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Contact Us
The MHLS Bulletin welcomes submissions from member libraries.
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Over 800 library advocates from across NYS gathered in Albany for Library Advocacy Day on February 25th, including more than 40 advocates from the MHLS region!
(above) Hundreds of library advocates
from across NYS gathered on the steps of the Well of the Legislative Office Building to take a picture before the rally began.
With fifteen appointments in four hours, teams from each legislative district made up of library advocates from communities throughout the Hudson Valley navigated the crowded halls and elevators of the Legislative Office Building. Their mission was to stress the need for legislators to step up in the face of Governor Cuomo's proposed roll back of library aid and State Aid for Library Construction.
(above)
Assemblymember Did Barrett welcomed MHLS Executive Director, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich and more than a dozen advocates.
Library Advocates sharing heartfelt stories of how libraries impact communities are what brings these issues to life for legislators and we thank everyone who took the time to tell their story on Advocacy Day!
 MHLS would like to thank the following sponsors of the buses to Albany
, their generosity helped to keep ticket costs at a very reasonable $5 for another year!
- Friends of the D. R. Evarts Library
- Friends of the Howland Public Library
- Friends of the Cairo Public Library
- Friends of the Chatham Public Library
- Friends of the Town of Esopus Library
- Friends of the Blodgett Memorial Library
- Friends of Greenville Public Library
- Friends of the Hyde Park Free Library
- Friends of Kent Public Library
- Friends of the Kinderhook Memorial Library
- Friends of the Kingston Library
- Friends of the LaGrange Association Library
- Friends of Mahopac Public Library
- Friends of the Philmont Public Library
- Friends of the Phoenicia Library
- Friends of the Pine Plains Free Library
- Friends of Pleasant Valley Free Library
- Friends of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District
- Friends of the Starr Library
- Friends of the Rosendale Library
- Friends of the Saugerties Public Library
- Friends of the Mountain Top Library
- Friends of the Grinnell Public Library District
(l-r)
Tobi Farley, Philmont Public Library Director, Julie DeLisle, Chatham Public Library Director and
Thea Schoep, Claverack Free Library Director pose outside the Legislative Office Building.
(above)
Senator Daphne Jordan met with an office full of MHLS library advocates.
(above)
Senator George Amedore hosted Ulster and Greene County library directors and trustees.
(above)
Assemblymember Jake Ashby had a packed office during one of the last meetings of the day.
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MHLS Announcements
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With the coronavirus, or COVID-19, confirmed in New York State many of us who work in libraries are thinking through our policies and procedures
and how to help our staff and patrons. Governor Cuomo's recent announcement about the coronavirus included simple steps we can all take to stop the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses including:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces, like your cell phone.
With lots of misinformation around COVID-19, libraries and library staff should also regularly check for trustworthy and up-to-date information from the New York State and county health departments, as well as information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
LIBRARY SPECIFIC RESOURCES
- MHLS has added sample Pandemic policies to our sample policy collection which you can find here: https://bit.ly/2VU6y89
- Southeastern NY Library Resources Council has put together a "COVID-19 toolkit for librarians" which you can access here: https://bit.ly/2PKAO17
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Resource Sharing & Sierra
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Sierra Upgrade to 5.1
MHLS is scheduled to upgrade Sierra at 3:00am on March 17th. There are a great deal of updates in this release, so it is worth taking a look at the release notes that we have posted at
https://bit.ly/2PSw7CK
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Encore Upgrade to 5.1
There is also a new release of Encore on the way. MHLS is scheduled to upgrade at 3:00am on March 31st. This upgrade will finally fix the collection and locations to default to an alphabetic sort! Much of this release is about fixing problems that have been in place for a while or have been the result of previous upgrades. To see the full set of what is included in the upgrade please visit
https://bit.ly/2PSfK97
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The MHLS Tech Department will monitor the upgrades and keep libraries updated throughout each process.
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People will start receiving invitations to complete the Census on March 12th.
Responding to the Census means funding for schools, emergency services, housing, health care, and more for your community. The best ways libraries can help promote a complete count are to get the word out about the importance of the Census, and to make sure staff are trained to help people respond to the Census. The
Census Workshop webinar on March 16th
presented by MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator, Casey Conlin will provide libraries with the kind of info they need to support a complete count in their community. Register at
http://calendar.midhudson.org.
More resources are available at the Get Out the Count timeline
and libraries can apply for a mini-grant from the New York State Census Equity Fund to support outreach effort to hard-to-count communities at the NYSCEF website.
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Library Clerk/Passport Agent part time, LaGrange Association Library
LaGrange Library in Dutchess County, NY is looking for an enthusiastic, customer-service/detail oriented individual to join our team as a part time Library Clerk and Passport Agent. In addition to processing passport applications for the public, responsibilities will include:
- checking patron materials in and out at the front desk
- assisting library users with information requests and locating materials
- answering the phone and directing calls appropriately
- explaining and enforcing all library policies and procedures with patrons as needed
- shelving/shelf maintenance as needed
- small projects as assigned
This position is 15 hours per week: Mondays 9am-2pm, Wednesdays 2pm-8pm, and Thursdays 1pm-5pm, plus 2 Saturdays per month from 9am-2:15pm. Salary is $13 per hour with three (3) flex days upon hiring; sick, vacation, and personal days upon one (1) year anniversary.
Requirements: Graduation from high school or possession of a GED, strong customer service skills, computer proficiency, the ability to multi-task, and the ability to lift up to 50 pounds. Must enjoy working with the public, have a good sense of humor, have an interest in books and movies, be able to function independently and as part of a busy library team, and maintain confidentiality of patron information. Prior library experience is a plus.
Please email a cover letter,
résumé, and 2 references to
[email protected], and indicate "Clerk" in the subject line.
Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.
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Part time Library Clerk, Staatsburg Library
The Staatsburg Library is seeking a part time library clerk for approximately 10 hours per week including morning (10 -12), afternoon (2 -5), evening (5 - 8) shifts and alternate Saturdays from 10 am-2 pm. Responsibilities include working at the circulation desk, assisting library users, processing materials, and other duties related to the operation of the library.
Requirements: Graduation from high school or possession of GED, knowledge and proficiency in computer applications and technology, ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
The ideal candidate will be customer service oriented and friendly, enjoy working with the public in a small community setting, possess the ability to work independently as well as part of a team. Previous library experience a plus.
Starting $11.90/hour (additional hours possible when subs are needed).
Please send a brief cover letter &
résumé to Lorraine Rothman at
[email protected] with the subject heading "Library Clerk Position" or mailed to Staatsburg Library, PO Box 397, Staatsburg, NY 12580. No phone calls, please.
Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
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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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