It's Not Just Books!

Sidewalk Art Contest Coming

2011-08-16T05:55:00.000-07:00

The Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library are adding a new event to this year's Pleasant Valley Days, the annual celebration in the hamlet that includes a parade and displays at Cady Field. On Saturday, September 17 (rain date September 18) the Library Friends are staging a fundraising contest for the best sidewalk chalk art.

Entry forms are available at the Pleasant Valley Library now—ask at the desk. Participants may bring their own pavement chalk or can accept chalk from the contest sponsors. Each artist will be assigned a sidewalk square in Redl Business Plaza (next to the post office). On Saturday the sidewalk drawing will take place between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., after which the art will be judged in three categories--Junior High, Senior High, and Adult. If on Sunday, the sidewalk art can be completed between 8:00 and 12:00 to finish before the Pleasant Valley Days parade.

The winners will receive prizes donated by local merchants. Because this is a fundraiser for the Library, entrants will be charged a (tax-deductible) fee--$5 for Junior High, $8 for Senior High, and $10 for Adult. The profits will be used to purchase supplies or materials for the Library that are not included in the basic Library budget. All drawings will remain on the sidewalks until rain and sunshine erase them.

Tomatoes in the Library

2011-05-30T19:21:00.000-07:00

In May of every recent year, after the Book Fair is over, the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library who start tomatoes from seed sell their excess in the Library Reading Room to benefit the Friends, which means to benefit the Library. This year we started with plants from Barb Shapley, president of the Friends. I know I bought a Sun Gold and a Green Zebra. If you did not know that these were tomato plants, it would sound very weird.

I always buy a couple of plants or more that Barb started. Usually I have a lot of plants that I started myself on sale, but this year there was what amounted to crop failure. However, I salvaged a few that I started and planted the tiny plants in the garden about a week ago (along with the Sun Gold, the Green Zebra, and three plants I got at the Northern Dutchess Botanical Garden). To my delight and surprise, the little plants I had started quickly caught up to the others.

Therefore I am adding the remaining plants to the sale, starting tomorrow (Tuesday, May 31) afternoon. There are not many and they are still small, but they are two heritage varieties, Goldie and Rutgers, so they have good genes. Because of their small size, these are priced at 50 cents a plant.

Also we have Mystery Tomatoes. In return for help that he got from Daniela, a patron donated a half-dozen four-packs of quite large tomatoes, but he does not know what variety they were. A four-pack will go for $2, or 50 cents a plant, a definite bargain. And the grower will get a surprise when the tomatoes fruit--will they be cherries, will they be red or gold, will they be paste tomatoes, will they be beefstakes? Take a chance.

Finally some non-tomato news. We have a number of spider plants, a popular house plant, that will be added to the mix at $1 per plant.

Future of eBooks in Libraries

2011-05-08T08:03:00.000-07:00

For some time now the Mid-Hudson Library System has offered eBooks on loan, which can then be read on a Nook or some other eBook readers. As I noted earlier, Amazon has announced that they, too, will make eBooks available to Libraries for reading on the Kindle starting later in the summer. But some book publishers are re-thinking their policies for eBooks, and the new thoughts are not beneficial to library lending. Harper Collins has started the new trend by saying that they will limit eBooks sold to libraries to 26 loans, after which the book will self-destruct. Obviously Harper Collins has concluded that a popular book, taken out for two-weeks at a time for a year, had fulfilled its duty to its purchaser (although, given the timeline, perhaps I should say renter instead of purchaser). Other publishers will sell rights to libraries to use an eBook for an unlimited time but--and Harper Collins does this, too--only one person may check out an eBook at a time.

It has been observed that the form of book we commonly think of as a book, which is more properly known as a "codex" (many single sheets bound together so that a reader turns pages to read it), is an outmoded technology. The book itself has gone through many technologies--cuneiform tablets, papyrus scrolls, parchment scrolls, the codex, and now the eBook. They are all ways to create a book. The technology for books goes through thousands of years, but we have similar examples of change in our lifetimes--a recorded song might be on a wax cylinder, on vinyl, on an 8-track tape, on a cassette, or on a CD, but it could still be the same song by the same artist. The question libraries now face is whether the codex will be like the vinyl record, still revered and collected by some, or like the 8-track tape, relegated to garage sales. In either case, the era of the codex seems to be winding down, and the library as we know it will have to change. Looking at another outmoded technology, consider the ice house and daily delivery to the icebox, which vanished when everyone could buy a refrigerator and even make their own ice.

I believe that the library will undergo a slow change into something else. There is already ebrary.com, which is not local but which offers short-term rentals of books. I already can download practically any title that is no longer copyright protected into my cellphone as well as my computer (I am not yet the owner of an eBook reader, thinking that the eBook reader may be the 8-track tape of book delivery). I don't know exactly where the library is headed, but it will have to change.

Book Fair Report

2011-05-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

The annual Pleasant Valley Friends Book Fair was last weekend, and the Friends are prepared to declare it a success. After expenses the profit reached about $4,355 (including some plant sales that took place after the Fair was over). The Plant Sale accounted for at least $286 and might have been higher if the late, wet spring had made it more difficult to get all the available plants out of the ground--so wait 'til next year. Betty Lorentzen, the Bake Sale Queen of Pleasant Valley, made $106.25, helped by generous donations of cookies, brownies, and other treats by various contributors.

Many people helped set up the sale. I cannot list them all. Barbara Shapley, as president of the Friends, was the director of the operation, obtaining tables, scheduling everything, and maintaining a constant cheery presence throughout. Sybil Alderman was another constant presence, and Marilyn Smith, who also helps sort books, was a great help. A group of eight men from the Mid-Hudson Addiction Recovery Center's Bolger House moved most of the books out of the basement, helped by various other folk from time to time. Library Trustee Sally Harding provided a trailer that hauled most of the books from the Library to Town Hall--we filled it so full, we nearly broke it I think. Joe Lukaitis ran back and forth with his pickup full of books as well. Mary Bunch provided most of the plants for the Plant Sale and was present most of the time to advise purchasers on how to deal with their new plants (with me subbing inadequately for Mary for two or three hours in the afternoon).

Sunday was an exciting close to the Fair. From 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 dozens of customers loaded bags of books for $4 a bag--but we still had books left over. There were more donated books this year than ever before. Volunteers from Adriance and Bethel (CT) libraries took as many excellent books as their vehicles would hold. Sadly, we still had to toss the least popular books into a dumpster.

Coming Soon: Your Library on Kindle

2011-04-22T05:59:00.000-07:00

There are two approaches that have been tried with software--(1) keeping total control over a new technology and (2) letting everyone who wants to be in on the deal use it freely. Although these are totally opposite, both seem to work. A familiar example today is the way Apple has chosen option 1, for example with the iPhone, compared to the way Google has chosen option 2 by allowing any phone manufacturer to adopt the Android software. Either way is successful, provided you actually have software the people want, but a company may have problems if it has not made a clear choice.

In the field of eReaders, the Kindle has been one of the success stories. Amazon started off with a strategy similar to Apple's, using software that was closely held. Other eReaders were more open from the start. Although there are different softwares behind such eReaders as Sony and the Nook, they are relatively easy to adapt to each other, so most eBooks were available for all eReaders--except for the Kindle, which was still very proprietary. Seeing this, when library systems such as the Mid-Hudson began to make eBooks available for borrowing, they used the system that could be read on most eReaders. The Kindle was out. There was a similar problem with the iPad, which could not read books from libraries directly, but soon App suppliers provided work-arounds to allow iPad users to access library books.

Finally Amazon recognized that it was making a mistake. Libraries buy a lot of books, and the eBooks from Kindle were locked out of that market. Amazon announced yesterday that it would allow libraries to offer books on Kindle later this year.

Library use of eBooks is growing rapidly--the New York Public Library said that the rate of borrowings this year was up 36% over a year prior. Publishers are still trying to work out how adding eBooks to the mix will affect sales. Harper Collins has put a limitation of 26 loans (one year of two-week check-outs) for an eBook before the library system will have to repurchase the book. Simon and Schuster and Macmillan are not allowing libraries to lend their titles as eBooks at all. My view is that all publishers will have to come around, just as Amazon has, because of the number of books that libraries buy each year--although limitations on use similar to the one from Harper Collins may also become more widespread.

With all the complications, if you have wanted to get a Kindle but were probably going to buy a different system because of the library situation, that limitation will not stand in your way much longer.

Hard Times for Libraries

2011-04-21T05:55:00.000-07:00

Tony Pugh of the McClatchy newspaper chain has written a disturbing essay about the troubles nationwide that libraries face because of local and state budget reductions. One of the most disturbing examples of how this is working comes from Troy, Michigan. An anti-tax group promoted the idea that the library could stay open by cutting waste, but when the funding vote lost it quickly became apparent that since the library could not run a deficit, it would have to close (decided by a local court). Patrons who want library services now have to go to one of the neighboring towns and pay from $100 to $200 for a card with borrowing privileges. Similarly, a new library building in San Jose, California, has not been able to open because there is no funding to run it.

When citizens are asked directly to fund local libraries, they usually accept the idea of taxing themselves to provide an important service. Even in 2009, when the nation was in a serious recession, 84% of all library budgets passed and more than half of library construction projects received voter approval. The problem seems to be when library funding must come from general revenue that is administered by state or local officials who are not specifically concerned with libraries.

Here from Mr. Pugh is a summary of the current statistics:

...public libraries' critical role as neighborhood information hubs hasn't shielded the nearly 17,000 of them across the country from budget scalpels. After spurring a surge in public library use nationwide, the tough economy is forcing many branches to cut staff, hours and programming right when many cash-strapped people need them most. As in previous downturns, Americans turned to their libraries during the Great Recession for free children's programming or to borrow books, movies and music. In 2008, when the economy was in free fall, a record 68 percent of Americans had a library card, and library visits and borrowing spiked as well. However, a whopping 72 percent of public libraries reported budget cuts this year; 43 percent cut staff as well, according to a recent survey by the Library Journal.

More on Library Friends Activities

2011-04-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

Sometimes patrons of the Pleasant Valley Free Library wonder what becomes of the money made from sales of donated books and other events run by the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library. The uses vary a lot, but all net income goes to support the Library in ways that exceed the regular budget, which is based on government funding (primarily at the Town level), income from fines, and direct donations. Some of the past Friends' support has gone to the computer in the Children's room, special sets of books such as travel guides, help with unexpected building repairs or improvements, ways to display books, and--when the Library had trouble meeting expenses--support for the regular budget.

The expenditures of the Friends are worked out in conjunction with the Library Director, who helps identify needs that cannot be funded from the regular operating budget. Recently the Friends have supported purchase of a Nook eReader, which is available to demonstrate to patrons how to use such a device and how to borrow Library books using it, and a collection of activities for the Wii game player that can be used for healthful exercise. This spring and summer the Friends have already agreed to sponsor a summer reading program for adults, a set of gift cards to be used in a Teen reading program, and the Battle of the Books, a competition of teams from various libraries based on reading specific titles. There also will be a surprise that I am not allowed to reveal at this time.

At the meeting on Monday night (April 4) the Friends also agreed to purchase two bookcases, one just for media. Also the Friends will pay for the manufacture of a new batch of sturdy canvas tote bags, which will feature the Pleasant Valley Library logo. These will be sold for $6 each, raising additional money for library use.

The primary source of funding is sweat equity by volunteers and the annual book fair. All year volunteers work in the basement of the Library, sorting and boxing donated books and media. Several times each year some of these boxes are brought out for sales at holiday time, in late winter, and in September, but these small sales together bring in about half the income of the book fair, April 29-May 1 this year. The book fair is a great opportunity to build up your own library at little expense, as well as to purchase perennial plants for the garden that alway thrive because they are adapted to the local climate.

There are a few other Friends activities each year. On May 21, the annual sale of tomato plants started by the Friends will begin, just at the right time to set them out in your garden (or just by the doorstep if you have no garden). These plants are started and donated by members of the Friends, not purchased for resale, so every cent spent by patrons goes back to the Library. Last year the Mah Jong tournament was such a success, it is certain to be repeated this year. And the Friends always are interested in new ideas for local fundraising.

If you are interested in joining the Friends, you can catch some of us at the Book Fair and we will be happy to accept the remaining Friends income--dues of $5 a year for the members. But we value participation more than the dues.

Library Friends Meet to Plan Book Fair

2011-04-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

The Friends of the Pleasant Valley Free Library met last night (Monday, April 4) to plan events for the next few months, including donations to the Library and a second Mah Jong tournament. But the main emphasis was on the forthcoming annual Book, Plant, and Bake Sale, scheduled for Friday April 29 through May 1 at the Pleasant Valley Town Hall. As in the past, attendance at the April 29 opening at 7:00 p.m. will require a fee of $5 per family, which gives a first crack at the books and plants (the bake sale starts Saturday morning). Volunteers who worked on Friday afternoon to set up the sale can shop without paying the early-shopper fee.

Getting enough volunteers to set up the sale has been a problem in recent years. There are two phases to the set-up. Starting about 3:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon, workers begin to move the thousands of books from the basement of the Library, where they have been sorted during the year into boxes by type of book, to the Town Hall. As books arrive at the Town Hall, a second group of workers unpacks the books from their boxes and arranges them on some 40 tables that are labeled with type--fiction, mystery, cookbooks, science, travel, biography, etc. There are usually plenty of volunteers for the unpacking and sorting, mostly older women and men. The problem is with the first stage, where more strength is required. At one time, local men's clubs came out for the heavy lifting and sometime the Boy Scouts helped, but recently it has been more difficult to schedule these kinds of groups; so, if you are in good shape and can use an hour or two of healthy exercise, the Friends hope that you can volunteer. Just show up at the Library on Friday afternoon April 29 (and plan to visit the book sale 7:00 to 9:00 to get early access free).

Here are some of the details:

**Preview sale ($5 admission per family):

Friday, April 29 7 – 9 pm

General Sale (Free admission):

Saturday, April 30 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Sunday, May 1 9 am – Noon

BOOK PRICES

(UNLESS OTHERWISE MARKED)

OVERSIZE $3

HARDCOVER $2

PAPERBACKS

QUALITY $1

PULP $ .50

ROMANCE 10/$1

CHILDREN and YOUNG ADULT

HARDCOVER $ .50 PAPERBACKS $ .25

VIDEOS $ .25

CASSETTES $ .50

BOOKS on TAPE $2

BOOKS on CD $1 per CD

(maximum of $5)

SUNDAY BAG SALE - $4.00 per Bag

More on the Friends' meeting in a later post.

Staff Meets Board Meets Friends

2011-03-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

A new and very successful event took place earlier today--the Board of Trustees of the Library arranged a get-to-know-each-other lunch with the Library staff and Library Friends. Although the staff was out in full force, the Board was represented by President Dave Kruger, Sue Holland (who with a friend not only arranged a terrific lunch but also imaginative table decorations), Steve MacNish, and Kathy Kruger. The Friends who could make it in addition to this blogger were Friends President Barb Shapley and chief book sorter Mary Bunch. It was believe that some Board members and Friends may have intended to come but were confused by a late change in location from the Firehouse to the Libary.

After everyone introduced themselves and Dave Kruger welcomed us all, we enjoyed lunch while we discussed matters of mutual interest including signs for book sales, library cards for young children, income from fines, and problems with a few patrons who act up despite being in a library. We learned that LaGrange Library had installed a "panic button" to be used in case of a threat developing to the staff or to other patrons--something that is not as far-fetched as you might think. It was decided that our Library should investigate adding such a button to our existing alarm system.

It was clear that our Library is blessed with a caring and competent staff, many of whom have been with the Library for more than ten years. My view, which I suspect is shared, is that this kind of encounter ought to take place annually. I know that although I was on the Board for 14 years, there were always some staff members that I didn't really know, and I believe that is probably true of today's Board as well. Also, neither the Trustees nor the staff always know who the Friends are.

Library Day in Albany

2011-03-03T06:49:00.000-08:00

When I saw that 17 protesters had been arrested in Albany yesterday, I thought "Oh, no! The library lobbying effort has gone too far." But the protesters were folks who wanted--reasonably in my opinion--NYS to maintain the so-called "millionaire's tax," which Governor Cuomo and the Republicans want to let expire at the end of the year. Library Day in Albany was actually two days ago, not yesterday, and apparently went well.

Here is what Rebkkah Aldrich of the Mid-Hudson Library System reported:

"We had over 20 member libraries represented – 60+ people from the MHLS region! But I know many of you were there with us virtually through calls your legislators, use of the NYLA Online Advocacy Center, and expertly timed letters to the editor… the support out there in the MHLS region for library advocacy this year has been tremendous – and very necessary.

"It was fantastic to be waiting for a meeting with a legislator yesterday and to hear their staff picking up phone calls from library supporters who were calling with the same messages we were there to deliver in person – it really proved that there are a lot of people out there who care about libraries and who are watching legislators behavior towards our issues. Two legislators told us that they’ve heard from more library supporters in the past month than have from any other group of constituents!

The day went pretty well, we saw most legislators at some point in the day, others of us had face time with legislative aides but that’s ok – most seemed to really get what we were saying and were encouraging that we continue to speak up which is a good sign – it means there is still hope. MHLS will be following up with all legislators, making sure they get another dose of our messages via letter, calls and visits. We’re going to make appointments with some key legislators in their local offices to continue to press our message."

She also suggested that now is a good time to ask your local legislators to visit your library. We did this at the Pleasant Valley Library a couple of times recently (Marc Molinaro was the visitor) and, in addition to lots of good advice, we also ended up with a Member Item that Representative Molinaro sponsored. We have invited Sen. Steve Saland, who previous also sponsored a member item for us, to visit, but could not work out the dates. Given the general budget-cutting madness that is going on at all levels of government, it is more important than ever to keep in touch with our representatives.

And, by the way, I agree with the arrested protesters that the "millionaire's tax" should be kept. We need to pay for services with taxes instead of abandoning needed services because we refuse to pay for them. Keep that in mind when the next Chapter 414 campaign starts.

Support State Support for Libraries

2011-02-12T06:51:00.000-08:00

The New York Library Association has declared March 1 this year's Library Advocacy Day. The idea is that local constituents should converge on their representatives in state government that day, visiting the offices in Albany to encourage the legislature to protect funding for libraries. I cannot think of a year when this is more necessary, given the budget problems facing the state and the general nationwide movement to reduce government aid instead of raising taxes.

Now there is a good argument to be made against raising taxes for New York State residents, who have one of the highest tax burdens of any state; but cutting library funding helps to reduce a basic service that is vitally important in poor economic times. Even so, I suspect cuts will be made, so the Library Advocates who speak to their legislators may at best reduce the size of the cuts. That is at least improvement. One motto I always have liked is "Progress, not perfection." So if you can go to Albany on March 1 to lend your voice, I encourage you to do so. For the Pleasant Valley Free Library, our legislators are Assemblyman Marc Molinaro and Senator Steve Saland. Both are lovely people, so a chance to talk to them about the library situation should not be a burden. And let me remind you that they have helped our Library in the past--Sen. Saland made the roof that currently protects our building and holdings possible with a member item a few years ago, while Assemblyman Molinaro recently arranged for money that I believe was credited to the improvement of the walk along the side of the building near the driveway.

Here is how Mid-Hudson can help you participate:

To Register:

If you would like to take the bus you must register with RCLS by February 18th. Cost: $15 per person.
Driving on yoru own? Register with MHLS. Directions & Parking Information
Can't make it to Albany on March 1? Call your local legislators and let them know why your library and the System are essential in your community.

Friends in the News

2011-02-11T10:53:00.000-08:00

Library Friends are special people, often volunteering many hours each week for years to serve the libraries they love. Some of the devoted Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library have been stalwarts since the beginning of the operation now nearly ten years ago. These include Barb Shapley (current president), Sybil Alderman, Joe Lukaitis, Mary Bunch, Eileen Weslowski, and Suzanne Nolan. Today I am pleased to pass on some kudos to Friends of the Bethel (CT) Library and the Greenville (NY) Library.

In some ways, the relationship between the Pleasant Valley Library Friends and the Bethel Friends has been like that of cities that are paired with each other. My longtime friend (and frequent co-author) has been a large part of the Friends of the Bethel Library since before Pleasant Valley even had the current Friends organization. Currently Jenny is president of the Bethel Friends, a position she has also held before. Now she is about to step down from the Friend's Board, but not from her work with the group. She and her organization were recognized publicly on February 8 for a surprise donation of $25,000 as a big step toward closing the gap in funding for finishing the new wing of the library building. This sum was nearly all raised through the sale of donated books and other media.

Bethel has another connection with the Pleasant Valley Library. The husband of Library Director Daniela Pulice has a business in downtown Bethel, so Daniela knows that library well, also.

I mentioned that Library Friends often volunteer year after year. Mary Heisinger of the Friends of the Greenville Library has been at it for more than twenty years. The Town Council of Greenville recently honored her work by declaring February 6 "a day of special recognition." Until last fall she was the Friends' president. The recognition was an award ceremony at the Friend's "Winter Tea" at a local restaurant and, it appears, was a surprise for Mary, who received various awards and plaques.

