrich’s landmark book Sustainable Thinking: Ensuring Your Library’s Future in an Uncertain World. Choose from two discussion groups, 6:30 pm or 9:30 pm.
Register online for either session. You do not need to be an ASRL member to attend, but you will have to create an account to register.
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Resource Sharing & Sierra |
Last year, OverDrive acquired Kanopy, a leading streaming video service for public libraries. Kanopy is now OverDrive’s flagship app for streaming video content. Because of this, they are starting the process to wind down the OverDrive video format. As a first step, beginning March 15th, 2022, video titles will no longer be available for purchase in OverDrive Marketplace. MHLS will keep you updated of any other plans or next steps put forth by OverDrive. |
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The New York State Education Department is now accepting applications for the 2022 Summer Food Service Program. Libraries have the opportunity to provide “ Consistent access to healthy foods is critical to a child’s development,” said NYSED Commissioner Betty A. Rosa. “ The State Education Department has administered the Summer Food Service Program for 22 years, growing it into the success it is today serving meals at over 3,000 locations each summer. We look forward to another summer of providing wholesome meals to our state’s children.” To get started, libraries should connect with a sponsor in their area. No sponsors near you? Contact with Hunger Solutions New York for further assistance. |
For more information, library staff are welcome to attend the webinar MHLS Library Sustainability Series - Libraries Addressing Food Scarcity with Hunger Solutions NY on March 31st at 10:00 am. As trusted organizations in their communities, libraries are well-positioned to provide critical information about resources and services to address food insecurity to the people they serve. At this webinar, Krista Hesdorfer, Child Nutrition Programs Specialist at Hunger Solutions New York, will share resources and information libraires can use to connect their patrons to programs and services that can help put food on the table for families and individuals in need including, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and other programs. |
WIC's cash value benefit (CVB) increase has been extended through the end of March 2022. Most WIC kids and moms are automatically getting 3-4 times the standard amount ($9 or $11) on their eWIC card to buy fruits and veggies. The temporary benefit increase applies to women and children participants and aligns with recommendations from National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), providing a CVB value at 50 percent of recommended intake as measured in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For more information and to help spread the word, visit Hunger Solutions NY. |
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Reference & Collection Development |
The 2022 Banned Books Symposium will take place on Saturday, March 5th from 9:00 am-12:00 pm. This free virtual half-day conference features presentations discussing book challenges and censorship. The event includes Keynote speaker John Piche, Outreach Librarian for Heights Libraries in Cleveland, OH and closing speaker Deborah Caldwell-Stone, and features presentations from library professionals from various library types.
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Get ready for Earth Day (April 22nd) and become a partner with Earth Day.org! Use their toolkit to help organize your program and register your event(s) with Earth Day.org to be added to a listing of programs being held all over the world. To get started visit, https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2022/ |
The New York State Library, through its Ready to Read at New York Libraries initiative, partnered with OCLC's WebJunction in 2018 to bring the successful Supercharged Storytimes for All (SSA) program to youth services public library staff across the state. Register now for a five-week session of the Supercharged Storytimes for All training scheduled for the first part of 2022. Whether you are new to developing and offering storytimes or a seasoned provider with years of experience, this free program will help you to deepen and enhance your services to young children and their families.
- April 27th – May 25th | Wednesdays from 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Register
Registration will be capped at 30 people. If you are interested in attending but the session is full, please add yourself to the wait list. You will be notified if any spots become available.
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Administration & Management |
NYS HERO Act Updates: On February 15 th, 2022, the NYS Commissioner of Health extended the NY HERO Act designation for a fifth time through March 17 th, 2022. The Commissioner will review the CDC’s level of transmission of COVID-19 at that time and determine whether to continue the designation (extend further) or not. The HERO Act is applicable to association libraries.
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Annual Reports are due from each member library by Friday, February 25th at 5:00 pm. Information for completing the report is available at https://midhudson.org/annualreporttips/. Libraries can contact MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator, Casey Conlin, with any questions they may have about the annual report. |
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Library clerk (part-time), Red Hook Public Library
Red Hook Public Library is looking for a part-time library clerk.
Applicants must be flexible, responsible, proficient with a wide range of technology, and have obsessive attention to detail. Successful applicants will be committed to providing exemplary service to patrons while ensuring patron privacy.
The selected applicant will be joining a strong collaborative team and have the pleasure of working in a fun, engaging environment.
In exchange for unwavering devotion to the library and willingness to go above and beyond, this part-time position offers a wage of $13.50 per hour. Limited paid sick-time and snow-closure pay included. This is a non-competitive Civil Service position. Clerks must be at least 18 years of age with a high school diploma. Bilingual Spanish-English speakers preferred. A background check is required.
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