The Pawling Free Library and the Dover Plains Library of Dutchess County have installed Little Free Libraries (LFL) at each of the two Appalachian Trail (AT) Shelters on the Harlem Valley section of the Trail!  

The libraries hosted a series of presentations and hikes led by Appalachian Trail Ambassadors who taught hikers about native plants, wild edibles, invasive species and the Appalachian Trail itself to promote the LFLs.

The libraries now offer backpacks, filled with maps, guides and binoculars which can be borrowed by anyone with a library card. The backpacks were sponsored by the Harlem Valley Appalachian Trail Community.

"We hope that the LFL and the Backpacks will promote use of the AT by people near and far," said Casey Conlin, director of the Pawling Free Library.

The libraries have both worked to help promote their partnership with the AT while highlighting how the trail brings tourism into their towns and the benefit that provides to local business owners.

Dover Plains Library Director Susan Totter, shown right, shows off the new Little Free Library on the Dover end of the trail. On the left is Lloyd Berkeley from Oblong Woodworks, a local resident/ patron who made Dover's LFL and donated all time and materials!	Little Free Library installed on the Telephone Pioneers Shelter near Cat Rocks, close to Pawling. A popular destination for Day Hikers and a camping spot for through-hikers doing more of The Trail.

MHLS Coordinator for Library Sustainability, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, has been elected to the first board of the American Library Association's brand new Sustainability Round Table.

The Beekman Library is holding a Read-a-Thon: "You've heard of a Walk-a-thon, but how about a Read-a-thon? Read and help raise money for your library!  It's a great way to fulfill community service hours, too. Download and print out a pledge sheet or pick one up in the library.  This event is made possible thanks to our sponsor, Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union." Check out their pledge sheet. 

PR Xchange 'Best of Show' Winners Announced: The American Library Association's Library Leadership & Management Association (LLAMA)'s Public Relations and Marketing Section (PRMS) PR Xchange Committee is delighted to announce the winners of this year's "Best of Show" competition for library publicity materials. Nearly 345 entries in print and electronic formats were submitted from over 110 institutions. Entries were appraised by a jury of three marketing professionals on the quality of content, format, design, creativity, and professionalism.

• View a complete listing of this year's winners.  
• See the Flickr slideshow.  

World Book Night Suspends Operations: "After three years in which thousands and thousands of you distributed over a million and half specially-printed World Book Night paperbacks across America, we are sad to announce that we are suspending operations. The expenses of running World Book Night U.S., even given the significant financial and time commitment from publishers, writers, booksellers, librarians, printers, distributors, shippers--and you, our amazing givers!--are too high to sustain."

There is still time to register for the Uncommon Approaches to the Common Core Conference: August 12-13, 2014 in Albany, NY. This conference is for teachers, librarians, public historians, educators from museums, archives, historic sites and other cultural institutions. Learn how to create compelling lessons using cultural resources that meet the Common Core Learning Standards.Registration is $50 (includes meals). Travel and lodging reimbursement at the state rate, double occupancy, is available for attendees who live more than 60 miles from Albany. More information about the conference, including a preliminary conference schedule, is available at: http://uncommoncc.blogspot.com/.