It is great to learn of a Town Council that recognizes the value of a library in the community. Too often the Town officers are more likely to see the library as just another drain of tax money. The national anti-tax fervor (as I read in the paper today) has led many leaders to want to cut all sorts of educational and cultural programs, including PBS, NPR, and Teach for America. As with libraries, these institutions need more support, not less. At least in Pleasant Valley the voters decided that it was more important to support our library than it was to eliminate taxes.

Winter Warmth Book and Media Sale Starts Saturday (Feb. 12)

2011-02-09T19:43:00.000-08:00

No, a Winter Warmth Sale is not achieved by book burning--instead a wide selection of media and a select group of good books will go on sale in the Pleasant Valley Library this Saturday and continue to the end of February. Given the kind of winter we have been having, nothing should be nicer than to cuddle up with some warming music and a good book, unless it is to watch a fiery movie in the comfort of your living room.

As with all the sales by the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library, the items being sold were donated, the sale is run by volunteers, and 100% of the income goes to support Library programs and materials. So plan to come to the Reading Room in the Pleasant Valley Free Library this Saturday to get first crack at the items. On Saturday the Library is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Leave the (British) Libraries Alone

2011-02-02T07:28:00.000-08:00

The New York Times in an editorial yesterday--which many may not have seen due the disruption of circulation by the storm--called attention to a speech by a British author defending libraries in Oxfordshire against cuts from the austerity budgets that are sweeping that nation. I looked up the speech, which is well worth reading. Here is a much edited-down version that concentrates on the parts that specifically deal with libraries:

Leave the libraries alone. You don’t understand their value.

Best-selling author Philip Pullman spoke to a packed meeting on 20 January 2011, called to defend Oxfordshire libraries. He gave this inspirational speech …

Here in Oxfordshire we are threatened with the closure of 20 out of our 43 public libraries. Mr Keith Mitchell, the leader of the county council, said in the Oxford Times last week that the cuts are inevitable, and invites us to suggest what we would do instead. What would we cut? Would we sacrifice care for the elderly? Or would youth services feel the axe? ,,,

Nor do I think we should respond to the fatuous idea that libraries can stay open if they’re staffed by volunteers. What patronising nonsense. Does he think the job of a librarian is so simple, so empty of content, that anyone can step up and do it for a thank-you and a cup of tea? Does he think that all a librarian does is to tidy the shelves? And who are these volunteers? Who are these people whose lives are so empty, whose time spreads out in front of them like the limitless steppes of central Asia, who have no families to look after, no jobs to do, no responsibilities of any sort, and yet are so wealthy that they can commit hours of their time every week to working for nothing? Who are these volunteers? Do you know anyone who could volunteer their time in this way? If there’s anyone who has the time and the energy to work for nothing in a good cause, they are probably already working for one of the voluntary sector day centres or running a local football team or helping out with the league of friends in a hospital. What’s going to make them stop doing that and start working in a library instead? …

Imagine two communities that have been told their local library is going to be closed. One of them is full of people with generous pension arrangements, plenty of time on their hands, lots of experience of negotiating planning applications and that sort of thing, broadband connections to every household, two cars in every drive, neighbourhood watch schemes in every road, all organised and ready to go. Now I like people like that. They are the backbone of many communities. I approve of them and of their desire to do something for their villages or towns. I’m not knocking them.

But they do have certain advantages that the other community, the second one I’m talking about, does not. There people are out of work, there are a lot of single parent households, young mothers struggling to look after their toddlers, and as for broadband and two cars, they might have a slow old computer if they’re lucky and a beaten-up old van… – people for whom a trip to the centre of Oxford takes a lot of time to organise, a lot of energy to negotiate, getting the children into something warm, getting the buggy set up and the baby stuff all organised, and the bus isn’t free, either – you can imagine it. Which of those two communities will get a bid organised to fund their local library?

But one of the few things that make life bearable for the young mother in the second community at the moment is a weekly story session in the local library, the one just down the road. She can go there with the toddler and the baby and sit in the warmth, in a place that’s clean and safe and friendly, a place that makes her and the children welcome. But has she, have any of the mothers or the older people who use the library got all that hinterland of wealth and social confidence and political connections and administrative experience and spare time and energy to enable them to be volunteers on the same basis as the people in the first community? And how many people can volunteer to do this, when they’re already doing so much else? …

I still remember the first library ticket I ever had. It must have been about 1957. My mother took me to the public library just off Battersea Park Road and enrolled me. I was thrilled. All those books, and I was allowed to borrow whichever I wanted! And I remember some of the first books I borrowed and fell in love with: the Moomin books by Tove Jansson; a French novel for children called A Hundred Million Francs; why did I like that? Why did I read it over and over again, and borrow it many times? I don’t know. But what a gift to give a child, this chance to discover that you can love a book and the characters in it, you can become their friend and share their adventures in your own imagination.

And the secrecy of it! The blessed privacy! No-one else can get in the way, no-one else can invade it, no-one else even knows what’s going on in that wonderful space that opens up between the reader and the book. That open democratic space full of thrills, full of excitement and fear, full of astonishment, where your own emotions and ideas are given back to you clarified, magnified, purified, valued. You’re a citizen of that great democratic space that opens up between you and the book. And the body that gave it to you is the public library. Can I possibly convey the magnitude of that gift?

Somewhere in Blackbird Leys, somewhere in Berinsfield, somewhere in Botley, somewhere in Benson or in Bampton, to name only the communities beginning with B whose libraries are going to be abolished, somewhere in each of them there is a child right now, there are children, just like me at that age in Battersea, children who only need to make that discovery to learn that they too are citizens of the republic of reading. Only the public library can give them that gift. …

I love the public library service for what it did for me as a child and as a student and as an adult. I love it because its presence in a town or a city reminds us that there are things above profit, things that profit knows nothing about, things that have the power to baffle the greedy ghost of market fundamentalism, things that stand for civic decency and public respect for imagination and knowledge and the value of simple delight. ...

Leave the libraries alone. You don’t know the value of what you’re looking after. It is too precious to destroy.

Day in the Life of a Library

2011-01-31T06:32:00.000-08:00

The Mid-Hudson Library System is promoting an idea that appeals to me--a day in the life of a library. Given the recent weather, having the "day" between February 13 and 19 (the week chosen to for local libraries to document their day with photos and videos) is somewhat chancy--the day might show the library closed because of snow and ice. Also I wish we have more than two weeks to organize for documenting a day.

Despite these potential problems, I like the idea and urge the staff, Friends, and Trustees to give it a thought. If February 17 is chosen, for example, the day would include the February Board meeting and, probably more fun, Kinderstories; so that would be my choice for a "day." We would need someone to take photos and, even better, to use some video equipment, available on most recent cameras as well as with the easy-to-use Flip Video Camera.

Here is a slightly edited version of the MHLS announcement (mainly omitting details of how to submit the data and photographs):

Participate in SNAPSHOTNY: A Day in the Life of a Library during the week of February 13th — February 19th, 2011!

What’s life like on a typical day at your library? Wouldn’t you like to document just how busy and essential your library is with statistics, pictures, videos and user comments?

Then join New York’s libraries and participate in SNAPSHOTNY: A Day in the Life of a Library by collecting statistics, comments, and photographs/videos from one day to provide tangible proof that libraries consistently provide invaluable services to our communities, in our schools and on our college campuses.

Ready to join? Then pick a day and collect statistics on:

How many patron visits?
How many people used your public computers?
How many reference questions did your staff answer?
How many children participated in programs (including school visits as well as library-sponsored programs)?
How many adults participated in programs?
What was the total circulation for the day?
How many hits did your website receive?

We’d also appreciate it if you ask your patrons why your library is essential to them. Collect their responses and then tell us the top five.

But just as important we need you to send us your photos and videos of A Day in the Life of your Library.

Submit your statistics and testimonials by Feb. 23rd so we can compile everything and showcase the information at Library Advocacy Day, Tuesday, March 1st in Albany. The libraries submitting the top three videos/photos/comments will receive a Flip Video Camera and one free registration to the NYLA Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs – Nov. 3-5, 2011.

Use the comment section for this post or speak to Daniela Pulice (Library Director) to apply to take photos or videos.

Laugh and Support a Local Library

2011-01-29T07:53:00.000-08:00

I long have known that comedian Paula Poundstone has more of a social agenda than many stand-up comedians, although it must be said that stand-up comedy from Mort Sahl through Pete Dominick has bred many who would make you laugh while making you think. Indeed, Bill Maher has gone all the way into political comedy--and Paula Poundstone is among those who work with him.

What I did not know, until informed by Frances Marion Platt in an article in the Hudson Valley Times (passed on by the Mid-Hudson Library Friends & Fundraising email list), was that Paula Poundstone devotes a portion of her talent to supporting libraries. Ms. Platt noted the following summary of Poundstone's view of libraries:

"It's funny that we think of libraries as quiet, demure places where we are shushed by dusty, bun-balancing bespectacled women. The truth is, libraries are raucous clubhouses for free speech, controversy and community. Librarians have stood up to the Patriot Act, sat down with noisy toddlers and reached out to illiterate adults. Libraries can never be shushed. If you haven't been to your library lately, you're overdue."

Regular patrons of the Pleasant Valley Free Library will easily recognize their own Library and Library staff in Poundstone's description.

Poundstone partners with local library Friends when she appears in a city to perform stand-up. Indeed, she is the national spokesperson for the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, the national network of library supporters.

Happily, Poundstone is bringing her act to the Bardavon next Friday (February 4). The performance will no doubt be funny and irreverent. But the library news is that supporters of the Friends of the Poughkeepsie Library District will be in the Bardavon lobby selling copies of Poundstone's book There's Nothing in this Book that I Meant to Say. A percentage of the proceeds from the sale will benefit the Friends and through them the Poughkeepsie libraries. If you want to meet Ms. Poundstone and get a signed copy of the book, the opportunity will come after the performance (scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m.). Tickets are $36 for general admission and $31 for Bardavon members.

Friends of PV Library's Winter Meeting

2011-01-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

The Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library held their regular winter planning meeting on Monday, January 24. The primary purposes of the meeting were to elect officers for the next two-year terms, to plan for the February book sale and the annual Book Fair, and to allocate spending for the next several months. The meeting was very well attended, including two new members of the Friends and the newly appointed liaison between the Trustees and the Friends, Sally Harding. Although I am no longer a Trustee of the Library, I have been a member of the Friends since its founded about seven years ago and was glad to be among those at the meeting.

The officers for the forthcoming term will be Barbara Shapley, President; Sue McNish, Vice-President, Suzanne Nolan, Treasurer; and Daniela Pulice, Secretary.

The February sale will be called the Winter Warmth Sale--especially appealing after it reached 14 degrees below zero at the Dutchess Airport the previous night. Media other than books will be especially featured, although there will be a selection of better lightly used books for sale as well. The event begins on February 12 (true Lincoln's birthday) and will end on February 28. Volunteers are needed to bring books, tapes, and DVDs up from storage in the basement to the Library's Reading Room, where the sale will take place. There will be a bag sale of media and books at a very attractive price on the last day of the sale.

The annual Book Fair is set for April 29 to May 1. Once again it will be at Town Hall and feature, in addition to books and media, a plant sale and a bake sale. I will write more about this as we get closer to the date.

The Friends support the Library in many ways, but one of the most important is using the proceeds of books sales and other events to finance activities or materials that the Library has not budgeted for out of its regular expense budget. Over the next few months, the Friends will pay for the following materials or events:

An e-Reader (specifically a B&N Nook) loaded with five best-selling books for use in demonstrating to patrons how to download and enjoy the books available from the Mid-Hudson e-Reader collection (as well as to purchase books or download free books that are out of copyright).
A collection of activities for the Wii such as yoga, pilates, and suitably active games to be available for loan to patrons.
An amnesty-for-fines month in which those owing money to the Library for past fines can have them forgiven for suitable donations to the food pantry (I will report more on this as we get closer--it will be in April, National Library Month).
Two summer reading programs, one for teens and another for adults, with prizes to be awarded by the Friends for completion of the programs.
Books for competition by students in grades 6 to 9 in the system-wide Battle of the Books, a challenge similar to the College Bowl that used to be on television, with questions based on a specific list of books.

The total expense for these programs, materials, and events will come to $2,900 funded by the Friends, although the Library and other sources--perhaps Pleasant Valley Rotary or Lions clubs--will also help fund some of the more expensive items.

In addition to the regular business, above, the Friends also discussed using online resources to deal with donated books. An organization called Better World Books is willing to take boxes of donated books that we have failed to sell and try to sell them themselves, with most of the proceeds going to a charity such as Books for Africa, or to sell rare or antique books that we select from the donated books and let them sell.

My role with the Friends includes helping to vet books to determine which ones might be valuable enough to sell separately from the tables of used books at the annual Book Fair. I have been experimenting with the Better World Books program, but it appears that me might do better trying to sell rare or antique books directly, which I can do as Bryan Bunch Books through an online resource called http://www.biblio.com/ (clicking on that link will take you to the site). The Friends have agreed to try using this method to sell books. Biblio.com will take a 15% commission, but we think we can do better this way than at the Book Fair. If this plan is not working by April 29, however, we can still try to sell those rare and antique books at the Book Fair in the "Collectors Corner" as we have done in the past.

Your Digital Library

2011-01-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

Some years after Ben Franklin founded the Library Company of Philadelphia 1731, perhaps the first successful library in the United States, although the first public library may have been a hundred years earlier, he wrote "Libraries have improv'd the General Conversation of Americans, made the common Tradesmen & Farmers as intelligent at the Gentlemen from most other countries, and perhaps have contributed to some degree to the Stand so generally made throughout the Colonies in Defence of their Privileges."

The free library is thought to have been an American invention. But of course those early libraries were entirely about printed books--and magazines and newspapers. The library of today has long been a source of music, the spoken word, film, and often games or works of visual art. But today many persons do all of their reading at their computer, smartphone, or "pad" or e-reader. Similarly they listen to music or radio and watch film and art--and certainly play games--from a digital source. In this regard, the United States may no longer be the leader. Several European countries have digitized hundreds of thousand books, magazines, newspapers, radio and television broadcasts, and photographs to form National Libraries online. We may be behind, but we are not out of the running, however. Millions of books have been digitized by Google, Kindle, and other purveyors of ebooks. Books that are out of copyright can usually be obtained for free. The most ambitious of these is Google Books.

While current ebooks can be purchased from several sources, another important way to obtain digital versions of the kinds of material usually handled in other media forms by library is from your own Pleasant Valley Free Library with help from the Mid-Hudson Library System. Just go to your Pleasant Valley Library Website and look for the box on the lower left that says "Download Audio Books and eBooks." That link will take you to a maddenly slow presentation by Overdrive that tells you how to borrow current books, audio books, and even motion pictures using the Overdrive system. Give it a try.

Join the Friends

2011-01-07T19:23:00.000-08:00

When I was president of the Pleasant Valley Free Library Board of Trustees, now more than a decade ago, one of my fervent desires was to re-start a Friends group. I was told that the Library had once had an active Friends group, but because of some disagreements over how to allocate money raised, the Friends had been disbanded and the Trustees had taken over all fundraising. I thought that while the Trustees might do some fundraising, it ought to be in the hands of volunteers who had that as their main function, not a sideline--which is what the function of a library Friends organization is.

It did not happen immediately, but the new Library Director I hired agreed with me on the need for a Friends organization, which was formed finally by a Trustee who had used up all her available terms and retired from the Board. The original organization was somewhat shaky, but improved greatly with a second president--but she moved away because of a change in her husband's job. The current Friends president has been doing a terrific job (she is another retired Library Trustee). She is aided most of the year by a very few volunteers who help plan and some other volunteers who sort donated books, fetch and carry boxes, paint signs, and generally help out. The Friends run several book sales each year (the next one scheduled for late February) and raise several thousand dollars--primarily from sales of donated books--that they dedicate to making the Pleasant Valley Library better in ways great and small.

But it would help if there were more volunteers, especially on the planning end. The same four or five persons have been keeping things afloat for several years now. If you would like to help the Library without making the kind of weekly commitment volunteers who help the staff need to make, consider joining the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library. A good way to start would be to attend the next planning meeting, which will be at the Library at 7:15 p.m. on Monday, January 24. If you cannot attend that meeting, just email me at bryanhbunch@gmail.com (note the address at the top of the blue border) and I will get your name to the current Friends president. Also, you can leave a comment on the comment line below. Just remember that any blog reader can also read the comments.

The Library as Museum

2010-12-29T19:54:00.000-08:00

A story in the New York Times caught my eye because it was about a library--specifically, the Little Falls Library in upstate New York. Although like many older communities in the Northeast, the City of Little Falls has an active historical society, over the years items of historic or artistic interest have been donated to the library, where they mostly have gathered dust during the hundred years of the library's existence. The Library Director, Marietta Phillips, discovered some of these materials in a collection upstairs in the old mansion that is the library building. It appears that she told the Trustees that she had discovered some items of interest, for soon two of the items were being put up for auction to raise money for the library. Ms. Phillips did not have that in mind and, commenting of one of the Trustees, "She thinks she's the queen of the world and doesn't have to abide by anybody's rules." (Pleasant Valley Free Library has on occasion had a Trustee with a similar attitude, but happily that is not tolerated for long.) The president of the Board, however, said, "We're not a museum, we're a library" and went along with the sale. The Board intended, he said, to use the money to preserve other artifacts the library owns better.

One item did get auctioned off--a thirteen-star flag believed to have flown over Washington's headquarters in Newburgh during the American Revolution. The Times does not report who bought it or how much money it made for the library. But there was a lot of protest from the Historical Society and local newspapers when the sale was revealed to the public. Ms. Phillips resigned on principal. Another item already up for auction, an invitation to Abraham Lincoln's inaugural ball, was withdrawn after the controversy.

The Pleasant Valley Free Library is not a museum, either, but once in a while someone donates a painting, a statue, or other art or historical object. Since we are not a museum, we don't really have a good way to display these objects. A few years ago we discovered that one of the donated art objects has a substantial value--not millions, but thousands of dollars according to an independent appraisal. Our Board has valued keeping this in the library in the past. It is not totally clear that this is the right decision--if sold, the money could be added to capital, which could use an infusion (our regular income is essentially restricted to operating costs). If donated to the Pleasant Valley Historical Society, more people might get a chance to see it. Although this object is on display in the Library building, most patrons just look at the books and DVDs.

At least we are not experiencing conflict between the Director and the Board on this issue. My take is that no one thinks it is necessary to do anything for the present situation. Perhaps if we someday get a new or expanded building, we will need to consider whether we want to have a more prominent display area or whether we should deaccess (as the museum people say) our items that cannot be lent to patrons.

Highland Library Loses

2010-12-16T08:37:00.000-08:00

Recently I wrote about the plans for replacing the 2,500-sq-ft library building in Highland with a refurbished building on another site that would have 13,390-sq-ft of space for the library and community rooms. Because Highland is a school-district library, residents of the school district could vote to support a bond issue that would cover much of the cost of creating the new library building. Had it passed, it would have been a $6.6-million bond (at a low rate of interest for 25 years), but the vote failed by 811 against to 716 for, a 95-vote disparity. In other words, if 48 voters had chosen "yes" instead of "no," the vote would have passed.

Of course these are hard economic times. The average householder in Highland would have had his school taxes increased by $78 per year (for this purpose--school taxes have been rising fast for other reasons as well), an amount that would be on the bill for the next 25 years. Still, interest rates are at all-time lows. The present Highland building is too small, and the library will need to do something. Missing this chance to rehabilitate the existing building probably means acquiring a site and building from scratch. I am not sure how much land the present library occupies or the amount of parking available, but one option if they have land already would be to tear down and build on that site--although that usually poses problems of its own.

I was not enamored of the design for the rehabilitated building, but it does seem that this is a lost opportunity for Highland. Here in Pleasant Valley, we certainly would not be able to raise the $6.8 million total cost (Highland has $200,000 in cash they can tap outside the failed bond), so perhaps I should not be surprised that the vote failed in Highland. As a free-association library, the Pleasant Valley Library, which also vitally needs more room, cannot field a bond. At most we might be able to raise half of the amount Highland wanted through grants, donations, and loans.

Apps for Downloading eBooks from Your Library

2010-12-14T07:34:00.000-08:00

The move to using smartphones for many experiences previously handled in other ways continues at an amazing pace. For a few months now members of the libraries in the Mid-Hudson Library system have been able to download eBooks on readers such as the B&N Nook. Now you can use a system known as OverDrive to download books on a smartphone in two different formats--for reading, EPUB ( stands for Electronic Publishing and is a standard e-book format which is used by all popular e-book readers out there, including Barnes & Noble Nook, Sony Reader, iPhone/iPod Touch, and more. ePub files have .epub extension) and for listening, the more familiar MP3, the most common form of audio file. As you probably know, smartphone applications come as small programs generally known as "apps." (Following information provided by Mid-Hudson.)

OverDrive has released apps for the iPhone, iPod and iTouch, and Android-based smartphones and tablets, providing additional support for eBooks from OverDrive libraries. Patrons will be able to download both EPUB eBooks and MP3 audiobooks directly. New users can search for "OverDrive Media Console" in the Apple App Store or Android Market, while current users will be alerted to update the existing OverDrive app on their devices.

