On February 10, the Trump administration released details from its budget request to Congress for FY 2021. The White House has requested $23 million in funding for the orderly closure of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, effective October 1. As the primary source of federal funding for museums and libraries, IMLS invests in communities of all sizes, from rural to urban, in every US state and territory. IMLS ensures public library services for all Americans, helps preserve the heritage of our nation and provides critical funding for literacy and workforce development programs. ALA has issued a statement by ALA President Wanda Brown in response to the proposal. Please take a moment and encourage everyone you know to email their members of Congress to express their support for libraries.

What happens when the world's smartest, most talented, and best-looking library professionals get together? If it's January, it's the SALS Annual Report Party, a time to celebrate the great work we've done in the previous year, curse under our breath as we try to report accurately, and do some all-important carb loading. Along the way, we take pop quizzes, fight off the paparazzi, and play Jeopardy! Thanks to all who came out and made the day such a success. We can't wait to review your reports!

A couple of weeks ago, I had a chance to hang out at the Lake Pleasant Public Library and talk to Director Sherry Matthews and her Board of Trustees and Friends of the Library about the strategic planning process. While there, I noticed a number of beautiful quilts decorating the library -- all done by Sherry! If you're in the area, stop in and be dazzled by her talent!

SALS has been chosen as a beneficiary of the Hannaford Helps program. For every reusable bag purchased from the Hannaford at 95 Weibel Avenue, Saratoga Springs NY during the month of February, SALS will receive $1. Shop til you drop, save the planet, and support SALS!

Due to winter snow, the previously scheduled Adult Program Swap has been moved to a new, improved date -- 9:30 am Thursday, March 12, at the Mechanicville District Public Library. If you create programs for adults, please join us to talk about how to best program for senior citizens, and share your expertise and best program ideas. Ken Harris, director of the Albany Guardian Society, will discuss the work done by his organization. Register here to learn with colleagues.

Have you ever found yourself saying, “I didn’t learn this in library school!”? Or making air-quotes to a library colleague while saying, “Other duties as assigned.” Meet other colleagues who have grappled with similar issues from 2 to 4 pm Saturday, March 7, at the Troy Public Library Art Gallery for the Other Duties As Assigned Library Unconference.

Whether you're in Library School, or a mid-career professional, you can always improve in your job, even at tasks that shouldn't necessarily be part of your job.

The Unconference agenda will include customer service, budgeting, and trauma-informed libraries. There will also be break-out sessions for participant-driven topics! Start thinking now about what you'd like to add to our agenda!

All participants will be invited to continue the conversation at an After Party in downtown Troy for networking after the official event.

The Unconference is co-sponsored by Capital District Library Council and attendees will be eligible for Continuing Education credits.

Questions about the Unconference? Email Liz at liblizking+ODAS@gmail.com and reference "ODAS Unconference" in your subject line.

Standard disclaimer: No baby opossums were harmed in the creation of this unconference.

We'll start with the bad news: Governor Cuomo has proposed a $5 million cut to library aid, suggesting that funding be reduced to $91.6 million. This proposed CUT fails to acknowledge the crucial role libraries serve in our communities, and the contributions they make to our state's education system.

But wait, there's more. He's also cut Public Library Construction Aid, reducing it by $20 million to $14 million. The State Division of Library Development estimates that library renovation and construction needs are $1.5B statewide. Over 50% of public libraries in NYS are 60+ years old, and an additional 31% are 30+ years old.

The good news is, there's plenty we can do to make sure these decisions don't come to pass. Please encourage everyone you know to take part in the New York Library Association's online protest by sending a message of support to our elected representatives and legislative leaders.

Join with colleagues from around the state to make your case in person during the annual Library Advocacy Day on Tuesday, February 25. Russell Wise, the SALS's Board Vice President, and Kathy Gundrun from the Capital District Library Council, will lead the charge.

The Census Bureau has published a half-page flyer (PDF) that libraries can distribute to raise awareness of the 2020 Census. The flyer highlights the role that libraries will play in providing access to the online response option and notes that Census data helps determine the allocation of funding for libraries. The flyer and other free downloadable outreach materials, including materials in languages other than English, are available from the 2020 Census website.

Learn about key issues in just a few minutes with ALA’s 2-page Census tip sheets. Share them with a colleague who needs to know!

• “2020 Census: Key Facts for Libraries (PDF)”
• “How Can My Library Increase Awareness of 2020 Census Hiring? (PDF)”
• “Preparing My Library for the 2020 Census (PDF)”
• “How Can Libraries Help Count All Kids in the 2020 Census (PDF)”

The MVLS is hiring a Public Engagement and Education Consultant to work with public libraries in Fulton, Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie counties, as well as a variety of social service and community agencies, contributing toward library public services supporting the system's public engagement and outreach goals.

