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Cheery Friday Greetings,
We are looking forward to seeing many of you at next week’s annual meeting—our 59th! If you cannot join us in person, perhaps you’ll at least join us remotely for the business meeting at 12:45 p.m. Contact Diane Capalongo for the Zoom link.
A reminder that our final Regional Conversation is coming up on Wednesday, October 29 at 11:00 a.m. There is room for another 6-7 participants, and we would love to have you join! It is a general session open to all!
It has been the usual busy past two weeks at the Council, replete with meetings and webinars. Here are some highlights:
Bibliographic & Reference Center (BARC). Christine and I have been having weekly working meetings with Sarah Shank, who is our expert advisor, as we prepare to move BARC back in-house. As part of this, we are using Clio, which is a product that simplifies the interlibrary loan process for all—requesting libraries and for us.
Christine connected Clio and DOCLINE in order to place medical requests for libraries without access to DOCLINE (or, perhaps on a temporary basis if there is an emergency at a library using DOCLINE). Remember that our Medical Information Services Program (MISP) funds are available for all libraries in the region to pay for medical requests.
Sarah has been addressing all of the other elements, with input from us. The request forms are nearly finished and we have begun developing the messaging for BARC users. We’re hoping for a very soft launch of our reimagined BARC service by mid-November. Stay tuned!
Coordinated Collection Development Aid for Academics (CCDA). Just half of the applications have been submitted. Although this is not unusual for a November 9 deadline, there is a potential complication.
As you may know, Baker & Taylor is going out of business. They developed and host the software used for CCDA applications as well as for our annual report and plan of service.
Because of this, I posted a message to the group on the 16th encouraging those with outstanding applications to submit them ASAP. I am reiterating it here in case it wasn't received. If you are an academic librarian involved with CCDA and not currently on the CCDA mailing list, please contact Diane Capalongo to be added.
Advocacy Update. The New York Library Association’s 2026-2027 budget requests:
- $181.32M - Library Aid
- $175M - Construction Aid
- $3.1M - NOVELny
- Library Materials Aid - $11.33/pupil (it has remained at $6.25 since 2007)
- Cultural Education Center - $30/real estate transaction (current amount is $15). This fee supports the State Library, Archives, and Museum.
The Freedom to Read Act (S.1099/A.7777) remains unsigned. Here is the contact form for the Governor’s office to urge her to sign it; the phone no. is 518-474-8390.
The Assembly has not yet passed the Open Shelves Act (S.1100-A/A.3119-B).
At this writing, there is no further news about IMLS. They had been operating with limited staff before the federal shutdown.
Have a lovely weekend!
Yours in partnership,
Mary-Carol
Mary-Carol Lindbloom
Executive Director
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