OverDrive Media Console v2.0 for iPhone and Android also provides major enhancements that improve the end user experience. The eBook reading experience includes user-inspired features for bookmarking and adjusting brightness and font size. Second, both apps offer a built-in 'Get Books' feature. If you have already downloaded audiobooks from your library with a previous version of the app, your library will be displayed when you select 'Get Books'. With a single click, you can reach your site once again.

If you are new to library downloads, you can quickly find your 'Virtual Branch' website and save it for single-click access going forward. Currently the iPhone app will work on iPad with iOS 4 and enables the full browse, check out, download experience. However, an optimized version for iPad - with improved resolution and additional features - is coming soon, along with apps for BlackBerry and other mobile devices. For more information on OverDrive's apps with eBook support, visit http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/

Previously, Mid-Hudson shared an eBook Devices Cheat Sheet for library staff. Now OverDrive has created a patron version! http://overdrive.com/files/ebook-cheat-sheet.pdf

Changes in Library Board and Policies

2010-12-02T07:22:00.000-08:00

When the Pleasant Valley Library Board met last Tuesday, replacing the regularly scheduled meeting because we could not attract a quorum earlier in the month, a number of significant changes were enacted.

Because Board President Maryelen Brown is leaving the Board at the end of her term on December 31 and because she will be unavailable for the scheduled December Board meeting, she tendered her resignation during the meeting. Dave Kruger, Board Vice-President, immediately moved up to President and completed chairing the meeting (although Maryelen stayed around and occasionally offered comments throughout).
Nominations for the 2011 officers were presented, with elections to take place in January. Nominated were Dave Kruger for president, Sue Holland for vice-president, Kim Brennan as treasurer (with the understanding that she will resign that post when another candidate is chosen), Ardith Orr as deputy treasurer (in charge of capital accounts), and Daniela Pulice as recording and corresponding secretary.
Two new Trustees were added to the Board, Kathy Kruger, who is well known to the Board both as a representative of Pleasant Valley Rotary and also as Dave's wife, and Julie Kessler, also well known to the Board since she was the longtime librarian at West Road School, now recently retired.

In another action the Board decided to remove the $0.25 charge for books from other libraries which applied to persons not living in the Town, necessitated by charges to the Library from Mid-Hudson. Reports that Mid-Hudson would nearly double these fees by mid-2012 suggested that Pleasant Valley might have to reconsider this decision in the future--but for now there is no charge to either residents or nonresidents.

Although the Library budget is always available to the public, we decided to make it easier to obtain by having copies available at the desk.

Finally, let me urge you to visit the new Pleasant Valley Free Library Website. It is still at the same address and you can reach it by clicking on the underlined text in the preceding sentence.

Another New Library Concept

2010-11-30T08:02:00.000-08:00

Today (November 30) there is a public meeting to discuss the plans for a replacement building for the Highland Library. The Highland replacement building is not new, but a remaking of an existing structure. It would be four times the size of the present library and sited a few blocks from the current downtown location, adjacent to the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, but with no sidewalks--somewhat equivalent to relocating the Pleasant Valley Free Library halfway up West Road (although I believe that there are now plans for using Recovery Act money for new sidewalks). Financing for the Highland building would have to come from a $6.6 million bond that would need approval from the voters.

Two elements of this plan strike me as relevant to our situation in Pleasant Valley--the financing and the architect.

Highland can use a 25-year bond for $6.6 million to pay the majority of the costs for refurbishing the building because it is a School District library instead of a free association library. Pleasant Valley does not have that option, although we could get a long-term mortgage if we had the down payment; we might need to get the voters to approve a rise in operating costs for a mortgage. Surprisingly, when the bond is spread out over 25 years, the annual cost is not terrible. The estimate is $78 a year for a household. Highland has raised $200,000 outside the bond that would be the equivalent of a down payment for our situation.

Of course, no plan proposed for expanding the Pleasant Valley Library comes near the projected cost of the Highland library's $6.8 million. We are hoping to keep our cost at less than half that amount, perhaps as low as $2 million. Mortgage rates probably will not stay as low as they are now, but let's estimate a 30-year mortgage at 5%, which would for Pleasant Valley cost each household about $50 per year. The total expenditure could be reduced with a 15-year mortgage, but the per household rate would rise to about $75 a year, the same general amount as for Highland households.

The other facet of interest is that the architect involved in Paul Mays, one of the several architects that Pleasant Valley has been interviewing for reworking plans for our Library. He plans to be present at the meeting this evening to answer residents' questions about the plan, which seems like a definite benefit for the library and for the town. Mr. Mays lives north of Albany, so he is taking a substantial trip to be present.

Good luck to Highland.

Friend's Holiday Sale Starts Tuesday, Nov. 30

2010-11-27T19:36:00.000-08:00

The best books and other items that have been donated to the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library are collected in special boxes throughout the year. Also, kept separate from other donated items, are books, tables, CDs, and DVDs that directly relate to the holidays of Christmas or Hanukkah. This Monday the boxes will be carried up from their storage in the basement of the Library, sorted, displayed, and made available for purchase in the annual Holiday Sale starting Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. The materials are in top-notch shape, usually like new, and the prices are right, so start your holiday shopping in the reading room (turn right as you enter the front door) of the Pleasant Valley Free Library. Not only will you get great bargains, but all of the money will go directly to helping the Library make special purchases outside the regular budget. Here is the price list:

BOOK PRICES (UNLESS OTHERWISE MARKED)

OVERSIZE $4.00

HARDCOVER $3.00

PAPERBACKS

QUALITY $1.00

PULP $ .50

CHILDREN’S

HARDCOVER $1.00

PAPERBACKS $ .25

YOUNG ADULT

HARDCOVER $1.00

PAPERBACKS $ .50

Videos $ .50

Cassettes $ .50

CD’s and DVD’s $1.00

Books on Tape $ 3.00

Books on CD $1.00/CD

(maximum of $5.00)

Roe Jan Library is Green

2010-11-23T06:51:00.000-08:00

The Mid-Hudson Library newsletter reports: "The brand new Roeliff-Jansen Community Library serving Hillsdale, Copake and Acram in Columbia County opened for business on Saturday, November 6th! The new 7,500 square foot, $2.8 million library is three times the size of the original library and is on track to be the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified library in MHLS. The building boasts an array of sustainable, or "green," features including a daylight harvesting system, radiant heat, a porous pavement parking lot to control stormwater runoff, and plans for solar electric and geothermal HVAC. The use of green technologies will significantly reduce energy consumption, and the annual savings in heating and cooling expenses will help keep operating costs at a minimum. This amazing building is 10 years in the making, a labor of love for many, many people. Our hats go off to the Roe-Jan Board of Trustees, Library Director Carol Briggs, the staff and Friends of the library."

Like the Pleasant Valley Free Library, the Roe-Jan Library is a free-association library dating from the early years of the 20th century. Also like the Pleasant Valley Library, the new building has been in the works for 10 years, but unlike our local Library, the Roe Jan managed to raise 80% of the $2.8 million needed for construction. While they still have $300,000 left to raise, they have a beautiful new building and that should help them in the effort.

What makes the Roeliff-Jansen Community Library Green? The New Library Will Incorporate:

A geothermal heating and cooling system.

Solar energy, through efficient windows and photovoltaic cells.

Use of non-toxic, environmentally friendly building materials.

Water-filtration and building insulation systems that take advantage of our sloping site.

The Building Committee of the Pleasant Valley Library has been meeting with architects about a new plan for our Library. We have learned that it may be difficult on our small site to use geothermal heating and cooling (although perhaps not impossible), but certainly the other "green" options are available. What is more, New York State can help fund environmentally favorable construction. So there is much that we can learn from the Roe Jan experience, both in fundraising and construction.

To Find Twelve Good Library Supporters

2010-11-17T19:29:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night--the third Thursday in the month--is the regular monthly meeting of the Trustees of the Pleasant Valley Free Library. I, to my regret, will miss it. An organization I support in which my wife is actively involved failed to recognize the importance of the third Thursday and scheduled its annual gathering on that date, and I had long ago promised to attend. I do not like to miss Board meetings, and usually only am absent the meeting if I am also absent the state on vacation, but sometimes it is out of my control.
   A couple of other Trustees have also for good reasons announced they will miss the November meeting, which leaves the Board very close to not having a quorum--which in effect is seven out of the dozen members of the Board if we have a full Board of twelve Trustees. Currently we are one Trustee short and so six would constitute a quorum of eleven Trustees. The rule in the by-laws is "No decision of any kind shall be made without a simple majority of the Governing Board present or polled." Recently the Board has held a couple of monthly meetings without a quorum, or started a meeting without one (but eventually a late-arriving member brought the number up to quorum level). One hopes that we will fare better this November.
   It is not clear to me why this is a problem, although some may stem from a change a couple of years ago from a fifteen-member Board to a twelve-member Board. With fifteen members, even if seven were absent, there was still a quorum.
   But I really think it must be something else. Today it seems as if Americans are either not involved in anything or else involved in practically everything. Of course, those Americans who are not involved in anything are not on Library Boards. Thus, the Board gets citizens who are involved in dealing with multiple organizations (why I am missing this meeting) or have multiple business interests (why another Trustee is missing this meeting) or have other distractions. Today's parents spend more time driving their children to sports and other school-related functions that we did when my children were in school--this applies to the people involved in nothing for their community as well as to those involved in everything, but I mention it because it affects Board attendance.
   Perhaps twelve is too few for a Board that relies on members to be involved in many ways, not just to appear and vote on issues presented to it. I don't think many Board members skip meetings just because they don't feel like it.
   We are coming to the end of the year and several current Trustees have indicated that they will not be able to serve next year, in part because they are involved in too much of everything. So the Library will be looking for several new Trustees. Remember if you wish to become one of them, we really need to have a quorum.
UPDATE ON THIRD THURSDAY
A survey revealed that the Board could not convene a quorum today, so the meeting has been postponed until later in the month.
   As noted above, several Trustees will be leaving the Board at the end of 2010. We are one short now, and I know of three Trustees leaving for sure and possibly a fourth. So come January 1, the Board could be down to seven members.
   If you would like to become a Library Trustee, use the COMMENTS section below to provide your name and either a phone number or email address (or both) or else email me at bbunch@hvc.rr.com. The head of the Nominating Committee will then get in touch with you about details of applying. Remember that the main obligation of a Trustee is to be present on the third Thursday of each month for a meeting that lasts generally from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm--occasionally later. Of course, Trustees often have committee assignments that require additional meetings and many Trustees volunteer for fundraising or helping the Friends in other ways. But the main duty is to be present for those meetings.

Some Clarifications (OK, maybe some are corrections....)

2010-11-09T19:25:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I began by saying "Although it was close, the Pleasant Valley Free Library succeeded for the third time in getting voter approval of an increase in Town funding, despite the clear opposition of the Town Supervisor," which was true, but perhaps I should have said "For only the third time since 1999, the Pleasant Valley Free Library went to the voters asking for an increase, and once again the voters supported the Library. Thanks to all."

I also said "The vote was 1,344 to 1,203, a difference of only 141 votes. If just 71 voters had failed to support the referendum, the funding would have failed and the Library would have been forced to cut services," but I should have said "If just 71 of the people who voted yes, had voted no, the funding would have failed." A lot of readers offered me various improvements on my arithmetic, but I believe that if you think of yes votes turning to noes, then the arithmetic is right, although the wording may have been unclear.

In a previous post, there was an error, which I corrected in one place but missed in the second. Pleasant Valley has the 5th largest circulation in the county, but I misread a chart and thought it was the 8th, so the 8 in the following sentence should be a 5: " Pleasant Valley Free Library currently has the 5th largest circulation of libraries in the County, but the salaries of our total combined staff averages $71 per hour opened, while the next smallest average of those 8 libraries is $122 per hour (and the others are considerably higher yet)."

That same post also had a correct statement that confused some readers. I said, "So what portion of the proposed $95,000 increase would go for increase in staff salaries: 4.2%--and that would go only as modest increases to staff that are being paid just about the minimum wage now." Please notice that the 4.2% is the amount of $95,000 devoted to increase in staff salaries, or $3,990 for the whole year. The actual budgeted increase for any one salary is either 3% or lower, so that the total increase is 2.96% of the 2010 budget.

Every Vote Counts in Library Referendums

2010-11-03T19:35:00.000-07:00

Although it was close, the Pleasant Valley Free Library succeeded for the third time in getting voter approval of an increase in Town funding, despite the clear opposition of the Town Supervisor. The vote was 1,344 to 1,203, a difference of only 141 votes. If just 71 voters had failed to support the referendum, the funding would have failed and the Library would have been forced to cut services. Although the new level of funding, $360,000 per year, is expected to last for three or four years before needing a review, service cuts would have been required starting in 2011 at the old funding level, largely because both the State and County have reduced their support, taking $30,000 off the annual budget (partly in higher fees to Mid-Hudson caused by revenue loss at that level).

Our voters were more supportive of the Pleasant Valley Library, than our neighbors in LaGrange and Beekman, but again not by very much. If only 147 more voters in LaGrange had voted "yes," that Chapter 414 proposition would have passed--more than twice as many voters in all made a choice on the LaGrange issue as in Pleasant Valley, so the margin as a percentage was about the same, just in the other direction. In Beekman, the vote went "no" by even a smaller margin. If only 44 more voters had filled in the oval for "yes," their funding would have passed. Certainly every vote counts.

The success of the Pleasant Valley Free Library is largely due to the efforts of the Board, with some excellent help from the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library and a few other citizens of the Town. By law, the Library staff cannot work on getting out the vote, but a major factor was the statistical background from Mid-Hudson that Library Director Daniela Pulice provided for the Board to use. As in the two earlier Chapter 414 efforts, the leader was Library Trustee Steve MacNish. But our real thanks have to go to the citizens of Pleasant Valley who continue to support the Library through what everyone knows are tough times.

414 Controversies

2010-10-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

It is budget time for the Towns in Dutchess County and soon to be voting time for the three libraries in our neighborhood that are going to the public for permission to increase the portion of the budget supplied by Town fundings. The timing tends to pit those in charge of the Town budget against those asking for higher library funding. In Pleasant Valley, Town Supervisor John McNair gave an interview in which he essentially blamed his budget problems on the Library and followed it up with a letter to the Poughkeepsie Journal in which he flung about percentages and said this is not the time to fund a library. His wildest charge is that the "library administration is seeking the funds in order to increase staff and administrative salaries and to ensure that the same rates are charged to nonresidents as to our town residents." I don't even know what he means by "the same rates are charged to nonresidents as to our town residents" since nearly all services from the Library to residents and nonresidents alike are free--but he may be referring to a 25 cents per book charge for ordering a book from another library, which is only charged to nonresidents (in effect now and covering some of the cost to the Library of getting that book, but only about $1,000 for the whole year in any case).

But the idea that the all-volunteer Library Board of Trustees might be trying to add $95,000 to the admittedly low salaries of our 4.5 paid staff members is completely ridiculous. Pleasant Valley Free Library currently has the 5th largest circulation of libraries in the County, but the salaries of our total combined staff averages $71 per hour opened, while the next smallest average of those 8 libraries is $122 per hour (and the others are considerably higher yet). Another way to look at this is that our staff handles 31,000 items per member per year, compared to 15,000 items for the next higher paid staff of the top 8. Only very small libraries that handle a few thousand items per year have lower salary ratios because staff in a very small library can be swamped by the number of volunteers. (Pleasant Valley Library has 4 times the number of volunteers as staff or more at any given time, but the volume of transactions means that trained staff must be on hand at all times to manage.)

So what portion of the proposed $95,000 increase would go for increase in staff salaries: 4.2%--and that would go only as modest increases to staff that are being paid just about the minimum wage now. The Town supervisor seems to think that the Library "administration" is behind a move to garner big salaries, but in fact the only people who will get raises if the Chapter 414 proposition passes are not only banned by law from working on getting this passed, but for the most part have no idea what the Board is doing. It is true that the Director knows what the Board is doing, but she is not up for a raise.

In response to the article and letter from the Town Supervisor, the Library Board of Trustees drafted a reply for the Poughkeepsie Journal to publish. It seems worth repeating here since not everyone in Town reads the papers. We said:

We read with concern several quotes in your article on 10/21 and a letter to the editor on 10/22 concerning the PV Library budget proposed increase. We want to be sure your readers have all of the facts and accurate information.

Unlike the town and school district, the Library does not request a new budget every year. In fact, the last time the Library asked for an increase was 2006, and before that, in 1999. So in the last decade, the Library budget has increased only once, and the library has been operating with the same 2006 budget for the last four years. In addition, state and county funding cuts this year remove $30,000 from the Library’s budget each year, permanently.

On November 2, Pleasant Valley residents will vote on a referendum for a Library funding increase. Then the library will stay at the new budget level for at least four years. Clearly, many costs have gone up since 2006, and they will continue to increase.

The Library requests an additional $95,000 annually, increasing the Library portion of the current town budget from 5.4% to 7.3%, a 1.8% increase. This translates to an average cost of $26 per household per year.

We invite you and any Journal readers to review the 2006-2010 Library budget and the proposed 2011-2014 budget, available to the public at the Pleasant Valley Library.

Many people rely on our Library – we don’t want to have to cut services to fit within a 2006 budget until 2014.

Independence for Library Funding

2010-10-07T07:28:00.001-07:00

An article in today’s Poughkeepsie Journal reported that the Supervisor of the Town of LaGrange opposes the proposition on the Town ballot that would increase LaGrange Library funding by 17%. This sounds like a lot until you learn that because of a low base tax, the total increase would impact the average household by just $14.21 a year, less than the cost of a quality paperback book. Another way of viewing the increase is also telling. In 2008, when library-funding support from the Town was completely at the Town Board’s discretion, the amount was frozen at $599,280, so there has been no increase in 2009 or 2010. Through the magic of compound interest, an increase of just 5.3% a year since 2008 would be equivalent to the 17% increase proposed for 2011 over 2010. The Town itself is proposing a budget for 2011 that would result in a total tax of $736.44 on a $323,000 home, so the proposed tax on a typical home with the Library increase would amount to $750.55.

Town Boards or Town Supervisors often oppose increases in library funding through direct approval by voters, which for free-association libraries in New York State is known as Chapter 414 funding. I do not think that this is always because they are opposed to libraries—although in some cases, the Board or the Supervisor clearly is—but more because they feel that they should control every aspect of the Town budget, rather than have voters in charge. I don’t have all the facts and figures to prove it, but my impression is that when local government is in charge of library budgets, for example in larger cities, library services are among the first to be cut when there is any economic downturn. Branches are closed and staff and open-hours are reduced. But when the voters are given a direct choice, they nearly always approve modest increases in library funds that permit maintenance or even improvement of library services.

The Pleasant Valley Free Library also is taking its case to the voters for a modest increase in funding so that current staff and services can be maintained in the face of reduced funding from the state and country and increased costs. The proposed increase in funding is from $265,000 to $360,000. Since this would be the first increase in four years, it is equivalent to an 6.3% increase each year over the base from 2007 to 2011, but because the Library commits to maintaining the same level of Town funding for at least another three years, by 2014 the rate of increase from 2007 will be just 4.5%, not much higher than the general rate of inflation and comparable to the rate of library-cost inflation. I expect the voters of Pleasant Valley to view this as a reasonable way to maintain their Library and that the proposition, which will come before voters on November 2, will be approved. My hope would be that the voters in LaGrange will also want to continue their own library services with a vote in favor of library funding.

A Drastic Cut in Funding Proposed for Grinnell

2010-10-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

Libraries need stable funding if they are to continue serving the public, but when a political entity such as a Town, County, or State encounters a need to tighten its belt, one of the first notches to go seems to be money for library services. This was brought home to me this morning when I read that Patricia Myers, Town Supervisor for the Town of Poughkeepsie, is proposing to slightly mitigate her proposal for higher Town taxes by cutting $50,000 from Town funding for the Grinnell Library. Although the Grinnell Library is in Wappinger, its service area includes part of the Town of Poughkeepsie, so traditionally a substantial portion of its budget of $439,000 comes from that Town. Given the recent cuts in funding to the Mid-Hudson system by both country and state, it would appear that Grinnell will be in real trouble if Ms. Myers' budget plan is adopted.

New York State some fifteen years ago recognized that libraries need stable funding and provided that free-association libraries, such as Grinnell and the Pleasant Valley Free Library, can obtain a secure funding base if voters in the town the library is in petition for secure town support and then vote to assure it. Voters in Pleasant Valley, for example, will have the opportunity this November 2 to vote for or against providing that kind of stable funding for our Library--the proposition will be on the back side of the ballot, while voting for candidates for office is on the front. Once such a vote favors continuing Library funding by the Town, the amount will remain the same until there is another petition and vote, typically three or more years later depending on the ravages of inflation.

This year the Pleasant Valley Free Library is asking each family in the Town to support the Library by an amount that, when spread across the Town, would amount to an increase of the cost of one Library book a year--or, if you are not a reader, think of it as about the same as two movie DVDs a year or an extra cup of coffee every month. Given recent losses county and state funding, which do not look to be restored in the near future, Pleasant Valley Library needs this increase to keep operating at the same level. And if Pleasant Valley has to cut back hours or services because the proposition fails to pass, using the Grinnell Library instead does not look promising.

