RAMAPO CATSKILL LIBRARY SYSTEM NEWS
 
December 18, 2023
Wishing you 
happiness throughout this
Holiday Season!
~~~~~ PLEASE NOTE ~~~~~
The RCLS offices will be closed on Friday, December 22, 2023 and Monday, December 25, 2023 in observance of Christmas and Monday, January 1, 2024 in observance of the New Year.
There will be NO Delivery Service on these dates. 
 
RCLS BOARD OF TRUSTEES UPDATES
 
Three members of the RCLS Board will be
departing on December 31st  
Bernard Marone, Helen Rados and Carla Randazzo Amthor
have each completed two terms (10 years!) in service to the RCLS community. 
We extend profound thanks to them for their many
contributions to the System, their dedicated leadership, 
and their long-standing commitment to libraries.
 
We welcome two newly elected members to
the RCLS Board in January 2024
- Patricia Andersen and Casey Auerbach -
In addition, Carl Berkowitz has been appointed to fill
a vacated Orange County seat.
We look forward to their participation in the years ahead!
 

 
JOIN US FOR NYLA ADVOCACY
DAY IN ALBANY
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024 
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS & INFORMATION RELATING TO BUS TRANSPORTATION
 
And sign up for either of the two prep sessions offered on January 25th
Advocacy Day Prep 2-3 pm
Advocacy Day Prep 6-7pm
 

** Inventory Reminder **
We are asking each member library to conduct a full inventory of their collections in preparation for the Systemwide ILS migration.  If you were unable to attend the December 12th online training, a recording has been posted on NicheAcademy to help you with the process.  Type "Inventory" in the NicheAcademy Search to access the recording.
 Should you have questions, please contact Alex Carver (alex@rcls.org) or Martha Sullivan (msullivan@rcls.org)

 
COMMUNITY NEWS
 

 
VALLEY COTTAGE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM  
~ Creating a new generation of librarians! ~
 
The first term of Valley Cottage Library's For Future Reference internship, an initiative of VCL's Diversity Committee, was a success! The internship was created as an opportunity for two Nyack School District students to learn more about careers in libraries. The internship was also an opportunity to allow library staff to broaden their perspective of various multicultural communities through the lens of the interns and encourage diversity within our profession. The library extends its thanks to RCLS for funding the program through the RCLS Outreach Grant.
 
 
Pictured below at the internship graduation:
Carida Ridoré, Jade B. (an intern), Sean Antonucci,
Rosie F. (another intern) and Megan Stover.
 

SPECIAL MENTION
 CONFERENCE "NEWBIE" 
In November 2023, Clarisa Rosario-DeGroat, Adult Reference Library Clerk at Goshen Public Library and Historical Society, was a recipient of the NYLA Lake Placid First Time Conference Stipend.  She was thrilled to have the opportunity to attend the 2023 NYLA Conference, interact with library personnel from all over NYS, and gain valuable knowledge to bring home to enhance her work with the Goshen community. 
 
RCLS CONTINUING EDUCATION
For details on registration, click on the session titles below
 
 Communicating with Elected Officials
In-Person at RCLS HQ, 619 NY Rte 17M, Middletown, NY 10940
Presenter: Jen Park,
RCLS Government Relations Specialist
Friday, January 5, 2024 ~ 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
During this session, participants will learn where to find information focused on their elected officials, craft a message with this learned information, and practice engaging in public speaking with the crafted messages. "Library voices" will be elevated as we learn about our elected officials and how to best communicate with them.
2 hours credit: Continuing Education for library Staff / Trustee Education
 
Mock Book Awards
In-Person at RCLS HQ, 619 NY Rte 17M, Middletown, NY 10940
Friday, January 12, 2024
RCLS Mock Caldecott Book Awards ~ 9am-11am
RCLS Mock Newbery Book Award ~ 11:15am-1:15pm
RCLS Mock Printz Book Award ~ 2:00-4:00pm
The Mock book discussions are a great way to read the best books of the year, selected by your peers. These discussions will help with collection development and reader's advisory. 
2 hours Continuing Education credit per session for library Staff
 
OverDrive Basics Training (online)
Wednesday, January 17, 2024 ~ 2:00pm - 3:30pm
What's new at OverDrive? Kristin Preyss, from OverDrive, will lead this training and answer any questions you may have regarding purchasing eContent. This session is for those who are new to purchasing eContent or for those who may need a refresher.
1 hour Continuing Education credit for library Staff
PLEASE NOTE: If you sign up for one or more of the many 
RCLS programs and/or continuing education opportunities,
save your registration confirmation email which will
contain the Zoom link for any ONLINE session.  
You will also receive a reminder email approximately 24 hours prior to the event.

MARKETING EDUCATION
 
For details on registration, click on the session title
 
YouTube Shorts: Unleash the Opportunity
for Your Brand (Online)
Tuesday, December 19, 2023 01:00 PM
 With YouTube aggressively juicing view counts; the time is now to dial up YouTube Shorts in your marketing mix. Creators know it, but few brands have caught on -- Shorts are going mainstream this year. Your branded content can be among the 50B videos being viewed each day.
 
How to Optimize Your Digital Marketing (Online)
Friday, December 29, 2023 ~ 10:00- 11:00 AM
Explore the latest trends and learn some simple ideas for incorporating them into your overall marketing strategy. The webinar will also cover how to provide a seamless user experience across all channels relevant to your customer’s journey by utilizing an omnichannel marketing strategy. Leave with actionable items to help you reach your business goals in 2024!
 
Outreach Service to Communities
Embark on boundless adventures and explore the vast expanse of the Comics Plus online collection today! Uncover a plethora of digital comics catering to all ages. This remarkable resource is easily accessible to RCLS cardholders. Seamlessly enjoy digital access on your desktop, mobile, or tablet. With each title available 24/7, relish the freedom of offline reading anytime. Simply utilize your library card without any holds, wait lists, or monthly borrowing limits. Initiate your comic escapade now and immerse yourself in a world of captivating stories!

 
RCLS Marketing Services LibGuide
Click the link above to view the Guide and schedule a meeting to talk about your marketing plans with Dave Cosco, RCLS Marketing Manager. Phone: 845-243-3747 ext. 245 or via email at marketing@rcls.org
 
Holiday treats of the
earth-friendly variety
 
Enjoy this yummy dish at your winter celebrations or any time of year!
Not a lot of active cooking time, and very little food waste.
(It even tastes good! 😄)
https://sweetsimplevegan.com/maple-roasted-acorn-squash/
 Courtesy of Joanna Goldfarb,
RCLS Sustainability Innovation Consultant
 Tips to brighten your holidays while giving
a gift to the planet! Click on the pic below...
 
 
Courtesy of Mary Paige Lang-Clouse,
Director, EB Crawford Public Library
 


A Closing Thought...

 Did you find something of note that library staff can relate to? Send us your submissions to end our newsletter with a smile.
 
Share your library news via the RCLS News!
Send your article to abaumann@rcls.org
Ramapo Catskill Library System
619 Route 17M 
Middletown, NY 10940
845-243-3747
www.rcls.org
 
   
 
 
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