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Volume 19-21 | 5.21.19 
Valley Courier Joins MHLS
Valley Courier took over delivery services for the Mid-Hudson Library System on Friday, May 17th. The contract was signed between Valley Courier and the Mid-Hudson Library System on Friday, April 20th and a transition plan was expedited to accommodate the earlier end of contract requested by the previous vendor.

Valley Courier is a local company (located in Kingston, NY) that has been in the same-day delivery service business for 37 years. Four of the five current MHLS delivery drivers have been hired by Valley Courier and we welcomed one new primary driver and one new substitute driver. Driver information was sent to each member library director prior to the transition date. The MHLS delivery schedule ( http://bit.ly/2w00nAW ) will remain the same during this transition.
 
Please contact Tom Finnigan , MHLS Delivery Operations Manager, [email protected] with any questions.
MHLS Announcements
The MHLS Construction Needs Update & Intent to Apply for State Aid for Library Construction Action Memo is due from all member library directors by Friday, May 31st. In order to advocate for and administer t he State Aid for Library Construction Program MHLS tracks information about member
libraries' construction/expansion/ renovation projects. This assists with statewide advocacy  for the program and helps to focus MHLS consulting efforts. Information supplied through this memo is required as part of the MHLS application process for State Aid for Library Construction funds later this year. Questions? Contact Casey Conlin, MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator, [email protected]
 

MHLS will be closed on Monday, May 27th in observance of Memorial Day. There will be no deliveries and the MHLS ticket system will not be monitored.

MHLS Libraries
MHLS member library directors and staff represented more than 25% of the participants at the Filling Your Marketing Toolbox full-day workshop held at Southeastern New York Library Resources Council  in early May. This event included a keynote, panel discussion and working groups for public and academic libraries looking to maximize marketing efforts in their organizations.
Professional Development
Last month, Mid-Hudson Library System, Ramapo-Catskill Library System and Westchester Library System held a joint training day for correctional facility librarians and staff within their service areas. The event included a phone conference with the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, a conflict management workshop, and an information session about how the 2020 Census will affect the correctional facilities.
 
This workshop marked the first time MHLS correctional librarians met with Courtney Wimmers, MHLS Outreach & Engagement Specialist. Courtney manages the NYS mandated correctional facility program for MHLS.
MHLS Correctional Facility Librarians/Staff  (l-r)  Juanita Carmichael, Downstate Correctional Facility; Krista Borrero and Cheryl Bennin, Fishkill Correctional Facility; Eileen Pucci, Green Haven Correctional Facility; Ben Knowles, Greene Correctional Facility
 
Member libraries that would like to donate materials to the correctional facilities including: magazines, Spanish language materials, encyclopedias published after 2008, coloring books and puzzle books should contact Courtney Wimmers, [email protected].  All donations must be dropped off at the MHLS offices, they may not be sent through the delivery.
Resource Sharing & Sierra
In the third week of June the cataloging department will suppress all items
that have a status of 'Lost & Paid', 'Discard' or 'Claims returned', which have not been updated for 3 months . The items will not be deleted.  Changing the annual report code to "n - suppress", simply keeps them from displaying in the public catalog. This action was approved by the DA in June of 2015.
Sustainable Libraries
MHLS Board of Trustees President, Mark Wilson (left) and MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator, Casey Conlin gave testimony to the NYS Complete Count Commission at a public hearing at the Rockefeller Institute of Government in Albany on the role of public libraries in the upcoming 2020 Census. Casey Conlin also serves on the steering committee of New York's Statewide Library Complete Count Committee. For more information about the 2020 Census, and what your library can do to ensure everyone in your community is counted, please visit https://midhudson.org/census-2020/ or contact Casey Conlin, [email protected]
Reference & Collection Development
Mango Languages database has been updated to make it easier for users to view their learning progress and explore new content.
 
New features include:
  • Expanded course content: Select languages now align with international proficiency standards.
  • Personalized review activities: Memorization activities adapt to the individuals learning progress and pace, helping users retain new words and phrases.
  • Listening and reading activities: Interactive listening and reading passages build new language skills through context clues and comprehension questions.
Learn more by visiting http://bit.ly/2JnXEdn 
Job Openings
Circulation Staff, Phoenicia Library
Come work in one of the coolest small towns in America. Phoenicia Library is looking for 1-2 library staff to join our great library community in our new building. You will be at the front desk doing circulation and helping create the warm atmosphere that our patrons love. You will work with a great, fun team.

Opportunities include: Depending on your skill level and initiative, you are encouraged to: help create or run programs, do collection development, learn linking etc. It's' a great way for someone who wants to learn about all 360 degrees of a library operations, bring their skill set up and hold some significant responsibility.

Requirements: Friendly and passionate about public service. Ease with details & computers, familiarity with Word and Internet search engines. We can train on Sierra. Relaxed, open manner with all ages. Reliability.  This is an active, busy library with wonderful patrons. We do shared caretaking of the library meaning everyone pitches in with all tasks including daily housekeeping, setting up for programs which involves moving light tables, chairs.

Wage: $14/hour

Possible 2 -3 day; or 4 day-a-week position (our days are typically 5 hours each). Position can evolve into FT position (with holidays, vacation, tuition assistance, money towards health insurance ) if the fit is right. Also, if you have good experience and strong references in the library world we can consider full time right away. How many days per week depends on your and the library's needs - and will be worked out prior to starting. Saturdays (10-3) will  likely be part of the schedule.

Please send a Word or PDF résumé  to Liz at   [email protected] and a cover letter which explains why you'd like to work at Phoenicia Library and your relevant experience. Thank you.
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