Have Fun and Help the PV Library

2010-09-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

The Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library will hold an interesting and unusual fundraiser on November 13 at the Pleasant Valley Town Hall. It is Mah Jong Tournament, which will also include prizes for the winners, a light lunch, and beverages. The entrance fee, to benefit the Library, is $30. The tournament will take place from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. As the Friends say this will be "a great opportunity to meet other players and enjoy a day of mah jong. Bring your friends or come alone."

For the uninitiated, Mah jong is played with a set of 152 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols. Each player begins by receiving thirteen tiles. In turn players draw and discard tiles until they complete a legal hand using the fourteenth drawn tile to form four groups (melds) and a pair (head). There are fairly standard rules about how a piece is drawn, stolen from another player (melded), the use of basic (numbered tiles) and honors (winds and dragons), the kinds of melds, and the order of dealing and play. Mah Jong is a game of skill, strategy, and calculation and involves a certain degree of chance. It was very popular in the 20th century in the United States and continues to have a devoted group of followers today.

You must make a reservation to participate in the tournament. Entry forms are available at the Library or at the Pleasant Valley Town Hall. You can also email Friends President Barbara Shapley at bshapley22@yahoo.com or phone either 845-635-2703 or 845-635-1206 for further information.

Voters of Pleasant Valley Have Chance to Fund Library Operations

2010-09-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

On November 2 the registered voters of Pleasant Valley, in addition to the opportunity to vote for a governor, two national senators, a national congressman, and many local politicians, will also be able to vote up or down on funding for operating the Pleasant Valley Free Library in the future. State law provides that free-association libraries can choose to be funded primarily through town taxes, provided the voters agree. For the past ten years, this has been the foundation of income for the Pleasant Valley Library. The amount is fixed by the vote and remains the same annually until the next vote, which is engendered by a sufficient number of registered voters petitioning to be on the ballot.

Library funding will be on this year's ballot as a result of petitions from voters--actually on the back of the new paper ballots. Be sure to look for it there and vote yes to maintain the services of the Library at the level you have come to know. Because of decreases in State and County funding combined with inflation, this Town tax increase is needed just to keep the same hours, staff, and new items that we now have.

Here are some of the questions you may have about the ballot initiative along with the answers.

1. How much of an increase is the library asking for?

We are asking for an increase of $95,000, which is roughly $26 per household per year; the cost of one large cup of Dunkin Donuts Coffee a month, or, fifty cents a week. This means we will move from being 11^th in funding in the county to 10^th in funding.

2. Why now?

When the library previously asked for an increase 4 years ago, the Library Board promised to make the money last for 3 years before making another request. We have managed to stretch it for four years but now, in order to make up for the cuts in state and county funding an increase is necessary. A library whose town support is 13^th county wide, such as ours is, cannot afford to keep up the circulation and programming level that we do without town support. If the vote does not pass, the library is going to have to cut services.

3. Will any of this money go towards a new building for the library?

No. None of the money being requested will go towards a new library.

4. Why can’t the library get the money somewhere else?

The library makes every effort to apply for grants when they are available, but there are almost no grants which will go towards a library’s operating budget. There is not much federal, state or county funding available for libraries. In fact, most community libraries receive the lion’s share of their funding from the town they are located in. Each library, therefore, is really a reflection of the support it receives from its community.

5. What happened to state and county funding?

Between the state and county cutting of library support, our library has lost thousands in funding. Also, the state and county paid for some state mandated services that they are no longer willing to fund, which will mean thousands in extra library expenses for services we are legally required to have. Therefore, without changing anything, the library finds itself with a sudden deficit.

Big Paperback Sale at Library This Weekend

2010-09-05T07:03:00.000-07:00

Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library present

PV Weekend Paperback Sale

Saturday, September 18^th

10am – 4 pm

The sale will be held outside in front of the library. In case of rain, it will be inside in the front room. The sale will continue in the front room Sept. 20 - 25.

Gently Used Paperbacks On Sale

Quality $1

Pulp 50 cents

Romance 5 for $1

Children and Young Adult 25 cents

Call (845)635-8460 for information and directions

Adding to a Library Building

2010-09-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

For ten years, the Building Committee of the Pleasant Valley Free Library planned to expand the Library by creating a new two-story addition to replace one of the two one-story additions that were put on the original old Manse when it was converted for Library use in the early1970s. One addition--the area no occupied largely by the circulation desk and the Director's desk--in that plan would have been kept, while the other addition--the long section where nearly all of the books (stacks) are located--would have been removed and replaced by the new, much larger addition. It seemed like a good plan originally, but recent rethinking has uncovered some of the flaws in the plan.

For one thing maintenance on the part that would be kept, the old original manse and circulation-desk addition, has been rather expensive. A quick rundown of costs over the past ten or twelve years would include a new roof, repairs on the attic to keep bats out, replacement of beams that had been cut, replacement of a sidewalk that had become dangerous, repairs to the foundation, beams added to the roof that was otherwise beginning to bow out, a new lining for the furnace, and replacement of badly deteriorated soffits. There was no reason to think that these kinds of problems were all solved--we knew of some already that we did not have the money in hand to fix.

Another set of problems concerned the requirements of a two-story building. A large addition would mean that the entire building would have to become compliant with the American with Disabilities Act. The Library Director learned that maintenance on an elevator might run as much as $5,000 a year. Furthermore, the Library would need to add staff to cover the second floor, another big expense. Experience shows that problems with air conditioning or heating are much more likely in a two-story building.

Reflection on these topics was inspired by the recent ground-breaking for a two-room addition to the Staatsburg Library. Unlike the Pleasant Valley Library, which is a town-association library, the Staatsburg Library is a "Public Special Legislative District," which enables it to hold a referendum on borrowing for a building. The District voted to allow Staatsburg Library to borrow $350,000 for its addition. Donations and a state library construction grant brought in another $254,700, enabling the Library to build the addition.

A two-room addition to the present Pleasant Valley Library building would not solve our problems. It is apparent that we need to replace the present building with a larger one-story structure. But it seems likely that we will have to find a way to combine borrowing, donations, and grants to make that possible. Also we are going to need more than the $600,000 that appears to suffice for Staatsburg.

Greener Libraries

2010-08-31T07:19:00.000-07:00

As reported in the MHLS Bulletin:

"Both the Cairo Public Library and the Town of Esopus Public Library were in the newspaper recently for making sustainable energy choices for their library facilities:

"- The Daily Mail reported that decision makers for the new Cairo Public Library building have voted unanimously to heat and cool the building using a geothermal system. While having a higher upfront cost, the system is project to save the library $3,000 a year and pay for itself in just over a decade.

"- The Daily Freeman reported that the Board of the Town of Esopus Public Library has decided to move forward and expand their solar electric system. The library already has a 96 panel system on their roof. The expansion would provide 24 panels mounted on a hillside next to the facility. The library's current system provides 32% of the building electricity. (p.s. this library also has a geothermal heating and cooling system!)"

The Pleasant Valley Free Library Building Committee is now engaged in discussions with architects about how to create a library that will better fullfil the community needs for the next twenty years. A major concern is how we can keep operating costs down. The need to stabilize operating costs suggests that any new library building should keep the functioning parts of the library--stacks, circulation desk, meeting rooms, computers, and so forth--all one one floor. Maintenance on elevators is one reason for that concern and another is that adding floors to a building requires staff additions as well.

The Building Committee is also asking architects for other suggestions for reducing operating cost. Clearly one possibility is to "go green" as much as we can. This involves everything from how the lighting is designed to the positioning of windows and heat sinks to the sources of hot and cold air (geothermal? or just efficient furnaces and air conditioning?) to possibilities for solar power. There is much to consider, including the normal trade-offs between the cost of an LEED building and the reductions in annual operating costs.

New York State demands a wall between capital expenses and operating expenses, which means that the costs of new and/or improved buildings come from what amounts to a separate budget from the costs of maintaining, operating, and staffing the building. The Pleasant Valley Library for the past several years has dealt with this in part by having in effect two different treasurers, one for operating income and expenses and a deputy treasurer who just is concerned with capital income and expenses--although a single financial committee headed by the treasurer unifies these two budgets.

Of course, none of the green options are free. The Building Committee will have to raise additional funds if the Library is to adopt any of these. Don't forget that it is easy to contribute to the building fund online through the Community Foundation . Just click on the underlined words "Community Foundation," enter your information, and designate your contribution to the Pleasant Valley Library Building Donor Fund.

Congressman to Visit Library

2010-08-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the dearth of posts--I have been on vacation for most of August.

Today I received the following message from our local congressman, Scott Murphy:

"I wanted to let you know that I will be hosting a Congress on Your Corner town hall this Wednesday, September 1st, at 2:00 p.m. at Pleasant Valley Free Library. I'll be there with members of my staff to discuss your concerns about local issues as well as what's going on in Congress.

"In the past year and a half, I have visited all 137 towns and held over 100 public meetings in order to hear from private industry leaders and constituents about how we can get our economy moving again and help create jobs.

"This Congress on Your Corner will provide an opportunity to learn more about my efforts to Renew Upstate New York by rebuilding the economy for our middle class families during these tough times. I am looking forward to meeting with you and answering whatever questions you may have.

"I hope to see you there. "

And I hope to see you there. This is an opportunity not to be missed.

E-books Making Inroads

2010-07-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

The name chosen for this blog ("It's Not Just Books") is from a slogan for the Pleasant Valley Free Library originally suggested by Building Fund committee leader Karen Minturn. She and the committee had in mind the rise of lending DVDs, tapes, and other materials as well as the importance of libraries as a community Internet resource. At that time, there was just a hint of a future that might involve lending books in digital form for reading on a device such as the Kindle, iPad, Nook, or one of the many new e-readers beginning to flood the market.

Just yesterday, however, Amazon, the online bookseller, announced that their sales of electronic versions of books have surpassed those of "dead-tree" books for the first time. Of course, Amazon is behind the Kindle, still the leading e-reader, so their experience probably does not carry over to sales by land-based bookstores. Even so, last month Google and independent bookstores announced an alliance, scheduled to start this summer, that would bring a new Google-based reader (probably on the Android operating system, which I see has already spawned an e-book reader available in China) into the mix. Google would sell e-books online, so I am not entirely sure how the members of the American Booksellers Association, Google's partners in this enterprise will benefit. But that should be revealed soon.

Libraries are moving into e-books slowly. A major event in the Hudson Valley will be a conference of various types of libraries, including school and college library directors and staff as well as members of the Mid-Hudson Library System, on September 29 at the E-book Summit.

Today the plans for availability of e-books through the Pleasant Valley Library are still under discussion. But already the e-book option is one of the considerations as the Building Committee considers the future of the physical plant at the Library. The committee and Daniela Pulice, the Library Director, have concluded that the building-expansion plan developed about ten years ago no longer reflects the needs of the rapidly changing situation for the readers of today (and in that sentence, by "readers," I meant people and not devices).

Paterson Vetoes Library Funds

2010-07-04T19:32:00.000-07:00

You may not have noticed it among the nearly 7,000 vetoes New York Governor David Paterson signed in the past couple of days, but among the others he vetoed the money that the Legislature had put in next year's budget for aid to libraries. The specific library funds lost were the member items, sums directed to specific libraries or library systems. Of special interest to fans of the Pleasant Valley Free Library was the veto of $27,500 for the Mid-Hudson Library System. While this was actually the largest library member item in the veto list, thousands of dollars in grants for specific libraries, many of them in Westchester, were also stricken.

These funds had been approved in an earlier budget year, but were scheduled for this year. Indeed, because of the state's fiscal problems, no new member items had been included in the budget for this year.

An override of any one of the vetoes requires two-thirds of both houses of the Legislature voting to overturn it. While this might be possible in the Assembly, it seems unlikely in the Senate unless ten or twelve members from one party vote along with all of the members of the other party. Given the current political stonewalling by Republicans and the general disarray among Democrats, it seems likely that most or all of the vetoes will be sustained.

Old Pleasant Valley Friend to be Interim Director of MHL System

2010-06-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

Josh Cohen is retiring as Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Library System after ten very productive years in the position. While the search is on for a new Executive Director, staff member Meribeth Advocate is taking charge on an interim basis.

Pleasant Valley residents with a medium-long memory will recall that current Pleasant Valley resident Advocate was once the Children's Librarian at the Pleasant Valley Free Library, a vital member of the staff. I am sure that all will join me in wishing her well as the Interim Director. Since leaving the Pleasant Valley Library for the Mid-Hudson System, she has been one of the key players in the success of this important pillar of our local library system.

Libraries report increased use of e-government, job resources; reduced operating hours

2010-06-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

(As reported by Mid-Hudson Libraries) A new report finds America’s public libraries posted gains in several key areas of technology deployment. Libraries nationwide report they’ve seen an increase in public use of online services, particularly to support job seeking and e-government transactions, and have made some gains in adding public computers and improving Internet connections available to patrons. However, snowballing funding cuts at state and local levels are forcing thousands of libraries to literally lock away access to these resources as they reduce operating hours.

   The national 2010 “Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study” provides data on job and career resources, as well as tracking a significant jump in e-government use. From unemployment benefits to state tax forms, more government information and services are moving online, often without a print alternative. Responding to growing demand from people for assistance using these new forms of government services, nearly 79 percent of libraries (up from 54 percent one year ago) provide assistance to patrons applying or accessing government services, according to the report released today by the American Library Association.

   “Healthy public libraries play a vital role in ensuring digital opportunity for all,” said ALA President Camila Alire. “This report is a message to elected leaders as they balance budgets: today’s libraries are an essential service for accessing workforce and government services. Whether you are a laid-off factory worker using a computer for the first time or a tech-savvy entrepreneur using library databases for market research, libraries connect people of all backgrounds to the resources they need.” One in five libraries are partnering with other government and non-profit agencies to provide e-government services.

   Public access to these resources, however, is increasingly limited in many communities. Nearly 15 percent of libraries (or roughly 2,400 locations) report reduced operating hours, with urban libraries leading the trend with nearly one-quarter reporting fewer hours in 2009. More than half (55 percent) of urban libraries report funding cuts between FY2009 and FY2010.

   Cuts come as the economic recession has placed libraries at the forefront for today’s job seekers. Eighty-eight percent of libraries provide free access to job databases and other job services, and 67 percent report library staff helped patrons complete online job applications. Libraries also provide access to civil service exam materials (75 percent) and software to help patrons create resumes and other employment materials (69 percent).

   “The local career center is overflowing, so they send people to the library. People are going to school as part of the displaced worker program. They need help registering and checking their grades. There is bigger and bigger demand,” said Lexington-Henderson County (Tenn.) Everett Horn Public Library Director Dinah Harris. Nationally, 62% of unemployed people used their public library last year.

   The 2010 Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study also finds that:

67 percent of libraries report they are the only provider of free public access to computers and the Internet in their communities;
Public computer and Wi-Fi use was up last year for more than 70 percent of all libraries;
89 percent of libraries provide formal or informal technology training, including classes in computer skills, software use and online job-seeking;
82 percent of libraries provide Wi-Fi access;
A majority of libraries offer Internet services ranging from subscription databases (95 percent) to online homework resources (88 percent) to ebooks (66 percent); and
66 percent of libraries provide assistance to patrons completing government forms.
   “Computer and Internet access at public libraries connects millions of Americans to economic, educational, and social opportunity each year, but libraries struggle to replace aging computer workstations and provide the high-speed Internet connections patrons need,” said Jill Nishi, deputy director of U.S. Libraries at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “As demand for these services rise, public and private investment to support public access technology at libraries is more critical than ever.”

   Conducted by the ALA and the Center for Library & Information Innovation at the University of Maryland, the study provides a “state of the library” report on the technology resources brokered by libraries and the funding that enables free public access to these resources. The study features the most current national and state data available on technology access and funding in U.S. public libraries.

   The study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the ALA, can be found online at www.ala.org/plinternetfunding.

Special Meeting of Trustees Redirects Library Expansion

2010-06-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

Earlier this evening, a special meeting of the Board of the Pleasant Valley Library was convened under the leadership of Ardith Orr, Chair of the Library Expansion Committee (this committee has various names, but that one seems most appropriate). The purpose was to consider a plan that the Committee had formulated after recent reviews of Building Expansion by outside community leaders, including two architects.

The basic elements of the plan were dictated by the perceived needs that library expansion would have to meet as enumerated by Library Director Daniela Pulice. The Library needs 75% more shelf space, true handicapped access, more electrical outlets and better lighting, storage space, a larger staff work area and space behind the circulation desk, and more comfortable seating for patrons. We need to stay on Main Street in Pleasant Valley and remain in the Arlington School District. In any new or reworked building, we need to visibility from the circulation and reference desks to the stacks and other public areas (excluding the meeting room). In addition, the Library would be improved by having a meeting room 100% larger than we now have with an accordion wall that could be used to separate the room into two sections for two meetings at a time. The staff would love to have a break room, especially one with a kitchen. The Library could use space for two more paperback racks (and enough open space to stage some events in the Library outside the meeting rooms, such as concerts or fundraisers). Patrons have suggested that the Library needs more parking—although most of the time there is available parking a bit farther from the entrance as well as parking on Main Street that is now underutilized.

When these needs and wants were taken into account, the committee recommended that the existing plan for replacing the current stacks wing with a new two-story wing be abandoned and that a new one-story building replace the present one. After much discussion, the Board voted to have the committee proceed to interview architects and seek a cost analysis based on a large one-story building that would occupy most of the land on the present site. The committee will meet again at 6:00 p.m. on July 19, but members in the meantime will begin the process of contacting architects for bids on developing sketches for the building and a contractor for expected costs of demolishing the present building and putting up a new one. There are many details that have been considered, but it is too early to go public with plans that are still to be firmed.

Frequently Asked Questions about Chapter 414

2010-06-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

As you may have heard, the Pleasant Valley Free Library is planning to have a proposition on the ballot this November that if passed will ensure Town funding sufficient to maintain Library operations for several years. This kind of proposition is generally known as a Chapter 414 funding from the part of New York State Law that describes the process. Library Trustees are now asking voters to sign petitions so that the proposition can appear on the ballot. Library Director Daniela Pulice has prepared a list of frequently asked questions about this year's 414 proposition and supplied the answers, as follows:

1. How much of an increase is the library asking for?

We are asking for an increase to $360,000, which is roughly an extra $26 per household; the cost of one large cup of Dunkin Donuts Coffee a month, or, fifty cents a week. This means we will move from being 11^th in funding in the county to 10^th in funding.

2. Why now?

When the library previously asked for an increase in 2006, the Library Board promised to make the money last for 3 years before making another request. It has been four years since then, and in order to keep up with the growth of the town and the cuts in state and county aid, an increase is now necessary. A library whose town support is 13^th county wide, such as ours is, cannot afford to keep up the circulation and programming level that we do without town support. If the vote does not pass, the library is going to have to cut services.

3. Will any of this money go towards a new building for the library?

No. While the library does plan to expand eventually, none of the money currently being requested will go towards an operating or capital budget for a new library.

4. Why can’t the library get the money somewhere else?

5. What happened to state and county funding?

Between the state and county cutting of library support, our library has lost $10,000 in funding. Also, the state and county paid for some state mandated services that they are no longer willing to fund, which will mean an extra $20,000 in library expenses. Therefore, without changing anything, the library finds itself with a sudden $30,000 deficit.

Library Board Meets on June 17 and again June 21

2010-06-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

The Pleasant Valley Free Library Board of Trustees met for its regular monthly meeting on Thursday,June 17. There were several items of particular concern. In no particular order

Although it is important to win a 414 funding vote in November so that the Library will have sufficient funds for operating in 2011 and beyond, the funding issue will not be on the ballot unless sufficient signatures from Pleasant Valley voters are collected. The petition drive is off to a very slow start--ideally we need about 500 more signatures by July 1 than we have now. All the Trustees present at the meeting eligible to sign petitions took blank ones with them to gather signatures in their local neighborhoods. We hope to have more of a petition presence at the Library in the next two weeks as well.
The Library now has a new Young Adult section where the reference section used to be. Because of the Internet, fewer students or other patrons actually use reference books to seek information. The most useful reference titles have been shelved among the nonfiction and for the first time are available for checking out by patrons (for one week at a time).
The Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus has removed the payments that the County has in the past provided to individual libraries. For Pleasant Valley, this means a loss of $6,000 during 2010 that will have to be somehow replaced in the remaining six months of the year. The Finance Committee will meet soon to seek ways to solve this unexpected problem. It should be noted that in the past the Children's Programs at all libraries were required to say "Funded by County Executive William Steinhaus" in all announcements. This year the Library Directors have agreed to change this to "NOT Funded by County Executive William Steinhaus."
The Building Committee requested a special meeting to consider major changes in direction for the Library Expansion program. The special meeting on this topic was set for Monday, June 21. As with all Board of Trustees regular meetings, residents of Pleasant Valley may attend if they wish.
The Library expects to participate in Pleasant Valley Days this September in various ways, perhaps including a Float as well as a table and a Friends book sale. More details later.

