2019 Minigrant Recipients

Congratulations to the recipients of our inaugural round of RASS Mini-Grants!  These are the Adult Programs (or programs that involve adults) that we supported with a stipend:

• Home Care Kits, David A. Howe Public Library, Wellsville NY, $200
• Art program for adults with special needs, Rockville Centre Public Library, Rockville Centre, $200
• Escape the Courthouse, Edith B. Ford Memorial Library, Ovid NY, $200
• Community Scan-a-thon, Brooklyn Public Library (Midwood Branch), Brooklyn NY, $160
• Hudson Art Stroll, Hudson Area Association Library, Hudson NY , $200
• Memory Lane, Hampton Bays Public Library, Hampton Bays NY, $100
• Laser Cut Haiku, Tompkins County Public Library, Ithaca NY, $150
• Book Club Bar Crawl, Ulysses Philomathic Library, Trumansburg NY, $100
• Uncovering and Recovering Race in America discussion group, Troy Public Library, Troy NY, $200
• Adult Makerspace Series, Brooklyn Public Library (East New York Branch), Brooklyn NY , $200
• All on the family, Suffern Free Library, Suffern NY , $200
• History Comes Alive (58), Gardiner Library, Gardiner NY, $200
• Senior Improv Group --"A Flare for Acting", Mamakating Library, Wurtsboro NY , $200
• The Underground Railroad, Ethelbert B. Crawford Library, Monticello NY, $100
• Its So Easy- Sewing with Abby at the Delaware Branch, Albany Public Library (Delaware Branch), Albany NY , $200
• Music in the Morning, Hampton Library in Bridgehampton, Bridgehampton NY, $200

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2018 RASS Master Conversations 

Thank you to all those who participated in our initial RASS Master Conversation on April 27, 2018 and at NYLA 2018. About 20 RASS members met, led by facilitator Ron Kirsop. Some of the outcomes included:

• Reinvigorating RASS will take time and effort over the next few years.
• We can start by improving communication among our members. To this end, we are using the nyla-rass email discussion list to start online conversations.
• The RASS Board will consider creating an action plan for the next 3-5 years to define our section's identity and develop initiatives that support that identity.
• The Master Conversation started the process, examining our values, our needs, and our identity. We will continue this process through member engagement and increased communication.
• We got many ideas about how we - together - can support our members, through NYLA programs, continuing education opportunities throughout the year, through our Mini-Grant program, and by supporting a Mentorship program to connect experienced librarians with those new to the field or newly employed in an unfamiliar role.

Library Best Practices Shared Documents

Pros on Library Cons: NYLA panel from 2017 conference

These are documents prepared by the panelists for their own cons, and they include program brochures, Site Rules, and more:

• Pros on Library Cons Panel Intro
• Joshua Carlson, White Plains Library: FANDEMICON Promo Items FANDEMICON Progam
• Julia E. Schult, Baldwinsville Public Library: Bville CCV 2017 Program  Bville CCV Analysis Bville CCV Site Rules
• Jennifer Daddio, Valley Cottage Library (now at Pearl River PL): ValCon 2015 Program  VC 2016 Program  Journal News RC Times
• Josh Firer, Levittown Public Library: LIPopCon1 LIPC2 LIPC3 LIPC Save the Date LevitCon1 GeekFest1 GF2
• Leah LaFera, Schenectady County Public Library: ElectricCityComicCon Costume Contest ECCC 2015 ECCC 2016 ECCC 2017 ECCC Volunteers (.docx) ECCC Press Release