MHLS is pleased to announce a new service that is now available to all MHLS member libraries - LibraryAware! LibraryAware is an online tool where you will be able to manage the development, and even deployment, of publicity materials for your library.

Program brochures, bookmarks, buttons (or "widgets") for your web site, email communications, even the scheduling of Facebook and Twitter posts. It provides templates for all of these items and gives you access to over 1,000 images from Getty Images. Integrated into the product are some marketing best practices that we've talked about for years in the PR Essential series of workshops and Building Your Base - analog and online versions.

Features and Benefits:

• Create professional looking designs - no matter what your skill level
• Incorporate consistent branding across promotional materials
• Choose from a wide variety of continually updated designs
• Learn from featured best practice recommendations/ guidelines
• Better equip your library to deliver your messages through all free communication channels
• Create and manage all promotional materials in one place

When you log-in to the product (member library directors have all received instructions for setting up access) the first screen asks what target audience the item is for (children, teens, adults, seniors) and what type of item you want to create.  

Here's a list of the materials you'll be able to choose from:

• Bookmarks
• Brochures
• Catalog inserts
• Email blasts
• E-Newsletters
• Evaluation forms
• Fliers
• Invitations
• Letters to the editor
• Op-Ed pieces
• Social media content
• Sponsor requests
• Thank you letters

Sign up for a hands-on training

Columbia County: Tuesday, April 30th
@Philmont Public Library

Dutchess County: Friday, April 19th
@MHLS Auditorium, Poughkeepsie

Greene County: Wednesday, May 1st  

Putnam County: Tuesday, May 7th
@Patterson Library

Ulster County: Thursday, April 18th
@West Hurley Public Library

A Message From Mike:
"After a year of trying, MHLS will not be getting gas on state contract through Dutchess County because our drivers use their own vehicles privately and there was no way to guarantee to the county that each gallon pumped of state-contract gas would be used solely for the public purpose served by our delivery. Gas is fungible but how it's used is not. The county's automated system is based on miles driven and how many miles are driven for each tank of gas for each vehicle. We average the miles driven in five vehicles by two manufacturers in four separate models. Our failure may be another's gain, however, because the legal basis for a county to provide state-contract gas to a cooperative library system that owns its own vans and drives those vans for delivery and system business only, could potentially save thousands."

- Mike Nyerges, MHLS Executive Director

There are just a handful of seats for the Book Repair Workshop on Friday April 12 from 9:30am - 12:30pm. This workshop is appropriate for staff, volunteers and Friends of the Library interested in extending the life of their collection. This workshop is designed to demonstrate quick and easy techniques for extending shelf life on general circulating materials. Prevention is the key, but we will be addressing specific, common repairs: re-inserting loose pages, broken spines, torn header caps, ripped and torn pages. Each participant is asked to bring: one or two paperback books, preferably new or new-like, to demonstrate covering techniques:

• a hardbound book with a book jacket to demonstrate application of book jacket covers;
• a stapled book or magazine;
• one hardbound book that needs repair and
• a "naked" hardbound book; i.e., a hardbound book that does NOT have a book jacket cover.

Each participant will be provided with a free sample packet of materials. Presented by Kary Barth, Regional Sales Manager for Kapco Library Products. Register now at http://calendar.midhudson.org/  

Sierra Lessons Learned: Over the past month MHLS staff has been conducting staff training at each of our sixty-six member libraries and through that process we have learned a few things about Sierra we wanted to pass along. A document has been created answering questions that were brought up during trainings and clearing up some misconceptions. All staff that will be working with Sierra should take some time to look at this document. It is available online at http://bit.ly/13tYYko
If you have any questions, please get in touch: Eric McCarthy, MHLS Automation Coordinator, emccarthy@midhudson.org or x221.