The next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will skip July for a summer vacation and take place on August 5. But don't forget the special meeting on June 21.

Building Committee Meets

2010-06-07T19:49:00.000-07:00

After several years of separating the fundraising for building expansion from a committee concerned more directly with where Library expansion might be heading, the Board under the leadership of Maryelen Brown (who in a past term instituted the two separate committees) has recombined them. The reason for this is that it was apparent that fundraising could not be effective because the ten-year-old plans for building expansion clearly need rethinking.

A big part of the problem has been that so much time has passed. Library Director Daniela Pulice, who helped the architect set up the previous design for adding a wing that would replace the present stacks, has reported that the technology of books, computers, DVDs, and other media has progressed so much that the breakdown of space in that plan no longer made sense.

The new combined Building Committee, headed by Ardith Orr who also the most recent leader of the old separate Building Committee, has been seeking help from outside So far the consultants have been former Pleasant Valley Supervisor Penny Hickman, Assemblyman Marc Molinaro, and architects Ed Loedy and Steve Tinkleman. Earlier this evening (June 7) members of the new Building Committee met with Daniela to discuss what the Library needs are now and what they might be in the next couple of decades.

Daniela foresees the need for 75% more shelf space for the physical items we lend, more electrical outlets for the new technology, bigger work areas for the staff, complete handicapped access, and better seating for patrons who want to look at or listen to materials or work in the Library. Daniela also said that we need to remain on Main Street in the Pleasant Valley hamlet--either where we are now or somewhere nearby. If any new or improved building is constructed so that the staff can observe patrons easily at all times, then there should not be any need to expand the staff even as we expanded the building.

The committee members discussed the ways that these goals could be achieved and left the meeting with assignments to develop a plan to present to the Board of Trustees. It would be premature to outline the plan, which is still being worked on by the committee.

The committee members present considered many possibilities. We felt that we could propose an attractive building that would in the long run be easier to maintain and cheaper to operate, while not leaving the aesthetic appeal behind. We want a building that would grace Main Street instead of just a functional Library Building.

Help Out Another Local Library

2010-05-14T05:41:00.001-07:00

WAMC's Alan Chartock will be Guest Auctioneer at the

June 19^th Fundraising Gala for the New Roeliff Jansen Community Library

"It's going to be a great evening!" So predicts Ned Schneier, president of the Board of Trustees, commenting on the gala fundraiser to be held at the new Roeliff Jansen Community Library on Saturday, June 19, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM.

Purpose of the event-titled "The Unadorned Library" because it is being held before books and shelves are in place-is to raise funds to help complete the new facility, which is located on Rt. 22 in Copake. The 7,500 square-foot building, complete with energy saving solar panels, replaces the current library building in Hillsdale, built in 1925, which will be sold to Hillsdale for use as the Town Hall.

Schneier says the fundraiser is the first of several events that will be held at the facility both before and after it opens to the public this summer. "Just as the old one did, the new library will enrich the lives of everyone who lives in our community for years to come," he says, "and attending these events is a way for everyone to show their support."

The new building will be so much more than a place to house books, says Schneier. "It will also be a vibrant community center for concerts, readings and plays, and a meeting place for local organizations."

Pat Pollok, chair of the fundraiser, says the highlight of the evening will be a live auction hosted by Alan Chartock, President of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. "We have some wonderful auction items," says Pollok, "including weekend stays at several inns, tickets to concerts and plays, dinners at area restaurants, choice antiques."

Crime buffs attending the gala will no doubt be interested in what may well be the most unusual objects up for auction: a signed, dated and framed specimen from accounting journals kept by Murder Inc.'s Chief Financial Officer, Meyer Lansky; and the first-ever tax return filed by Vito Genovese, one of Murder Inc.'s enforcers and the founding father of the Genovese crime family. With this auction package comes a bonus: DVD's of "The Godfather," parts 1, 2 and 3.

In addition, Pollok says, guests will be invited to bid "on the opportunities to name specific areas of the library, either for themselves or in memory of a loved one."

As they tap their toes to the sounds of the George Mandel Jazz Quartet, guests will quench their thirst with beverages provided by B&G Wine and Gourmet, and sample a wide variety of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres from local caterers and restaurants, including At the Kitchen Table Cooking School, Baba Louie's, The Berry Farm, Catering to Your Taste, Earth Foods, The Farmer's Wife, John Andrews, Marketplace Kitchen, Mt. Washington House, The Pond, and Verdigris, among others.

Among the auction items donated to date are tickets for a performance by legendary Broadway actress Elaine Stritch at the Mahaiwe Theater, a cooking class with Julie Gale at her newly opened At the Kitchen Table Cooking School, a weekend stay at The Bell House B&B, a mid-1800s German porcelain and brass lamp and four tickets to any performance at The Hudson Opera House.

Also, a dramatic varnished wood birdcage with domed turrets, and gift certificates from many businesses in Hillsdale, Hudson and Great Barrington, including the Berkshire Co-op Market, Café Adam, Guido's Fresh Marketplace, Hawthorne Valley Farm Store, Hillsdale House, Lili and Loo, Mexican Radio and Passiflora.

Tickets to "The Unadorned Library" gala are $100 per person, or $175 for two, and are tax-deductible. Checks should be made out to RJCL Capital Campaign and mailed to P.O. Box 15, Copake, NY 12516. For more information, call 518-329-0182 or e-mail rjclcampaign@taconic.net

Building Committee Meets with Local Architect

2010-05-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

The newly combined Building Committee and Fund Raising for Building Expansion committees met on May 3. They received a presentation from local architect Ed Loedy, who emphasized that the committee needs to settle on one definite plan that meets current library needs first , and then can do more effective fundraising. He showed us the kind of presentation he had in mind and offered to work with Library Director Daniela Pulice in developing such a plan. One of his ideas that generated some committee support was--if we abandon the existing building--to reverse the L that is in the Donald Mac Donald plan so that the plaza section would be behind the building. Loedy's idea for the reverse L would be to build the new building while maintaining some service in the old one (I think), then tear down the old one and construct a plaza. Daniela suggested that she would prefer a building more in the shape of a trapezoid than an L so that there would be no sharp corner to peer around. The average cost of building libraries is currently about $200 per square foot (the present building is about 3,600 square feet, but a lot is wasted because it was originally a home). Either using the old building or starting anew, Loedy's goal would be to keep the total cost to us at around $1.5 million. We should deal with a builder, such as Kirchhoff or Meyer, to get a better estimate of cost. Donna Letteri said the committee should go for a plan based upon need rather than finance and then cut back to match the amount the committee can raise. Donna was concerned about the Wicks Law preventing us from using some local contractors, but Daniela said she was sure that Free Association libraries do not have to comply with Wicks.

There was a general view that the committee should proceed to investigate and hire a grant writer, although with the plans not firm, this may be too soon.

The committee discussed several concerns about remaining on the present site, whether the Library starts a new building or keeps and expands the current one. The two main problems with keeping the present site are the increasing traffic along Main Street, which is making it difficult to enter and leave the parking lot, and the amount of space available for parking. Also the committee might at some future time need to expand further and the site is small.

As noted in the first paragraph, the Building Expansion committee and the Fund Raising for Building Expansion committee are henceforth merged. Ardith Orr is Chair of the committee (possibly just to be called the Building Committee). Since it is a joint Trustee-Community committee, the committee also hopes to recruit a co-Chair from the community side. Bryan Bunch has volunteered to be Secretary-Treasurer of the committee. There was a general feeling that the Building Committee needs more active members because there is so much to be done and we are all volunteers who also have other responsibilities in life.

Book Fair Over for Year--Tomatoes Next

2010-05-02T17:52:00.000-07:00

Thousands of books, videotapes, DVDs, and other audio tapes were sold at the annual Book Fair run by the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library (April 30 to May 2). Unsold items went to hospitals, schools, soldiers, and other sales of used books; only a few books--mostly paperbacks--had to be discarded. Also sold at the Fair were hundreds of perennials and some excellent baked goods. All the plants, cookies, brownies, and cakes were donated, so all the proceeds went to the Friends to be used to pay for enhanced Library services and equipment. Another feature of this year's Book Fair was an opportunity for registered voters from Pleasant Valley to sign the petition that will put an increase in Library operating funds on the November ballot. If there are sufficient signers and if the ballot measure passes, the Library will receive an increase calculated as $26 a year, enough to purchase a hardcover book, and less than a monthly large coffee would cost. One final aspect of the Library Book Fair was the traditional 50/50 raffle, won this year by B. Hutchings of Pleasant Valley. The Library's share of the raffle, $70, will be donated to the Building Fund.

The Book Fair is just slightly too early for tomatoes, but the Friends have started hundreds of tomatoes. Given the unusually warm spring, these will go on sale at the Library starting next Saturday, May 8. Unusual varieties of large red and yellow slicing tomatoes, a smaller early tomato, cherry tomatoes, and paste tomatoes will be featured. Some of the varieties available are Brandywine (heritage), Super Lakota (large early slicer), Goldie (large yellow), San Marzano (Italian paste), yellow pear (eat off vine while gardening), Cosmonaut Volkov (large red famed for its flavor), Ruth's Perfect (smaller slicing tomato resistant to diseases), and Myona (heirloom paste tomato). Tomatoes are in individual containers and will sell for $1 per pot, set up in the Reading Room at the Library. As a bonus, you will get one more chance to purchase some of the local perennials left over from the Book Fair.

Last year I planted some of the Library tomatoes on May 9 and they did as well or better than the Library tomatoes I planted Memorial Day, so it is not too early to start.

Library Advisory Meeting, April 17, 2010

2010-04-20T19:28:00.000-07:00

This meeting was attended by Former Pleasant Valley Supervisor Penny Hickman, State Assemblyman Marc Molinaro, and Millbrook architect Ed Loedy from the advisors. Library Building Committee members in attendance were Pleasant Valley Library Trustees Dave Kruger, Steve MacNish, Kathy Morris, and Bryan Bunch and Pleasant Valley Library Director Daniela Pulice. We also had a visitor, Kay Shaeffer, who is a Library Director in Illinois. We met from 4:00 pm to about 5:30 pm.

The Library Committee thanked Marc Molinaro for his contributions in the form of member items in the past year, which helped pay for our new sidewalk along the side of the building and will also help pay for redoing the floor downstairs, which is sufficiently uneven to constitute a safety hazard.

We discussed possible funding sources for future expansion of the Library building. Molinaro reported that the legislature has just approved the Dutchess Local Development Authority, which is designed solely for the purpose of lending construction money to nonprofits in Dutchess County. Hickman pointed out that the library can obtain a Community Development Block Grant of up to $150,000, repeatable in a second year in the same amount if needed, to improve handicapped access. The Library committee noted that we had previously received a positive reception from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation for a grant for handicapped access. It was believed that the Reeve Foundation might contribute as much as $200,000 to improve access with an elevator and other improvements.

Molinaro said that the annual $14 million for library construction awarded by the State was going to continue annually despite the financial problems of the State and that we should be applying for part of that every year. Also he urged us to apply for a direct U.S. earmark with Congressman Scott Murphy as soon as possible--deadline for next year is September. Congressman Murphy has already earmarked funds for two libraries in his district.

The Library building needs many changes to be fully handicapped accessible. Not only does the building need an elevator that would reach the second floor, but also the ramp and side door need to be rebuilt completely. Inside the Library building the doors are too narrow, and the Library does not meet handicapped requirements for space between the stacks or for their height. Also, the Library does not have a handicapped-accessible restroom.

Even though Loedy thought we might be able to build an elevator by itself for as little as $100,000, it was clear that we had many needs for the handicapped that would require considerable amounts of money to fulfill. Penny urged the Library to hire a grant writer to help us achieve the financial support necessary--perhaps the same one that the Town is currently using.

The suggestions for handicapped improvements were based upon improving the existing two-story building that was formerly the Manse for the Presbyterian Church and that was converted to Library use in 1972. Although the Library has recently invested perhaps $100,000 already in improvements to this building, and simply to make it handicapped accessible would require twice that much investment or more, it was not clear to the group that keeping the present building was the best solution for modernizing and expansion.

One idea suggested by Hickman was to tear down the existing building but make a new building match the outer appearance of this one. Loedy said we might keep the front and driveway side intact as facades and slip a new building behind them. He plans to work with the Library Director to produce sketches of the building with a separate elevator and a one-story addition with a larger footprint to replace the present one-story addition that houses the stacks. Also Loeday will look at what might be done to replace the two-story building and maintain its appearance.

The Library Committee will meet again soon for further planning. We hope also to have a second advisory session with other Town leaders

National State of Libraries Report

2010-04-18T07:16:00.000-07:00

State of America's Libraries, 2010: From the report:

"Since the recession took hold in December 2007, the local library, a traditional source of free access to books, magazines, CDs, and DVDs, has becomea lifeline, offering technology training and workshops on topics that ranged from résumé-writing to job-interview skills.

The report shows the value of libraries in helping Americans combat the recession. It includes data from a January 2010 Harris Interactive poll that provides compelling evidence that a decade-long trend of increasing library use is continuing-and even accelerating during economic hard times. This national survey indicates that some 219 million Americans feel the public library improves the quality of life in their community. More than 223 million Americans feel that because it provides free access to materials and resources, the public library plays an important role in giving everyone a chance to succeed.

And with more businesses and government agencies requiring applicants to apply on line, job-seeking resources are among the most critical and most in demand among the technology resources available in U.S. public libraries. Two-thirds of public libraries help patrons complete online job applications; provide access to job databases and other online resources (88 percent) and civil service exam materials (75 percent); and offer software or other resources (69 percent) to help patrons create résumés and other employment materials.

However, the report also shows that increased library use did not lead to an increase in funding for libraries. Research by the ALA and the Center for Library and Information Innovation at the University of Maryland suggests a "perfect storm" of growing community demand for library services and shrinking resources to meet that demand. While library use soars, a majority of states are reporting cuts in funding to public libraries and to the state library agencies that support them."

Also see the State of the Libraries report.

In spite of an outpouring of public support for libraries, the NYS Legislature still has not returned a budget that protects libraries from further cuts. Although the Senate has proposed a budget that restores the most current reductions in aid proposed by Gov. Paterson, the Assembly has yet not fully followed suit. And, of course, the governor has not signed off on any budget plan.

The library community has always been reasonable in its approach to state support for libraries. For instance, throughout the ' 90s and ' 00s, state support for many programs increased year after year while library aid remained static. As exasperating as this was, library users had little choice but to accept reassurances from their elected representatives that libraries were valued and would eventually be taken care of. Unfortunately, that never happened, and libraries are now being cut from a baseline amount that never grew when times were good.

The mission of the N ew Yorkers for Better Libraries PAC is to provide financial support to state legislators who are willing to stand up for libraries. Over the past two years, we contributed more than $56,000 to 34 separate state legislators. Although those numbers are impressive, we clearly need to do more.

Now is the time that we must redouble our efforts to prevent further reductions, strengthen our bonds with those in the legislature who can help us, and enhance relationships with those committed to libraries.

Brief Report of April Board Meeting

2010-04-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

The Trustees met from 6:00 pm today until about 7:45 pm. Finances for the year are proceeding somewhat over budget at this point, but not in any alarming way--some expenses always occur early in the calendar year. However, there was some alarming potential for future financial problems that may be caused by reductions in New York State funding to the Mid-Hudson Library System, since MHLS would pass costs along to member libraries. County funding for this year is likely to be 80% of what we have budgeted for this income. Marc Molinaro's office has promised us a member item of $5,200 to be used for making the Library first floor level. Also New York State is requiring us (and other libraries) to pay $60 each so that they can make a minor and unnecessary change in the library charters.

Trustee Leigh Toth has had a conflict arise with meeting dates for the Board and has resigned. The Board appointed Sally Harding, a previous candidate for an open Trustee position, to replace her.

The Building Expansion and Fundraising for Building Expansion committees have been recombined (fundraising was originally a subcommittee of Building Expansion. They are going to have on April 17 a small conference of community leaders to advise the committee on the best direction for future activities; I will report on that in a later post.

A big event coming up soon is the annual Book Fair on April 30 through May 2. In addition to thousands of books available at very low prices, the Book Fair features a plant sale (mostly local perennials) and a bake sale. Friday night, April 30, the Book Fair charges $5 for the privilege of early entry, but May 1 and May 2 are free. I'll add more details with another post later.

Fundraising Idea from Tanglewood's Hometown

2010-04-05T19:22:00.000-07:00

Following is an abridgment of an article in the Berkshire Eagle that reported on library doings in Lenox, Mass.

Burlesque for Books

The talk of the town here is the "Burlesque for Books" show presented as the centerpiece of an adults-only, fundraising gala last Saturday night at the Lenox Library. About 120 people attended at ticket prices ranging up to $100. The idea was hatched by a twentysomething library clerk who suggested a gala that people like him would want to attend - designed to erase the library's supposedly stuffy image.

According to people who were there, very little was left to the imagination; the girls from Sugar Shack Burlesque in New York sported g-strings and "pasties." Some at the library had expected bikinis. A figure for net proceeds was not available on Friday, but we hear that after expenses, a rather paltry sum was left for the library.

Karen Lee, the organizer, said "Very few people gave this event support, and the fact that it happened so beautifully and gloriously, that's the joy. … Only two out of 17 or 18 library board members showed up."

There's no scientific way to measure town reaction to the show. But Select Board Chairwoman Linda Procopio Messana logged 23 critical calls about the gala, including four from people who attended. "I don't think the library expected the show to go as far as it did," she said on Friday.

The interim director for the past five months takes full responsibility. "I own it 100 percent," she said. "I should have gone to see those girls perform myself." Asked if she'd do it the same way again if she had the chance, she responded with an emphatic "No!" She's resigning as of April 12, but emphasizes that her departure has nothing to do with the hullabaloo. "I've been planning it for a while, in order to take care of health issues," she declared. …

Despite this misstep, the Lenox Library, and all others, deserve full support in an age of shrinking budgets and rapidly evolving definitions of what a library should be in the digital age. Meanwhile, here's hoping no one's planning "Booze for Books" or "Bondage for Books" anytime soon.

Local Library Worker Recognized

2010-03-30T08:38:00.001-07:00

Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MHLS Coordinator for Library Growth & Sustainability has been named one of Library Journal's 2010 Movers & Shakers. The LJ Movers & Shakers Award identifies 50 "accomplished and accomplishing" librarians internationally each year. Rebekkah was categorized as a Community Builder in the March 15th issue:

"A Deeper Green": It's hard to choose one example of Rebekkah Aldrich's work that best exemplifies her dedication to libraries. It could be that during her decade-long term as the coordinator of member information for the 66 libraries in New York State's Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS), she was the official contact for 38 of the 120 areas of service MHLS provides. Or it could be that she answered some 1500 questions a year on topics as disparate as advocacy, buildings, and legal issues. Or it could be that Aldrich guided 30 libraries to create Friends groups, or developed the trustee training curriculum now offered eight times a year, or built the widely recognized "Don't Cut the Heart Out of Our Community" advocacy campaign, or crafted a proven model for libraries to secure budget votes in their favor, or... you get the picture.

"Her knowledge and dedication have had a significant impact on dozens of library directors, hundreds of trustees, and hundreds of thousands of patrons in MHLS," says nominator Julie Johnson, director of the Kinderhook Memorial Library. "Every professional-development opportunity that Rebekkah takes advantage of exponentially benefits the New York State library community, because she effectively promulgates all that she learns."

Aldrich now has even more to share. In late 2009, she completed an advanced certificate in public library administration through the Palmer School of Long Island University and also netted certification as a Sustainable Building Advisor, the first librarian to do so, and became a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-Accredited Professional. In her new role as MHLS coordinator for library growth and sustainability, she'll bring new shades of meaning-and practical knowledge-to both.

"Libraries that go green are demonstrating, in one of the most visible ways possible, a commitment to being good stewards of public dollars," says Aldrich. With that kind of "green" thumb to follow, libraries can lead the way.

Donate Effortlessly and for Free

2010-03-28T19:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jonathan Meyer of Meyer Construction, a friend of the Pleasant Valley Free Library, we now have another fundraiser, one that will be ongoing. An outfit called www.goodsearch.com has as its business plan getting people to use it for searches and donating money to a favorite charity every time someone uses it. I assume that it makes money the way Google does, by selling ads, but the sample searches I did were useful even if the products I found were items for sale. The key to having money donated to the Library is to identify on the lower window (beneath "Who do you search for?") the charity Pleasant Valley (NY) Library Building Fund. You don't have to type the whole thing--when you start to type, a drop-down will give you this as one option. The other option is simply Pleasant Valley Free Library. Either way, the donation will be gratefully accepted.

The Annual $14 Million Dilemma

2010-03-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

This year once again the Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS) is asking if any libraries will be applying for part of the NYS $14M in construction funds. The project should be for energy or handicapped accessibility and the library MUST have 100% of the funds necessary for the project should NYS go belly up in the middle of it. Then, if we qualify, they will give us 25% of the project cost. We need to submit an application by April 16th and have grant details and bank balance showing funds available, including bid documents, by July 3rd.

