NJLA-YA Meeting

November 2, 2007

OldBridge Public Library

Members Present: Jeri Gunther, Carol Woodcock, Selwa Shamy, Sophie Brookover, Karyn Gost, Rose Schulman, Sandi Cronce, Tyler Rousseau, Saleena Davidson, Jessica Trujillo, Mary Piekarski, Molly Monte, Kim Strengev, Sue Grotyohann, Emily Haberman, Kimberly Paone, Karen Klapperstuck, Lucretia Lipper, Liz Burns, Pham Wolfe, Katelyn Nesi, Lina Crowell, Carlie Webber, Betsy Young, Susan Conlon, Ann-Marie Aymer, Maureen Smyth, Jennifer Stevenson, Amy Kravitz, Laura Leonard, Theresa Wordelmann.

What’s Going on Around the State?

CSS

There is a free Leadership Workshop for Children’s & YA Librarians on Nov. 30 at the Piscataway Public Library. The registration form is on the CSS Links of Interest page of the NJLA website (

NJ State Library

The Youth Services Forum had 170 attendees and the evaluations were mostly positive. Sharon Rawlins sent word to thank everyone who attended or presented at the forum. She’s still looking for volunteers to join the YSF Planning Committee. Anyone interested may contact .

NJ State Library for the Blind and Handicapped

Liz Burns had no news but wanted to remind people that the NJSLBH is a huge resource that is available to libraries throughout the state. She also mentioned that dyslexia and autism are conditions that are included in the services scope of NJSLBH.

Statewide Summer Reading

Sharon Rawlins sent word that the statistics from the Summer Reading Program are higher in almost all categories from last year, except program attendance. She’ll send the stats to the NJYAC listserv soon.

The 2008 Co-Chairs, Allison Santos, Michelle Willis and Sharon are asking for people to join the 2009 committee. Anyone interested may contact . The committee is considering conducting more meetings via email, blogs, or wikis, so there may not be as many meetings in person. This may help people who can’t get out of their libraries to get to meetings.

OneBookNJ

There was no report about the teen OneBookNJ committee. Carlie Webber reported that the adult committee has been taken over by the Reader’s Advisory Round Table. The contact person is Ilene Lefkowitz – .

Member Updates & Upcoming Events

Judy Macaluso sent word that there are YA job openings within the Ocean County Library system and that there are possibilities for advancement. There are also branch manager positions open.

Selwa Shamy reported that there are two positions open at the Bridgewater Branch of the Somerset County Library System One is YA and the other is a children’s position.

Theresa Wordelmann let us know that author Lauren Myracle will be appearing at the Old Bridge PLon Sunday, Nov. 18 at 2:30 p.m.

Kimberly Paone announced an author visit by Cecil Castellucci at the Elizabeth PL on Nov. 26 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

SaleenaDavidson announced a program at South Brunswick PL by James Salant, author of Dirty Jersey. Salant will discuss his memoir and experience with the drug crystal meth on Nov. 9 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Liz Burns will be presenting a program on book reviews and book reviewing online at the National Conference of Teachers of English.

Bonnie Kunzel and Sharon Rawlins will be presenting book talks at the NJEA conference and NJASL conference on Nov. 14.

Kimberly Paone conducted a workshop for Infolink called Successful Teen Servicesand it went very well. She’s taking the workshop on the road, so if anyone would like Kimberly for this workshop contact her .

Also, Kimberly is now on YALSA’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens committee.

Carlie Webber is running for the 2010 Printz committee, so if you’re a member of YALSA make sure your information is up to date so you will be sure to receive the ALA ballot in March.

Saleena Davidson announced that author David Levithan had to cancel his appearance at the NJASL conference due to a scheduling problem. He was supposed to present a program called the Importance of Gay Literature in School Libraries.

Susan Conlon announced that she works with several drug and alcohol counseling / prevention organizations in the Princeton area to do programs. These organizations have money to fund substance-free evening events for teens. She does something called Friday Night Live for high school students that are well attended. She recently held a program for middle school students with a hypnotist named Skylr and had 150 attendees. For information on the hypnotist contact Susan .

Princeton PL is sponsoring an Environmental Film Festival. For more information contact Susan Conlon at the email listed above.

YA Section members are having BABIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meghan Petrofsky gave birth to a baby boy, John “Jack” George, on Oct. 29.

Sarah Cornish Debraski gave birth to a baby girl, Tabitha May.

Tyler Rousseau welcomed his new daughter, Sophie.

