A Message from MHLS Executive Director | |
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June is a time of celebrations - graduations, the start of summer, and the new federal holiday of Juneteenth, often called our nation's second Independence Day. It also marks Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan.
All of these things have something in common: respect and acknowledgement of the human experience in the context of the world around us. Libraries help their communities celebrate the human experience every day, developing collections, programs, and experiences that help all be seen and heard at their local library. The mantra that "all are welcome" at our libraries is at the core of why libraries are so necessary. That anyone, regardless of their "origin, age, background, or views," is welcome through our doors is why we are often called the cornerstone of democracy.
As I viewed the newsletters and social media feeds of our 66 member libraries over the past several weeks I saw thoughtful displays, programs, partnerships, and outreach efforts to help everyone feel welcomed at their library, using the June celebrations to find and build community throughout our service area.
I share this thinking to provide context for the event of Sunday June 9th at the Woodstock Public Library District where a staff person received a death threat, and the library received a bomb threat tied to a program celebrating inclusivity in their community. Threats of violence against library workers and our institutions are never acceptable. We thank the police departments of the Town of Woodstock and the Town of Saugerties, as well as the State Police for their response to this crime - taking it seriously and doing everything in their power to keep the community safe.
Threats of violence are designed to scare us, to suppress us, to control us. But we - the libraries of the Hudson Valley - know that libraries must remain places where people are welcomed, invited to learn alongside their neighbors, and where opposing viewpoints can be explored in a civil and non-partisan space. To be the beacon of empathy, respect, and understanding this world so desperately needs at this time will be our legacy.
When people see their lives reflected in our collections and programs, and folks can learn about others lived experiences thanks to our collections and programs, we are doing something very right.
The work you are doing today will have a lasting, generational impact. Thank you for all you do.
Be well,
Rebekkah Smith Aldrich
MHLS Executive Director
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Pride Month displays across the System! | |
Drag performer Katarina Mirage at the Woodstock Public Library for Drag Story Time. | |
Display at Marlboro Free Library. | |
Display at the Putnam Valley
Library. | |
Display at the Reed Memorial Library. | |
Howland Public Library at the Beacon Family Pride event. | |
Display at the Clinton
Community Library. | |
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MHLS has again secured a group discount with Movie Licensing USA (MLUSA) according to the terms below for libraries that wish to renew or join the MHLS group buy. Libraries that wish to purchase a new license or renew an existing license from Movie Licensing USA through the MHLS group discount should email MHLS Outreach & EDI Specialist, Kerstin Cruger at kcruger@midhudson.org by July 19. MHLS will invoice your library for the cost of the license based on the rates provided by MLUSA.
To screen movies at library programs and other library events in compliance with copyright regulations the library must secure the necessary public performance license. In some cases, more than one license may be required to secure the rights for all the movies and programs the library plans to screen. There are two companies commonly used by MHLS member libraries that provide this type of license, Movie Licensing USA (MLUSA) and Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (MPLC), and libraries should be sure that the licenses they’ve purchased secure the rights needed.
Movie Licensing USA - SWANK (MLUSA):
- Information including what movies and titles are covered is available on their website.
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Rates for each library based on service population are available from MHLS. Please note, MHLS libraries that have maintained a long-standing and current license with MLUSA may have a lower rate than the most recently offered rate. If those libraries continue to license through Movie Licensing USA directly, joining the group-buy will not provide a better rate.
- MHLS will invoice your library for the cost of the license.
- If you’re not sure whether you are part of previous MLUSA group buys with MHLS or have a current license, you can contact Kerstin Cruger.
Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (MPLC)
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Registration is open for The Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) 2024 Conference taking place September 11-14 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. #ARSL2024 is the conference for rural and small libraries. The conference planners and presenters understand the constraints of shoestring budgets, small spaces, and limited staffing within small and rural libraries, as well as the unique opportunities for innovation and collaboration. The conference is packed full of information you can take right back to your library—no scaling down required.
