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Vol. 13-12                                                                                                                      3.19.13 
Catalog Enhancements Are Live!

The MHLS Online Catalog, which provides access to all Hudson Valley residents to over 2.25 million items available in our sixty-six member libraries, has some new features patrons will love!

 

The MHLS Online Catalog is the main online "discovery tool" that patrons use to find what they are looking for, and now they can find what they never even knew existed!

 

The MHLS Online Catalog now boasts:

 

Hyperlinked series information
For fans of series, reading order is essential. But it's not always easy to find series information. The MHLS Catalog now displays all the titles in each series, in reading order!

 

Recommended reading suggestions
"Good books leave readers wanting more." The MHLS Catalog now makes it easy to find "more like that" - whether it is more like that series, more like that title, or more like that author. The recommendations are created by trusted experts at NoveList who understand books and readers.

 

Reviews from GoodReads
Find out what "regular readers" think of a book!    

 

Reading Level Information
If you're interested in finding books that match a certain reading level, then you'll like this feature. The MHLS Catalog now displays Lexile reading levels for juvenile titles. "Help younger readers find just the right book!"


These new catalog features were made possible through the work of the Central Library / Collection Development Advisory Committee and funding from Central Library Aid that comes from New York State to benefit all member libraries and their patrons.

MHLS Announcements

The MHLS Board of Trustees met on Saturday, March 9, in the MHLS Auditorium and:

  • Approved the System's Children's Internet Protection Act Policy (CIPA), in compliance with federal law;
  • Approved the Incentives Committee's recommendation to approve the current ranking priorities and criteria for identifying an economically disadvantaged community for Construction Grant applications;
  • Referred the Trustee Services Committee's recommendation regarding establishing a qualification for serving on the MHLS board to the Bylaws, Policy & Procedures Committee;
  • Voted to hold its May 8 meeting at the Saugerties Public Library; and
  • Accepted certification that the Central Library's 2012 Book Aid funds were expended as required by law.

The next meeting of the Board is Wednesday, May 8 at 10:00am at the Saugerties Public Library.

 

NYS Budget Update & Last Minute Negotiations:

Thanks to the efforts of over 1000 advocates who traveled to Albany for Library Advocacy Day on Tuesday, March 5, the NYS Senate has included a proposed restoration of $4 million in Library Aid for the coming fiscal year. However, the NYS Assembly did not follow suit, and did not propose any restoration above the funding received last year. Your Action is Needed NOW! A new message has been loaded into NYLA's Online Advocacy Center. Even if you have already written to your elected officials regarding library funding, please do so again using this new message! Access the NYLA Online Advocacy Center through the link at midhudson.org today!
Marketing, Advocacy & Funding

Krug Fund Banned Books Week grant applications open: Applications for the Judith F. Krug Banned Books Week event grants, sponsored by the Freedom to Read Foundations, will be accepted until April 30, 2013. Grants will be given to organizations in support of "Read-Outs" or other activities in celebration of Banned Books Week (September 22-28, 2013). For more information and to apply, visit  http://www.ftrf.org/?Krug_BBW.

Professional Development
Reader's Advisory Without Tears workshop: "Help! I want something to read that's just like THE HELP-only different!" presented by Jennara Wenk and Deb Weltsch, Reference Librarians at the Adriance Memorial Library of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District. Any library staff member who answers questions such as: "I like Jodi Picoult, but I've read all her books. Who else writes like that?" and "Do you have any more books like Harry Potter?"

At this workshop you will learn:
  • The five key questions to ask the patron looking for a reading recommendation
  • How to find out what they REALLY like about the book
  • How to do Reader's Advisory in a genre you've never read in
  • How not to reinvent the wheel: Great Web sites (and a few other resources) to help with Reader's Advisory
  • And the importance of knowing what's on your library's shelves! 

This workshop will be held in every county! Register for one of the following sessions:


Tuesday, April 9 from 10 am-12pm  

@ Catskill Public Library  


Thursday, April 11 from 10 am-12pm
@ Elting Memorial Library in New Paltz      

 

Thursday, April 18 from 10 am-12pm
@ Mahopac Public Library     

 

Friday, April 19 from 10 am-12pm
@ Philmont Public Library     

 

Monday, April 22 from 10 am-12pm
@ MHLS Auditorium

 

Register at http://calendar.midhudson.org  

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.

 

Member Libraries are welcome to submit items of interest and job openings to the MHLS Bulletin: [email protected]

The MHLS Bulletin is available on line at http://midhudson.org/bulletins/main.htm.