Director Briefing - May 20, 2024

FY 2025 Construction Aid Deadline Approaching

Suzanne sent out this reminder for FY 2025 State Aid for Library Construction:

A reminder that the Intent to Apply for FY 2025 State Aid for Library Construction is due by end-of-day Friday, May 24. This is a firm deadline.

Our System's allocation is $1,166,497. This is the highest amount we have ever received. Because funding is uncertain from year to year, we highly encourage libraries to apply for this upcoming cycle.

Please review the Construction Aid OWWL Docs page (docs.owwl.org/Community/Construction) for changes/updates to the program and the link to the Intent to Apply form.

If you have any questions, please reach out.

Again, if your library has been considering a project, this upcoming cycle is a great time to apply. The deadline for the Intent to Apply form is end-of-day on this Friday, May 24.

Library Card Purchase

Kelly is coordinating another library card purchase. See the info from her below:

There have been a few requests for library cards recently, so I am going to place an order sooner than later. As a reminder, please check your supply and plan accordingly as we only place orders twice a year (I will not be ordering again until January 2025).There are 3 products to choose from: cards, keytags, and card/keytag combo. The vendor requests a minimum quantity of 250 per product per library. Please complete the order form using the link below and submit your order no later than Wednesday, May 29th.

https://docs.owwl.org/Members/LibraryCardPurchase

Let me (Kelly) know if you have any questions.

Question of the Week: Access to Evergreen and Patron Data

Question: Who has access to Evergreen, and the patron data stored there? Can a Trustee or volunteer use Evergreen, or request information from Evergreen?

Answer: See the attached System response. Short answer: Only library staff have access to Evergreen, and only for the purposes of automated library notifications regarding available holds, checkouts, renewals, overdue materials, and card expirations. Staff may also directly communicate with a patron about issues with their account.

Unauthorized access is a serious data breach. We have had legal cases in the past because of similar situations, so if anyone argues with you on this, you are welcome to tell them they can talk to me about it directly.

Clarification Regarding Access to Evergreen and Patron Data

NYLA Updates & Articles

If you're a NYLA member, new website and make sure you're signed up to their new members database by the end of the month.

Here is an article you may find interesting from NYLA's most recent email newsletter:

• America's Unseen Book Bans: The Long History of Censorship in Prisons

DiNapoli Report Examines Troubling Child Poverty Trends

This is a sobering report released by the New York Office of the State Comptroller on the poverty trends for children in New York. This provides solid evidence for the need for early literacy intervention and other programs aimed at supporting State-wide poverty initiatives.

Key findings from the report:

• Nearly one in five New York children live in poverty. More than 2.7 million New Yorkers were living in poverty in 2022, and more than a quarter (735,742) were children. Under the Official Poverty Measure (OPM), 18.8% of New York’s children were in poverty in 2022. Almost half of all children living in poverty in the state are in deep poverty, meaning they are in a household with income that is 50% below the federal poverty line. An individual or household is considered to be in poverty when they do not have the financial resources to meet basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter, or access to a minimum standard of living, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
• New York state’s child poverty rate is one of the worst in the nation. New York ranked 41st in the nation in 2022. The rate was at least six percentage points higher than states that border New York and second highest among its five most populous peer states: California, Florida, Texas, Illinois and Pennsylvania.
• The gap in child poverty rates between New York and the U.S. has been widening since 2019. A decade ago, child poverty rates in New York and the nation were equivalent, at about 22.8%. Since 2021, child poverty had continued to decrease nationally but not in New York, producing a gap of 2.5 percentage points. If New York’s 2022 rates were equivalent to the national average, approximately 100,000 fewer children would be in poverty.

The full report can be found here: https://www.osc.ny.gov/files/reports/pdf/nys-children-in-need.pdf

IRS Revokes Holyoke Library’s Tax-Exempt Status

This is a cautionary tale for libraries that need to file financial documents. The Holyoke Library failed to file its 990 for three years, and the IRS revoked its 501c3 status.

If your library maintains its 501c3 status, make sure you file every year. This is in addition to all other financial filings for State and Federal agencies.

HBR: Tip of the Day

Presenting to an Audience of Experts

Giving a presentation can be nerve-racking—especially if your audience knows the topic better than you. But you can share your knowledge while also sharing the forum with those with greater experience. Here’s how to deliver a credible and engaging presentation to subject matter experts.

Embrace self-affirmation. When presenting to experts, it’s normal to feel intimidated. But remember, while you might not be the most knowledgeable person in the room, your ability to organize and facilitate a discussion adds significant value.

Be intellectually humble. Admitting a mistake or a gap in your knowledge doesn’t diminish your credibility; it enhances it. Embrace the courage to say, “I got that wrong,” “That’s new information to me,” or simply “I don't know.” This openness not only builds trust but also promotes a more inclusive and informative dialogue.

Tap the expertise around you. Acknowledge the experience in the room at the outset. You might invite seasoned professionals to participate and share their insights throughout, which enriches the learning experience for everyone. But don’t let them take over; remember, this is your presentation. Keep things focused on the goals and needs of the broader audience.

This tip is adapted from “How to Present to an Audience That Knows More Than You,” by Deborah Grayson Riegel.