In this month’s news and updates:

MLS Member Annual Meeting Registration Reminder

The Massachusetts Library System (MLS) Member Annual Meeting is almost here!

All staff at MLS member libraries are invited to join us on Monday, October 28 at the Devens Common Center. Learn more and register online.

We are thrilled to welcome Megan Piphus, famed puppeteer and ventriloquist, as the keynote speaker at our 2024 Member Annual Meeting! Megan taught herself puppetry and ventriloquism by watching VHS tapes that her mother checked out at the library. She spent her teenage years traveling the nation singing and performing ventriloquism at schools and churches.

Since 2020, Megan has played the role of Gabrielle, a 6-year-old black girl Muppet, on Sesame Street. After training for a year to learn Muppet-style puppetry with the cast of Sesame Street, Megan became the first black female puppeteer to perform on Sesame Street in September of 2021.

Accessibility and Inclusion at Massachusetts Libraries

Libraries across Massachusetts have been hard at work to prioritize accessibility and inclusion, ensuring that all patrons can engage with their local libraries.

MLS is excited and proud to share their stories. Our team filmed interviews on site and coordinated blog posts with member libraries. Additional resources are also available to help libraries prioritize accessibility and inclusion.

All resources are available on the MLS LibGuide: Massachusetts Libraries: Ensuring Accessibility and Inclusion.

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

Delivery Survey

It’s that time again! Delivery Survey Week is October 21-25.

We need your help! MLS is collecting statistics from all member libraries who receive Delivery. This survey will be used to capture Delivery statistics, including bins put into Delivery, bins delivered, and items put into Delivery.

Visit our LibGuide for Delivery Survey information.

If you have any questions, email delivery@masslibsystem.org.

Orientation Session for School Librarians

Are you a new school librarian at an MLS member library? Are you a seasoned school librarian in need of a refresher? Would you like to know how your school can become a member of our organization? Then this virtual session is for you!

Please join us for our Orientation Session for School Librarians on Monday, October 7 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

We will discuss what it means to be a school member of MLS, describe our flagship services and programs offered to school libraries, as well as other programs and services of interest.

Bring your questions! This session is open to all librarians at MLS member schools as well as any schools that may be interested in MLS membership. This session will be recorded.

The following staff members will be participating in this session:

  • Amanda Fauver, Membership Manager
  • Tressa Santillo, Electronic Resources Manager
  • Christi Farrar, Consultant
  • Alison DeMers, Resource Sharing Librarian

Register for this virtual session.

Sora Enrollment Reminder

In case you missed it: 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.

BiblioTemps Presents: Library Careers LibGuide

The library profession is constantly evolving with new technologies, trends, and demands influencing the field. To support library workers on their career paths, BiblioTemps has launched a new Library Careers LibGuide.

We are excited to share the first page of the LibGuide: Resumes and Cover Letters. This page features resume building tools, tips for using generative AI, our resume panel video (from 2021) discussing what employers are looking for, and more! The right resources can make all the difference in presenting your qualifications in the best possible light. We hope this guide will help you on your journey!

Stay tuned for our upcoming page on interviews, which will include mock interview questions for specific library positions and informative tools covering each step of the interview process. Whether you are seeking new opportunities or simply preparing for the future, we are gathering an array of career development resources to inspire and assist you.

BiblioTemps Working with the Town of North Brookfield

BiblioTemps is working with the Haston Free Public Library in North Brookfield to fill a permanent library director position. This part-time role could be a great opportunity for someone interested in gaining leadership and management experience in a small library.

The Town of North Brookfield is seeking applications from qualified candidates to serve as its next library director at the Haston Free Public Library. North Brookfield, MA is a picturesque town with under 5,000 residents, located in Worcester County, 19 miles west of the City of Worcester. Housed in a beautiful 13,000 square foot building, the library serves as a welcoming meeting place for individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to access the world of information and explore ideas.

The director of the Haston Free Public Library provides leadership and direction to a dedicated team of one (1) full-time and two (2) part-time employees. The library has a collection of 24,450 items and, as a member of the CW MARS consortium, has access to nearly 237,000 e-books, magazines, and other materials. An annual budget of $155,683 helps the library provide rich resources to its over 2,500 cardholders.

To read the full job description, please visit our website.

MLS Member Webinars

As a reminder, members can still submit an MLS Member Webinar proposal.

Webinar presenters will gain valuable presenting experience, as well as personalized resources and coaching, and a $250 stipend.

Webinar submissions are open until November 1, 2024. For our first round of MLS Member Webinars, we are looking for up to four webinars to be presented from mid-March to mid-May, 2025.

Anyone who works in an MLS member library is eligible to submit a webinar proposal. Search the MBLC Library Database to check if your library is an MLS member.

More details, including important dates, FAQs, information on what we’re looking for in a webinar, and the submission form are available on the MLS Member Webinars LibGuide.

This initiative supports Initiative 1, Goal 1 of the MLS Strategic Plan and responds to the training needs assessment we conducted this spring, which highlighted MLS members’ desire to learn from other members.

Please contact MLS Consultant Jane Stimpson at jane@masslibsystem.org with questions.

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