SJRLC Connections

Meet the Authors: NJ Statewide Children’s and Young Adult Author Conference

Meet the Authors: NJ Statewide Children’s and Young Adult Author Conference

 

Register now for the annual NJ Statewide Children’s and Young Adult Author Conference, April 11, 2008, sponsored by the NJ State Library and the Children’s and Teen Services Sections of NJLA. The registration form is available on the NJYAC website at http://www.njyac.org and on the NJ State Library website at http://www.njstatelib.org under the heading Library Development Bureau, then click on LDB News and select 2008 Author Conference Registration Form. It will also be posted on NJLA’s website, http://www.njla.org very soon.

This fun and stimulating day of author presentations will be held at the Woodbridge Public Library, 1 George Frederick Plaza, Woodbridge, NJ. The program will be held from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

A light breakfast and lunch will be included.  Come for coffee at 9:30 AM, with the program to start at 10:00 AM. 

Copies of the author’s books will be available to purchase and have signed by the authors.

 
Featuring authors/illustrators: 

• Sarah Beth Durst, author fantasy Into the Wild “Amusing, but not profound.” – School Library Journal
• Kevin C. Pyle, author of the graphic novel Blindspot  “Perfectly captures a shining moment of boyhood” - Booklist 
• Marie Lamba, author of the teen novel What I Meant “Realistic and well-paced.” – Kirkus

 In addition to the other authors, Tonya Bolden will also be there.

Her newest nonfiction book is George Washington Carver. Her other nonfiction books
for readers in grades 6 and up include: Take-Off (Bk & CD): American All-Girl Bands During World War I; M.L.K.: The Journey of a King; The Champ: The Story of Muhammad Ali;Wake Up Our Souls: A Celebration of Black American Artists; and Cause: Reconstruction American 1863-1877.

 
For more information, contact Sharon Rawlins, Youth Services Consultant, NJ State Library, srawlins [at] njstatelib.org, 609-278-2640 ext. 116.

Garden State Book Award Winners

The Children's Services Section of the New Jersey Library Association announces the following recipients of the 2008 Garden State Children's Book Award:

EASY-TO-READ BOOK

ONE NOSY PUP
by Carol Wallace, illustrated by Steve Bjvrkman

EASY-TO-READ SERIES BOOK

HENRY AND MUDGE AND THE GREAT GRANDPAS
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Sugie Stevenson

FICTION, GRADES 2 - 5

LUNCH MONEY
by Andrew Clements, illustrations by Brian Selznick

NON-FICTION, GRADES 2 - 5

RUNNY BABBIT: A BILLY SOOK
by Shel Silverstein

The Garden State Children's Book Awards were established in 1977 in order to give recognition to books for elementary grade readers. The nominees are selected
by a committee of the Children's Services Section of the New Jersey Library Association on the basis of literary merit; the winners are chosen by popularity
with readers. A three-year lapse from the original publication date is allowed in order to determine popularity.

The awards are given in three categories, with the option of one additional series category: a work specifically designated as Easy-To-Read by the publisher; a work of fiction for grades 2 - 5; a work of non-fiction for grades 2 - 5. Awards, presented annually at the NJLA spring conference, are given to both the author and the illustrator.

This year's conference will be held at the Ocean Place Conference Center in Long Branch, from April 29-May 1 with the awards presentation luncheon on May 1.

For further information, visit the NJLA website at www.njla.org, or contact Sandy Holtz, Chair, Garden State Childrens Book Awards Committee, by phone at
973-762-1622 x5013 or email at sholtz[at]maplewoodlibrary.org.

Garden State Teen Book Award winners

Courtesy of Kimberly L. Paone,  Supervisor, Adult/Teen Services,  Elizabeth Public Library

The votes are in (and counted) and I'm happy to announce this year's Garden State Teen Book Award winners:

Fiction, Grades 6-8
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
[runners-up: Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick and The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan]

Fiction, Grades 9-12
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
[runners-up: My Sister's Keeper by Jodie Picoult and Peeps by Scott Westerfeld]

Nonfiction, Grades 6-12
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
[runners-up: Red Hot Salsa by Lori Marie Carlson, ed. and Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti]

This year, there were 805 votes total, from 61 participating school and public libraries.  Thanks to all of you that contributed votes on behalf of your students!  The NJLA YA section is currently working hard to put together the 2008 ballot, so you can look for that at NJLA.   

GRANT: Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program

Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program
http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/index.html

Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to improve student reading skills and academic achievement by providing students with increased access to up-to-date school library materials; well-equipped, technologically advanced school library media centers; and well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists.

Applications Available: January 22, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 7, 2008.

Eligible Applicants: LEAs in which at least 20 percent of the students served by the LEA are from families with incomes below the poverty line based on the most recent satisfactory data available from the U.S. Census Bureau at the time this notice is published.

