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Cheery Friday Greetings,
As we share our final newsletter of the year a few days ahead of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, it is a great time to reflect on the year behind us and to look ahead, as well.
In the last issue, I included a link to the SCRLC’s 2024–2025 Annual Report (and there it is again!), which offers a retrospective on our activities and accomplishments. Of course, SCRLC’s fiscal year runs from July-June, which on captures only part of the calendar year’s story!
Since July, we’ve continued to collaborate with the other Empire State Library Network (ESLN) councils to provide timely and relevant learning opportunities.
We’ve also been developing our in-house interlibrary loan “last resort,” Bibliographic & Referral Center (BARC), which is scheduled to launch in early 2026.
Advocacy has remained a priority as well—both federally, in support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and at the state level, encouraging the Governor to sign the Freedom to Read Act. (Note: As of this writing—the final day—it has not been signed.)
Our digitization collections continue to grow, with more objects and newspapers continually added, along with ongoing circulation of our traveling exhibits. The exhibits are suitable for all types of libraries and cultural organizations, and we're especially looking forward to the completion of the Underground Railroad exhibit in 2026. See below for the next round of digitization grant opportunities!
The Plan of Service Design Team is nearing the finish line with the 2026-2031 Plan of Service, which will take effect on July 1, 2026. A draft will be presented to the SCRLC Board of Trustees at their February 13 meeting, after which it will be shared with the membership for a comment period for a few weeks. We’ll consider all feedback, the Board will approve, and then we’ll submit the final Plan to the State Library ahead of the April 1 deadline. While we still don’t know what platform will replace Baker & Taylor, the most important thing is that we will have a Plan of Service—whatever the format may be.
This fall, we were delighted to host an intern, Shai-ana Bess, who worked on LibGuides and one of the Plan of Service reports. Shai-ana has completed the requirements for her undergraduate library science degree and will begin her graduate LIS studies at UAlbany in 2026. Many congratulations to her! She is also currently working at the Guernsey Memorial Library in Norwich.
Finance-wise, we completed another successful audit, thanks to the Board’s careful oversight and our collective commitment to responsible stewardship of funds. My greatest funding-related stress continues to be wanting to offer more for our members than our resources allow. Kudos to the entire SCRLC staff for their thoughtful approach to expenses and for helping us stretch every dollar as far as possible.
When reflecting on the past year, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the uncertainty and challenges facing our society, libraries, and cultural organizations. That’s one reason why, in September, we intentionally unplugged and offered a program focused on glimmers—those small moments of happiness and joy that break through bleakness. Those—as Shasta Savage said in her presentation—those “small, sensory cues that signal safety, grounding, or connection.”
Shasta also said “they activate the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting us from stress and reactivity to thoughtful, relational engagement. They’re the opposite of triggers—rather than heightening stress, they restore clarity and calm.”
A glimmer might be a sunset, a kitten or puppy doing something cute, a report completed, or another fleeting moment that brings ease.
For library and cultural organization leaders—and I’d argue that leadership shows up at many levels—Shasta reminded us that glimmers can help us:
- Recover faster from stress
- Regain emotional regulation
- Improve listening and decision-making
- Create psychological safety for our teams
- Lead from intention rather than reaction
As we move into the new year, may we continue to notice—and nurture—those glimmers wherever we find them.
Wishing everyone the happiest of holidays and a wonderful new year!
Yours in partnership,
Mary-Carol
Mary-Carol Lindbloom
Executive Director
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