SCRLC NEWS

Cheery Friday Greetings,

ESLN Meeting. This past week, I had the pleasure of gathering with my Empire State Library Network colleagues in the Southeastern NY Library Resources Council region. Our visit included the Vassar College Library, a meeting at the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, and a tour of the historic Huguenot Street area. New York Heritage contains several collections of materials from Historic Huguenot Street.

During our meeting, we shared updates on strategic planning efforts, where each of us stands in our five-year planning process, and key insights gained so far. Many systems have distributed membership surveys or held focus groups and regional conversations. Common themes across the board included the pressing need for advocacy, ongoing funding challenges, and the evolving role of AI. We also considered what big projects we could collaboratively take on.

Temporary, Part-time Digital Equity Consultant Work Available! SCRLC is a member of the Southern Tier Digital Equity Coalition (STDEC), which recently received a Technical Assistance Grant from the NYS ConnectALL Office. We’re currently seeking five part-time consultants (5–10 hours/week) to join this effort. The work is mostly remote and involves identifying specific, well-informed project ideas based on the needs of your local community. For example, in Otsego County, which libraries might benefit from more circulating hotspots? Which churches could offer public Wi-Fi access? Which community centers could host cybersecurity workshops for older persons?

These are contract positions, with competitive hourly pay (see within the job posting below). Please note that consultants will be responsible for managing their own taxes and incidental expenses.

Please share this opportunity widely!

The project manager consultant posting is here and the regional consultants posting is here.

Regional Conversations. There are still opportunities to register for one of the regional conversations, all of which are being held via Zoom. While these conversations will help with the development of the 2026-2031 Plan of Service, they’re equally valuable as a networking opportunity for participants. What insights or experiences would you like to share with your colleagues? What are you hoping to learn from them? They’re a chance to talk about your successes, challenges, and plans in a supportive, collaborative space. Click here to register for a session! 

Advocacy. State Level: The New York Library Association is working on the legislative “asks” for next year. The Freedom to Read Act has not yet been signed. Pieces of legislation to be signed tend to delivered to the Governor’s desk in a large bundle. After receiving the item, she will have 10 days to sign.

Federal Level: Advocacy remains critical—it’s not too late to save the Institute of Museum and Library Services. According to the July 15 article in American Libraries, it is important for constituents of House and Senate Appropriations Committee members to take action. Visit this link for actions to take to support library funding. Anyone not represented an appropriations committee member can continue to contact their representatives using the action pages and other resources from ALA to Show Up for Our Libraries. As the article’s headline reminds us, strong advocacy can affect upcoming policy choices.

Enjoy the weekend!

Yours in partnership,

Mary-Carol

Mary-Carol Lindbloom

Executive Director

MEMBER NEWS

SCRLC Annual Awards are open for nominations! Consider nominating a colleague for one of our six awards by October 3rd. The awards will be presented at our 59th Annual Meeting of the Membership on October 24th.

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NYLA's Annual Conference is now open for registration There is a 25% discount for conference volunteers (sign up here to volunteer). Many of our members will be presenting at the conference:

Academic and Public Library Partnerships, Nov. 6th, 1:30pm

Melanie Miller, Alfred Box of Books Library (part of STLS)

Nick Cousino, SUNY Alfred State College

Mechele Romanchock, Alfred University

Bridging Digital Divides with Tech Help, Nov. 6th, 1:45pm

Kenneth Roman, George F. Johnson Memorial Library

Preparing for Difficult Patron Interactions, Nov. 6th, 4pm

Elise Ferer, Binghamton University Libraries

Trustee Handbook Book Club for Directors, Nov. 7th, 8:30am

Brian Hildreth, Southern Tier Library System

Building Access for All, Nov. 7th, 11am

Tina Dalton, Shauna Comes, Cherilyn Wise

Cuba Circulating Library (part of Southern Tier Library System)

Fostering DEI Initiatives in Rural Communities, Nov. 7th, 11am

Melanie Miller, Alfred Box of Books Library (part of STLS)

Kelly Povero, Watkins Glen Public Library (part of STLS)

Sally Jacoby-Murphy, Fred & Harriet Taylor Memorial Library

Brian Hildreth, Southern Tier Library System

The Care and Keeping of College Students, Nov. 7, 2:15pm

Ally True, Tompkins County Public Library

Celebrating Diversity Through Children's Multilingual Story-Time, Nov. 8, 9:30am

Eba Klindt and Elizabeth Rosales Cordova, Hornell Public Library (part of STLS)

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Cortland County Historical Society bought the former Free Methodist Church at 9 Grace Street in Cortland. Now they will have plenty of space and a parking lot.