Note that seven Mid-Hudson Libraries got such grants this year, for a total of $521,041. Grants ranged from $7,800 for making the entrance to Rhinecliff Library handicapped accessible to $90,000 for completed renovations on Adriance.

We have some minor energy needs that were uncovered in an energy audit a couple of years ago. For about $5,000 we could insulate the attic and walls, for example. We for the most part have done the most expensive energy fix, which was new windows, helped by a different NYS grant. There is about $2,500 in electrical upgrades that would improve energy efficiency. Conceivably we could get new estimates and end up with about $10,000 in energy upgrades, for which we would be reimbursed if successful $2,500, while the Library would have to lay out $7,500.

Several NYS Grants in the MHLS region last year were to improve handicapped access, although that was always combined with another form of renovation or upgrade. Our Library has several handicapped access needs that could be resolved. Perhaps the simplest would be to replace the door on the parking-lot side with a handicapped-accessible one, although that would also require us to move the book drop to a new, external location. A second improvement would be to make the ramp to that door meet specifications for width and incline. That improvement might also entail removing the metal fire escape, which under present-day rules would be illegal to use in case of fire (we could sell it for scrap). A more serious problem is access to the second-floor children's area and the meeting room, which would require some kind of elevator to resolve. Other problems may be beyond repair without major changes in the interior of the library. The toilet is far from handicapped-accessible. Even the stacks do not meet Americans with Disability Act (ADA) standards.

If we could find the money in our tight budget of this year to pay our 3/4 of the cost, we might apply for a share of the NYS $14 million. It would appear to me that we could not make a major commitment this year, but perhaps I am being pessimistic. One significant Foundation grant might even make a stand-alone elevator possible. The ideas will be discussed in the fundraising and building committees, but you are encouraged to use the comment section of this blog to add your own ideas as to what we should do.

March Madness? The Library Version

2010-03-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

Earlier this evening (March 18) we held the March Pleasant Valley Free Library Board meeting. It was the first meeting for our two new Board members, Donna Letteri and Sue Holland. Probably because the Board has moved the starting time for regular meetings up from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., there was a little time before the meeting got started that was used profitably in bringing the new members up to date on our plans for Chapter 414. We will need to get somewhat more than 600 registered Pleasant Valley voters to sign a petition asking for our proposal to be put on the ballot in November. The proposal is to increase Town taxes by about the cost of a large cup of coffee per month, although when multiplied by the number of taxable units in the Valley, it is a more frightening sounding increase of $80,000. The new Trustees wanted to know why we needed the increase. The answer is partly inflation and significantly less funding by the State and County. They also wanted to know what would happen if the vote in November goes against us. Library Director Daniela Pulice plans to give us a detailed list of services that will be cut or reduced. Note that we would not lose the current level of funding if the vote fails, but that level is not sufficient to run the Library in the manner to which we are now accustomed. Indeed, another topic discussed during the regular meeting was what we are going to do if we lose another $5,000 in funding this year, which is beginning to seem likely. There is no fat in the present budget that we can turn to, although in the unlikely event that no maintenance problems surface, we might make it through.

The meeting format has long featured reports by the various standing and ad hoc committees of the Library Board, but this year the reports are in writing and delivered as much as a week in advance of the actual meeting. Even with these at hand, we still find ourselves discussing matters of how to handle minor but annoying issues, such as how to remove the roots of some lilacs that were cut down last year to make room for the new sidewalk, to very large matters such as revising plans for expanding the Library building. Not all issues are easily resolved, so for the expansion plans we hope to have a special meeting in April with the whole Board and that as the single topic. This would be in addition to the regular April meeting at 6:00 p.m. on the third Thursday, April 15. Note that the public is always welcome to attend the regular meetings.

State Library Funding Going Down

2010-03-08T19:41:00.000-08:00

New York State funding for libraries is going downhill--as are all economic supports (except legislators' salaries and perks). If the Governor's Executive Budget is unchanged, and for libraries it probably will not be changed, New York State library support will be back at 1998 levels, and this does not even take inflation into account. Governor Patterson has proposed cutting $2.4 million from next year's budget. No other part of public education has been cut so often and so deeply.

New York library staff and friends of the libraries are lobbying intensely against the cuts. On March 2 nearly a thousand persons showed up in Albany to speak up in favor of at least maintaining library funding--fifty of those being from our own Mid-Hudson Library System. Although the final budget, if on time, will not be firm until April 1, the delegations were not encouraged to think that the legislature will restore full funding.

Of course, New York State is not alone in facing severe financial problems--most other states have similar gaps between their projected income and the amounts they have become used to spending. Our message to the states has to be that in a time of great joblessness, free public libraries are an essential part of recovery, giving out-of-work job seekers free computer time, self-help books, and even free entertainment from novels to DVDs of movies. Libraries need support from the state so that they can help restore normal personal incomes.

Campaign for New Library Funding begins

2010-03-03T19:25:00.000-08:00

Steve MacNish, who for the third time is heading a campaign to increase funding of the Pleasant Valley Free Library through a vote by the citizens of Pleasant Valley, went before the Pleasant Valley Town Board this evening (March 3) to explain our plans to the Town Trustees. This process, known as a Chapter 414 vote after the section of New York State law that instituted it, requires that a resolution asking for an increase in Town funding be signed by 10% of the voters (based on the number voting for governor most recently). When signed and duly recording by the Town Clerk, the resolution is put before the voters. If a majority approves, the Town adjusts its annual tax bill to provide the Library with the new level of funding. Under this procedure, once a level is established, it can only be changed by repeating the same process.

Our Library has used the Chapter 414 mechanism twice in the past ten years, getting a higher percentage of voter approval the second time than the first--winning both votes substantially. We ask for a medium amount for the period covered--in the first year or two the Town supplies slightly more money than we need to run the Library (along with the other Library funding from the State, County, Fines, and Donations). The excess is banked and then spent several years later as inflation catches up with the amount. When that money is spent, the Library may be forced to ask the voters to support a higher level of taxation or else it will have to reduce services.

Steve was backed up in his presentation by Library Trustees Bruce Donegan and Dave Kruger and Library Director Daniela Pulice. Below is a slightly edited report from Steve on the presentation to the Town Board.

Made it without any loss of limbs or bite marks. Gave a short brief similar to the one I gave our Board last month. Explained the $360K number that Daniela had determined is our target. This translates to a $26 increase per household per year. Cited LaGrange Library's $695K request, with the same circulation as our Library, three times the employees, and fewer hours of operation. Explained where costs were going up and what reduced state and county funding impact us. Answered questions with help from Daniela, Dave, and Bruce. Town Trustee Chris Hart asked the toughest question - what do we lose if the referendum is voted down? I indicated that fewer books, DVDs and other circulating items could be purchased, fewer hours open, charges for certain services now provided without charge.

Help Save Library Funds

2010-02-16T10:13:00.000-08:00

I’d like to urge all readers of the blog to visit http://protectnylibraries.org this week and join more than a thousand other library supporters across NY in speaking out about the Governor’s proposed 5^th cut to libraries in two years. Friend the movement on Facebook, sign the petition and use the link to cause the NYLA Online Advocacy Center to send a fax or email to your local NYS legislators.

Please share the ProtectNYLibraries.org web site with your friends, especially patrons of our Library as we march towards Lobby Day on Tuesday, March 2

[http://midhudson.org/funding/advocacy/bus2010.pdf]

Anything you can do to support NYLA in the next few weeks helps us make the case to restore library funding and fight the proposed cut when we are in front of Legislators on Lobby Day. For more information about Library Lobby Day, to register and information about the bus to Albany visit http://midhudson.org.

Financial Bones of the PVFL

2010-02-12T17:51:00.000-08:00

The Pleasant Valley Free Library (PVFL) Board of Trustees has for several years divided the handling of its finances into two parts. One reason is that New York State has strict rules for separating capital expenses, such as expansion of the building, from operating expenses, such as salaries; taxes; purchases of supplies, books, and DVDs; minor repairs; utility bills; and so forth. Monies for capital and operating are kept in separate accounts at the bank, not just on paper. But PVFL has gone farther than required by the State. We have different Trustees in charge of monitoring each category--the treasurer, currently Kim Brennan, handles the operating budget and signs most checks for expenses, while the deputy treasurer, currently your faithful blogger, keeps track of capital and is available to sign checks when needed.

For obvious reasons (see last sentence of preceding paragraph) this blog has largely been concerned with capital expenses, especially those relating to the building and the fundraising efforts to enable an expansion of the building--remember that you can contribute to the building expansion fund via the Community Foundation. But this post and many to come will be devoted to the other side, operating income and expenses.

Expenses first: Last year PVFL spent about $309 thousand, primarily on salaries and benefits which amount to more than 60% of expenses, while the second highest expense category consists of both print and nonprint purchases of media (books, DVDs, etc.), about 20% of the total. The remaining 20% of expenses includes computers and computer services, utilities, repairs, and supplies. In 2010 operating expenses are expected to increase by about 3%, mostly because of increases in the salary and benefits lines, some occasioned by keeping a full staff in place for the whole year.

The money that pays the operating expenses comes from a variety of sources. A surprising amount comes from fines, more than 6% of the total, which is more than double all the income from State and County grants. But almost 90% of all operating income is money that was approved by the vote of residents of Pleasant Valley, which is collected by the Town--hidden in your Town tax bill--and then distributed to the Library. This method of library funding in New York State is known as Chapter 414.

The current tax bill in Pleasant Valley is due to be paid by February 28. I am looking at my bill right now, in fact. Almost half of that bill is County tax and almost 20% is support for the Pleasant Valley Fire District. A third of the total is the Town tax, which includes, but does not break out, the Chapter 414 library funding. The total from all taxpayers of Chapter 414 money is $265,000. I am not sure how many tax-paying entities there are in Pleasant Valley, but with a population of 10,000 citizens, we might have 2,650 tax bills. If that is about the right figure, then on the average each tax bill might include $100 for the Library. It is a lot of service for very little money.

There will be more posts on this subject as the year progresses. The main points I want to make in this one are that 90% of the income for the PVFL comes from Chapter 414 funding and that this amounts to perhaps $100 per family per year.

Diminishing Help for Libraries

2010-02-04T06:15:00.000-08:00

Everyone in the United States must know by now that the "Great Recession" has disproportionately affected (in this order) the jobless, the over-borrowed, and governments at all levels. Those of us who still are employed (about 83% of the ordinary workforce) and with manageable debt are in good shape personally, but still cannot escape the problems of local, state, and our national governments. Also I should mention that the owners of many small businesses are harmed by lower demand for their products.

Libraries are one example out of many where the problems of underfunded government entities hit the otherwise financial happy camper. Some libraries are government entities themselves, being either part of a special library district or, worse from a financial point of view, part of a local school district--worse because school funding may be more affected by the Great Recession than aid to libraries. Free association libraries like the Pleasant Valley Free Library are hit hardest if they have not previously obtained Chapter 414 funding, since the local Town government, with financial problems of its own, is very likely to cut library spending drastically. This is of course a disaster for the library. Libraries that have previously had the voters support level funding through Chapter 414 are in less trouble because that part of their income cannot by law be reduced. But even 414 libraries, including the Pleasant Valley Library, suffer from the need to deal with greatly increased patronage that stems in part from the Great Recession and also from cuts in other forms of aid, notably county and state aid.

In Dutchess County, aid this year will be 87% of what it was the previous year--not an enormous decline, although how that will trickle down from the Mid-Hudson system to local libraries is not yet clear. State aid in the Governor's budget for 2010-2011 will be reduced by 2.76%. In dollars, this is a reduction of $2.4 million from last year's total of $86.8 million in library funding. This may not seem like a lot, but if the Governor's proposal is in the final appropriation, it will be the fifth cut to libraries in State funding over the past two years.

Reductions in State and Country funds combined with inflation gradually erode the ability of a library to provide adequate services to the community. When combined with the increased demand for these services that is occurring, in part, because of the Great Recession, a library faces serious financial problems. At the Pleasant Valley Free Library we have extended the use Chapter 414 money that was to have lasted for three years into the fourth year, but careful hoarding of resources can take us only so far. The time is coming fast when our library will either have to get a mandate for higher income from the Town voters or cut services.

Friends New Book Sales Starts Thursday!

2010-01-28T16:16:00.000-08:00

Pleasant Valley Library Friends’

Love your “Couch Potato” Media Sale

February 4 - 17

Bag sale starts Feb 15

Used Videos, CD’s, DVD’s, cassettes and Romance novels

Hours: Friday 1 – 6

Saturday 10 – 4

Monday – Thursday 10 – 8:30

Settle into that comfy couch on a cold winter day and watch a great movie or read a good book.

Tapes and CD’s have not been previewed.

We are not responsible for non-working items.

Library Growth Requires Building Expansion

2010-01-24T16:29:00.000-08:00

The past decade has seen phenomenal growth in library use—at the Pleasant Valley Free Library, circulation for 2009 was up 13% over 2008, for example. Free computers, DVDs of movies and books, and Wi-Fi account for higher levels of library use also. In Pleasant Valley, we ran out of space for expansion ten years ago. Since then we have been forced to discard a book for every new one purchased. We desperately need to expand the usable building space. In the past few years we have instituted appeals, fundraising events, and ways to contribute to our fund for building expansion online. So far these efforts have produced thousands of dollars, almost all from Pleasant Valley Library patrons, but we are still a long way from funding building expansion.

The building we now have—the Manse—is owned by the Library and the Presbyterian Church next door has given us a dollar-a-year lease on the land that extends for another 150 years. When we bought the Manse forty years ago, volunteers from the community help refit it for a library building and added the one-story wing where most of the books are shelved. The resulting building was adequate until about 2000, when major increases in library use began. We added a half-dozen more computers and places to shelve books and other materials wherever we could. Eventually, with the help of a large grant from the Fairchild foundation, we rebuilt most of the 2^nd floor of the Manse. In the process we solved structural problems that had developed over the years. Separately, we replaced the aging soffits below the roof overhang, repainted the meeting room and first-floor reading room, installed replacement windows, and replaced a broken flagstone walkway with concrete, spending well over $60,000 to keep the Manse in shaped.

Not only is the Manse too small for current Library activity, but also there are other problems. While the first floor is barely handicapped accessible via a ramp that does not meet ADA specifications, the second floor, where the Children’s collection and meeting room are, can only be reached by steep stairs. The meeting room, which is used daily by many different community groups, is also too small and furthermore can only be used during hours when the Library is open.

Ultimately, we need to double the effective size of the Library. As a first step, we need to create handicapped access.

The Library Trustees feel that they owe it to the Town to maintain the Manse, as the one of the few remaining historic buildings in Pleasant Valley. Also, the Trustees believe that it is important to keep the Library in its present central location. Architects have shown us that it is possible to expand the building sufficiently on the land we now lease and to blend the expansion with the existing building in a seamless fashion. We also believe that we can expand in stages, probably starting with improved handicapped access.

What we lack now is sufficient funding. Tax-free donations can be made through the Community Foundation of Dutchess County, either with checks or by credit card at the Website www.cfdcny.org, which can also be reached via the Library Website.

Some Financial Updates

2010-01-19T07:17:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that the financial picture locally as well as nationally was not good in 2009 and it is not clear that 2010 will improve that situation very fast, although most experts do predict some relief. However, many of the issues that institutions like the Pleasant Valley Free Library and the Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS) have to deal with are influenced by the experience of the previous year and the somewhat gloomy predictions for this year.

Funding from Dutchess County for MHLS and also State funds were problematical as we entered the next budget years. As I write, we still don't know what will happen at the State level, but after County funding was out and in the budget, the final result has been that MHLS will get 87% of the amount it received last year. I don't know exactly how that will filter down to individual libraries, but we are unlikely to get more than 87% of the $6,097 we received from the County last year. If we should receive the whole 87%, it would come to about $5,300, essentially a $700 cut. If all State aid should disappear, we would lose another $2,000 on top of that.

Meanwhile, MHLS has had to add a fee to member libraries for the holds and interlibrary loans it makes. This fee is being allocated to libraries based on their past use of the holds, so Pleasant Valley Library, whose patrons use holds extensively, is hit fairly hard--to the tune of $3,649 in fact. If you consider this in terms of the likely County reduction in funds, that is a budget reduction of about $4,350--$6,350 if State funds go to zero. There has been some discussion of charging 25 cents for holds to help make up the deficit.

Speaking of 25-cent charges, we have raised the late fees for audio CDs to $0.25 per day--but this is not primarily to raise money. Instead, it is intended to be an incentive for patrons to return the audio CDs sooner, as the queues waiting for these have become excessively long.

To Fine or Not to Fine

2010-01-12T06:43:00.001-08:00

The Julia L. Butterfly in Cold Spring was recently named the only four-star library in the Mid-Hudson System, an honor based on its service to patrons. Nevertheless, I was surprised to read the following note about a recent policy change there.

No More Fines: The Julia L. Butterfield Library in Cold Spring will no longer charge fines for items that are returned late. "I simply don't see a need to charge fines in our community," says Library Director Gillian Thorpe. "The majority of our patrons understand that the Library items belong to the whole community and they return borrowed materials quickly," she adds. Thorpe explains that the Library's goal is to share information and resources, not to punish the users. "We hope this simple change will make a difference to our patrons," she says. There will be a "guilt jar" on the front desk for those who choose to contribute something to the Library and any lost or broken items will still be billed for replacement value.

Last year the Pleasant Valley Free Library received about $20,000 in fines. While that is less than 7% of the total Library budget, it is an essential component--we received about as much income from fines as we spent on nonprint items, which includes all the CDs and DVDs. This is reasonable as the largest part of the fine income also comes from nonprint items. While I congratulate the Julia L. Butterfield library for their desire to treat patrons as responsible, I don't think that the Pleasant Valley Library could take that step without cutting important services.

My own feeling about paying fines has always been that it one way I actually help the Library, so long as I don't abuse the system by keeping popular items out of circulation for extended periods of time. However, my fines are usually less than a dollar or not much more. I might feel differently if I were to take out several nonprint items and have to pay fines on being weeks overdue with the whole batch.

See You at Chili's

2010-01-10T19:02:00.000-08:00

Don't forget the Pleasant Valley Library night at Chili's. Bring one of the following coupons with you.

Happily, Either a Correction or an Update

2010-01-06T19:20:00.000-08:00

In my recent review of events at the Pleasant Valley Free Library during 2009, I wrote about our new sidewalk: " It is thought that a state grant obtained by Marc Molinaro will pay for part of this project, although the state has been in such bad financial condition that not all of the original grant is likely to be forthcoming." Today I got a phone call from Assemblyman Molinaro's office, where someone had seen the blog post and took issue with it.

What I had in mind was that we apparently were going to receive 25% of the $6,700 that Mr. Molinaro had obtained for the Library as a member item to improve the safety of our patrons and access to the Library building. At the time I wrote, the Trustees believed that New York State's finances were so bad that remaining money for member items--not just ours, but all of them--would not be distributed. It had taken longer than we had expected to get the competing bids on the walk replacement and have the work done, so we felt that we had gone over any time when we might have received the full amount.

But the woman who called (Kerry? Cary?) told me that she had checked with the disbursing agency, in this case the Education Department, and learned that after we complete some additional paperwork, the remaining 75% of the money should be passed on to us. This is especially good news as the budget for 2010 is very tight and we have used the Chapter 414 reserves from earlier years.

Let me remind readers of the history of this member item. After we completed the renovation of the Children's Room, our then president Steve MacNish invited Assemblyman Molinaro to tour the Library. After seeing the new work, we told Mr. Molinaro about the many other needs of the Library--more then than today, as we have since completed the soffits repair and made other improvements. Mr. Molinaro said that if we could pin down the costs and present them to him in a letter, he would see what could be done about getting a member item to help pay for what is needed. Trustee Ardith Orr gathered the costs and prepared the letter, a lengthy process because contractors are slow in getting estimates done in many cases.

If it ever stops snowing, I will photograph the new walk and post it along with photos I have of the old hazard.

More Mid-Hudson Library System News

2010-01-05T07:55:00.000-08:00

Rebekkah Smith Aldrich of the Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS), who has frequently assisted the Pleasant Valley Library in the past, is now the Coordinator for Library Growth and Sustainability (previously she was Coordinator of Member Information). The idea is for Rebekkah to help libraries in the system improve

management
governance
funding
marketing, and
facilities

These are the main areas of interest for this blog, so we look forward to Rebekkah's help. Her portfolio includes sustainable funding, space planning, construction projects, and fundraising.

We on the Library Board sometimes complain about the fees we pay to the Mid-Hudson System, fees which are going to rise because of less State Funding and other changes. But we also receive a lot of service from Rebekkah and the other staff members of MHLS. In addition to coordinating the services of the libraries in the system (so that you can order a book that is only available in Red Hook to be delivered to you in Pleasant Valley, for instance), MHLS will provide about a dozen workshops during the year, many aimed at improving the knowledge of library Directors, but some for Trustees or for Friends groups. A new program at MHLS is based on the idea of promoting one service or idea throughout the system each month. The first of these, for January, will be devoted to Hudson Valley Reads, which is described in my post of December 16 (or you can find it by clicking on the Hudson Valley Reads entry using the index on the left).

