Mohawk Valley Library System

Blog

  • Free Webinar – Program Planning Made Easy

    Date: Tuesday, January 12, 2022
    Time: 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
    Place: Online at https://tinyurl.com/mr3d942v
    Presenters: Jill Burket Ragase

    Modern library programming involves incorporating popular trends, research on language and reading acquisitions, as well as developmental milestones, and of course fun! Pulling that off with ease requires solid planning and organization.

    In this interactive webinar program, Jill Burket Ragase will give you a variety of tools that you will be able to use to:

    • Strategically plan your programming calendar
    • Use planning time efficiently for maximum results
    • Methods to collect titles and activities for future use
    • Methods to transform the sea of titles, themes, and random ideas into a cohesive plan
    • Incorporate flexibility in your plans to meet evolving conditions
    • Tips and tricks for organizing program and storytime themes, programming supplies, and materials,
    • Set up shared documents to decrease workload across staff

    Program planning doesn’t have to be time consuming. We’ll discuss strategies for organizing your ideas, work, and materials in a way that maximizes your planning time investment.

    Free to ESLN Members (MVLS libraries, select CDLC as your ESLN Council). Registration is required.

  • Grant Opportunity – Inclusive Financial Literacy Programming Kit for Kids

    Up to 100 public and school libraries will be selected to receive an Inclusive Financial Literacy Programming Kit to help them provide diverse financial literacy titles and programming for children and young people in their communities.

    Each kit will contain:

    • The Inclusive Financial Literacy book list, developed by a team of librarian advisors in collaboration with ALA and the FINRA Foundation, with corresponding best practices and programming ideas for public and school libraries
    • One copy of Rainy Day Ready: Financial Literacy Programs and Tools edited by Melanie Welch and Patrick Hogan for the ALA Public Programs Office (ALA Editions, 2020), a ready-to-use guide for library staff with 16 model financial capability programs
    • One print copy of five books from the book list for libraries to add to their circulating collection

    Public and school libraries (serving children in grades K–8) located in the U.S. and U.S. territories are eligible for this opportunity.

    Application Information

    To be considered for one of the 100 programming kits, you must complete an online application. The application will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Please only submit one application per library or branch.

    ALA will accept applications for this opportunity from November 10, 2021, to January 3, 2022. Each eligible request will be reviewed by a panel of librarians, FINRA Foundation staff and ALA staff.

    Key Dates and Contact Info

    • Application Deadline: January 3, 2022
    • Award Notification: January 2022
    • Programming Kits Distributed: February–March 2022

    If you have questions about the exhibition or the application, contact:

    American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office
    1-800-545-2433, ext. 5045
    publicprograms@ala.org

  • Free Webinar – Thinking Outside : Nature-based Programs at the Library

    Date: Thursday, December 16, 2021
    Time: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
    Place: Online at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErdeugrzwpG9DhyytwR0kLrZMqrJBVyjAX
    Presenters: Nate Keefe

    Are you interested in implementing nature-based programming to help connect your patrons to the natural world? Nature programming can help you attract new audiences, as well as deepen your relationship with the library’s “frequent flyers.” In addition, nature programming can help foster a conservation ethic that will guide the way towards a sustainable future. Join school librarian and longtime environmental educator Nate Keefe to explore how to create nature programming that will suit the needs of both your patrons and your library.

    In this online, 1-hour interactive discussion, we will discuss the role your library can play in community nature programming, and how libraries can leverage community partnerships to maximize impact. We will also explore opportunities for “DIY” nature programming, and have a robust idea-sharing session. Finally, participants will evaluate their own unique library settings to identify assets, and will be provided with a downloadable handout with actionable, take-away ideas that require minimal resources to get started right away.

    Free to ESLN Members (MVLS libraries, select CDLC as your ESLN Council). Registration is required.

  • Free Webinar – Digital Privacy 101 : A Primer for Libraries

    Date: Thursday, December 09, 2021
    Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
    Place: Online at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NfaP4bteRr65AeS6vnScgQ
    Presenters: Christine Fena and Claire Payne, Stony Brook University

    In this engaging session, participants will have the opportunity to explore several key aspects of online privacy, as well as think about ways to educate and inform their own patrons about digital privacy issues. The first part of the webinar will focus on some basics of how personal information is stored, used, and shared on the open web, in addition to a discussion of specific experiences such as navigating privacy policies. The second part of the session will focus on digital privacy concerns that are specific to library programs, policies, and services. Throughout, the workshop leaders will aim to create a space for participants to think critically about approaches to digital privacy, and to discover strategies they can use to become privacy advocates at their own libraries.

    Free to ESLN Members (MVLS libraries, select CDLC as your ESLN Council). Registration is required.

    This session is sponsored by the Empire State Library Network.

    Contact Susan D’Entremont at susan@cdlc.org or Caitlin Kenney at ckenney@wnylrc.org for more info

  • Free Webinar – Calm, (Legally) Cool and Collected – Tactics for Libraries Facing Book Challenges and Collection-based Protests

    Date: Thursday, December 2, 2021
    Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
    Place: Online at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sXJmYi18RQOe5o2DH9Ee3w
    Presenters: Stephanie ‘Cole’ Adams

    Using applicable library ethics and law as a foundation, this practical and action-oriented session will work through the roles, responsibilities, and possible tactics of every person working at and supporting a library when a community needs to weather a content challenge, protest, and/or obscenity charges based on materials in their collection.

    90 minutes, 30 of which are reserved for participant questions.

    Attendees will receive a summary chart and template response plan to help a library facing a challenge assess and organize the possible response roles, responsibilities, and tactics to use for response.

    We invite you to submit a question for Cole – there will be a place to do that during the registration process. The deadline to submit questions is November 24th.

    WNYLRC piloted the “Ask the Lawyer” program and this session was inspired by a question sent into the service. This session is sponsored by the Empire State Library Network. If you have any questions, contact Caitlin Kenney (ckenney@wnylrc.org) or Sheryl Knab (sknab@wnylrc.org).

    Free to ESLN Members (MVLS libraries, select CDLC as your ESLN Council). Registration is required.