NJLA YA Section Meeting

February 16, 2007

South Brunswick Public Library

Members Present: David Eckert, Elizabeth Erwin, Sharon Rawlins, Selwa Shamy, Sarah Cornish Debraski, Lucretia Lipper, Lina Crowell, Theresa Wordelmann, Andrea Cruise, Meghan Petrofsky, Judith Everitt, Elizabeth Burns, Fran Housten, Joanne Parra, Betsy Young, Saleena Davidson, Carlie Webber, Jessica Trujillo, Christina Roest, Kimberly Paone, Tyler Rousseau, Sandi Cronce, Kathleen Gruver, Susan Conlon, Mike Bobish, Ann Woodrow, Sophie Brookover.

Old Business

Sophie Brookover read the minutes from the January meeting aloud. Minutes were passed with few corrections.

Theresa Wordelmann announced that the next NJLA Executive Board meeting will be Tuesday, February 20 at the Cherry Hill Public Library. She passed around a list of the NJLA Executive Board meeting dates for 2007and asked attendees to note which dates they could attend. Forthcoming dates are:

February 20, 2007: Videoconferencing Cherry Hill Public Library and William Paterson University

March 20, 2007: Hunterdon County Library (Main Branch)

April 17, 2007: Location To Be Announced

May 15, 2007: Mercer County Library (Main Branch)

Updates from Around the State

No update.

NJ State Library

Sharon Rawlins announced that the Youth Services Coordinator position formerly held by Bonnie Kunzel has been posted by the NJ State Library, and encouraged section members to consider applying for it.

NJ State Library for the Blind & Handicapped

No update.

Statewide Summer Reading

Sharon Rawlins reported that the corrected disk from Highsmith should have been sent out along with posters and banners. If it has not arrived, Sharon is following up with Highsmith, and asked everyone who has not yet received a corrected disk and other materials to contact her at .

One Book NJ

Carlie Webber reported that the winner of the books & bookmarks for OBNJ will be announced February 21. Winners will be posted on the OBNJ website and posted to the regional listservs.

Theresa commended the hard work of the OBNJ committee and encouraged everyone present to check the OBNJ website ( for great tips on activities and events to hold in conjunction with the initiative.

Member Updates

Liz Burns reported that Sophie’s blog Pop Goes The Library (to which Liz contributes, is School Library Journal’s Site of The Month for February (available online: and also announced the publication of her article on children’s literature blogs in the February issue (available online: Congratulations, Liz and Sophie!

Liz also announced the debut of Kimani True, a new imprint from Harlequin focusing on African-American stories.

Carlie Webber reported that the audiobook for which she recorded an author interview and PSA, The Day My Mother Left, by James Prosek, is now available from Listening Library. Theresa requested that Carlie bring it in so the entire section could listen to her fine work.

Saleena Davidson reported that she had over 300 volunteers perform over 5500 hours of work for her department in 2006, an all-time record.

Lucretia Lipper reported on one of her final events at East Brunswick, an author visit with Patricia McCormick, author of Sold, who offered a moving PowerPoint presentation and talk on the subject of child prostitution in India. Several teens who attended are now working with anti-child prostitution organizations.

Selwa Shamy reported that she & Betsy Young survived their first teen library lock-in at Bridgewater PL. Betsy reported that 30 kids signed up for the sleepover, including 12 boys. Selwa said she & Betsy would be happy to guide other prospective locker-inners through the process in future. Betsy reported that their number one tip was to offer lots of activities, because the teens really can’t just entertain themselves for the full twelve hours. Activities included cookie-baking, a scavenger hunt, movies, Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, and a performance/workshop with an African drumming & dance group.

Theresa Wordelmann reported a lock-in hosted twice annually from 4-11 PM at her library, as an alternative to an all-night event. Betsy mentioned Pajama Parties that she & Selwa host at Bridgewater, which involve the kids attending in pajamas from 6-9 PM, making friendship bracelets, hair wraps, and other crafts. Selwa emphasized the importance of permission slips. There followed a discussion of the legal responsibilities of the library & library staff regarding lock-ins.

Sophie Brookover suggested that given the wealth of experience and knowledge among section members, the topic of how to hold a successful lock-in or slumber party would make an excellent NJLA Conference workshop for 2008.