Early Bird registration closes on July 16 with advanced registration closing on August 28. Access all conference information and registration, https://www.arsl.org/2024-conference.
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Registration is now open for the 25th annual children’s and teen literature conference Fall Into Books. This year’s conference will be held in-person on October 24th from 9:00 am – 2:30 pm at the Newburgh Armory. This collaborative event features book discussion sessions ranging from picture books to young adult, and a keynote presentation. This year's keynote speaker is author Brendan Kiely. Full details, including discussion groups and registration, can be found on the Fall Into Books website, https://fallintobooks.org/. The cost to attend this event is $100. | |
The U.S. Census Bureau is #NowHiring! Census Bureau field representatives serve an important role in completing the mission of the agency. If patrons are looking for flexible hours and want to give a voice to their community, they can find out more about a career with the nation’s premier statistical organization at: https://www.census.gov/communityjobs. | |
Reference & Collection Development | |
The Office of Cultural Education recently launched a new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Toolkit for Collecting Institutions. Through landscape analysis, literature review, surveys, and consultation with affiliate groups, staff from the New York State Archives, Library, and Museum worked together to create a toolkit intended to help organizations across the state. The DEI Toolkit provides practical guidance for and applications of diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, antiracism, and justice for New York’s museums, libraries, archives, historical and genealogical societies, and cultural heritage sites. | |
 |  | Presented by WebJunction: Work It Out @ Your Library with the Wombats! This webinar will introduce you to Work It Out @ Your Library! a new program for families in your community, built around Work it Out Wombats! a national PBS KIDS television series for 4- to 6-year-olds. Through hands-on activities, library story time sessions, animated videos, and a family app, this flexible program helps library staff guide families through the exploration of computational thinking. Computational thinking is a creative way of solving problems in more organized ways. When children make believe they're running a restaurant, they explore sequencing by figuring out the steps for serving a customer a meal. When they play with blocks to make a castle, they can practice the design process by creating, testing, and improving the structure. Library staff are uniquely suited to promote this learning with their library families. The webinar will cover why computational thinking skills are important for young children, how the free resources have been used to run fun and engaging programs in libraries, and how you can, too. If you can’t attend a live session, all WebJunction webinars are recorded and available for free in the Course Catalog.
Work It Out @ Your Library with the Wombats! | August 8 | 3:00 pm | Online | REGISTER
Caption: Work It Out Wombats!, TM/© 2023 WGBH Educational Foundation. All rights reserved.
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REMINDER: Sustainability – The Newest Core Value | July 24 | 5:30 – 7:30 pm | Claverack Free Library, 629 NY-23B, Claverack | REGISTER
Join Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Executive Director & Co-Author of the Handbook for Library Trustees in New York State, for an introduction to sustainability and how library trustees can apply “sustainable thinking” in their role as a trustee.
This trustee education workshop was organized in partnership with the Columbia County Library Association. Attendance at this event can be applied toward the NYS Trustee Education Requirements.
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Part-time Adult Programming Specialist, Tivoli Free Library
Tivoli Free library seeks an enthusiastic, self-motivated individual to join our team as an Adult Programming Specialist. The position includes planning, promoting, and implementing in-person and virtual programs for adults. This is a part-time position that reports to the Director. 10 hours per week which may include some nights and Saturdays, $20 per hour. Send a resume and cover letter to Tobi Farley, Library Director, at tivolidirector@gmail.com. View the full job description.
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Part-time Youth Programming Specialist, Tivoli Free Library
Tivoli Free library seeks an energetic, self-motivated individual to join our team as Youth Programming Specialist. The position includes planning, promoting, and implementing in-person and passive programs for children, teens and families. This is a part-time position that reports to the Director. 20 hours per week including some nights and Saturdays, $20 per hour. Send a resume and cover letter to Tobi Farley, Library Director, at tivolidirector@gmail.com. View the full job description.
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.
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