In this month’s news and updates:

General Conference Scholarships

The Massachusetts Library System (MLS) is pleased to announce a new conference scholarship opportunity. MLS will now provide scholarship funding for staff at MLS member libraries to attend conferences that may be relevant to their current library position or library career aspirations.

Key details of the conference scholarship include:

  • Full-time and part-time staff employed by MLS member libraries are eligible to apply.
  • Any conference that may be relevant to a staff member’s current library position or library career aspirations will be considered.
  • There are two application periods:
    • August 1 – 15: for conferences held between September – February (starting next year, this period will be from July 1 – 15).
    • December 1 – 15: for conferences held between March – August.
  • Applications submitted outside of these periods or for conferences outside the eligible dates will not be considered.
  • Scholarships will be offered in the following amounts:
    • Virtual conferences: $500
    • Local conferences (within Massachusetts): $1,000
    • Regional Conferences (outside Massachusetts, but within New England): $1,500
    • National Conferences (outside New England): $2,500
  • If you apply for and are offered a conference scholarship, you must confirm that you are accepting the scholarship within 7 calendar days.
  • All conference scholarship recipients must complete a Conference Experience Report within 30 days of the end of their conference.
  • MLS provides reimbursement only. All reimbursement requests from scholarship recipients must be received within 30 days of the end of their conference.

Additional terms and conditions apply and can be found, along with a link to the application form, on our Conference Scholarship LibGuide.

This conference scholarship program is part of MLS’ continuing commitment to expanding our learning offerings for all levels of library staff in all types of member libraries. It also supports Initiative 1, Goal 3 and Initiative 2, Goal 2 of the MLS Strategic Plan.

We look forward to seeing an application from you!

Over the Phone Interpretation Services Now Available

MLS is pleased to offer MLS public library members access to over the phone interpretation services at no cost.

  • Interpretation services are provided by Language Line Solutions, the nation’s largest over the phone interpretation service.
  • Interpretation over the phone is a great option when you need to communicate with a patron who speaks another language.
  • Language Line Solutions has interpreters for 240+ languages, and they can typically connect you with a professional interpreter in a matter of seconds.
  • Currently, Language Line Solutions over the phone interpretation services are only available to MLS public library members.

If you are interested in accessing Language Line Solutions for your public library, visit the Language Line Solutions LibGuide page to complete the application form and learn more about this new offering.

Don’t wait until you need interpretation services to fill out the application form!

It may take us a few days to approve your application. Fill out the application now and have the Language Line Solutions information ready at your desk when the need arises. The application should be filled out by your library’s director or someone who holds a management level position in your library.

This over the phone interpretation service is a pilot project and supports Initiative 1, Goal 3 and Initiative 3, Goal 1 of the MLS Strategic Plan.

Sora Enrollment Details, Checkouts Milestone, and Podcast Episode

Enrollment Now Open for the OverDrive K-12 Shared Sora Collection

Enrollment in the OverDrive K-12 Shared Sora Collection is now open for MLS member schools that are not current participants. Complete the enrollment form to get the process started for the 2024-2025 school year.

Program enrollment is planned to be open until December 31, 2024.

About the Program

The OverDrive K-12 Shared Sora Collection is a shared collection of over 60,000 eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines that are shared among participating MLS member schools.

Key details:

  • Sora is the reading platform (app and website) and is accessible from anywhere at anytime.
  • Titles are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and other languages.
  • Support for curriculum titles, summer reading, book clubs, and other reading initiatives is available at no extra cost.
  • Users can add a public library card to Sora for access to even more titles from the local public library/network’s OverDrive collection and beyond.
  • Get a live look at what’s being checked out from the collection.
  • Pricing is based on student enrollment and schools are invoiced annually.

2 Million+ Checkouts Milestone

Our K-12 Shared Sora Collection broke the 2 million mark of fiscal year checkouts for the first time ever! The official circulation number for FY24 was 2,132,093, which represents a 530,000 increase in checkouts from FY23.

Additionally, the program ended the fiscal year with 650 participating schools, the highest number of schools participating to date.

Thank you to all participating schools for making this program so successful!

MSLA Sora Podcast Episode

In case you missed it, check out the Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA) Podcast all about Sora! MLS Electronic Resources Manager Tressa Santillo joined to discuss enrollment information, the popularity of the program since the pandemic, and more.