NJLA Conference – YA Programs & Collaborations

Sophie Brookover is working on compiling the conference proposals and has already submitted some. The list of proposed programs is as follows:

  • Crash Course in reader’s advisory for adult services librarians – submitted.
  • Best Books for young adults – ready to submit.
  • How to run a Teen Film Festival – ready to submit.
  • The film Jim In Bold – waiting for the license.
  • Comics & manga with someone from Diamond Comics.
  • Teen authors panel – Kimberly Paone is still working on getting the authors. Possiblities are John & Hank Green, and Mary Rose Wood. Sophie is going to ask the conference committee for an extension to submit this one.
  • Web 2.0 for LGTBI users – co-sponsored & submitted by the LGBTI Roundtable.
  • LGBTI characters in fantasy literature – co-sponsored & submitted by the LGBTI Roundtable.
  • Library Lock-in panel – Sophie is still waiting for more information for the proposal.
  • Advocating for Library Resources for Teens with Nick Buron from Queens PL. Sophie Brookover will approach the Administraion & Management section to see if they want to co-sponsor. Selwa Shamy will approach Bonnie Sterling to be part of the program. Bonnie is currently director of the Milltown library and was a YA librarian for many years.
  • Library Services for At-Risk Teens with library director Audra Caplan from Harford County, MD.

The following information on the pre-conference discussion was submitted by Sophie Brookover.

Theresa Wordelmann proposed that we revisit the topic of being a confidante to teens and knowing where, when, and how to draw the line between being a professional who cares deeply about youth and their concerns, and being an overshared-to confidante. After some discussion, the membership enthusiastically embraced this topic as a very meaningful one which we need to have addressed so that we can serve our communities' youth more effectively.

Topics we would like to see canvassed in this pre-conference are:

  • Maintaining healthy & professional boundaries
  • What are our responsibilities to the teen? to his or her parents? to the library?
  • How do you know when to report behavior or abuse? What, exactly, constitutes abuse?
  • What are the liability issues facing the library when a teen patron gets too close to a librarian?

We decided to approach the following types of professionals for a panel of presentations, followed by a Q&A/discussion period:

  • Library Director -- Audra Caplan of Harford County, MD is our first choice; Sophie Brookover will make contact; also, Nancy Caplan, who will be co-presenting at an At-Risk Teens panel -- Sophie will make contact to see if she'd be interested in doing this, as well.
  • Police Officer -- Preferably a Juvenile Services or School Resource Officer from MonmouthCounty; Theresa Wordelmann will make contact;
  • School Counselor or Psychologist -- Leana Sykes of Lindenwold Public Schools is our first choice; Sophie Brookover will make contact;
  • DYFS Representative/Social Worker -- at present, we don't have anyone on tap to contact DYFS
  • YouthIssues Specialist Attorney -- Liz Burns will find someone, possibly through ALA's Lawyers for Libraries

Thanks Sophie!!

We decided to not invite Kevin King this year, but will keep him and his many excellent workshops in mind for future years.

GSTBA

Regarding the GSTBA ballot discussions, Jeri Gunther spoke about the preparation for discussions, rules of engagement, and the process of selecting titles for the ballot. She emphasized that if you are a reader and cannot come to a discussion meeting that it’s very important to send your top five picks with someone who will attend the meeting. Also, Theresa Wordelmann said it would be most helpful if everyone wrote a two sentence annotation for their top five picks to bring to the meeting. If there’s a book you love it is important to get others to read it so there are enough votes to consider it for the ballot. The criteria for selecting books to be on the preliminary list may be found on the NJLA website under Honors and Awards – Garden State Book Awards.

The list of GSTBA books and reader assignments will be emailed to readers by Members at Large, Laura Leonard & Kate Vasilik.

Next Meeting on Friday, January 25 at the South Brunswick Public Library

Coffee at 9:00 a.m. / Meeting 9:30 a.m.

Meeting includes selection of Fiction, grades 6-8 for the GSTBA Ballot

Healthy snack – Lucretia Lipper, Decadent snack – Kate Vasilik, Beverages – Kimberly Paone & Sandi Cronce, Paper goods – Selwa Shamy

Officers & Contact Information

Jeri Gunther, President
Ocean County Library, Beachwood
/ Sophie Brookover, Vice President
Camden County Library, Voorhees
856-772-1636, ext. 3360

Selwa Shamy, Secretary
SomersetCounty Library System,
Bridgewater
908-526-4016, ext. 197
/ Laura Leonard, Member at Large
Hillsdale Public Library
201-358-5072

Katherine Vasilik, Member at Large
FranklinLakes Public Library
201-891-2224, ext. 105

/ Theresa Wordelmann, PastPresident
OldBridge Public Library
732-721-5600, ext. 5044

Respectfully submitted by Selwa Shamy, Secretary