Director Briefing - February 6, 2023

Executive Budget FY 2024

The Executive Budget was released last week, and libraries took a significant hit.

1. Library Operating Aid

• FY2023 Enacted Budget: $99,627,000
• FY2024 Executive Budget Proposal: $96,127,000
• Net Change over FY2023 Enacted: -$ 3,500,000

2. Library Construction Aid

• FY2023 Enacted Budget: $34,000,000
• FY2024 Executive Budget Proposal: $14,000,000
• Net Change over FY2023 Enacted: -$20,000,000

In short, the proposal for Library Operating Aid is a $3.5M reduction and Library Construction Aid is a $20M reduction over the amounts enacted for FY2023. Unfortunately, we are, once again, playing catch-up with the Executive Budget as we have in previous years. My best guess is that the Senate and Assembly will restore aid levels to last year's funding. I'll be drafting a letter to our representatives in support of restoring aid that will go out later this week.

State Budget Documents

• FY2024 Executive Budget Briefing Book.PDF
• Aid to Localities Bill (S4003 - A3003).pdf
• Capital Projects Bill (S4004 - A3004).pdf

Annual Report Update from Kelly

I wanted to give you an update regarding the annual report packets that I am working on.

DLD just sent the Outline of Major Changes (attached) on Friday, January 27th. Bob and I were waiting to see what these changes were for 2022 before we started computing stats to provide to everyone. I am hoping to have the packets emailed to everyone early this week.

The link to access the annual report is: http://collectconnect.baker-taylor.com/login.aspx

For the directors that are new, please let me know if you need your library's login information.

You may begin entering information; you do not have to wait to receive the packet from OWWL Library System before you begin. I've attached the instructions that DLD provides.

The System will be hosting our Annual Report Online Workshop next Friday, February 10th at 10:00 am . I highly recommend new Directors to attend.

• 2022 Outline of Major Changes.pdf
• Aide B Directions Annual Report.pdf

Employee Handbook Reminder

Last year the System provided an Employee Handbook Template through our HR Consultants at HR Works. The template is meant to be adapted locally to ensure compliance with NY and Federal laws relating to employment. There are regular legal updates to these laws and we pay for HR Works to provide them in a document that can be applied locally at your library.

For the original 2022 handbook as well as the legal updates visit https://docs.owwl.org/Community/EmployeeHandbookTemplateProject.

Section 52-c of the New York Civil Rights Law

For those of you who have been working on the Employee Handbook updates for 2023 you may have noticed a policy called Section 52-c of the New York Civil Rights Law.

New York Civil Rights Law 52-c Notice of Electronic Monitoring

The Company monitors, in its sole discretion, employees' use of its electronic resources. Any and all telephone conversations or transmissions on Company Name’s systems, electronic mail or transmissions, or internet access or usage by an employee by any electronic device or system, including but not limited to the use of a computer, telephone, wire, radio or electromagnetic, photoelectric or photo-optical systems may be subject to monitoring at any and all times and by any lawful means.

For additional information, please refer to the Electronic Resources [and/or insert any other applicable policies the client may have] policy [if client is receiving a Federal Handbook with NY Addendum: in the Employee Handbook] or contact WHO.

This is a fairly new law we are working on figuring out with our email setup.

Technically, yes, it is possible to monitor email communications. However, it is not something that libraries can do locally and not a practice that the System engages in. That being said, since the ability exists, I recommend including the notice in your Employee Handbook at customizing it with the WNYLRC attorney recommendation published on December 29, 2022 (https://www.wnylrc.org/ask-the-lawyer/raqs/298).

Per Section 52-c of the New York Civil Rights Law, employees are advised that per EMPLOYER NAME policy and in furtherance of its mission and legal compliance, any and all telephone conversations or transmissions, electronic mail or transmissions, or internet access or usage by an employee by any EMPLOYER NAME electronic device or system, including but not limited to the use of a computer, telephone, wire, radio or electromagnetic, photoelectronic or photo-optical systems may be subject to monitoring at any and all times and by any lawful means. While we make this notification, employees are further notified that during the order ordinary course of business, routine and consistent monitoring is not conducted. However, because EMPLOYER NAME may need to monitor such resources as part of an investigation or under special circumstances, we are notifying the workforce of this possibility, as required by law.

The System will develop an email policy that will likely cover this and other email-related topics. I'm hoping to have this all set to review by our next PLSDAC agenda.

BookPage Subscription Renewal from Kelly

It is time to renew our BookPage subscription. Our current subscription expires 4/30/23. BookPage is a monthly print publication available as a giveaway to your library patrons. It includes features on forthcoming books, author interviews, and reviews of new fiction and nonfiction books for adults and youth. You can view an online edition at: www.bookpage.com.

The System does a group order for this publication to help provide BookPage at a discounted price. The price increased this year from $.37 to $.45 per copy (We currently have a subscription for 550 copies. In order to receive the $.45 per copy we must continue with at least 500 copies, otherwise, the price will increase to $.60 per copy if we fall below 500). Libraries must order in increments of 5. (5 copies @ $.45/each for 12 months = $27.00/year, 10 copies @ $.45/each for 12 months = $54.00/year, etc.) Final cost depends on the total quantity ordered by all. The System will invoice each member library for their order.

I've attached the quantity each library ordered last time (Bookpage counts 2022.pdf).

Please respond to Kelly's email by Friday, March 10th if your library is interested in placing an order. Specify how many copies you would like to order in quantity increments of 5 (5, 10, 15, 20 copies etc.)

Tummonds Fund Annual Report (Ontario, Wyane, and Livingston Libraries)

The Tummonds Fund Annual Report is due to the FFRPL on February 15, 2023. We would like to review them before they are sent along. If your library hasn't sent them to Kelly, please do so ASAP.

HBR Tip of the Week

Even with the increased emphasis on work-life balance that has surfaced in the post-pandemic economy, there continues to be the ongoing bombardment of online content that glorifies being overworked. This HBR article is a nice reminder that there are ways to set boundaries against being overworked at the local level.

Set Boundaries with a Workaholic Colleague

Working with a workaholic colleague can be…challenging. If they’re putting in overtime, you might feel compelled to do the same, and their ultra-responsiveness can create more work and stress for you. To mitigate the damaging effects of their behavior on your own well-being, you can:

• Depersonalize their actions. Your colleague is probably not trying to intimidate or one-up you. Think about what else might be going on in their life. Maybe they’re going through something personal and throwing themselves into work as an escape. Or maybe they’re overcompensating for an insecurity you’re unaware of.
• Avoid glorifying their behavior. If you know your colleague stayed up all night creating a presentation, for instance, complimenting their sacrifice will only reinforce their unhealthy mentality.
• Resist peer pressure. You may start comparing your capacity and output to theirs and wonder, “Am I really working hard enough?” Don’t overextend yourself in an effort to “catch up.” Remember, having a healthy work-life balance isn’t lazy or irresponsible.
• Set boundaries. This means managing expectations around your own response times, deadlines, and availability. Explain what’s realistic and what’s not—and stand your ground.

Adapted from How to Work with a Workaholic Colleague by Melody Wilding.PDF posted on Harvard Business Review.