Happy New Year!

The prospect of a new year plus a new decade may lead to grandiose dreams. And why shouldn't we dream big and shoot for the moon? Let 2020 be the year where we overcome accessibility challenges, come up with a solution to provide easy, affordable access to ebooks, and figure out how to navigate the corporate complexities and privacy concerns as library vendors are gobbled up by private equity firms. There's a lot to be excited about -- our region is one of the best job markets in the US, Millennials love libraries, and thanks to the 21st Century Engagement & Communication Skills series of workshops in 2019, we have a lot of new skills to help us move forward confidently in the New Year. We have an opportunity to communicate our value to our communities by demonstrating our commitment to privacy, tackle wicked problems, and help them navigate the next decade.

I look forward to being dazzled by all of the fantastic things you'll do in the coming decade.

The Greenwich Free Library recently completed renovations to its basement level, creating a large community room, a new, improved local history room, and space for smaller meetings, complete with storage cabinets and a sink. If you're passing by, drop in and check it out!

The Empire State Library Network is organizing a Digital Census Preparation Training for public librarians. These sessions are for anyone who intends to work with communities towards a complete count during Census 2020. If your library is considering providing internet access or digital tools and services, we will help you create safe digital and non-digital pathways to participation for your patrons or community.

A session will be held from 9:30 am to 4 pm Thursday, January 16, at the Capital District Library Council offices in Albany.

Modules in this session include public-facing FAQs, reference interview materials, physical space security, holistic IT, secure participation kiosks, and more.

Registration is free and made possible by funds granted by the Charles H. Revson Foundation.

The Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library will be hosting an Opioid Overdose Rescue Training Session specifically designed for and open to local librarians at 10 am Wednesday, January 22.

All are welcome to attend this free seminar, presented and sponsored by the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Emergency Corps. Registration is requested.

Are you ready to reflect on how hard you rocked last year? Bring 2019's statistics to the Southern Adirondack Library System's Annual Report Party from 10 am to 1 pm on Thursday, January 30, and complete your annual report to the state. SALS staff will be on hand to explain the annual report, and to answer any questions you may have. Everyone is invited to stay for lunch. Please register so we can make sure everyone gets fed.

January 1 is just around the corner! Many library trustee terms begin on January 1. This is an important reminder that New York State Public Officer's Law §10 requires all public library trustees (unless association library trustees) to take and file an oath of office within 30 days of beginning their term of office. Public library trustees are public officers and the oath of office is required to officially undertake and perform the duties of a public library trustee.

If a public library trustee does not properly complete and file an oath of office, the trustee’s position may be deemed vacant (Public Officer's Law §30(1)(h).

For more information about how and why the oath of office is administered, and where to properly file an oath of office, please see the Oaths of Office FAQ on the New York State Library website.

It's no secret that the SALS member libraries are some of the best in the business -- so why not share what you know with your colleagues across the state? There's still time to submit a program proposal to the New York Library Association for its 2020 conference, to be held in Saratoga Springs. If you need help putting together a presentation, get in touch with Erica.

Libraries Transforming Communities: Facilitation Skills for Small and Rural Libraries is a new learning series from the American Library Association (ALA) designed to help library workers develop facilitation skills to engage with their communities.

Specially designed to meet the needs of small and rural libraries, the series will consist of:

• In-person training at the 2020 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago with follow-up coaching support; space is limited. Registration and travel stipends will be granted through a competitive, peer-reviewed application process
• A five-part asynchronous online course
• Follow-up coaching support

Applications are now being accepted for travel stipends to attend the in-person training at the 2020 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. ALA will distribute up to 25 travel stipends to library workers in small and rural communities to cover travel costs. Applications are due Monday, January 20, 2020. Applicants will be notified by Friday, January 31, 2020.

Before starting, read the travel stipend FAQ and carefully review the requirements in each category for the travel stipend before applying.

Questions? Contact ALA's Public Programs Office at publicprograms@ala.org.

Libraries Transforming Communities: Facilitation Skills for Small and Rural Libraries was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant RE-17-19-0041-19.

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))

What would your favorite book characters look like if drawn by police sketch artists?

Jane Austen hated going to the dentist almost as much as I do. Almost.

The Capital District Library Council invites applications for 2020 Regional Collections grants through January 31, 2020. All CDLC member institutions, including individual public and school libraries, are eligible to apply.

CDLC members may apply for a grant for a retrospective conversion or metadata project, a digital collection grant to contribute content to New York Heritage, or a digital newspaper grant to contribute content to NYS Historic Newspapers.

Projects considered for funding should improve access to collections and content or raise the visibility of regional collections.

Priority will be given to projects that:

• Highlight undiscovered collections in our region
• Align with CDLC's strategic goals (see our Plan of Service)
• Have matching funds
• Are collaborative efforts between two or more CDLC members
• Are composed of a complete digital collection
• Are submitted by first-time applicants
• Are composed of long and complete runs of newspapers that are on microfilm

Other types of proposals may be considered.

Grant applicants will be required to submit a final report describing how funds were expended and the number of records converted or enhanced or the number of items digitized. Libraries must describe their project in a CDLC publication or present at a CDLC event.

Please note that unless an extension is requested and approved, all projects must be completed by June 30, 2021, or award money will be forfeited.

Submissions must be received by January 31, 2020, to be considered.

The Games and Gaming Round Table of the American Library Association is proud to unveil a new annual grant program to enable libraries to develop gaming programs or collections for their public. Through the new Game On! Grants $500.00 will be available to be awarded either as one grant of $500 or two of $250 each to assist a library or libraries in developing gaming programs or collections for their communities.

ALA members in good standing currently employed at a public, school, academic or special library in the United States or Canada are eligible to apply. Libraries will need to illustrate a plan for a sustainable gaming program created with the funds as well as financial need and institutional support for the proposed program. The Game On! Grant online application is open now (ALA member login required to access).

The application period will take place from January 1 to March 1 of each year, and the grant winner will be announced at GameRT’s “ALA Play” event at the annual ALA conference, which will take place this year in Chicago from June 25-30, 2020. Learn more about the Game On! Grants or apply online

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 opens January 13, 2020, and 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