Library Year in Review

2009-12-29T19:48:00.000-08:00

The Mid-Hudson Library System released a year-end review today, which included the information that 92% of library votes had positive results for the libraries involved, that State funding for libraries was cut twice and likely to be cut more, and that there was a huge increase in the number of library cards issued and materials borrowed.

This inspired me to look back on how the Pleasant Valley Free Library fared during 2009.

The Library: Growth continued at a fast pace, with circulation up every month of 2009 over the corresponding month in 2008—sometimes more than 20% higher than the year before.

New York State informed the Board that its bylaws that allowed up to fifteen Trustees needed to be replaced by a fixed number of Trustees. The Board decided that twelve would be more manageable than fifteen. Filling out the dozen members were two new Trustees, Kimberly Brennan and Leigh Toth.

The Building: The biggest change for this year was that we finally were able to repair the deteriorated soffits; these are the understructure for the part of the roof that extends beyond the building walls. From the top to the bottom of the building--crumbling cement in part of the foundation was discovered, which needed evaluation for safety and repair, both of which were accomplished by Kirchhoff Construction.

Another project that had long been planned was replacing the uneven flagstone path between the side of the building and the parking lot. The old path, when used, was a hazard, saved only because its location too close to ancient lilacs kept many from using it. The new concrete path extends to the base of the handicapped ramp and is easy to use (in part because we had to remove the overgrown lilac bushes). It is thought that a state grant obtained by Marc Molinaro will pay for part of this project, although the state has been in such bad financial condition that not all of the original grant is likely to be forthcoming.

An unexpected repair that required immediate attention was the lining of the chimney, which had come loose, making it impossible to use the furnace. This project was funded entirely by a grant from the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library.

Fundraising: The Fundraising Building Expansion Committee (FREB) had an active year that began with tours of the library for Trustees, Friends, and Town Board Directors. A fundraising letter to all the families in Pleasant Valley brought in about $3,500. In the fall there were a series of monthly fundraising events—Pleasant Valley Library Weekend at Barnes and Noble in September (arranged by Daniela Pulice, the Library Director), Pleasant Valley Library night at Pizzeria Uno in October (thanks to Kathy Morris), the terrific Helen Avakian and Terry Champlin concert in November (produced by Sue MacNish), and the Chili’s pancake breakfast in December (Kathy Morris again). All told, these events raised well over $2,500 for the building fund—and we have Pleasant Valley night at Chili’s coming up January 12 from 5 pm to 11 pm.

Friends: The annual Book Fair was a big success, raising about $4,200 (more than in recent years). The Friends also held a successful book sale in February, called “Warm Your Heart,” as it featured romances and was built around Valentine’s day; a paperback book sale for Pleasant Valley Days in September; and the traditional holiday sale of books suitable for gifts in December. Not only did the Friends pay for the chimney lining, more than the proceeds from the Book Fair, but they also bought some new shelving for the stacks. And those who attended the November concert were treated to cookies and other goodies prepared by the Friends.

Eat Well and Help the Library

2009-12-22T06:30:00.000-08:00

Chili's has long been one of my favorite chain restaurants, although I was unaware until this year that we have a branch in the Town of Poughkeepsie, right next to Bed, Bath, and Beyond across Route 9 from the Galleria Mall. Many friends of the Pleasant Valley Free Library were able to take advantage of Chili's charitable outreach to the community when they provided us with a free pancake breakfast on December 5--it was free to the library but we were able to charge $5 a person to raise money for the building-expansion fund. Nearly 60 persons were able to take advantage of the bargain breakfast with fellow library fans. A good time was had by all.

Or so I hear. I and some others I know were unable to attend that breakfast because of pressing business elsewhere that Saturday morning.

However, we are all getting a second chance through Chili's outreach. On Tuesday January 12 from 2:00 p.m. onward, diners at Chili's who provide the restaurant with a document showing that they are they are supporting the Pleasant Valley Library will once again be helping fund building expansion. A substantial portion of everything spent by friends of the Library that afternoon or evening will be donated to the fund. Be sure you have the proper form with you when you come to Chili's. These will be distributed soon by email and also will be available at the desk in the Library.

A similar program by Pizzeria Uno in November raised nearly $200 for the Library, but was marred somewhat because some friends of the Library arrived at Uno's but were turned away because, Uno's employees said, there was not room for more diners. But we do not expect a repeat of that problem on January 12, so bring your friends and enjoy a great dinner at one of my favorite chain restaurants. This time my wife and I will be there, too.

December Board Meeting

2009-12-17T19:24:00.000-08:00

The Library Board of Trustees held their December meeting earlier tonight (Thursday). One of the highlights was the election of officers for next year. Our new president is Maryelen Brown, back as president after two years of being treasurer (and before those two presidential years, she was also treasurer). Our new treasurer is Kim Brennan. Returning officers include Dave Kruger as vice-president, Daniela Pulice as secretary, and your humble correspondent as deputy treasurer in charge of capital funds.

Some other highlights:

Circulation is 21% higher than it was a year ago.
Music CDs can only be loaned for a week; fines are $0.25 per day for late returns.
At this point we have hopes that Dutchess Country will fund libraries at 87% of last year, although that still depends on overriding the veto of the county supervisor.
Our Library will participate in the Battle of the Books, a statewide competition for students from grades 3 to 12; we will need to raise $500 to support our entry.
The next fundraiser for building expansion will be dinner at Chili's Restaurant on Route 9 on January 12; just bring identification that you are from the Library and Chili's will contribute a portion of the cost of the meal (details in a later post).
Trustee Vincent Beltrani will be leaving the Board at the end of his term this month because of the pressure of business; he remains a friend of the Library.

News from Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS)

2009-12-16T19:16:00.000-08:00

I thought readers might be interested in this news from MHLS (see below).

Hudson Valley Reads Launched

A new feature has been added to the front of the Mid-Hudson Library System Online Catalog [http://gigcat.midhudson.org]called Hudson Valley Reads powered by BookLetters. This new readers' advisory tool enables patrons to sign-up for a monthly "e-alert" to receive book suggestions that will include new gems, bestsellers, and related titles in the category or categories they choose.

There are twenty-five categories to choose from including mysteries, new fiction, book club choices, business, Spanish, non-fiction bestsellers, romance, audio books, science fiction and fantasy, children's and teens - there's something for everyone! Patrons can click on a category to see a sample of what the e-alert provides.

Here are the instructions patrons see when they click on the Hudson Valley Reads icon on the front of the catalog:

Are you looking for a good book to read or listen to? Sign up for our
e-alerts and get great book suggestions by email. We'll deliver reading lists right to your inbox which will include new gems, bestsellers, and related titles. You'll also be able to check immediately whether the items are available at your local Library or whether they've been checked out.

To get started:
1. Click on the check box next to each e-newsletter you want to receive.
2. Enter your e-mail address in the box provided at the bottom of the page.
3. Click on the Subscribe button at the bottom of the page.

Library staff that work with patrons should check out this new feature and subscribe to a list or two to see what it's like within the next few weeks. In January MHLS will supply talking points for staff, bookmarks, and a sample newsletter article that libraries can use to promote the new service to their patrons.

And, by the way, our current Pleasant Valley Free Library Board President, Steve MacNish, will be joining the Board of MHLS after his term as president ends at the end of this year. Happily, he will also remain on the Pleasant Valley Library Board as well. We need all the help we can get, especially from the most experienced Trustee we have ever had.

Some Financial Success

2009-12-10T16:23:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report that Daniela (our Library Director) has learned that most of the County funding for libraries has been restored by legislative action. Now that is not final, since the County Executive--a Pleasant Valley resident--can still veto line items in the legislative budget. Often the legislature then overrides the veto, but we cannot count on that. So it looks as if we will be okay at the County level, but it is not sure.

Furthermore, the County money does not go directly to the community libraries--it goes to the Mid-Hudson Libraries, which then redistributes it in sort of a potlatch. If the total amount is not the same as last year, library directors will have to fight each other for their share of the allocation.

In hard times, everything is more complicated.

Building Expansion Committee Working on Problem

2009-12-09T19:29:00.000-08:00

Recently the Building Expansion Committee of the Library Board--Ardith Orr (chair), Maryelen Brown, Bryan Bunch, Greg Galarza, David Kruger, and Steve MacNish--has been meeting to rethink our plans for expanding the physical facilities of the Library. While there have been many improvements in the past two or three years, ranging from completely redoing the 2nd floor Children's Room to relining the furnace, all of these have been directed to redoing the existing facilities. We have known since 2000 that our Library does not have enough space for books and other materials nor for all the meetings and events that could be held in the Library. The original building committee conducted studies of the needs, hired an architect, worked with the architect on expansion plans, and also paid for a study of the potential for financing building expansion. But most of that happened five years ago or more. More recently the focus has been on the fundraising committee, a different group with some overlap of members, rather than on the basic plan itself. The Building Committee has been meeting to review those original plans and see what changes need to be made today.

If you have ideas that you think might help the Building Committee, feel free to add them as comments to this blog. The comment section of the blog has been underutilized in the past. I promise that ideas posted as comments will reach the Building Committee or the fundraisers or both.

The conclusion of the Building Committee, however, was that we could not progress much farther in planning without knowing that we have access to considerably more funds than have been raised so far. So, although the Building Committee will continue to meet and hope to improve our plans, we are passing the ball back to the fundraising committee, which should at its January meeting start a new impetus toward both raising money and raising awareness. Anyone who is interested in being a part of this operation can email Bryan Bunch at bbunch@hvc.rr.com for details of when and where we are meeting. I will be happy to have you on the list.

In the meantime, don't forget the next fundraising activity that is already scheduled--diners at Chile's on January 12 who identify themselves as friends of the Pleasant Valley Free Library will have a percentage of their expenditure credited to the building fund. A similar fundraiser at Pizzaria Uno earlier this year was a lot of fun and raised some cash, so please plan to come out for this one.

Library Growth over the Decade

2009-12-08T17:18:00.000-08:00

The Mid-Hudson quarterly publication for Trustees, Across the Board, has many interesting statistics concerning changes in the system over the decade from 1998 to 2008. I was a volunteer and a new Board member in 1998 and just reading the statistical portrait of the system brought back memories of a Pleasant Valley Free Library that was barely able to operate, and which could not have done so without a dedicated corps of volunteers. We did not have enough money to keep a Director very long, and the staff at the time often worked without a Director as the Board searched for someone with an MLS degree who was willing to work for peanuts.

Of course we were not alone. Larger library districts always had means to allow stable funding by taxpayers, but until the passage of chapter 414 in 1995, small free-association libraries depended on the kindness of others--Town Boards, citizen donations, and fund-raising activities such as book sales--to grow. Because the voters of Pleasant Valley have supported two Chapter 414 campaigns, the Library has had stable funding that has enabled the growth of the past ten years.

One of the statistics that struck me the most was that 40% of Mid-Hudson libraries have expanded their buildings during the decade and three more are in process of doing it. Our library should be in that 40%, but so far we have fallen short in our expansion plans. Recent fundraisers have helped, but it is clear we need to move faster than we have so far.

Although citizen support have enabled libraries in the Mid-Hudson group to more than double their income (somewhat misleading because general financial inflation accounted for 32% of the rise), the amazing figures, helped by a small population growth in the region, are the 55% increase in circulation and the 73% increase in program attendance. Libraries continue to grow faster than almost anything (except maybe medical costs).

Library Budgets in Bad Trouble

2009-12-08T06:26:00.000-08:00

An economic downturn is the worst time to cut library funding since libraries provide both the facilities people need to find better jobs, to improve their chances of getting a job, and even free entertainment for the down time of unemployment. Despite this, the Country is on the verge of taking all funding from the Mid-Hudson Libraries, which would impact the Pleasant Valley Free Library by removing $9,000 from budgeted income, a significant amount that can only lead to reduction of services. Furthermore, the State is also cutting funding--see the article below from the Mid-Hudson MLHS Bulletin.

In an unprecedented chain of events the New York State Legislature approved a plan to cut libraries for a fourth time in 20 months, at a level deeper than the Governor had proposed. In previous years the legislature has fought against cuts to libraries proposed by this Governor and past Governors, either reducing a cut or eliminating it all together, but not this time.

Legislators have cut libraries by 12.5%, an additional 2.5% deeper than Governor Paterson proposed. This most recent round of cuts brings Library Aid down to 1998 levels and results in a ~$40,000 cut to MHLS in the last month of our fiscal year.

"The New York Library Association (NYLA) is outraged that the Legislature would actually agree to cut funding for libraries above what the Governor originally proposed in his Deficit Reduction Plan (DRP)," stated Michael J. Borges, NYLA Executive Director, "Despite record increases in library usage, especially among the unemployed using library resources to look for jobs or research new careers, the Legislature has ignored our role in providing educational services and critical information to people of all ages," continued Mr. Borges.

What does this mean to your library and the System? It means that our area legislators did not fight for us. It means that your patrons need to know that and should be as upset as the library community is over this treatment. Patrons need to take action now and continue to do so into next year when libraries will undoubtedly face more cuts. Here's what you and your patrons can do right now to make a difference:
- Call or visit your NYS Senator and Assemblyperson in their local office. Contact information for all MHLS area legislators is available on the MHLS homepage: http://midhudson.org/
- Become aware of the New Yorkers for Better Libraries Political Action Committee (NYLIBS-PAC): "The New Yorkers for Better Libraries Political Action Committee was established in 2003 by library leaders who believe that there is a need to supplement the library

Did You Get the Blast?

2009-11-30T19:45:00.000-08:00

Several of the innovations of the past year or two at your Pleasant Valley Free Library concern communications. These range from the automated phone calls for overdue books to an improved--and soon to be improved further--Website and, of course, this blog. We are trying also to use old forms of communication better, such as more frequent announcements of events in the local newspapers and calendars. And how about the Friend's sandwich signs announcing book sales!

If we have your email address, we now use a sophisticated system to send you an email newsletter each month, designed and assembled by Trustee Kathy Morris and Director Daniela Pulice. The same system can be used for sending out individual notices of coming events. The colorful, one-page announcements are called "blasts."

If you are on the email list, you just got the latest blast, announcing the details on the all-you-can-eat breakfast at Chile's. For $5 per person--all proceeds going to the Building Expansion Fund--you get pancakes, bacon, sausages, and drinks. The event is from 8 to 10 on December 5, this coming Saturday. Tickets are available at the library.

The food and location are both donated by Chile's, the restaurant on Route 9 across from the Galleria. Join your fellow patrons, have a great time, and support the Building Expansion.

Looking Ahead to 2011

2009-11-23T19:36:00.000-08:00

The Pleasant Valley Library, and all the libraries in Dutchess County, face serious trouble if the County Legislature fails to restore County funding for 2010 (see previous post). But whether or not we are supported by the County, the Pleasant Valley Library will need to do something to be able to operate in anything like its normal fashion in 2011. During the years 2007-2010 money from Town taxes has enabled our Library to be among the leaders in circulation, hours open, and services--although we continue to do so with less than half the staff of libraries with a similar circulation, thanks to our wonderful active corps of volunteers. We will still have the same level of Town funding at least in 2011, but experience has shown that expenses rise every year and that will not be enough. Without additional Town help starting in 2011, we will have to cut services and materials for loans.

New York State library law provides the remedy for this problem. As inflation or expanding population served necessitates increases in a library's budget, the legal remedy for a free-association library is to ask the voters of the Town to increase the funds, based on a law known as Chapter 414. The present 414 funding began in 2007 and was intended to be a level that could last for three years, but we stretched it to four by keeping spending low (the first 414 level was supposed to have lasted for five years, but we managed to keep that level for seven years). So we will have to run a 414 campaign in 2010 for a vote a year from now on a yet-to-be-determined higher level of Town funding.

I saw in the Poughkeepsie Journal this morning that Pleasant Valley Town taxes are already scheduled to rise by 8.9% in 2010. Although a typical 414 increase is considerably less than that--about the cost of one new book per year--you might think that the chances of getting the voters to approve increasing Library funding would be slim. The good news is that people all over the county love their libraries are are willing to keep them operating. In 2009, 24 out of 26 votes for increasing library funding in the Mid-Hudson region passed. The two losses were in Greenport by 18 votes and in Milton by 23 votes. So remember that every single vote is vital.

County Threatens to Cut Library Funding

2009-11-22T19:25:00.000-08:00

At the Library Board meeting last Thursday (November 19), Library Director Daniela Pulice reported on the possible loss of funding from Dutchess County. This normally comes in two parts--$6,000 that is given directly to the Library and $3,000 that is sent to Mid-Hudson to pay for their services. If we lose the funding, we will need to replace the entire $9,000 some way. At the Board meeting, the only likely way would be to cut Library services--hours or staff or purchase of materials--by $9,000, since the budget that was just adopted is extremely tight. At this point, the budget also uses the last of the saved money from the Town, so that is not a possible cushion. ("Saved money from the Town" refers to the money the Town pays because the citizens voted for the amount in what is known as a Chapter 414 vote. The 414 money is a level amount once it has been voted. The long-range Library financial plan was based on saving some of the 414 money from 2007 to use in 2009 to cover higher costs, but with tight budgeting we saved enough to cover costs through 2010, just barely,)

All of the County library funding is supposed to be cut in the budget released by County Executive William Steinhaus. He has cut library funding in the past, but the County Legislature has always overruled him on this point, so the funding was kept in the final budget. This year, however, the chances of the Legislature overriding the Executive are not as good as they have been in the past. According to library officials, it looks as if there are five County Legislators whose vote will be needed but right now is uncertain.

One of the Legislators whose vote is needed is our own Suzanne Horn, a friend of the Pleasant Valley Free Library and a member of the Building Expansion Fundraising Committee. But she also is a Republican, who might go along with Republican Steinhaus, and furthermore, the threat is that there will be a face-off between Town road patrols by the Sheriff's deputies and Library funding. Since both services are needed and it is thought that we can only get funding for one, legislators may be swayed who otherwise are big library supporters.

I urge all friends of the Pleasant Valley Free Library to do what they can to make Suzanne and the other County Legislators aware of how important library services are to the community. If the Steinhaus budget for 2010 stands, then the Pleasant Valley Library Budget, approved last week, falls.

Holiday Book Sale and Other Events

2009-11-21T19:12:00.000-08:00

The Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library began their annual holiday book sale this week (starting November 19. The sale, which features gift-quality hardcover books for the most part, as well as CDs and DVDs and other items, will run until December 26, fittingly known as Boxing Day, since the Friends will on that day box up the remaining books and return them to storage until the Book Fair (April 30 to May 2 in 2010).

Speaking of Dates, there are a couple more fundraisers for Building Expansion coming up. As you may recall, we had successful fundraisers in September (Barnes & Noble's Pleasant Valley Library Weekend), in October (Pleasant Valley Library Night at Pizzeria Uno), and in November (the Helen Avakian, Terry Champlin concert). These raised nearly $2,000 after expenses. The next fundraiser is the pancake breakfast at Chile's on December 5, which will be followed by a Pleasant Valley Library Night at Chile's on January 11 or January 12--date to be finalized soon. The details of these two events will be sent out to our email list (to be a part of it, email Daniela at danielapulice@hotmail.com and she will gladly add you), but I will also provide blog posts with more details as they come to me.

The Helen Avakian and Terry Champlin concert was an amazing success artistically as well as in every other way. The Building Expansion Fundraising Committee owes a big debt of gratitude to Sue MacNish, who organized the event, even providing the flowers that decorated the stage at the Pleasant Valley Presbyterian Church. The Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library brought forth wonderful cookies, brownies, and other snacks, while Adams Fairacre Farms provided cheese and crackers, washed down with wonderful fresh apple cider, a gift from Terhune Orchards. The music was simply wonderful. You have never heard Rhapsody in Blue completely until you have heard Helen's steel guitar version. Everyone there seemed to me to have a wonderful evening.

We are hoping to have the next concert in the series in February or March. Many details are to be worked out, but it appears that the next one might be jazz instead of folk, although Irish music is also in the picture. I will keep you informed as it develops.

Return of the Library Blog

2009-11-21T19:07:00.000-08:00

Your Pleasant Valley Library blogger went on a long vacation on September 21, which has been followed by PVSD (post-vacation stress disorder) as I tried to catch up on life. Although still not quite caught up, it is time to return to blogging. I aim to return to my previous goal of a couple of blog posts a week, depending somewhat on what is going on at the Library. I hope that my readers will come back to the fold, although that may be slow.

PVFL Weekend at B&N

2009-09-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

Just want to remind you that September 26 and 27 constitute the Pleasant Valley Free Library weekend at Barnes and Nobel on Route 9 on the south side of the Town of Poughkeepsie. For this weekend only, the bookstore will take 10% of every purchase (even in the coffee shop) and donate it to the Building Expansion Fund--all you have to do is to inform the person at B&N who takes your money or credit card that you are making this purchase to help the Pleasant Valley Library.

There are several events at B&N this weekend also. Local author Susanna Hill will read from her book Not Yet Rose, a charming tale of an expectant mother and her expecting daughter. Also, there will be TWO other story hours featuring Julie Popless, Children's Librarian in Pleasant Valley. A detailed program will be emailed to patrons before the event.

