RAMAPO CATSKILL LIBRARY SYSTEM NEWS
 
April 21, 2025

RCLS HQ: A Guided Tour
In-Person Workshop
Friday, May 16, 2025 ~ 9:30-11:30
619 Rte 17M, Middletown, NY 10940
Step into the inner workings of the Ramapo Catskill Library System and gain insights into our operations and how we can assist you.  Open to Library workers and trustees within the System only.
2 hours Continuing Education Credit for library staff
(This session is not applicable for Trustee Education credit hours.)
 
REGISTER HERE
 
Questions may be addressed to Meaghan Doyle, RCLS Community Engagement & Talent Development Specialist
meaghan@rcls.org

Please see the Continuing Education section of this issue (below) to register for the Mandatory Workshop for Applicants session that will provide in-depth discussion of how to prepare a successful application for the NYS Public Library Construction Aid Program.

 
SPECIAL EVENTS

 
CLICK ON THE PICTURE BELOW TO REGISTER FOR THE WORKSHOP
(ALL LIBRARY STAFF ARE WELCOME!)
 
 
Foam Cannon Training Workshop (In-Person)
RCLS HQ, Middletown
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
~ 2:00pm - 3:30pm ~
Presenter: Michelle Muller, RCLS Member & Youth Services Consultant
Come learn how to set up and operate the RCLS Foam Cannon. This piece of equipment will be available to member libraries to enhance their programming.  The workshop will go over all you need to know ~ solution prep, assembly, operation & clean up.
Note: This session is not eligible for CE credit

Project Finale: AI Youth Services Challenge
Click on the image to register via Google Form
Contact Michelle Muller (michelle.muller@rcls.org) with any questions

Marketing Minds: Session 2 (Online)
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
 11:00am - 12:00pm
Moderator:  Dave Cosco, RCLS Marketing Manager
 
This meeting will build on ideas introduced in the kickoff session and dive deeper into our daily tasks. It’s a great opportunity to connect with peers, share ideas, and gain practical tools to enhance your library’s outreach. 
CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO REGISTER FOR MARKETING MINDS SESSION 2
 
Note: This session is not eligible for CE credit

COMMUNITY NEWS 



CLICK ON THE PICTURE BELOW TO ACCESS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
 
Come visit the Cornwall Public Library to take part in a multigenerational celebration of poetry!  Gain inspiration from works shared by community members & notable Poet Laureate, JR Solonche! (Refer to the flyer pictured at right for additional details)
Questions?  Contact
Brenda Goldfarb at 845-534-8282 
 
RCLS CONTINUING EDUCATION
To register, please click on text in BLUE
Credit Hours earned per session are noted below.  Please verify with the individual posting on the RCLS Calendar.
 
Understanding the Orders, Agenda, Projects, and Platforms Impacting Libraries (online) 
Thursday, April 24, 2025  ~ 2:00pm - 3:00pm
 Presenter:  Kathleen McEvoy, EveryLibrary, ALA United for Libraries
Join us to gain an understanding of the policies and executive orders, their foundational documents (Project 2025, Agenda 47, and the Republican Party Platform), the people behind them, and the bigger picture impacting American institutions.
Co-sponsored by Ramapo Catskill Library System, Mid-Hudson Library System,
and Westchester Library System
1 Hour Credit from respective Library Systems
 Continuing Education for staff, Trustee Education for Trustees 
 
Future-Ready Youth: Preparing Our Patrons to Navigate the Age of AI (online)
Friday, May 2, 2025 ~ 10:00am - 11:30am
Presenter: Nick Tanzi, Assistant Director of the
South Huntington Public Library
For those of you who have participated in the AI Youth Services challenge, this is a culmination of some of the things you have been experimenting with.  For those of you who have not investigated the challenge, this may inspire you to go back and take a look!
1 hour Continuing Education credit for library staff
 
Mandatory RCLS Construction Aid
Workshop  for Applicants (In-Person)
RCLS HQ, 619 Rte 17M, Middletown, NY 10940
Thursday, June 12, 2025 ~ 9:30am - 12:00pm
Presenter: Stephen Hoefer, RCLS Chief Financial Officer
NOTE:  This session is a requirement for any library
who will be submitting an application.
Delve into the nitty-gritty details of the online application, review what gets sent to RCLS, and learn the details of other program requirements for the New York State Public Library Construction Aid program. The due date for applications for 2025 is August 1st.
2 hours Continuing Education credit for library staff

PLEASE NOTE: If you sign up for one or more of the many 
RCLS programs and/or continuing education opportunities,
save your registration confirmation email which will
contain the link for any ONLINE session.  
You will also receive a reminder email 24-48 hours prior to the event.


 
RCLS SUSTAINABILITY CORNER 
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals - Where Libraries Fit In (online)
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 ~ 10:00am - 11:00am
In this online, interactive workshop, participants will learn the 17 goals that countries around the globe have adopted, how they connect to libraries, and begin brainstorming how to incorporate them into programs and services. This program will not be recorded.
1 hour Continuing Education credit for Library Staff
[Not applicable towards Trustee Education credit hours]
REGISTER HERE  

 
BaFa' BaFa': Cross-Cultural Competency Training (in-person)
Thursday, May 1, 2025 ~ 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
(rescheduled from March 27)
RCLS HQ, 619 Rte 17M, Middletown
Presenters:  Jen Park, Government Relations Specialist, and Joanna Goldfarb, Sustainability Innovation Consultant
BaFa' BaFa' is a learning simulation designed to improve participants' cross-cultural competence by helping them understand the impact of culture on the behavior of people and organizations. This is a hands-on workshop that involves moving and communicating with others, and includes discussions about cultural values, behaviors, and more.  All attendees are expected to fully participate and stay for the entire session. 
3 hours Continuing Education credit for Library Staff
[Not applicable towards Trustee Education credit hours]
REGISTER HERE 
 
COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Download the RCLS Go App!
Search the catalog, manage your account, and explore your library anytime, anywhere. Available on both the App Store and Google Play!

 
RCLS Marketing Services LibGuide
Click the link above to view the Guide and schedule a meeting to talk about your marketing plans with Dave Cosco, RCLS Marketing Manager. Phone: 845-243-3747 ext. 245 or via email at marketing@rcls.org
 
 
 
A Closing Thought...
 
Share a library-related meaningful quote or a funny cartoon with the RCLS community... Send your submissions to abaumann@rcls.org!

Ramapo Catskill Library System
619 Route 17M 
Middletown, NY 10940
845-243-3747
www.rcls.org
         
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