Mid-Hudson Director New President of NYLA

The Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Libraries, Joshua ("Josh") Cohen will be the 2009 president of the New York Library Association (NYLA).  Josh has been an important resource for local libraries for as long as I can remember, and I am sure that he will provide important leadership to New York State libraries during his term. He arrives in NYLA at a time when funding for libraries in New York is under siege because of the poor financial outlook for the state.  As I write, Governor Patterson has proposed a 21% drop in state funding for libraries. The Pleasant Valley Free Library finance committee will meet this week to consider how we might have to adjust our 2009 budget if this cut (and another one at the Dutchess County level) occurs.  Meanwhile, Josh is leading the fight to prevent the state cut from becoming a reality.

Josh has helped our library in Pleasant Valley directly in many ways, such as visiting our Board meetings to help us plan ways to raise money via both the Chapter 414 route and also through fundraising for the Building Fund.  Just last month, Steve MacNish--Board President--and I visited Mid-Hudson to consult Josh on the proper way to set up our arrangements with the Community Foundation to handle the Building Fund, which is now available for you to donate online.