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On April 1, at 8:00 AM in the morning, approximately 30 youth services librarians gathered to hear first hand tips and strategies on how to develop community collaborations. It was a morning rich in collaborative ideas! Presenters were 2003 YSLead Institute graduates and mentors. They covered topics such as:

  • Understanding your audience
  • Developing programs for that audience
  • Marketing and evaluating your programs

A unique feature of the program was an exhibit of Models of Success, posted on 5 display boards around the room. Please visit www.nmrls.org/youth/services/models.html to see some snapshots.

These Models were drawn from the 8 libraries represented by the YSLead group. Some collaborations include:

  • Fire Department/Public Library: Collaborative Storytime.
  • Schools/Public Library/Cultural Council/Community/School Library: Art of the Book - Yearlong program on author, illustrator and publisher townwide.
  • School Library/Schools/Public Library/ Historical Commission/Teens: Collaborative effort to help teens with reference on social studies project in Local History Room.
  • Parent Groups/MBLC-LSTA/Public Library/Day Care Providers/PreSchools: Wee Care Kits - Thematic collections for early childhood learning.
  • School Library/Schools/Public Library: ·Tours of entire Public Library when students grow beyond Children's Services and collaborative suggested Summer Reading Lists.
  • School Library/Parent Group/Cultural Council/Friends of Library/Public Library/Senior Citizens: Yearly author visits including a community presentation at the Public Library and an intergenerational book discussion.
  • Health Department/Public Library/Schools: Health Department runs "growing up" program at the Public Library and library provides a book list to accompany program. Schools promote program with information sent home by grade.
  • Public Library/Department of Public Works/Contractors/ Police/Fire/Light Department/Community: Vehicle Day - Big trucks, etc. come to the Library Parking lot for close up looking and sitting in by children and their parents. Early morning and evening are good times to get the Dads to bring their kids.
  • Public Library/Day Care Providers/MBLC-LSTA/Realtors/Community/Friends of the Library/Newcomers & Neighbors/Parent Groups: Early Childhood Literacy Grant - Programming including Lapsits and SingAlongs, parenting programs and Board Book Collection to promote the importance of early literacy. Baby bags for families with children under two promoted by Realtors, Town Clerk's office, Parent Groups, Day Care Network, Newcomers and Friends groups.