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Vol. 14-33                                                                                                                      8.19.14
Children's Services Fundamentals

MHLS is offering a 50% refund on the cost of the online course: Children's Services Fundamentals!

 

Children's Services Fundamentals is an Infopeople Online Learning Course, approved by the American Library Association's Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) program.  

 

Does your work in the library include service to children and their families? Do you want to do a better job in providing homework assistance, readers' advisory, tours of your library, or family programs?  

 

Expert children's librarian and author Penny Peck will help you to acquire the knowledge and skills to be more comfortable and confident about providing fundamental children's services. As a result of the course participants will be able to:

  • Conduct a reference interview to match grade-appropriate resources with a child's information need;

  • Determine children's reading interests, including those of reluctant readers, and find books to meet those interests;

  • Plan entertaining programs that attract families to the library; and

  • Promote books and reading through programs and library tours.

The course runs from September 9th to October 6th. The cost is $150 and MHLS will refund $75 of the cost directly to the member library. Library directors will need to submit the reimbursement form supplied on the Director's Listserv and a copy of the participant's certificate of completion by October 30th to be eligible for reimbursement. This professional development refund is underwritten through the MHLS Outreach Mini Grant Program which is funded by New York State 2014 Coordinated Outreach Categorical Aid.

 

For more information about the course and to register visit https://infopeople.org/.

 

For questions about the MHLS course completion reimbursement for member libraries please contact Merribeth Advocate, MHLS Assistant Director at x254 or [email protected].

MHLS Announcements

The results of the MHLS Member Library Salary, Leave & Benefit Survey are now available! Information from 54 of our 66 member libraries is available at http://midhudson.org/. Thank you to the System Services Advisory Committee for asking that this resource be updated!

 

MHLS congratulates Frank Rees, Director of the Saugerties Public Library, who was recently elected as President-Elect of the Leadership & Management Section (LAMS) of the New York Library Association (NYLA).

MHLS Libraries

The Howland Public Library in Beacon has secured state funding through Assemblyman Frank Skartados for a grant of $5,000 that will be used to purchase a "MobiLab," a mobile tablet lab!

 

The Hudson Area Association Library just successfully used crowdfunding to fund their "Early Literacy Storytime Nook"! Using the site Indigogo, the library launched a fundraising campaign to raise $5,000 to create the Early Literacy Storytime nook as part of their planned Children's Library area in their new facility. Contributions will be used to furnish the nook - a place where library staff will hold story times for infants and preschoolers as well as a place where parents and children can read together. "Comfy chairs in both grown-up and pint-size will make the nook inviting - a perfect environment to absorb the basics of learning.  With your help, we hope to create an inviting space and bring more and more children and families into our new, expanded Hudson Area Library. The more readers, the better!" Not only was the campaign a success, it was successful way ahead of their campaign cutoff date! 44 funders have stepped up and have contributed more than the stated goal of $5,000! To check out their campaign page go to https://www.indiegogo.com/.

Programming
New MHLS Programming Listserv: In order to provide more support and networking opportunities for member library staff that provide library programming, we have launched a new MHLS Programming Listserv, devoted to information about all aspects of library programming for patrons from birth to adult, including programming for families, communities, summer reading, early literacy, family literacy, digital literacy, and outreach to the community through programming. Postings include information about program ideas, planning and evaluation as well as piggy-back presenter opportunities. Programming information, including MHLS programming grant opportunities, will be posted to this list. To join the list please go to http://www.midhudson.org/mhls/listserv/listservs.htm
Administration & Management

Distribution of Library Card Information to Students: As we move towards a new school year, a reminder that in July 2013, Governor Cuomo signed into law a requirement for public school districts in New York State to distribute applications for library cards and other library-related informational materials to students upon request of any public or association library within the school district's service area. The law requires: 

  • Directors of participating public and association libraries to consult annually with the school district to coordinate the provision of materials, and to provide sufficient copies of materials to distribute;

  • School districts, once requested by any public or association library in the district, to disseminate provided materials annually to every student upon their entry into kindergarten, grade six and grade nine (but libraries and school districts may agree to alternate or additional grades/distribution times), and to newly enrolled students;

  • School districts to ensure provided materials are available upon request.

Public library directors that want to take advantage of this law are encouraged to reach out to the school superintendent(s) within your service area and request a meeting; and to prepare materials, in both print and electronic formats, that promote library card sign-up, programs and services. It is the responsibility of the library to produce and provide all materials intended for distribution. More information is available at http://www.nyla.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 online at http://midhudson.org/bulletins/main.htm.