Sow, Grow, Reap, Repeat! Gardening and Foraging for Resilience, that’s the theme for the pilot year of The Library of Local program. The Library of Local program has three components, all designed to help build community resilience and self-reliance through the libraries of the Mid-Hudson Library System. This year’s theme focuses on local agriculture and the local experts who are willing and able to share their knowledge to augment our communities’ ability to increase their own food security.
1) This year the program establishes four pod libraries: Hudson Area Library, Kingston Library, Morton Memorial Library and Community House in Rhinecliff, and Mountain Top Library in Tannersville. These libraries have received start-up grants, custom-designed pods (shown below), and curated collections of books, films, online sources, garden tools, and seeds. Participating libraries will produce programming for their community with help from local experts and participate in anchor programs available to all member libraries.
2) All member libraries are welcome to advertise system-wide “anchor” programs which are organized centrally and available to all residents throughout the five-county region of the Mid-Hudson Library System. The first anchor event will be Seeds of Community with K Greene, which will take place online on Saturday, April 24 th. All member libraries are welcome to list this event on their local library’s program calendar.
3) All member libraries will have access to a Speakers Bureau to book local programming on this year’s theme.
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Pictured above: The Library of Local Pod at the Morton Memorial Library & Community House in Rhinecliff.
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Pictured above: Kingston Library’s very first checkout from their new tool lending collection.
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To allow member libraries to continue to support correctional facility libraries by donating discarded magazines, a temporary allowance is being made for the transportation of discarded magazines to MHLS via MHLS delivery. These donations were formerly accepted only by in-person delivery to MHLS facilities, but the pandemic and the suspension of in-person MHLS meetings and trainings means most libraries can’t transport these magazines to the MHLS facility. The list of criteria to send magazine donations through the delivery was presented at the April Directors Association Business meeting. Please view these guidelines before sending magazine donations through the delivery.
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Clinton Community Library's Assistant Program Coordinator Susan Rohrmeier (pictured left) is a recipient of the 2021 Outstanding Librarian Award! Clinton Community Library director Carol Bancroft said, “Susan was nominated by several library patrons for the great work she does engaging the Clinton community. This is a well-deserved achievement!”
As part of National Library Week Senator Sean Ryan, chair of the NYS Senate Libraries Committee, sought nominations from across New York for outstanding librarians who have gone above and beyond to serve their communities. One librarian was selected from every region of New York state to receive special recognition.
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Registration is open for the 2021 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference & Exhibition taking place online from June 23 rd-29 th, 2021. For a schedule of events and to register visit https://2021.alaannual.org/. Discounted registration is available until April 30 th.
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Resource Sharing & Sierra
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Join Laurie Shedrick, MHLS Assistant Director/Technology Operations Manager for Circulation 101 on Wednesday, May 19th at noon. This one-hour 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. Register today!
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The Youth Services Section of the New York Library Association (YSS-NYLA) is currently accepting applications for the Ann Gibson Scholarship Award. This scholarship is given annually to honor the memory of Ann Gibson, a dynamic and dedicated librarian, storyteller, and teacher, in recognition of Ann’s many contributions to the field of youth service librarianship. The purpose of the award is to provide financial assistance to a person who has chosen to pursue graduate studies that will lead to New York State certification as a youth specialist in a public library or school media center. For more information and to download the application please visit https://www.nyla.org/ann-gibson-scholarship/. The deadline for applications is May 31st.
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Honor an active library supporter, Friend, or Friends of the Library group with a nomination for the New York Library Association (NYLA) Friends of Libraries Section (FLS) Daniel W. Casey Library Advocacy Award. This prestigious award has been given annually since 1993 (through the precursor of FLS, the Empire Friends Roundtable). The award honors a volunteer member or group from the library community whose efforts have contributed to the growth of libraries or Friends of the Library organizations. To learn more about the Daniel W. Casey Library Advocacy Award and to find the nomination form please visit NYLA.org/Friends. The deadline to submit nominations is Tuesday, June 1st.
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Reference & Collection Development
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SYNC by AudioFile Magazine is an annual program that allows individuals 13 years of age and older to register to receive two complete audiobook downloads per week, for 14 weeks during the summer. SYNC includes new and favorite listens, and the program is free and available worldwide through the Sora app. For more info including promotional materials and a schedule of titles, visit AudioFile’s SYNC page. SYNC begins on April 29th!
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The sixteenth year of the Rochester International Children’s Film Festival will take place virtually over the next month. The Festival offers the very best of children’s shorts from around the world -- thoughtfully curated to reflect gentle social themes (diversity, kindness, sharing, etc.), as well as to celebrate artistry, music and other wonderful things! There will be one short film a day, along with media and literacy suggestions including vocabulary, discussion questions, books, songs, movement, and art activities. The festival runs from April 12 th through May 9 th. A new film will be available each Monday through Friday, starting at 7:00 am and 5 films from the previous week will be available on the weekends, starting Saturday at 7:00 am. Learn more at https://www.kidsfestroc.org/.
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Registration is open for Trustee Essentials presented by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Executive Director. This webinar provides a foundation of knowledge that other workshops in the MHLS Trustee Education Series will build on.
This session is 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.
Register for one of the following dates:
- Thursday, May 13th | 10:00-11:30 am
- Tuesday, May 18th | 5:30-7:00 pm
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Administration & Management
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The American Library Association (ALA) announced it will make available $1.25 million in emergency relief grants to libraries that have experienced substantial economic hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund invites public, school, academic, and tribal libraries across the United States and US Territories to apply for grants of $30,000 to $50,000. These funds are intended to bolster library operations and services including broadening technology access, developing collections, providing digital instruction, staffing, and expanding outreach, as well as maintaining and amplifying existing service strategies or adding new ones to extend impact through the end of 2021. Grant applications are accepted online through May 20 th, 2021 via the ALA website.
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Library Clerk, Millbrook Library
Performs a variety of library circulation and clerical procedures with a strong customer service focus.
General Duties:
- Performs all circulation desk duties, including: Check materials in/out/renew materials, reserve materials, collects fines and tallies daily
- Performs all opening/closing procedures in work area/public areas.
- Assists patrons who want to borrow and return library materials.
- Issues library cards according to established procedures.
- Attends to all circulation problems in a professional and timely manner. This includes but is not limited to processing overdue notices, expiring patron records, and outstanding holds.
- Responds to general information requests by telephone and in person.
- Utilize library resources such as databases, reference materials, and the Internet to supply needed information.
- Performs basic cataloguing functions.
- Any other routine tasks as assigned by the library director
Supervised By:
- Takes direction from Library Director and Head of Circulation.
Qualifications Profile:
- Ability to learn Dewey Decimal system, automated circulation system, online meeting software, and library circulation policies and procedures.
- Ability to create courteous pleasant first impression of library.
- Ability to establish good patron rapport.
- Computer skills (Familiar with Microsoft Word, Gmail, Zoom, etc.)
- Physical ability to bend to floor level, stretch, reach, lift and carry books.
Hours: Tuesdays, 9:45 am – 6:15 pm, and Thursdays 9:45 am – 6:15 pm Regular Saturday rotations, 9:45 am – 4:15 pm
Compensation: $13.00/ hr. This position includes vacation, personal, and sick time, and some paid holidays.
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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