Susan Conlon reported on Princeton PL’s recent Dance For Darfur, which raised $450 for Doctors Without Borders. Susan also reported on their first-ever Environmental Film Festival, which drew 1,000 people over 5 days – the idea was brought to Susan by one of her teens. Susan is happy to share her planning resources for the festival, which could be adapted to a smaller scale.

Sophie Brookover reported on her book and CD reviews of children’s materials at Babble, a new parenting website (

Kimberly Paone reported that Simon & Schuster has asked her to write the reading guide & discussion questions for Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside, all by Holly Black, following her success with writing the reading guide & discussion questions for Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies trilogy. Congratulations, Kimberly!

Theresa mentioned that employees from her local mall’s Apple Store are coming to OBPL to host two programs for Teen Tech Week. The Apple Store employees would also be happy to assist at the podcasting booth and with the how-to presentationon podcasting at the NJLA conference.

2007-2008 YA Section Ballot

Theresa encouraged section members to run for office, and noted that interested candidates for positions of Member at Large, Secretary, and VP should alert Theresa to their interest and furnish her with a brief (no more than 5 sentences) biography by the end of the day.

The following people volunteered to run for positions as follows:

Member-at-Large: (In alphabetical order) Elizabeth Erwin, Kathleen Gruver, Laura Leonard, Kate Vasilik,Betsy Young

Secretary: Selwa Shamy

Vice President: Sophie Brookover

President: Jeri Gunther

NJLA Conference (April 23-25, 2007)

Garden State Book Awards Luncheon

Theresa Wordelmann reported that she has received responses from all honorees. Gennifer Choldenko was very excited about winning and is checking her calendar to see if she can attend. Andy Riley’s editor expressed the author’s delight in winning, but mentioned that he lives in London, so his attendance at the conference is unlikely. Eireann Corrigan has been in touch via e-mail with both Kimberly Paone and Theresa, is very happy to have won the award, and will be attending the luncheon at the conference.

Poster Session Approved

The poster session Theresa submitted, on Great Teen Spaces Throughout The State, was approved. The poster sessions will be held at the conference on Tuesday, April 24. The Conference Committee requests that posters and materials be set up in the morning (starting at 8AM) in the Mezzanine at any available poster session table. Presenters must attend to their tables and be available for questions during the formal poster session time slot of 2:30-3:30 PM.

Theresa asked section members to take photos of our Teen Spaces, and of teens using and enjoying spaces (both those designated teen and those not) in their libraries, and to create clever captions for them. Theresa asked volunteers to bring photos and captions (including the name of the library) to the March 30th meeting for a large poster-assembling session following the meeting.

Theresa also encouraged section members to be creative with how they interpret the term “Teen Spaces”, because even an area not designated for use by teens – such as a computer lab – become teen spaces when used by teens. Themes to be included are: teens using technology, teens reading, teens playing, teens creating content, and so on.

Betsy Young, Saleena Davidson, Carol Woodcock, Kimberly Paone, Liz Burns, Ty Rousseau, Elizabeth Erwin, and Susan Conlon volunteered to bring in pictures and to assist with assembling the posters.

Garden State Book Awards

Finalize Grade 6-8 Fiction

Three titles are ineligible. Two of these,Becoming Naomi Leon and Tending To Grace, are not eligible, due to having been published in 2004. Wolf: The Journey Home is a reprint from 1997, which renders it ineligible, as well. Three titles must be added to round out the list. These titles were: Elswehere, by Gabrielle Zevin, Totally Joe, by James Howe, and Warrior Heir, by Cinda Williams Chima.

Following the meeting, Theresa Wordelmann determined that Warrior Heir is also ineligible, due to having been published in 2006. It will be eligible for the 2009 ballot. In the meantime, however, the Section must choose a 20th title.

Discuss Grade 9-12 Fiction – set ballot

20 titles were selected from over 100 potential nominees. The list will be approved formally at the March 30th meeting.

Next Meeting: Friday, March 30, 2007 at the

Old Bridge Public Library

9:00 AM coffee / 9:30 start

Officers & Contact Information

Theresa Wordelmann, President
Old Bridge Public Library
/ Jeri Gunther, Vice President
Ocean County Library, Beachwood

Sophie Brookover, Secretary
Camden County Library, Voorhees
/ Saleena Davidson, Member-at-Large
South Brunswick Public Library

Carlie Webber, Member-at-Large
BCCLS, Hackensack
/ Cathy Delneo, Past President
San Francisco Public Library, Park Branch

Respectfully submitted by Sophie Brookover, Secretary.