Listen to the episode now.

MHEC Expo Details

This September 19, unlock the full potential of your MHEC membership at the annual EXPO! Explore a vast range of suppliers showcasing their products and services. Gain valuable insights on how to leverage MHEC contracts and transform your budget into a powerhouse for your library.

Register today!

About Your MHEC Benefits

Your library is more than just books. It’s a hub of knowledge, community, and resources. And while your dedicated staff and captivating collections are undeniably crucial, there’s another powerful tool at your disposal: MHEC.

As an MLS member, you likely know MHEC as a valuable partner for acquiring books, media, supplies, and digital tools. But did you know that MHEC can do even more to bolster your library’s budget?

Think beyond the bookshelves. MHEC offers a powerful suite of contracts encompassing everything your library needs to operate efficiently. From cutting-edge technology to reliable plumbing and heating systems, to comfortable furniture for your patrons, MHEC has negotiated deals with top suppliers to significantly reduce your library’s operational expenses.

PLA Conference Scholarship Recipients’ Advice to Future Conferencegoers

This is the second article about the Public Library Association (PLA) Conference Scholarship that MLS offered this past spring. You can find background information, along with scholarship data and testimonials, in our June 2024 article.

In this month’s article, we share some advice that PLA Conference Scholarship recipients provided to individuals who might be interested in attending a conference in the future.

Here is a sample of their advice. We lighted edited some quotes for clarity:

  • “Pack light to leave room in your suitcase for all the library-related swag!”
  • “If you want to book a hotel close to the conference, be sure to reserve as soon as possible as the closer hotels are reserved quickly!”
  • “Attend as many sessions and talks as possible, even when you think the topic might be irrelevant to you, as you might still learn something that you can scale up or down depending on the size of your library. And even at the end, when people ask questions, you might hear something interesting or a great idea.”
  • “Look for events that are promoted as scalable. Some of the events are special projects that not all libraries can do, so opting for scalable sessions means that you might walk away with practical knowledge.”
  • “Arrive to the programs early – most of the classes I attended were packed and often people had to stand or sit on the floor.”
  • “All the sessions provide slides and handouts that are available to download, so you can still get a feel for what a session was about if you’re not able to attend.”
  • “Talk to as many people as you can. It’s ok to take a break and find a quiet place for a while.”
  • “For the exhibit hall, don’t just take the freebies, but also take notes on who you meet or companies that stand out. There’s so much information and visual stimuli that it’s easy to forget the details that would have made an impression. But also, take the freebies!”
  • “Bring business cards to hand out, even if you have to print them yourself. You can exchange information with new friends or with vendors more quickly that way.”
  • “Make the time to do it, even if you feel like you’ll be scrambling afterwards. It’s important to be reminded that we don’t work in a vacuum and that we’re all in it together.”

And perhaps the most important piece of advice for attending a conference: “Wear comfortable shoes.”

Next month’s article will explore a few of the PLA Conference sessions that recipients attended.

Celebrating MLS’ 14th Birthday

Happy Birthday, MLS!

MLS celebrated its 14th birthday on July 1, 2024. In typical teenager fashion, we’re growing (our services), making new friends (new collaborations), and leaning into our curiosity (connecting with our members and profession in new ways).

For a quick recap of our history, please view our 2010-2020 timeline.

One More Hat: Community College Librarians as AI Leaders on Campus

At the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference on July 1, MLS Consultant Jane Stimpson moderated “One More Hat: Community College Librarians as AI Leaders on Campus.”

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Community and Junior College Section sponsored this discussion, and about 200 people attended.

Congratulations on a successful event, Jane!

Three people stand in front of a screen with text reading: One More Hat. Community College Libraries as AI Leaders on Campus.
From left to right: Sarah Hood (Santa Fe Community College), Jane Stimpson (Massachusetts Library System), and Regina Vitolo (Lone Star College and Harris County Public Library).
A filled room of people attending a conference session.
About 200 people attended this session.

Physical Accessibility Blog Posts and Video Project Update

This summer, MLS is coordinating a series of blog posts and a video highlighting physical accessibility upgrades at MLS member libraries. We look forward to sharing our completed project in early September.

This work supports Initiative 3, Goal 2 of the MLS Strategic Plan.

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