If this sounds like something you'd love to do, be sure to apply by Friday, February 21, 2020.

The New York State Education Department is accepting applications for the 2020 Summer Food Service Program. Sponsors are organizations that are fully capable of managing a food service program and agree and assure to serve meals to any eligible child in accordance with Federal Law, USDA policy, guidance and instructions including federal civil rights laws, regulations and policies.

Approximately 400,000 free meals are served daily to New York State children through the USDA's Summer Food Service Program, which will operate this summer throughout New York State from June 15 through September 7, 2020.

The Summer Food Service Program was established to ensure that low-income children, 18 and younger, continue to receive nutritious meals when schools are not in session. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service administers the Summer Food Service Program at the national level and the New York State Education Department (SED) administers it at the State level.

To serve the eligible children in their communities, sponsors must verify that the site where they plan to serve meals is located in an area where at least half the resident children are from households with incomes at or below the eligibility level for free or reduced-price school meals. In most instances, current year school data provides the most accurate economic status of a particular community. Potential and existing sponsors can request data from the schools or from the SED to determine eligible program sites.

Summer Food Service Program sponsors receive federal and State reimbursement for each meal served to a child, according to predetermined reimbursement rates set by USDA. SED will hold training workshops in March and April for sponsors planning to participate in summer 2020.

Potential new sponsors may obtain additional information on the Department's Summer Food Service Program website or by contacting the New York State Education Department, Child Nutrition Program Administration, 89 Washington Avenue, Room 375 EBA, Albany, NY 12234, (518) 486-1086. Email is also available at cnsfsp@nysed.gov.

Taking a page from the National Archives, the Library of Congress is making exhibit decisions based on politics. Free speech, anyone?

Style icon may not be the first thing that pops into your head when you think of Virginia Woolf, but you'd be wrong. Fashion houses such as Givenchy and Comme des Garçons are channeling their inner depressed writer. *Rocks in pockets not included.

Greg Priore, the archivist from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty to absconding with and selling more than $8 million of rare books over the course of two decades when he was the manager of the archives. His partner in crime was a bookseller.

The American Library Association (ALA) has released a set of free professional development materials to help library workers in small and rural communities develop the facilitation skills they need to thrive in the 21st-century library. The materials are designed to help library workers prepare for and lead discussions and overcome common challenges that arise when people gather to speak in groups.

Available materials include:

"Leading Conversations in Small and Rural Libraries," a practical 30-page guide that covers the basics of leading discussions in the library, including roles and responsibilities, setting ground rules and managing group dynamics.

"Libraries Transforming Communities: Facilitation Training for Small and Rural Libraries," a five-part e-course available on ALA's eLearning platform. Module 1, "Conversations in the Library: Getting Started," will be followed by four additional modules to be released monthly this spring. Sign up for the full e-course series to receive notifications when new modules are added.

Libraries Transforming Communities: Facilitation Skills for Small and Rural Libraries is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant number RE-17-19-0041-19. The initiative is offered by ALA's Public Programs Office in collaboration with the National Coalition of Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD), the Association of Small and Rural Libraries (ARSL), and the Chief Officers of State Library Associations (COSLA).

Applications for the American Library Association (ALA) Leadership Institute, a 4-day immersive leadership development program for future library leaders led by past ALA President Maureen Sullivan and Library and Leadership Consultant Kathryn Deiss, are now available. The institute includes a structured learning track and the opportunity for individual development.

Application Information:

• Application is now OPEN. Click here to apply.
• Applicants may nominate themselves or be nominated by their employer.
• Deadline: Monday, March 9, 2020.
• Applicants will be notified by May 2020.

Selection Criteria:

The selection committee reviews applications to select a participant mix based on type of library (public, academic, school, special, etc.), organizational responsibility, geography, gender, and race/ethnicity. This selective process is based on demonstrated leadership potential, professional achievement and community or campus involvement. Particular attention will be given to applicants’ personal statements as well as those of their references.

In addition, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Have at least 5 years of library work experience
• Have a letter of support from his/her employer
• Be ready to assume a higher administrative or managerial role
• Be an ALA member at time of application
• Be able to attend the Institute in the Chicago area

Selected participants are mid-career librarians ready to assume a higher administrative or managerial role, with some history of community or campus involvement.

