It's officially sugar season when maple trees are tapped for their glorious sap. The sap is boiled over an open fire, producing a steady stream of sticky, sweet, delicious goodness. The process of applying heat and boiling the sap to refine and condense it into the desired finished product reminds us that discomfort can lead to great things but should only be endured for a specific period of time and not eternally.

Public libraries have been experiencing a crucible of attacks on intellectual freedom, the stress of restoring public-facing services after a pandemic and negotiating the impact of collective trauma and burnout. While Friedrich Nietzsche claimed, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger," it can make us cranky and exhausted.

To help navigate conflict, we're partnering with Mediation Matters and the Upper Hudson Library System to bring a series of workshops to help manage and de-escalate fraught situations -- see below to register for each session.

Take care of yourselves, do good work, and ask for help when needed!

If you met Michael Hadfield, you had a 100% chance of hearing about his passion for the galaxy. As Becky Fasulo's right-hand man at the Corinth Free Library for several decades, Michael amused people of all ages with rockets and other programs celebrating the mysteries in our skies. As Michael becomes stardust, we turn our heads to the sky to search for a new constellation.

Four years after the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the United States, along with much of the world, is continuing to struggle with unresolved collective trauma. The cumulative stress, burnout, and trauma are impacting our day-to-day lives, and showing up where we work in our interactions with patrons and each other.

What’s a superstar librarian to do? The Upper Hudson and Southern Adirondack Library Systems are partnering with Mediation Matters to present a three-part series of workshops to identify and address the issue and provide tools to respond to moments of crisis.

The three sessions are:

10 – 11: 30 am Wednesday, March 13: Diffusing Conflict Before It Flares Up

In this session, we explore how to cultivate an environment conducive to constructive conflict resolution. This ranges from what the physical environment might include in terms of room set-up, color scheme, visual messaging/signage as well as the environment’s norms of everyday activity such as interactions with patrons (in-person, phone, or written form).

To register, please complete the form found here: https://forms.gle/88Ej4KLKPMFge8qo9

10 – 11:30 am Wednesday, April 24: De-escalating Conflict When It Flares Up

This session will explore what happens to us psychologically and physiologically when conflict flares up and develop tangible strategies to de-escalate those situations. Learn and practice skills that can help turn a potential harmful experience into a constructive exchange that actually makes things better.

To register, please complete the form found here: https://forms.gle/pUe3zrfPdvdmans97

10 - 11:30 am Wednesday, May 8: When All Else Fails

If the environment you set up and the skills you’re using are not working to diffuse the conflict that has you concerned about your own safety or the safety of library patrons and/or staff, this session will facilitate a discussion to create a set of concrete ideas that can be quickly enacted if and when a conflict gets out of control and the safety of all can be maintained.

To register, please complete the form found here: https://forms.gle/jbAPvjby3n1cB2xs8

Due to the sensitive nature of this content, the sessions will not be recorded.

Since 2016, SALS’s Libraries Mean Business initiative has supported small businesses and entrepreneurs. As part of the program, we provide funding to train Notaries Public for each member library. If your library has not yet taken part in the Notary Public Training Program, or if you would like to have an additional person trained, there’s good news!

SALS will cover the cost of one person from each member library to:

• Attend the Notary Exam Preparation Course at SUNY Adirondack
• Take the one-hour Notary Exam
• Secure a Notary Public License

In exchange, participating libraries must:

• Let Erica know they intend to participate
• Register with SUNY Adirondack and identify as part of the SALS group
• Pay for the class, registration, and license
• Submit paperwork to be reimbursed, including documentation indicating completion of the SUNY Adirondack class and Notary Public Exam and registration. Libraries will only be reimbursed after the Notary Public Exam has been completed.

The Notary Public License Exam Preparation classes through SUNY Adirondack are available in-person or virtual.