The Swart-Wilcox House Museum in Oneonta has a Summer Sunday Series of events including "Mapping Otsego County" (August 10), "Teaching of Onondaga Chief Paul Waterman (August 17), "Back to Campus" (August 24), and "Victorian Toys of the Wilcox Children" (August 31). They are also fundraising with a raffle to help move an historic barn onto their site.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ON

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility

Jenny Shonk at the Finger Lakes Library System sorted through over 72 boxes of menstrual products that made their way to the 10 member libraries who applied for FLLS mini-grants for dispensers and/or display boxes along with pads/tampons. This will help their member libraries provide period products to underserved groups and individuals with disabilities in the FLLS service area. Aunt Flow is focused on reducing the stigma around menstruation and believes that period products should be freely accessible in public spaces.

ROAD TRIP

ESLN Directors Meeting

August 4-6

Mary-Carol took an early morning walk across the Hudson River.

She visited Vassar College's Reading Room.

She also visited the FDR Presidential Library and Museum.

Waverly Free Library

August 7

Jessica drove down to the Waverly Free Library (part of the Finger Lakes Library System) to pick up the Erie Canal traveling exhibit. All of our traveling exhibits are available to put on display for a month at your library or organization. Request one today.

Regional Conversations

Join your colleagues to discuss challenges, successes, and plans for the future!

September 9 - October 10 (5 sessions available)

"It's an Art, Not a Science:" How to Build a Practice of Slow Librarianship

September 23, 3pm

SCRLC Leadership Retreat (in person)

This event is for members of the Board, advisory committees, the POS task group, or other SCRLC groups

September 26, 10:30am

SAVE THE DATE!

for our Annual Meeting at the Park Church in Elmira, with local history tours to follow!

October 24

Events produced by the eight other library councils in the Empire State Library Network are open for SCRLC members to attend.

Turning the Page- ADHD and Employee Policies (CLRC)

August 12, 2pm

Copyrights for Educational and Cultural Institutions: Common Considerations, Challenges, Pitfalls (LILRC)

August 13, 11am

Prompt Exchange - Building AI Confidence Together! (WNYLRC)

August 14, 1pm

Contact Jenn Northup (jnorthup@wnylrc.org) to join the discussion.

The Handbook of Black Librarianship - Library Technology (NYS Library)

August 15, 2pm

Temple Grandin: How I Learned to Read (LILRC)

August 19, 10am

We Have Always Been At War With Computers (SENYLRC)

August 21, 12:30pm

How to Effectively Manage Difficult Conversations and Personalities in the Workplace (LILRC)

August 22, 1pm

Intro to iNaturalist (METRO)

August 26, 12pm

Reproductive Health & The Reference Desk: How Libraries Can Provide Information in a Post-Roe Country (RRLC)

August 27, 2pm

AI Solutions Showcase (METRO & SENYLRC)

August 28, 10:30am

NYS Coordinated Collection Development Aid (CCDA) Webinar (ESLN)

September 9, 10am

The Empire State Library Network is hosting their 8th annual luncheon at the conference: Well-Being for Human Beings (Not Human Doings) with Sebene Selassie, November 6, Noon - 1:30pm

WEBINAR RERUN

The most popular archived webinar on SCRLC's YouTube Channel (apart from our 2024 Eclipse webinar series) is this MarcEdit Walkthrough with Terry Reese with over 1,500+ views. It first aired on July 30, 2020.

DIGITAL COLLECTIONS

S.E.C.S. Band Marching in Old Home Days Parade, 1970

Mary Fargo Collection / Chenango County Historical Society

Follow NY Heritage on Facebook

Claire has been writing daily posts for New York Heritage on Facebook and, simultaneously, Instagram. The posts cycle around the different regions of the state, featuring a randomly selected collection each day. Click "follow" and share when you can!

New Collection: Yates County Digitization Roadshow Images

This collection was funded with a SCRLC Digitization Grant. The Yates County History Center traveled around the county with scanner in hand, setting up pop-up digitization events in the small, rural communities. They scanned a veterinarian's scrapbook, old family photos, naturalization certificates, school souvenirs, and more.

New Collection: Images of Newfield

The Newfield Historical Society was gifted nearly 2,000 photos from the local newspaper. These are great shots of events, residents, and places around Newfield and nearby towns, all well documented with the captions that had been used or were meant to be used in publication.