These data are Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates for school districts for income year 2005.  A list of LEAs with their family poverty rates (based on these Census Bureau data) is posted on our Web site at: www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/eligibility.html.

Estimated Available Funds: $18,570,261.  Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2009 from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.

• Estimated Range of Awards: $30,000--$500,000.
• Estimated Average Size of Awards: $250,000.
• Estimated Number of Awards: 80.

Additional Information: Applicable regulations, priorities, and other information are available in the Federal Register notice.

Additional information is available online at:
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2008-1/012208a.html

2008 Summer Reading Club: Craft and Information Workshop’s registrations are now available

The 2008 Summer Reading Club Committee is pleased to tell you that the Craft and Information Workshop’s registrations are now available.

Please go to: http://www.njsummerreading.org/librarians/workshops/ to register for the workshop of your choice. This year we will be holding two separate Craft Workshops and a separate Teen Information Workshop that will follow the Teen Craft Workshop.

Space is limited at the workshops so please register.

Enthusiastic Reader Award

The New Jersey Reading Association (NJRA) and the New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL) are co-sponsoring the NJ Enthusiastic Reader Award.

Nominations are due Feb. 1.  Nomination form is available on NJASL website at http://www.njasl.org/documents/EnthusiasticReader2008.doc.  This is your opportunity to recognize your enthusiastic readers.

One Book NJ News

News from Kate Vasilik, 2008 Chair, One Book New Jersey
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Just a few things to keep you up-to-date for OBNJ 2008...

Most public libraries should have already received the OBNJ posters.  If you have not received yours by next week, please first check your building (libraries were only sent one poster per building) or your library system headquarters (posters for branch libraries were sent to your main building).  We do have a number of extra posters.  If you would like a second poster for your building, please email me.  Also, posters were only sent to all of the public libraries in the state - if you are a school library, or know of a school library, who would like to display a poster, please let me know.  Please also let me know where the poster can be delivered (preferably with your CD&L number).

Launch Week is quickly approaching!  Make sure to get your programs up on the website calendar (www.onebooknj.org) as soon as they are planned.  All libraries with programs scheduled during Launch Week, February 10-16, 2008, are automatically entered into a random drawing to win a free set of this year's OBNJ selections.  Also, if you place an order with Cafe Press (www.cafepress.com/onebooknj) this week, your products should arrive mid-February.  Check out some of the cool products with images of the OBNJ logo or this year's poster image!  Use these products are give-aways and prizes during Launch Week.  A OBNJ t-shirt can work as a great promotion year-round!

Kate Vasilik
2008 Chair, One Book New Jersey

One Book NJ is presented by the New Jersey Library Association in collaboration with and funded by the New Jersey State Library, which is responsible for the coordination, promotion, and funding of the New Jersey Library Network.

Katherine Vasilik, Young Adult Librarian
Franklin Lakes (NJ) Public Library
tel: 201-891-2224 x105
fax: 201-891-5102
vasilik [at] bccls.org
kate_thelibrarian [at] yahoo.com

It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters, in the end. [Ursula K. LeGuin]

2008 Coming Up Taller Awards

Posted on behalf of Nancy Dowd, NJ State Library
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Be the first library to win this award

Applications are available for the "2008 Coming Up Taller Awards" of which IMLS is a partner. The awards recognize and reward outstanding after-school, out-of-school, and summer arts and humanities programs for underserved children and youth. The program is in its eleventh year, and so far not one library has ever won. State Librarian Norma Blake would like to encourage all libraries with programs that qualify for this award to apply. The deadline is January 31.

Recipients of a Coming Up Taller award receive $10,000 at a special ceremony in Washington, DC, an individualized plaque, and an expense-paid invitation to attend the annual Coming Up Taller Leadership Enhancement Conference.

To read more about the award and to link to the application please visit Blake's Blog at: http://www.njstatelib.org/blakesblog/ or visit http://www.cominguptaller.org/downloads/2008CUTNominationApplication.pdf.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

Summer Reading Update

Posted on behalf of the Summer Reading Committee

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For the first time this year, we had Highsmith deliver the Summer Reading banner, posters and bookmarks directly to public libraries.  Some of you have already received them.  We are aware that there will be some “glitches” since this is the first time we have attempted this kind of delivery.  While we work at ironing out those glitches, for now, please follow these instructions :

1. DO NOT PAY THE BILL.  DO NOT SEND THE BILL TO NJLA YET. Just hold on to the bill that was enclosed with the shipment you received.  We will let you know as soon as possible what to do.  Your library is not being billed for this shipment.  The bill will be paid from the Statewide Summer Reading budget.
      
