J Librarian Meeting

December 12, 2012

Attendance: Judy Carpenter/Penfield, Amy Hogue/Parma, Amy Joslyn/Fairport, Kathy Wolf/Central, Marcia Thor/Maplewood, Maria Heeks-Heinlein/Sully, Gina Wells/Charlotte, Jeanne Steinbrenner/Pittsford, Jill Sutter/Chili, Deb Amesbury/Chili, Amy Holland/West Irondequoit, Stacey Martin/Chili, Matt Krieger/Brockport, Peg Tyler/Pittsford, Natalie Burch/Highland, Tina Allen/ Pittsford, Cathy Henderson/Greece, Miranda Hazen/Central, Kelsy Hibbard-Baker, Fairport & Central, Missie Malo/Scottsville & Mumford, Mary Jo Smith/Gates, Jane McManus/Winton, Mary Clare Scheg/Monroe, Cathy Lathrop/Henrietta. Anne Hicks/Henrietta, Jason Poole/Webster, Tonia Burton/Central.

Information from Tonia:

Summer Reading Grants – This is the final year for the $300 per library summer reading grant. This money MUST be spent on a program by 7/31/2013., with no exception. There will be no reimbursements past this date, and New York State does check for compliance! Tonia will need the name of the program you designate for these funds by March1, 2013.  There will be an insert promoting summer reading in Genesee Valley Parent this year, and Tonia will actually need five (5) programs from each library – YA and J – by March 1, 2013, if you want to take advantage of this advertising. Remember, one of the 5 MUST be your $300 grant event! Please send this info in one email, please, and contact Tonia if you have questions.

Starting in 2013, the Family Literacy Grant is changing to a system-level only grant, and it MUST be tied in to summer reading. The grant is for $9000 per year for three years, with the first year being defined as running from 7/1/2013 to 6/30/2014. Tonia must submit for this grant by 1/15/2013 (soon!), and she is still looking for ideas from us as J librarians; she has suggestions from the YA librarians. Please let her know your thoughts ASAP. One possible plan/idea discussed at the meeting was to set up Family Enhanced Story Time Training. This might include a speaker (Sarig Ghoting) in October 2013, with follow-up in February 2014, and implementation in summer 2014. This plan would include the purchase of shared story time materials (i.e parachutes, etc.) as well as the creation of story time kits.  Matt mentioned some other equipment ideas, such as a bubble machine or pre-loaded e-readers.

Tonia also mentioned that NY State is talking about coming up with Literacy webinars, sometime in the future, just as an FYI.

Excellent resource – There was some discussion about KidsOutandAbout website as a valuable resource for advertising, especially for targeting the home-school population. Kudos were given to Debra Ross, founder of the site, for her pro-library stance.

Change in meeting schedule – Tonia requested that the January meeting be changed to a program meeting instead of a mentor meeting, to accommodate our next speaker, Jim Coffey and his presentation on brain development. The location of the January meeting is tentatively at Brighton, with Central as a back-up. Please stay tuned for more info on this.

Fundraising – Tonia mentioned that the library is included in the United Way’s “ROC the Day” fundraiser online. One of the options for giving is the Rochester Friends & Foundation, and there are some matching funds on the line!!!!  Another fund-raiser, for the Gates Library, was mentioned by Mary Jo. If you visit the Quaker State & Lube restaurant on December 31^st, 15% of your tab will be donated to the library.

Soccer – Don’t forget the upcoming Lancers game in honor of libraries on January 27 at 1:00 pm in the Blue Cross Arena. Among many cool activities, there will be on-site library card registration.

Apps & IPads – There is information on this topic on the WIKI, with space for you to add your own information! Please make sure you make use of the WIKI – Tonia posts information there we all need to know about. Contact Jane McManus if you are having trouble accessing it. Anne Hicks demonstrated three ways she uses her tablet to foster interaction at story hours. These included animals sounds, feeding animals the right food, and building a robot. She also provided a hand-out with the apps she used.

“Best Books” discussion – Mary Jo presented a list of possible Caldecott contenders, and each table had time to discuss about five books each and then report back to the group on their top choice. The winners are as follows:

            Table One – One Special Day, by Lola Schaefer.

Table Two – The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, by William     Joyce.

Table Three – Green, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.

Table Four – Nighttime Ninja, by Barbara DaCosta.

Table Five – And Then its Spring, by Julie Fogliano.

Table Six – Extra Yarn, by Mac Barnett.

There were several book talks, featuring contenders for the Newbery Award. The titles presented were In a Glass Grimmly, by Adam Gidwitz, Wonder, by R.J. Palacio, and The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate.

Final comments – a few additional favorite books for 2012 were mentioned, including Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs, The Day Louis Got Eaten, and King Arthur’s Very Great Grandson.

*Final Note – There will be a collection at the January meeting to replenish our Sunshine Fund. We ask a yearly donation of $5.00 if you are so inclined. THANK YOU!

Respectfully submitted,

Anne Strang