This coming weekend (September 19-20) is the annual Pleasant Valley Days celebration, missed last year because of the flood. Come to the lawn in front of the Library from 10 to 3 each day for sales of paperback books, Halloween books, and tickets to the Helen Avakian Fundraiser on November 7,

Thanks for Help with Building Improvements

2009-09-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that the lilacs have been removed from the parking-lot side of the Manse. Soon--probably before you read this--the walk along that side will be completely rebuilt, making the Library more accessible from that side of the building and also providing a much safer walkway. You may recall the old walk (pictured above). The new walk will be paid for by a member item from our State Representative Marc Molinaro. Many thanks.

Assemblyman Molinaro is not the only person or company or organization we need to thank. Several others have contributed time or money in the past few months.

Recently some problems with the building foundation were corrected by Kirchhoff Construction. We appreciate their help, especially since they apparently donated their time, so the work was done at cost.

About that time, we discovered that the chimney liner had developed a problem, so we could not use the furnace until it was repaired. This time the Malcarne Construction came to our rescue with a very low cost (we had other much higher bids). Also, since this was a safety issue, the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library paid the entire bill, which was several thousand dollars even at the low fee from Malcarne.

While on the subject of improvement to the Manse, I hope you all have noticed the new soffits (up around the roof). While this major repair was actually paid for by the Library from reserve funds, we are most appreciative of the excellent work by Conrad Firgado.

SAVE THESE DATES

2009-08-29T19:29:00.001-07:00

The Building Expansion fundraising effort is shifting into a higher gear for fall. The photo above represents just one of several opportunities to enjoy yourself while also contributing to the funds for adding 5,000 square feet to the Library, which has been recognized as needed for nearly ten years. Here are some of the events you should keep in mind (but not all of them, since some dates are still being firmed up):

September 19-20: Pleasant Valley Days will include a paperback book sale by the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library. (Remember that if you click on text that is in color and underlined, you will link to an appropriate Website.) The fundraising opportunity at this event for the Building Expansion is that this is when tickets will go on sale for the first of the Library concert series. Sales of donated paperback books will benefit the Friends.

September 26-27: Pleasant Valley Library weekend at Barnes and Noble (Route 9, south of Poughkeepsie). A percentage of your purchases will be donated by B&N to the Building Expansion fund. Among other planned events, you can take in a book reading by well-known children's book author Susanna Hill.

November 7: The kick-off concert in our series. All the proceeds of this concert, which features Helen Avakian and Terry Champlin (see photo above), will go toward the Building Expansion fund. The folk and classical-guitar concert is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Pleasant Valley Presbyterian Church. Light refreshments will follow the music.

December 5: An all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast at Chile's (near Bed, Bath, and Beyond across from the Galleria on Route 9). Ticket prices have not been set yet, but they will be low compared to what one might normally pay. All the proceeds, not just a percentage, go to the Building Expansion fund. Maximum number admitted is only 200, so be sure to get your tickets early.

Final Logos are Here

2009-08-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

Notice the new logo that adorns the left-hand column of this blog. It replaces the interim logo that has been in that spot recently, which in turn had replaced the photo of the Manse that I used when the blog started. I think it is a great logo, designed by Steve Simoni (husband of trustee Beatrice Simoni) with considerable input from the Board, especially trustee Kathy Morris, who also served as liaison between the Board and the Simonis.

Notice that the very artistic tree has four main fruits, representing the main items in the Library's collection--books, CDs and DVDs, and audio materials, as well as the tool used by patrons and staff alike, the computer. At the size you are most likely to see the logo, it may not be apparent that the patron who is leaning upon the Library tree appears to have a pencil tucked behind his ear.

The logo appears in several slightly different forms. The green version that is shown here is labeled "BUILDING EXPANSION FUND." The green color is to indicated that this logo is part of our efforts to raise money for the much needed expansion of the Library facilities. The Library itself has a version of the logo that is colored blue. The Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library will use a logo that is labeled "FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY" and is colored purple.

Speaking of the Friends: They have just started a membership drive. They have become the first group at the Library to make use of the Newsletter list and design facilities to send a message to all on our email list, in this case the story of the Friends' 2009 activities and an appeal for patrons to join the Friends. If you do not now receive the emailed Newsletter or other Library announcements, please let Daniela (danielapulice@hotmail.com)

or other members of the Library staff add you to the list.

Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library Meet

2009-08-11T17:35:00.001-07:00

Yesterday (August 10) the Library Friends met with Daniela Pulice, the Library Director, to discuss spending money that the Friends have been raising to improve the Library; to plan for several upcoming events; to discuss ideas for future fundraisers; and to develop ways to recruit more members. We were joined also by Sue MacNish from the Building Expansion Fundraising Committee, who brought exciting plans for a November concert, which the Friends are happy to aid in promoting.

As currently planned, the concert will feature well-known folksinger Helen Avakian and her husband (also a folksinger) and possibly some additional acts. It is currently scheduled for November 7. There will be considerable publicity announcing the details as they become finalized. Donations by the attendees will go to support the Building Fund. This concert is expected to be the first of a series, all in support of the Building Fund.

The money that the Friends raised in the past year has been allocated to safety improvements for the Manse. Recently it was discovered that a flaw in the heating system had arisen since last winter. The Friends' funds will in part be used to correct that before the Library once again needs heat--I write this on a day that had a high of 88 so there is plenty of time for the repairs. Another problem, cracks in the foundation, was discovered this spring and has been fixed by Kirchhoff Construction. That bill will also be paid by the Friends when it arrives. The work was done at cost by Kirchhoff, so the bill needs to be prepared by hand. Originally the Friends also expected to pay for reconstructing the sidewalk on the driveway side of the Manse, but a member item from Marc Molinaro will cover that safety improvement.

Expect the Friends to have a terrific paperback sale during Pleasant Valley Days in September, as well as the sale of better donated books during the holiday season.

Circulation Going Up, Up, Up!

2009-07-28T06:21:00.000-07:00

The Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS) as a whole is experiencing continued and sustained growth, and the Pleasant Valley Free Library is part of the story. Compared to 2008, circulation in the MHLS libraries rose 6.5%, while for the same period Pleasant Valley saw growth of 5.6%. Similarly, over five years the MHLS circulation went up by 33% and Pleasant Valley saw a growth of 12%. Here are the statistics released by MHLS today:

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The first half of 2009 saw a 12% increase in holds through the MHLS automated system compared to the same period of time in 2008.This mid-year statistic reveals that patrons are using our libraries at what seems like an ever-rising pace in our System. Holds grew by 15.8% between 2007 and 2008, an increase library patrons are on track to duplicate again in 2009. An analysis of the 2008 Annual Report data shows circulation growth in all areas:

2008 Statistics: 2007 compared to 2008

Total Circulation: up 6.5%
Holds: up 15.8%
Adult Books: up 6.8%
Children's Books: up 7.2%
Non-Print (all): up 5.9%

Check out the growth we've seen over the past 5 years:
Total Circulation: up 33%
Holds: up 320%
Adult:
- Fiction: up 27%
- Non-fiction: 26.3%
- Non-print: 57.3%
Children:
- Books: 24.5%
- Non-print: 44.5%

These increases have significant impacts on our staff, budgets and system resources.

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The most recent one-month comparison for Pleasant Valley showed a rise of 17% over the same month in 2008.

Many of the MHLS libraries have enlarged their buildings to deal with the increase in library use, including (a sampling) Beekman, Starr in Rhinebeck, Pine Plains (a whole new building), and of course Adriance. So far Pleasant Valley has not been able to enlarge to meet the new demands because we still lack the funds necessary to start building--you can contribute to the Building Fund via the Community Foundation at this Website, just make sure you indicate that the donation is for the Pleasant Valley Free Library Building Fund. As we watch our funds grow for building expansion, we also find that we need to spend capital funds to improve and repair the present Manse. Indeed, we have made substantial improvements in the past few years and more are in the works.

Belated Report on Mailing

2009-07-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

When the fundraising arm of the Building Expansion Committee in 2008 sent out a mailing to every postal address in Salt Point and Pleasant Valley, we got a good response even though our letter asking for donations had nothing on the outside to indicate that it was from the Pleasant Valley Free Library. When we asked the trustees if they all received the letter, most of the ones not directly involved with fundraising had thrown it away without opening it. We strongly suspected that this was the case throughout the Town of Pleasant Valley.

With that problem in mind, the fundraising committee developed a new letter in April, 2009. This time we had the aid of Kathy Morris, now a trustee and member of the committee, who is a professional public relations consultant. The result was a letter that had a smart new logo on the outside (designed by the husband of trustee Beatrice Simoni, another professional) and a professional look inside. In fact, it was so professional looking that at least one patron called the Library to make sure it wasn't a hoax--it looked so much better than our previous letter.

It has taken a while to gather the information on this mailing, but I can report as of today, it appeared to generate $5,000, about a third of money contributed by individual donors so far. Let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who worked on the mailing as well as the 64 donors. While the building fund is a long way from where we want to be, we are most appreciative of the contributions from patrons. In the near future, we expect to start fundraising events, and we continue to seek foundation and political support. Other libraries have succeeded--although it often takes years--and we can, too.

Raising Roofs and Cash

2009-07-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

About 10 years ago, the Manse that houses the Pleasant Valley Free Library needed a new or refurbished roof. At that time, the Manse was thought to be the last building in the Town of Pleasant Valley that still had a slate roof. The trustees hoped to maintain the slate roof, but cost estimates for repair were far beyond anything we thought we could finance. This was before the Library had steady funding from Town taxes; we depended on whatever the Town Board could fit into their budget, which amounted to not quite enough to run the Library much less make expensive repairs on a slate roof.

After interviewing several roofers and getting bids, we decided to settle on an artificial roof that is designed to look like slate (although in my opinion it does not do this very well). Senator Saland obtained a member item of $12,000 from the State for the project, and with that and some Library funds we got the new roof.

This ancient history came to mind as I read today about how Rosendale Library faced and resolved the same issue. They too have a slate roof that dates from 1876. Needed repairs, using slate from the same quarry in Vermont, cost $136,000 (nearly twice what the Pleasant Valley Free Library budget was the year we faced the roof-repair issue).

How did Rosendale manage? First, they got a commitment from the State education department to match $68,000 if they could raise that much. Their State Senator also came through with a member item, this one for $25,000. Donations for the roof project brought in $26,000. The Library had enough available funds from interest on its endowment to complete the match.

Today the Pleasant Valley Free Library is engaged in a bigger project than a new roof. We need to add space to the Manse so that we can house more books, other materials, and computers as well as provide a larger and more accessible meeting room for the town. The Rosendale example appears to me to be a good guide as to how to go about it. We need to look for some larger funding and it may come from an unexpected source--I would never have thought that the State education department would help fund a slate roof, for example. We need to seek public and foundation money. The appeal to local donors needs to be continued and improved. Finally, we probably are going to need to use some Library funds to finish the job. It is a major effort and has already taken years to get off the ground.

Always Keep Your Books DRY!

2009-06-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

Hello after a few weeks' absence. Readers of this blog probably already know that I underwent an aortic valve replacement and triple bypass on June 9. I am happy to report that my recovery is proceeding on schedule, and I expect to be better than before by the end of July, if not sooner.

Meanwhile, thanks to email and the occasional phone call or visit, I have kept up with Pleasant Valley Free Library affairs to some degree. So I can report on the newest improvements, even though I was not directly involved or present.

On June 26, Maryelen Brown, trustee and Treasurer, reported that the dehumidifier in the basement had given its last gasp and was declared dead. Although our library basement seldom has a significant amount of water on the floor, and a sump pump and keeping materials that could be damaged by water off the floor handles that problem, the basement is not only cold (from leaky air-conditioning ducts) but also very humid when left to its own devices. This humidity is very bad for the thousands of books that are sorted and stored there between book sales. Hence, a working dehumidifier is a necessity.

Maryelen noted that we did not have money budgeted for this particular emergency, so her first thought was that we might find a friend of the Library who would donate an unused unit. But the basement is quite large and humid, so it appeared that a simple home unit would not suffice. Barb Shapley and the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library immediately came to the rescue. They recognized that this was an important issue for the Friends because sales of the donated books are the backbone of the Friends' finances.

With the Friends' financial backing, Board President Steve MacNish was able to swing into action immediately. One day after the death of the old dehumidifier, Steve purchased and installed a new Energy-Star-rated dehumidifier rated at 65 pints a day. I guess that means it removes 65 pints, or a bit more than 8 gallons, of water from the air. It was the forth highest rated unit by Consumer Reports, and on sale to boot. As an additional bonus, Steve notes that it produces a lot of heat in the process, so perhaps the basement will be less chilling for the future as well as dry.

About That Scaffolding

2009-05-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

A patron asked me last week what the scaffolding in the front of the library was all about. It is about much needed repairs. As you can see in these photos, the ornamental braces that seem to hold up the roof extension and gutters are in really bad shape, as is the roof extension itself and--although not visible in these photos--the gutters. Technically, anything that is the underside of a structural component (such as a cornice or in this case the roof extension) is called a soffit. On the Library Board, the problem of fixing all this part of the roof has generally been called the "repairing the soffits." In my mind, this has meant the ornamental braces, but after I consulted the dictionary, I realize that the whole underside of the roof extension is a soffit. The gutters, although not really part of a soffit, also need repair.

The Library Board has been aware of this problem for many months. Our first problem was finding a suitable carpenter, one experienced in restoring historic houses. We thought we had one. He met with our architect and discussed the problems in detail. He returned on his own and measured and photographed the soffits. He promised an estimate. He again promised an estimate. Weeks and then months went by. When contacted, the carpenter continued to promise the estimate, which we were told was written and on his desk. Eventually, however, when no estimate was forthcoming, we gave up.

We started again. We had hoped that we could get a grant that would help fix the soffit problem. Trustee Ardith Orr collected three estimates from carpenters who actually supplied them, although this took some time as well. The estimates were included in requests for member items addressed to our state senator and state assemblyman. Although the assemblyman did provide funding for a different project, we have so far not received an answer from the senator (who, to be fair, has often helped the library in the past--but he is a Republican and the New York State Senate has gone Democratic, with considerable reduction in money available to Republicans for member items).

There seemed to be no recourse. The repairs were long overdue. The Board accepted the most suitable bid from a supplier, the reliable carpenter who had already reconstructed the second floor Children's Room and repaired joists in the roof for us. We are forced to take the funds to pay for this from our Capital Savings, although we still are hoping for help from a senate member item. The repairs are quite expensive--about the same as the second-floor renovation and the new joists combined--but absolutely necessary.

Work started a couple of weeks ago, which is why the scaffolding is there. While the results of this repair job may not be obvious to the casual viewer, we think we have saved a vital architectural element. Also we hope that it will help keep bats and birds from invading the Library attic.

Flip Mino Video Camera Grant

2009-05-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

The Pleasant Valley Free Library was among the twenty-two libraries in the Mid-Hudson system to get a grant of $386 to use in purchasing a Flip Mino Video Camera. The camera is to be used by "young people to use in creating videos about favorite books, why they love their library, original writings and other creative projects." Projects like these should certainly enrich the Library experience. This is still brand new and I at least am not entirely sure how it will work, but it is yet another great way for a Library to improve the community.

Library Challenges for Safety and Handicapped Access

2009-05-12T19:49:00.001-07:00

The Library Board met in a rare Tuesday session today, part of a reduced summer schedule. In addition to welcoming new member Kim Brennan, reviewing finances, and discussing how to obtain a fair assessment on adding property to the site, we all moved outside at the end of the meeting to contemplate the problems and promises of resolving the issues on the parking-lot side of the Manse. Look at the two photos above.

In the top photo you see the flagstone walk that no one uses, which is just as well since it is uneven and could cause a user to trip. With financing from the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library, we hope to see this fixed. Also, we would remove the ancient lilacs and other planting so that the walk could be farther from the driveway, since many modern automobiles are built in such a way that they project over the walk when parked.

Now consider the second photo. We realized that the walk issue is closely connected to the improvement of handicapped access to the Library via the ramp. The iron fire escape in the photo is no longer considered safe, and needs to be removed if we widen the ramp and reduce the slope to make it conform to modern standards for wheelchair access. Fortunately, State Assemblyman Marc Molinaro has arranged for a grant to help resolve these problems--and also to install a door that can be opened by a button as is also needed for true handicapped access. It is not clear, however, that we should remove the fire escape when we have no other second escape from the Children's Section on the second floor--although not officially safe, it clearly could be used in an emergency.

The ramp and the walk both terminate in what is often taken for part of the parking lot. Although it is part of the blacktop, cars are not supposed to park up close to the building. There is nothing there to stop them, however, so they frequently are parked very close to the side of the ramp.

When the Board gathered outside and saw how the problems of the unsafe and unused walk are closely connected to the problems of the inadequate handicapped ramp, we asked Greg Galarza, head of the Building and Grounds committee, to seek a solution that would resolve all the problems at once. Stay tuned.

Some Recent Events (and Coming Attractions)

2009-05-06T19:14:00.000-07:00

The annual Book Fair is over, and it was perhaps the most successful ever, raising over $4,000 from the book, plant, and bake sales that will go to Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library. At this point they still expect to spend most of that money on safety issues for the Manse. The Building Expansion Fundraising Committee, nicknamed FREB, sold 50-50 raffle tickets. The prize was won by bake-sale operator Betty Lorentzen. Each share was $69.50, an amount that directly went to the Building Expansion Fund.

FREB also produced a second appeal for funds that was snail-mailed to each family in Pleasant Valley, including Salt Point. The reason for a new letter was that the previous one, about six months ago, did not identify the Library on the outside of the flyer, so many potential donors failed even to open it. The new one featured the new logo on the front and back, so we expect that more will take the time to read our message. The easy way to donate is online, but checks and cash are accepted as well.

On May 2, FREB conducted its second Library tour, with this one directed to members of the Town Board and the trustees of the Presbyterian Church. Daniela Pulice and Steve MacNish did a great job of leading the tour and the explanation of the building plans. The tour concluded with a free interchange of ideas over wine and cheese (and cranberry juice for the nondrinkers).

The next event coming up will be phase two of the plant sale. This will mainly feature disease-resistant, unusual, and cherry tomato plants, although there are expected to be some perennials on sale as well. All plants are just $1. The sale starts on May 18 in the Reading Room, although we hope to bring it outside on the front lawn if the weather cooperates.

The

Good News from Marc Molinaro

2009-04-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Last summer when we completed the renovation of the Children's Room, made possible by a grant from the Sherman Fairchild Foundation and Charles Pierce, we invited New York State Assembly representative Marc Molinaro to visit the library and see the improvements. He visited the Library for the tour, and along the way he suggested that if we need further improvements in the Library building, we should approach him directly with a list of specific projects. It took some time for Ardith Orr to gather the bids on our various needs, but when she had the necessary information a letter went out from our Board President, Steve MacNish, to Mr. Molinaro along with a similar letter to State Senator Saland.

We soon got a reply from Mr. Molinaro. Grants, known as "member items" would not be allocated until after the State budget for the year was approved. The budget this year was approved early in April.

Today we received a letter from Mr. Molinaro awarding us a grant of $6,700 to pay for safety improvement for the handicapped. We had identified several safety improvements and ways to improve handicapped access, so the Board will need to decide which specific projects this grant will fund. The Library is also getting grants from the Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library for safety improvements, so these monies may be combined to make major changes.

Unrelated to these improvements, work is due to start any day on the repair of the soffits. In another unrelated development, on May 2 the Library is offering a tour to Town leaders. Perhaps some good will come from that tour as well.

Big Book Fair This Weekend

2009-04-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

The annual Pleasant Valley Free Library Book Fair starts on Friday, April 24 at Traver School, Traver Road (just opposite the back of St. Paul Episcopal Church) at 7:00 pm. Friday night the Fair charges $5 for admittance, mainly because that is when the used book dealers come to get first crack at all the good books. Normally you will see them lined up about 6 or 6:30, eager to get in. Sometimes if we are completely set up or even nearly so there is no holding them back, and the Book Fair opens a few minutes early.

If you want to come Friday night, but don't want to pay for it, we let the volunteer workers in free. Volunteers start moving boxes of books from the basement of the Library to Traver School about 3:30 or 4 on Friday. Other volunteers at the school begin to sort the books onto tables of Fiction, Science, Self-Help, Mysteries, Travel, etc. (boxes come labeled) as soon as the first ones show up at the school, probably about 4:15. Let Barb Shapley know that you want to work and she will give you a pass to get you into the Fair when it starts.

When it comes to the Book Fair, as is the case with the Library, "It's Not Just Books." Friday night and for the run of the Fair, there will be a plant sale, nearly all perennials for an outdoor flower garden. Well over 100 plants will be available. Starting Saturday morning there will be a bake sale, which always features great stuff by the bake sale guru, Betty Laurenson, and other Library friends. The Building Expansion committee will have a table all during the Fair and sell 50-50 raffle tickets to help raise money for--you guessed it--building expansion.

The Fair will run from 10 to 3 on Saturday and from 9 to 12 on Sunday. Although what someone thought was a best book may be gone on Friday, what you think is the best book may still be available on Sunday. Late in the sale, there are always terrific bargains.