Director Briefing - January 29, 2024

OWWLDAC Meeting Agenda - February 2, 2024

Jessica and I are still finalizing the agenda for the Feb. 2 meeting, but here is the link so you have it - https://docs.owwl.org/Members/OWWLDACMeetingAgendaFebruary22024

If there are items you would like to see on there, let Jessica D. or I know and we'll take care of it.

2023 OWWLie Awards

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for the 4th Annual OWWLie Awards. This event is so much fun to host, and we truly enjoy acknowledging the libraries, staff, and Trustees who do great work, try new things, overcome obstacles, and/or are just wonderful humans to share this library world with!

Below is a link to the slides from so you can see who left with gold OWWL coins. Congratulations to all recipients!

See you in for the fifth iteration in ONLY eleven months!

4th Annual OWWLie Awards Slides

OWWLie Award Winners

• Patti Alexander, Red Creek Free Library
• Mary Conable, Warsaw Public Library
• Deanna Davis-Wiltsie, Rose Free Library
• Piety Exley, Bristol Library
• Mary Ferris, Wood Library
• Grace Frenzel, Avon Free Library
• Kate Karnisky, Williamson Public Library
• Kendyl Litwiller-Sutherby, Naples Library
• Megan McLaughlin, Lima Public Library
• Ellen Mitchell, OWWL Library System Trustee
• Autumn Osburn, Arcade Free Library
• Erin Robinson, Wadsworth Library
• Chris Ryan, OWWL Library System Trustee
• Becky Sloane, Clifton Springs Library
• The Geneva Public Library Director and Staff
• The Gorham Free Library Director and Staff
• The Red Jacket Community Library Director and Staff
• The Victor Farmington Library Director and Staff
• The Walworth-Seely Public Library Director and Board of Trustees

State Aid for Library Construction Info Session - January 30, 2024

Join us for an information session regarding the State Aid for Library Construction program. It is recommended that any libraries considering projects over the next few years should attend. We’ll review eligible projects, the procedure to apply, updates from the NYS Division of Library Development, and the approximate timeline of the FY 2025 grant cycle.

A Zoom link will be sent to all registrants in advance of the session.

Click here to register.

Eclipse Survey

County administrators have reached out to the OWWL Library System to ask what libraries are planning for the 2024 Solar Eclipse. To help answer these questions, we're asking that libraries complete complete the form below:

https://forms.gle/hLhoQXDbfAUXaztY8

Thank you for your help!

Phishing Email Attempt from Kelsy

It appears director email addresses are being targeted with a phishing email today. Below is what it looks like.

If you receive a similar email, please mark it as spam.

This Week in OSC Audits - Procurement Highlight

One of my favorite topics is library procurement. Deciding what is needed, putting together an RFP, soliciting bids, and selecting the right one for the job. What could be more exciting?

This week, one of the OSC audits talks about the importance of seeking competition when purchasing service contracts. The School District in question failed to request proposals for certain contracted services. Typically, any contracts over $20,000 must be competitively bid. Most purchases a library makes may not reach that threshold. However, there should be rules in place that determine what procedures need to be followed for purchases of any size. Does the Director have the authority to purchase services that cost $5,000? or $7,000? or $9,000? Does the Board need to review quotes for a $1,000 service? Maybe. You should be able to answer these questions by looking at your library's Procurement Policy. This is one of those financial controls that should be considered before the library makes a purchase of any size. It is also a policy that should be reviewed regularly for compliance and appropriateness.

If you're interested in reading up on libraries who went through a procurement audit, here are a few of the more recent ones:

• Bethpage Public Library – Procurement (2019M-219)
  • The Board did not ensure goods and services were procured competitively and in accordance with the Library’s policies. Therefore, taxpayers do not have assurance that the best prices were obtained.
• Plattekill Public Library – Procurement and Investment of Funds (2020M-143)
  • The Board did not always comply with its procurement and investment policies, or with statutory requirements relating to investments.
• Lima Public Library – Procurement (2017M-295)
  • The Board did not adopt a procurement policy.

Notice that each of those library audits and the example above says, "The Board did not..." One of the most significant responsibilities of your library board is to approve policies and follow them. Policies are local laws of the library and are the first things that are questioned when an issue arises.

Having a Procurement Policy is now also one of the State mandates for library registration and Minimum Standards (Financial Controls: Purchasing/Procurement Policy and Petty Cash Policy). So, even Association Libraries (especially if they are utilizing public funds) must adopt and follow some form of this policy.

I would recommend not copying another library's procurement policy without doing some research on your library's legal requirements. A great resource to start with is the Local Government Management Guide: Seeking Competition in Procurement. This is a resource I bring up a lot, but it is incredibly important that your library adhere to the law and guidelines.

Hopefully this dive into procurement is a bit more helpful that the normal list of audits. Let me know if there are any questions.