Notary Public License Exam Preparation — Self-Paced, Online Course

Available Feb. 1 to May 1

This online, self-paced course is offered through the Brightspace learning management system and is designed to teach essential information needed for the New York State Notary exam. In addition, this course will thoroughly prepare participants for the duties and functions of a Notary Public officer. They will gain insight into what a Notary Public’s key responsibilities and limitations are, as well as some best practices of a Notary Public officer. Topics will include notary concepts, definition review, sample forms and notary law subsection review.

Please note: The Notary Public exam will not be given during this workshop. To successfully complete this course and prepare for the exam, students are required to complete the reading, discussion and quiz activities identified in the course syllabus.

Registration for this course closes Wednesday, April 3, to ensure participants have time to complete the course. Please see the registration webpage for the refund and tuition liability policy for online asynchronous courses.

Instructor: Kelli Hatin, Ed.D., professor of business, SUNY Adirondack

Price: $85 CRN: 20077

Notary Public License Exam Preparation — In-Person Course

March 14

Thursday | 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. | SUNY Adirondack Saratoga

This interactive, in-person workshop prepares participants for the New York State Notary Public exam and provides a comprehensive overview of the Notary Public Office. Examples will be provided to illuminate situations a Notary is likely to encounter. Topics include avoiding conflicts of interest, maintaining professional ethics, charging proper fees, handling special situations and deferring to an attorney. All materials will be provided, and information about how to access the NYS Department of State licensing information, booklets and forms will be distributed.

Please note: The Notary Public exam will not be administered during this workshop; however, an 80-question practice exam and answer key will be provided to complete at home.

Instructor: Victor Bujanow, Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC)

Price: $79 (Course price includes a $7 materials fee.) CRN: 20031

Public libraries play a critical role in community health. As the opioid epidemic devastates our communities, we partner with the New York State Office of Addiction Services & Supports to distribute free fentanyl testing strips through our libraries.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50-100x more potent than other opioids like heroin or morphine. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), overdose deaths involving fentanyl have quadrupled in recent years. By making these strips available to the public, we hope to help alleviate opioid deaths in our region.

SALS now also has Xylazine testing strips available for member libraries!

If your library is interested in sharing these fentanyl or Xlyazine testing strips, don't hesitate to contact Erica or Pamela, and we'll send some out to your library!

The Cohoes Public Library seeks a library director who will be an enthusiastic champion for the city’s new 21st century library. Currently in a temporary location in the Cohoes Senior Center, the Library and the City have secured funds to relocate the library to a historic building in the heart of the city. In addition to playing a leadership role in the creation of a new library for the community, the library is looking for a candidate with strong management and interpersonal skills to deliver excellent customer service and build positive working relationships with the library staff, board and municipal partners.

Serving a growing population of more than 18,000, the Cohoes Public Library is a municipal public library with an annual operating budget of over $150,000. The library is a member of the Upper Hudson Library System that shares physical and digital items in a robust system-wide collection.

The director reports to a nine-member Board of Trustees and works closely with the City of Cohoes. The director has the primary responsibility for the operation and management of the library, collaborates with the Board on annual budget development and funding requests to the City of Cohoes. The director also serves as the primary representative of the library in the community. Specific job activities include, but are not limited to:

● Staff management

● Budget oversight

● Collection development

● Customer service

● Programming planning and implementation

● Technology oversight to enhance library services

● Marketing and public relations

The Board encourages and supports the library director’s participation in regional, statewide, and national professional activities.

Minimum qualifications include possession of a Master’s degree in library science from an American Library Association accredited school or equivalent, as recognized by the New York State Education Department. A New York State Public Librarian’s certificate is required at the time of appointment. Public library experience is preferred, but not required.

This is a full-time position working 40 hours per week. Library Director I is a civil service position with the selected candidate appointed as provisional pending a civil service examination of training and experience. Prior to the provisional appointment, the successful candidate will be required to submit a completed civil service application.

The Library Director’s annual salary will be in the range of $44,000-$48,000 based on the candidate’s skills and experience. The compensation package also includes health insurance and participation in the New York State retirement system.

Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references to the search committee via email: directorsearch@cohoespubliclibrary.org. Application review will begin on April 1, 2024 and continue until the position is filled.

Would you like to be part of creating a better future for children, teens, and families through strong libraries? Are you a friendly, effective communicator adept at customer service?

If you’re an organized self-starter who works well independently and as part of a team and if you approach work with a sense of humor, we want to hear from you! Library experience is a plus, but not required—we’ll train a smart, flexible individual to work with us to strengthen regional library services from behind the scenes.

The Upper Hudson Library System (UHLS) is a cooperative library system headquartered in Albany, NY. Our new colleague will report to the Manager, Youth and Family Services and deliver effective customer service to system staff and our member libraries, as well as assist with:

• Professional development programs
• Processing review and project materials
• Rotating library collections
• Daily operations, including preparing and maintaining circulating collections, kits, and equipment, maintaining statistical reports, etc.

This position requires at least one year of post-secondary coursework, with preference given to candidates with a Bachelor’s degree; AND one or more years of paid experience working in a library or office; OR an equivalent combination of technical training, education, and experience.

This is a full-time position, with a 35-hour work week scheduled between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday – Friday, with an hour lunch. Currently, the position requires working in the office three days a week, with the option to work remotely two days a week. The position includes a competitive benefits package and participation in the NYS Retirement System. The salary range for this position is $41,000 - $43,500. The job description for this position is posted on our website.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information for three professional references via email to searchcommittee@uhls.org. The review of applications will begin on February 26, 2024 and continue until the position is filled.

For more information about UHLS, visit www.uhls.org

Governor Kathy Hochul's FY 2024 Budget agreement includes a plan to help low-wage New Yorkers keep up with the rising cost of living by increasing New York's minimum wage for three years and then tying future increases to inflation. On January 1, 2024, the minimum wage will increase to $15 in our region. In 2025 and 2026, the minimum wage will increase by an additional $0.50 in each year, after which the State's minimum wage would increase at a rate determined by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the Northeast Region — the best regional measure of inflation.

The minimum wage is just that -- the minimum a worker should be paid to perform a job. The best way to attract and retain excellent people is to pay a living wage, with an average of $25.02 per hour.

The ARSL Leadership Institute is a grant-funded pilot program (IMLS Award ID RE-246425-OLS-20) that seeks to provide timely, relevant leadership development opportunities for rural and small library workers.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following qualities through their application materials:

• Dedication to service in rural and small communities
• Commitment to ARSL's Organizational Values
• Enthusiasm for learning and professional growth
• Interest in expanding library service to reach diverse and/or under-served communities
• Aspirations to lead in their library and community
• Openness to change in themselves, their library, and their community
• Thorough understanding of the commitment required to complete the Institute program
• Support from supervisors and/or organizational leadership for their participation

Priority consideration will be given to applicants who:

• Are currently serving in new library leadership positions, or who anticipate attaining their first library leadership position in the near future
• Have worked in libraries for less than 10 years
• Do not hold a Master's in Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree (or equivalent)
• Self-identify as members of communities that have experienced marginalization and/or are under-represented within the library profession

Participant Time Commitment

Participants will be expected to dedicate a substantial amount of time to leadership development activities during the Institute's 18-month duration. This includes:

• Approximately 5 hours per month of asynchronous/independent preparation and active synchronous participation in online learning sessions
• In-person attendance at the 2024 and 2025 ARSL Conferences*, including participation as a session presenter during the 2025 Conference
• Development and implementation of a unique, self-guided Leadership Project within their organization during Year 2 of the program
• Active engagement with one or more professional mentors in connection with their Leadership Project or other professional development goals
• Quarterly supplemental professional development provided by ARSL

The ideal candidate would also plan to become and/or remain actively involved in ARSL** after completion of the Institute program through participation in Professional Networking Groups and other ARSL professional development opportunities; volunteering on one of our Committees; or running for an organizational leadership role.

