Author Archive: Jill R

Public Library District Workshop

Mohawk Valley Library System presents:

Public Library District Workshop

Workshop Presentation on Public Library Districts
sponsored by the Division of Library Development, State Education Department

Public Library Districts are libraries with public votes on their budgets and trustees. Statistical data show that these libraries are better funded than others, leading to improved services, increased autonomy and accountability, and predictable sustainable funding. This workshop will inform trustees and library directors about districts, giving them greater understanding of districts and how they could benefit library services in their communities and throughout New York State.

Presenter: Libby Post

President, CEO Communication Services, Inc. Albany, NY

Serving as consultant to the Division of Library Development to assist with the Public Library Districts Initiative

Ms. Post has worked successfully with libraries in New York in exploring options and achieving public library district status. She has also worked with the New York Library Association and the Mid-Hudson Library System, and recently worked with MVLS on the Telling Your Library Story LSTA grant.
Saturday, September 6, 2008

9:00 am – 1:00 PM

Rotterdam Branch Library, 1100 North Westcott Road, Rotterdam, NY

Directions

Register by email: kinsero@mvls.info or by calling MVLS at 355-2010

Trustees and Library Directors are encouraged to attend. Your attendance does not indicate a commitment by your library to pursue this governance option, but is a great opportunity to learn more and ask questions.

Ebsco Database Training

It is always difficult for people to leave their libraries to attend training, and with the cost of gas, travel is becoming more prohibitive for many libraries.  Given that, several online webinar training sessions have been schedule for this fall.  This is the first time we have done database training via a webinar, so consider it an experiment.  We will see how it goes – if folks feel that additional in-person sessions are necessary, we will schedule those at a later date.

The first round of sessions will focus on EBSCO products, specifically NoveList Plus and Masterfile Select.  Both of these products have brand new interfaces and many added features.  Tentative dates and times are:

Wednesday, Sept 17 – 10:30 AM
Monday, Sept 22 – 3:30 PM
Wednesday, Oct 1 – 1:00 PM

More information will be forthcoming as the dates get closer.  Expect each session to last approx 1 – 1 ½ hours.

I hope that the variety of dates and times for training will allow most libraries to work one of these sessions into their schedules.  Please watch for further emails about training in the next couple of weeks.

SALS Library Friends Networking Opportunity

SALS and the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library (CPH) are co-sponsoring an information sharing meeting on the topic of Library Friends in October.
Your library does not need to have a Friends group to participate; just an interest in learning more about what local Friends groups do.

Topics to be discussed and shared at the meeting will be:
• How to form a Friends Group
• Fundraising
• Advocacy: Friends, Trustees and library staff working together to meet community needs
• Programs, Services, Events and Partnerships

Please help us reach our target audience — library staff, trustees, volunteers and friends.
• Spread the word to save the date: October 22, 2008; 10am to Noon, CPH Library
• We want to formally invite representatives from your library. Please send me the names and mailing addresses of people you would like to see attend (you may include yourself). We will send everyone a formal invitation in early September.

Please reply no later than Friday, August 8, 2008.

If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Ferriss.