Director Briefing - January 13, 2025

2024 Annual Report

The 2024 Annual Report for Public and Association Libraries is now available to begin filling out: https://collectconnect.baker-taylor.com/login.aspx

Let Kelly know if you have any questions, need help, or can't remember your login information.

Please submit your Annual Report by Wednesday, February 12, so Kelly can review and ask questions before reports are due to DLD on March 1.

Advocacy - Upcoming Trustee Handbook Book Club Session

On Wednesday, January 22, 2025 at 5:00 PM, there will be a Trustee Handbook Book Club session on Advocacy. Register here .

Join co-author of the Handbook For Library Trustees of New York State Rebekkah Smith Aldrich and friends for this fun and informative series! At each session, trustees will take a deeper dive on a topic relevant to their role and responsibilities as a library trustee.

All past THBC sessions are available on the Trustee Academy as well as the Director Academy.

Legislative Updates

The Senate and Assembly have announced their new Committee Chairs for 2025/2026.

• Assembly Committee on Libraries and Education Technology: Assemblymember Robert Carroll, AD-44.
• Senate Libraries Committee: Senator Siela Bynoe, SD-6.

Reminder: Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

All Directors, Library Staff, and Trustees are mandated by law to complete Sexual Harassment Prevention Training annually.

For our EAP libraries, the updated 2025 Harassment Training is now live. For everyone else, make sure the training you select fulfills the "interactive" requirement.

Directors and Trustees must complete the "Supervisor" training. Sexual Harassment Prevention Training does not count towards the annual required two hours of Trustee Education.

Reminder: Oath of Office for Calendar Year Libraries

Although I shared a reminder last week, DLD sent out some more resources that I wanted to pass along.

Many public library trustee terms begin on January 1. This is an important reminder that New York State Public Officer's Law §10 requires all public library trustees (but not association library trustees) to take and file an oath of office within 30 days of beginning their term of office. Public library trustees are public officers, and the oath of office is required to officially undertake and perform the duties of a public library trustee.

If a public library trustee does not properly complete and file an oath of office, the trustee’s position may be deemed vacant. See Public Officer's Law §30(1)(h).

For more information about how and why the oath of office is administered, and where to properly file an oath of office, please see the Oaths of Office FAQ on the New York State Library website.

Not sure whether your library is legally a public library or an association library? Library type information is listed for every public and association library in New York State on the library’s Annual Report and also on the “Find Your Public Library” web page.

Questions about the legal requirement for oaths of office or about library types should be directed to the director of the public library system of which the library is a member.

OWWL Library Tour Launch

Some Library Tour-related questions have already come in, and we expect more as the program is ongoing, so please continue to update your entire staff on the OWWL Library Tour and let Piety know of any questions or concerns that arise.

Find some general reminders below:

• When filling out the Prize Form , please include your staff email, not the patron's email. This is so Piety can ask the staff member who submitted the form any questions.
• Please be sure all staff members know where your Library Tour supplies are located, and know the basic workflow of disseminating maps, stickers, and prizes.
• Website and FAQs: https://owwl.org/librarytour/ and OWWL Docs

This Week in OSC Audits

Audit	Key Findings	Takeaways for Libraries
Rush-Henrietta Central School District - Credit Cards and Purchase Cards	District officials did not ensure that all credit card and purchase card charges were properly approved and supported. Therefore, it could not be determined whether all charges were for appropriate District purposes. Additionally, officials did not ensure that credit card charges were reconciled in a timely manner and audited, as required, prior to payment. We reviewed 680 credit card and purchase card charges totaling $168,831 and determined that 538 charges totaling $156,982 had one or more exceptions: 410 charges totaling $144,142 were paid prior to audit and approval by the claims auditor. 355 charges totaling $104,258 required pre-approval but were not properly approved. 82 charges totaling $6,199 for the Facilities and Transportation Departments were not independently audited. The claims auditor who reviewed and approved the charges also maintained and administered the purchase cards for these departments. 288 charges totaling $64,925 did not have adequate support including a specific District purpose, a receipt or itemized receipt or the required business expense reports.	Libraries need to have credit card policies; all expenses need to be approved by the board.

HBR: Tip of the Day

5 Ways to Supercharge Your Career in 2025

Your career is a journey, not a destination. As we enter a new year, a few enduring insights can help you navigate the twists and turns of your work life.

Build a purposeful career. Let your values guide not just how you work, but what work you choose. Purpose fuels both productivity and happiness.

Have difficult conversations at work. Tough conversations are inevitable, but you can have them without upsetting people. Clarity is key, so avoid sugarcoating or being vague, as it can lead to misunderstandings and mistrust.

You can be yourself without oversharing. Showing vulnerability builds trust, but oversharing can be counterproductive. Know when to self-disclose and when not to, sharing only when it serves the task, not to seek approval or validation.

Want to get better at making decisions? Regularly review your past decisions to identify ways to improve. Self-assessment over time leads to meaningful growth.

The middle of your career is not a point of diminishing returns. It’s an opportunity. Embrace change and redefine success by letting go of outdated roles. Use your mid-career phase as a chance to put the experience and wisdom you’ve gained to work and explore new paths and priorities.

This tip is adapted from “10 Ways to Supercharge Your Career,” by Alison Beard and Curt Nickisch.