Application Requirements

Applicants will be required to submit the following documents as part of their application packet:

• 1 document containing their Applicant Statements (see below)
• 1 copy of their current professional resume
• 2 Letters of Recommendation from their supervisor or organizational leadership; professional colleagues; or community leaders

The Worcester Public Library in Worcester, Massachusetts is waiving library fines in exchange for people sharing pictures of their cats as part of its March Meowness campaign. We think it's the purrfect way to get people talking about the library!

Time Magazine has named its top 25 most hotly anticipated books of 2024.

Bridezillas in New Jersey can take a deep breath and relax, thanks to the new collection at the Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library in Fair Lawn, which loans wedding dresses. Brides can choose to keep or return the borrowed gowns.

When someone is trapped in a violent relationship, it can be difficult to reach out for help.

Molly Riportella, a Massachusetts librarian has created the BiblioUnderground, which provides Book-it 2 Freedom kits in discarded, hollowed out library books that contain burner phones. Each of the phones is preprogrammed with numbers to support services.

It's been a wild couple of years for frontline library workers, who have worked through a global pandemic, seemingly endless challenges to books and the profession's core beliefs. The result has been an increase in trauma and burnout. To break the library trauma cycle, the authors of the trauma study recommend:

• Establishing strong collection management policies with clear guidelines for what can and cannot trigger a formal book reconsideration.
• Creating spaces where staff can discuss the mental health issues arising in the context of book bans.
• Administration taking the mental health concerns of staff seriously.
• Build a community connection, especially with communities under attack (marginalized communities).

When Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, signed H.B. 1069 into law, he was bolstering support for the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation passed previously by broadening school board oversight of library collections. In response, the Escambia County School District proactively removed thousands of titles, including The American Heritage Children’s Dictionary, Webster’s Dictionary for Students, and Merriam-Webster’s Elementary Dictionary.

Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture is a family literacy initiative that connects Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI), and American Indigenous or Alaskan Native (AIAN) communities across generations. The Talk Story micro-grant celebrates and explores AANHPI and AIAN stories through books, oral traditions, and cultural arts to provide interactive and enriching experiences for all ages. This grant provides financial support to libraries and community organizations who are motivated to promote intergenerational literacy through programming, services, and collections. Talk Story programs may be conducted in-person or virtually.

The Grant Information and Application fields are below and can also be accessed on the APALA website and the AILA website.

To submit your proposal, please use the online form.

Deadline: March 15, 2024
Awards Announced: May 1, 2024
Grant Amount: $500
Grants Offered: 4 total; 2 by each organization
Grant Period: May 1, 2024 – November 30, 2024

Program Contact
familyliteracy@apalaweb.org
AILA.TalkStory@gmail.com

Eligibility
Libraries, archives, museums, and community organizations that serve AANHPI and/or AIAN children and their families are eligible to apply. With the exception of cross-border tribal organizations, all organizations must be based in the United States or U.S. territories.

Organizations who have previously been awarded two Talk Story grants are ineligible for additional awards.

Applications must be received by March 15, 2024 11:59pm.
Please submit a complete and detailed application including a statement of financial or economic need, narrative describing how the grant addresses community needs and promotes the Talk Story mission, an explanation of how your program empowers AANHPI and/or AIAN communities, and a proposed budget.

You may apply for either an APALA grant OR an AILA grant. You may NOT apply to both organizations.

Awards will be announced no later than May 1, 2024.

Funds must be used by November 30, 2024.

Final Financial Report and Narrative Report are due by December 31, 2024.
Please include photographs taken during the program. Where possible, include a statement or permission slip acknowledging release for use by APALA or AILA to promote Talk Story on their websites, newsletters, and social media account.

Art Resources Transfer's Library Program provides free books on art and culture to public libraries, schools, and incarcerated readers nationwide.

The book catalog offers 300+ titles published by leading museums, galleries, and independent presses nationwide. Books are free and shipped free of charge. To get started, sign up through the website here.

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