Podcasts about mid hudson library system

Demand surges at libraries, but they are expensive A trip to the library used to mean driving into town, searching the shelves for the latest bestselling novel and taking the book to the circulation desk. These days, more residents are opening their smartphones or tablets, scrolling through digital shelves and tapping "borrow." Librarians in the Highlands report dramatic increases in apps like Libby and Hoopla that allow patrons to borrow e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines. "You can bring a piece of the library with you on the road," said Johanna Reinhardt, director of the Butterfield library in Cold Spring. Reinhardt said the library circulated nearly 20,000 e-books, audiobooks and other electronic material last year, compared to 2,200 in 2015. The demand is similar at the Howland library in Beacon and the Desmond-Fish library in Garrison. In January alone, nearly 80,000 e-books, audiobooks and other digital materials were circulated through the Mid-Hudson Library System to patrons using Libby. Ten years ago, it was 16,000. Librarians Scramble as Trump Targets Agency Gillian Murphy, director at the Howland, said that digital loans will soon be dominant. "We're still lending more print books, but it's going to flip in the next couple of years," she said. Dede Farabaugh, the director at Desmond-Fish, added: "We have patrons who never see us because they're just doing things electronically." The growth of digital lending brings financial challenges because libraries must purchase licenses that are sometimes more expensive than the physical copy. For example, a digital copy of a bestseller may cost $15 on Amazon, but libraries often must pay $50 or more and are limited in how many times it can be lent. With print books, libraries may pay $30 for a bestseller and lend it out until it falls apart. Last year, Butterfield reduced the e-books and other items that patrons can check out on the Hoopla platform from 10 to five per month because of a surge in usage that raised costs. Public libraries have lobbied for legislation to reduce e-book prices, but Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill that would have compelled publishers to lower digital prices for libraries. She said the legislation would violate federal copyright laws that give publishers and authors the right to determine what to charge.

Institute sends $8 million annually to New York Local librarians are campaigning against a March 14 executive order issued by President Donald Trump that could cripple a New York agency that distributes state funds to local libraries. The Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, D.C., which has a $290 million budget, sends federal money to cultural institutions and state library associations, including $8 million annually that funds the New York Division of Library Development. The DLD is responsible for distributing state aid to public libraries - including $70 million annually to those outside New York City - through regional organizations like the Mid-Hudson Library System, whose 66 members include the Howland in Beacon, the Butterfield in Cold Spring and the Desmond-Fish in Garrison. The DLD also oversees $45 million in state funds distributed each year for library construction projects. The Mid-Hudson Library System, which is based in Poughkeepsie and has a $3.74 million budget, provides support services, programming grants and negotiates discounted group licenses from software, e-book and database providers. "The absence of DLD staff to facilitate aid programs that impact us is our largest, immediate concern," said Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, executive director of the Mid-Hudson system. "Severe delays in receiving our operating aid could deplete our reserve funds and compromise our ability to pay our bills." Along with shared resources, the Howland library expects to receive $8,200 in grants from MHLS in 2025; Desmond-Fish, $4,000; and Butterfield, $54,000 for an HVAC project. "We pushed to finish the project so as not to incur additional costs as we were told by contractors that prices were set to increase in April due to tariffs" implemented by Trump, said Joanna Reinhardt, the director at Butterfield. "This was prior to learning of the IMLS news; we may have held off had we known." There are 762 public libraries in New York. Gillian Murphy, the director at the Howland, feels that same sense or uncertainty. "Grant money may not come through or will come late because lack of staff," she said. "We have construction grants that we rely on and who knows what will happen to those." The IMLS, created by Congress in 1996, is one of seven small agencies named in Trump's executive order, titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy. It directs that the agencies be "eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law." The acting director of IMLS, Keith Sonderling, said on March 20 that he planned to "revitalize" the agency and "restore focus on patriotism, ensuring we preserve our country's core values, promote American exceptionalism and cultivate love of country in future generations." The federal money sent to states by IMLS should be funded through October, Smith Aldrich said, but 60 of the agency's 70 employees have been placed on administrative leave, which "calls into question if this is happening. The Grants to States Program may need to be reauthorized this fall by Congress," which is a focus of lobbying. IMLS also distributes grants to museums. The Greater Hudson Heritage Network received $269,038 in 2024 to conserve 35 objects at 10 museums, including Maj. John Andre's flute at Boscobel in Philipstown. Catching Up with… The Howland Public Library (Beacon) The Julia L. Butterfield Library (Cold Spring) The Desmond-Fish Public Library (Garrison)

Dec. 24, 2024 - Is it time to change the library system structure? We consider these regional entities with the help of Max Prime, director of government relations and advocacy for the New York Library Association, and Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, executive director of the Mid-Hudson Library System.

