MLS Advocacy Tools
MLS is pleased to support the MBLC Legislative Agenda for FY2021 and the priority to fund line 7000-9501. Additionally, we will be advocating for a 3% increase to line 9401 (the line we share with the Library for the Commonwealth at the Boston Public Library) to sustain Statewide Delivery. Here are a few resources to assist our members with advocacy efforts:
MLS Value of Service Tableau
MBLC FY21 Legislative Agenda Materials
Consulting and Training Services Update
Spring Continuing Education Series
We have announced our spring line-up of recurring, in-person workshops. These classes will be offered six times each across the Commonwealth, starting in February and ending in May.
- The Art of Employee Communication, with Kristi Chadwick and Kelly Jo Woodside
- Strategies and Techniques to Foster Inclusion of Patrons with Disabilities, with Lisa Drennan (MERGE)
- How to Create Surveys that Generate Useful Data, with Michelle Eberle
- “Imagine Your Story” with Canva: Using Visuals to Enhance and Promote Your Summer Library Program, with April Mazza
- Puzzles, Patterns & Problem-Solving: How Computational Thinking Can Transform Your Teen Services, with Christi Farrar and Lyndsay Forbes (MBLC)
- Make Shift Happen: Weeding the Physical Collection, with Anna Popp
Climate Resilience Webinar Series
We had over 115 people register for the first webinar in the Climate Resilience webinar series. In that webinar, Gideon Nachman, from Communities Responding to Extreme Weather (CREW), discussed how all type of libraries can serve as Climate Resilience Hubs in partnership with CREW; Madeleine Charney, from UMass Amherst Libraries, presented on emotional resilience; and Corey Farrenkopf, from Sturgis Library in Barnestable, talked about why Sturgis decided to become a Climate Resilience Hub. The next webinar in the series will be on March 13 and will highlight Climate Preparedness Week. The final webinar will be on April 24 and will feature the MBLC’S COSTEP (Coordinated Statewide Emergency Preparedness for Cultural Heritage in Massachusetts). These webinars feature a new “webinette” format, lasting 30 minutes or less, in response to the request from the MLS CE Committee for some shorter webinars.
Small & Rural Library Webinar Series
We had over 145 people view the first webinar in the small and rural library webinar series, which took place in January. This series is supported by a grant from the Manton Foundation. The second webinar, also scheduled for January, has been postponed due to an emergency situation with the instructor. We will send out an announcement once that webinar has been rescheduled. The remaining three webinars took place in February. All of these webinars are free to Massachusetts library workers and will be recorded for later viewing.
Resource Sharing update
Resource Sharing Staff Changes
Hansie Grignon is leaving after 6 years with the MLS for a job at the Maine State Library. She will be with us until March 6th. Hansie has been instrumental in assisting with the ILL transitions this past summer. We wish Hansie all the best with the new job and move to Maine.
Alison DeMers has been promoted to Resource Sharing Librarian with the responsibilities of coordinating Interlibrary Loan and MassCat support. Alison has been a valuable part of the MLS ILL team and we are very pleased that she will be bring experience and continuity to Resource Sharing. Her contact info remains the same (alison@masslibsystem.org; 866-627-7228 x317).
In early March, we’ll welcome two new Resource Sharing Assistants with primary responsibilities in Interlibrary Loan: Kathryn Bowen and Gwenyth Swain.
MLS Board Meeting Minutes
The MLS Board of Directors meets on a monthly basis, alternating between MLS-Marlborough, MLS-Northampton, and on rare occasions, virtually. In an effort to better communicate board work with the membership, we are resuming the practice of posting our meetings minutes publicly, once approved by the board. Our January meeting minutes are now available on our Executive Board Resource Guide. We’re also working to format and post previous meeting minutes to this guide. We welcome your feedback and invite you to attend a future meeting! Meetings are open to all MLS members. Our meetings are posted on our Event Calendar. Please email Betsy Meaden, Business and HR Director for details on attendance.
