2023 Member Library Votes (MHLS Bulletin) 12.12.23

Vol.23-50 | 12.12.23

2023 Member Library Votes

This year thirty-six communities within the Mid-Hudson Library System service region voted on tax levies for their public libraries with a 100% success rate! In addition to budget votes, Marlboro Free Library held a successful building proposition vote. You can review the full results of this year’s votes as well as past votes in the MHLS Public Library Vote Toolbox.

As you may remember, this year Governor Hochul finally signed S3594, the bill to reduce the number of petition signatures for libraries to get onto the municipal ballot into law. Association and Municipal Public Libraries will now only need 25 signatures, the same as the school district ballot.

This bill removes the #1 barrier to all libraries being on the ballot annually. Hopefully this will help our municipal and association libraries to start to correct years of chronic underfunding. The Mid-Hudson Library System will offer training on this topic and help guide campaign strategies that relied on the higher number of petition signatures as part of the tactical effort to get the word out.

If your library board would like to discuss sustainable funding plans, please contact MHLS Executive Director, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich at rsmith@midhudson.org.

MHLS Announcements

Thank you for all your enthusiasm and feedback on the launch of the new catalog.

The ability to pay fines is now live on Discover! The minimum amount to pay online is currently $5.00. MHLS is working with Innovative to change the minimum to $1.00. Thank you for your patience as this feature was switched over and continues to be modified.

If you notice any problems with formats or editions of titles not grouping together properly or titles grouping together when they shouldn't be please send an email to cataloging@midhudson.org. Usually, this just requires a quick fix in the metadata.

General questions about the catalog can be directed to techsupport@midhudson.org.

We hope your patrons are finding the new catalog easy to use. As a reminder, there is a help button at the top of the site with documentation. You can also print a copy of the documentation from our launch kit at https://kb.midhudson.org/vega/.

This past weekend, Mid-Hudson Library System staff helped to honor the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by attending the Human Rights Close to Home event at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. We participated in the Human Rights Expo, and spoke with the community about the value of a library card, uniting against attempts to ban books, and upholding the public’s right to free and equitable access to information and library resources.

Pictured: Library Sustainability Associate & Communications Specialist, Stephanie Werskey

MHLS Libraries

105th District Assemblymember Anil Beephan (left) surprised Mary Wickham (right) with a Certificate of Merit honoring her retirement as Children’s Services Coordinator at the LaGrange Association Library in November.

Professional Development

Library systems around the state are joining together to host an epic 2024 summer programming workshop -- Adventure Begins at Your Library: Collaborative Children's SRP Workshop! The online workshop for children’s library staff members will be taking place on Thursday, February 15, 2024, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Interested in sharing your programming ideas? We’re looking for volunteers to present on a children’s program they’ve done or are planning to do for Summer 2024. Anything that you think encompasses the theme is welcome. If chosen, presentations would be anywhere from 5-10 minutes long. Presenters will be notified by January 16th.

To apply, please fill out the submission form no later than December 31st.

Save the date for the workshop and look for registration information coming soon as well as information about a Teen edition being held in March.

Sustainable Libraries

Through the generosity of Penguin Random House, The Association for Rural & Small Libraries is pleased to announce this grant opportunity for small, rural libraries nationwide. This grant is available to libraries that meet both the IMLS definition for small libraries (a service population of 25,000 or fewer) and the definition for rural libraries (libraries located 5 or more miles from the nearest town of 25k or more).

Applicants may request:

One (1) monetary grant in support of a community-oriented project for up to $1,000.

An in-kind grant donation of up to $1,000 in equivalent value to support a circulating collection in your library.

Deadline to submit applications is December 15th, 2023.

Programming

The New York State Library is pleased to announce that they will be hosting author Cory Doctorow (pictured left) for a special webinar on Friday, January 12, 2024, at 3:00 pm. This event will kick off the 2024 digital equity programming and focus on Cory’s new book Seize the Means of Computation: A Big Tech Disassembly Method.

Registration for this event is required. Secure your spot by registering through the NYS Library Event Page.

Trustee Resources

There is still time to register for the final 2023 session of the Trustee Handbook Book Club on December 19th from 5:00 – 6:30 pm. The topic is Financing & Managing Construction Projects. This online session is 1.5 credit hours toward the NYS Trustee Education Requirements.

Job Openings

Senior Library Clerk, Blodgett Memorial Library (Fishkill)

Blodgett Memorial Library in Fishkill, NY is seeking an energetic, positive, creative, people-person Senior Library Clerk to help with administration assistance and front desk work. The Senior Library Clerk, who reports to the Director of the Library, will also assist with technical and communication services. Starting pay is $20/hour and benefits to be negotiated. The part-time schedule will include nights and weekends. If interested please email your resume to Joanna Aquafredda, Office Manager, at bmlaquafredda@gmail.com or mail your resume to Blodgett Memorial Library 37 Broad St, Fishkill, NY 12524. View the full job description.

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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