   
2. DO LET US KNOW IF YOU DIDN’T RECEIVE ENOUGH FOR THE BUILDINGS IN YOUR SYSTEM.  Please e-mail either Pat Vasilik, co-chair of the Summer Reading Committee or Sharon Rawlins, Acting State Library Representative if you don’t receive the correct number of banners/posters/bookmarks for your library system.

Each library building should be getting ONE banner, ONE children’s poster, ONE YA poster, 2 packages of children’s bookmarks and 1 package of YA bookmarks.  The shipment for a library system should all be arriving at the main or headquarters library.  So for example, the supplies for all 20 libraries that are part of the Ocean County system should arrive at the Tom River location. 

If you have received the shipment, but haven’t gotten enough for each library in your system, e-mail either vasilik[at]cliftonpl.org or srawlins[at]njstatelib.org  and let us know how many more sets of everything you need.

Pat Vasilik , Children's Coordinator
Clifton Public Library , Clifton, NJ
vasilik[at]cliftonpl.org

Free Comic Book Day

Is your library signed up for Free Comic Book Day yet? Deadline is February 23!

The New Jersey State Library and INFOLINK are inviting public and school libraries to join us in an awesome public awareness campaign this spring as we partner with Diamond Comics to launch our Super Librarian Comic Book as part of Free Comic Book Day on May 5.

• Be part of the excitement as NJ launches its first ever- Super Librarian Comic Book.
• Invite your teens to plan an event around free comic book day
• Sign up to be partner with Diamond Comics- see link to form below
• You get free Super Librarian comic books from the State Library and can arrange to get supplies from your local comic book store
• We’ll be joining with Diamond Comics to promote the event statewide and will be directing the media to local libraries to highlight how our libraries are meeting the needs of local teens
• We’ll also be running a YouTube/Comic drawing contest for teen – details coming soon!

The comic book community wants to make your library a prominent part of its biggest day with a special, NO COST cross promotional opportunity. Sign up today!

Print out the form at the link below and Fax to Nancy Dowd by February 23.
FORM: http://www.njyac.org/docs/NJ_Library_Flier_color.pdf 

 Nancy Dowd, New Jersey State Library
Director of Marketing
Blog: The M Word

Mr. Inspiration Indeed!

For those of you who attended our 20th anniversary membership meeting at the Seaview Marriott yesterday you know that Patrick Jones more than lived up to his moniker, "Mr. Inspiration" (bestowed upon him by School Library Journal.)   While his presentation was ostensibly about serving teens I thought much of his material was perfectly applicable to serving, well, anyone (with the possible exception of genealogists--- no offense, you had to be there...)

Patrick was good enough to share his powerpoint presentations which are available here:

|Morning Presentation:  Reaching Reluctant Readers  |Afternoon Presentation: Moments of Truth|

Here, in no particular order, are my takeaways from yesterday; the ideas that really resonated with me:

• Patrick's realization that he couldn't change all of the teens in Savannah, Georgia, "But what could I change? "  A great awareness, whether we're serving teens, adults, genealogists or just trying to make our way through this crazy world.  It reminded me of Stephen Covey's point that we frequently expend energy on things that are in our sphere of concern but not in our sphere of influence.  this makes for a long day.  We are happier and more effective when we focus on things that are both within our sphere of concern and our sphere of influence. 

• Our job is not to build YA Collections.  Our job is to build collections for young adults.   Our job is to help create stronger, better, healthier youths.  Later in the day Patrick made a similar point:  Our job is not to build collections or answer reference questions.  Our job is to make our communities better places to live (or work, or study.) 

• Regarding our assumption that boys don't read: "When we talk about boys not reading, we assume that reading means fiction.  Boys read a lot.  Just not Pride and Prejudice."  I recall hearing Stephen Abram making a similar point.

• It's good to remember that teens act the way they do because their brains are not yet fully developed.   "Our brains our big hunks of Colby...theirs are swiss cheese!"
  

• After helping a teen, give them a business card and tell them, "If you need help, let me know."  Wow!   Great idea.  I know many librarians don't have business cards, but it's easy to run them off, either for individuals or for the department.  How about putting an IM address on that card too?    As Patrick said, "Every transaction is a relationship.  Let them know you want it to continue."  That's so...respectful!

• Find a way to say Yes.  (i.e., In response to teen who wants to check email on an OPAC only machine: "Yes you can check your email.  Let me show you which computer is available for you to do that."

• Say Thank You.  Simple, positive reinforcement goes a long way.  Teens made a choice to come to the library.  Thank them for that choice.   Tell them it's good to see them, by name if possible.  ("Thanks for being here Bill. Tomorrow we're not going to throw chairs, right?  OK, have a good night.") 

Well, those are my big takeaways, what are yours???

For more info on Patrick check out his blog, his website, his myspace page, publications, and links to his other presentations.