In this episode of "Nature Calls Conversations from the Hudson Valley", Annie and Jean sit down with Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, the Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS), to embark on an inspiring journey through the Library of Local, a remarkable initiative born from a partnership between Partners for Climate Action Hudson Valley and the Mid-Hudson Library System. This innovative project is changing the way local communities interact with climate change and ecological repair by providing library patrons with a diverse collection of resources. From books and films to seeds and shovels, the Library of Local (LOL) equips individuals with the tools they need to take meaningful action in addressing the climate crisis and fostering a harmonious relationship with nature. At the heart of the LOL project are the 15 hand-built architectural displays created by local artist Johnny Poux. Each of these installations houses nearly 200 locally sourced books, forming a vital knowledge repository for those eager to learn about sustainable living and environmental stewardship. The seed library, essential gardening tools, and AV equipment make it even more accessible for community members to embark on their ecological journeys. What sets the Library of Local apart is its commitment to community education and engagement. The LOL team organizes a dynamic monthly schedule of in-person and virtual events, along with community meetings. These gatherings provide a platform for individuals to learn from experts, exchange ideas, and collectively work towards a greener, more sustainable future. Don't miss out! Join us on this eco-adventure and discover how libraries are becoming hubs for sustainability and environmental action. Whether you're a seasoned environmentalist or just starting on your journey, the Library of Local has something to offer everyone! Hosts: Annie Scibienski and Jean Thomas Guest: Rebekkah Smith Aldrich Photo: Used with permission from Laura Crisci, MHLS Library Sustainability Coordinator Production Support:  Linda Aydett, Teresa Golden, Annie Scibienski Resources

September 13, 2023 - For some libraries, getting a budget before local voters can be a herculean task, which prevents the adoptions of annual spending plans. We consider a lower threshold for libraries to access the ballot with Max Prime director of government relations and advocacy for the New York Library Association, and Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, executive director of the Mid-Hudson Library System.

Earth Day is on April 22nd so this month we're talking about sustainability, reducing waste and recycling. Guest interviews include Joe DiRisi, Hamden's recycling coordinator; Rebekah Smith-Aldrich, Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Library System; and Lorrice Grant of Haven's Harvest. We also have updates from the Seed Library and more!

How often in libraries do we ask ourselves how we can ensure that our services stay essential and sustainable in the communities we serve? These days, it may be more often than we like. On today’s show, I speak with Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Executive Director at the Mid-Hudson Library System in New York and author of the book, Sustainable Thinking: Ensuring Your Library’s Future in an Uncertain World.  She presents globally on topics related to library sustainability and gives us essential guidance that helps us answer the question of how libraries can maintain our important roles in society. In fact, the American Library Association finds this so essential that it has just adopted sustainability as a core value of librarianship.

RadioRotary interviews Rebbekah Smith Aldrich, Coordinator for Library Sustainability for the Mid-Hudson Library System, a group of 66 libraries in the five mid-Hudson counties that form the core of the RadioRotary listening area: Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Putnum, and Ulster—serving 2.5 million homes. Libraries today are a platform for all sorts of information, forming a cornerstone of democracy. They provide affordable access to services that really matter, including downloads of E-book and audiobooks in addition to the traditional printed material and human fonts of accurate information. Many offer shared community experiences, including talks, concerts, meeting centers, and always programs for children. This is a terrific show that ought to make the listener pull our his or her library card and head either for the library building or the computer/cellphone. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/radiorotary/support

Pleasant Valley Library Director Daniela Pulice and Barbara Shapley, president of the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library, discuss their local library, the Mid-Hudson Library System, of which it is a part, and the status of community libraries today. The Pleasant Valley Free Library is situated in a Dutchess County town of about 10,000 and is one of 21 libraries in the Mid-Hudson System. The Friends of the Library do fundraising, notably a giant book sale once or twice a year, to support such added library benefits as free tickets to the Children’s Museum, movie night, educational programs, signs, and computers. Today’s libraries are not quiet places, but instead are the central place in the community where people meet as well as where they borrow books, audio books, movies, e-book readers, and other materials and use computers, the library’s or free Wi-Fi. Circulation of all items has continued to increase in the 21st century. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/radiorotary/support

In Episode 25, Dewey Decibel features interviews with two librarians whose expertise has them on the front lines of environmental disaster relief and preparedness. First, American Libraries' Associate Editor Terra Dankowski talks with Miriam Centeno, a collections care coordinator at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Libraries. Miriam traveled to Puerto Rico to help train librarians there in preservation and collections care following Hurricane Maria in fall 2017. Next, American Libraries Associate Editor and Dewey Decibel host Phil Morehart speaks with Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, coordinator for library sustainability at Mid-Hudson Library System in Poughkeepsie, New York, and author of Sustainable Thinking: Ensuring Your Library's Future in an Uncertain World and Resilience, both published by ALA Editions.

Steve chats with Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Coordinator for Library Sustainability at the Mid-Hudson Library System in New York and author of Sustainable Thinking: Ensuring Your Library’s Future in an Uncertain World. Author of Sustainable Thinking: Ensuring Your Library’s Future in an Uncertain World and Resilience, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich has been a public library development consultant since 1998. Rebekkah currently holds the … Continue reading 131: Rebekkah Smith Aldrich