Meeting Logistics

• Date: August 2-6, 2020
• Location: Hilton Oak Brook/Chicago Conference Center and Resort in Oak Brook, Illinois
• Registration Cost: $1,650 (includes training, materials, lodging, meals, and a one-year membership to the Library Leadership & Management Association (LLAMA))

Girls Who Code Clubs are FREE after-school programs where 6-12th grade girls join a sisterhood of supportive peers and role models while using computer science to impact their communities. Below are resources as well as next steps to start your own Club or partnership:

• Girls Who Code Clubs Overview: Explains the requirements to start a Club

• 2019-2020 Clubs Overview: Provides details on what girls will learn in Clubs

• 6th-12th Grade Curriculum: Check out this curriculum by following the instructions below. It’s a quick, non-binding process that lets you interact more with the online platform.

• Visit the online learning platform, Girls Who Code HQ
• Create an HQ Account by clicking “Sign Up” and indicating “I want to start a club or I want to volunteer for a club.” NOTE: This brings you to the curriculum preview page, and does not require you to submit a Clubs Application!)
• Click on different icons to learn more about Clubs and view a sample of the 6-12th grade curriculum!

If you are interested in starting one Girls Who Code Club, apply here. To start a Club you need a space at a nonprofit location with computer and internet access, and an adult Facilitator who doesn’t need to have any prior coding experience.

If you think your library might be interested in potentially starting two or more Clubs, check out our information about how we work with Clubs Community Partners - including how to obtain additional financial support! All you need to do is complete this brief Partnership Form.

Documentary Heritage & Preservations Services for New York (DHPSNY) is currently accepting applications for four FREE Planning & Assessment Services, designed to support New York organizations in improving and advancing program efforts while forming strategies for future growth and development.

Taking part in DHPSNY's Planning & Assessment Services can help your organization:

• Secure future grants and other funding opportunities
• Gain knowledge of the standards and best practices for collections management & preservation as well as confidence in applying this knowledge
• Increase the accessibility and use of your institution’s collections
• Build a lasting relationship with DHPSNY’s supportive professional staff

We are accepting applications for four Planning & Assessment Services:

• Archival Needs Assessments are an excellent way to examine your archival program holistically through an external lens
• Strategic Planning Assistance helps organizations think proactively about their future and shape a three-year plan to serve as a road map for future decision making under a trained facilitator.
• Preservation Surveys consist of a general evaluation of your institution's preservation needs, pinpointing areas of concern and recommendations for improvement.
• Condition Surveys are a valuable tool for institutions that have received a Preservation Survey (through DHPSNY or another program) and are looking to evaluate the conditions of collection materials on a more granular level.

To be considered for the current round, applications must be submitted by Friday, March 20, 2020.

For assistance, questions about eligibility, or additional information, contact DHPSNY Program Manager Anastasia Matijkiw at 215-798-0105 or amatijkiw@dhpsny.org.

The Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program honors nonprofit organizations that have made outstanding contributions to increasing literacy in the United States or abroad. The awards also encourage the continuing development of innovative methods for promoting literacy and the wide dissemination of the most effective practices. They are intended to draw public attention to the importance of literacy, and the need to promote literacy and encourage reading.

The David M. Rubenstein Prize ($150,000) is awarded for an outstanding and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels to an organization based either inside or outside the United States that has demonstrated exceptional and sustained depth in its commitment to the advancement of literacy. The organization will meet the highest standards of excellence in its operations and services.

The American Prize ($50,000) is awarded for a significant and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels in the United States or the national awareness of the importance of literacy to an organization that is based in the United States.

The International Prize ($50,000) is awarded for a significant and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels in a country other than the United States to an organization that is based either inside or outside the United States.

Best Practice Honorees ($5,000): Each year up to 15 organizations that apply in the three major prize categories are recognized for their successful implementation of a specific literacy promotion practice.

The 2020 application period closes midnight, March 6, 2020, EDT.

Download the 2020 application form and instructions:

• 2020 Literacy Awards Application (Microsoft Word document, 169 KB)
• 2020 Literacy Awards Application Instructions (Microsoft Word document, 157 KB)
• 2020 Literacy Awards Call for Applications (PDF, 167 KB)

Please contact literacyawards@loc.gov prior to the submission deadline with any questions.

Email two letters of reference and the completed application form, including the five selection criteria statements and your essay, to literacyawards@loc.gov by midnight, March 6, 2020, EDT.

Email: efreudenberger@sals.edu
Website: www.sals.edu
Location: 22 Whitney Place, Saratoga Springs, NY, United States
Phone: 518 584 7300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthernAdirondackLibrarySystem