When Customers Cross the Line: Harassment in the Library

On November 5, two dozen NMRLS members heard attorneys Charles Wagner and Sally Bratten of the Boston law firm of Charles P. Wagner & Associates present an overview of harassment topics of interest to libraries as public places and as employers. There were many, many questions and lively discussion on the law and how administrators and staff should respond to situations in their libraries. If there is member interest, Charles and Sally have offered to come back to continue the conversation.

5th Annual Meet the Author

30 public and school librarians gathered at the Reading Public Library on November 15 for this annual event of Meet the Author.

Authors and illustrators on the panel were well known and celebrated. The panel included: Nancy Garden, author of many books including the classic "edgy" book Annie on my Mind and the more recent Molly's Family, Sharon Wooding, illustrator of many books including Molly's Family, Lesléa Newman, author of many picture books including the classic Heather has Two Mommies and more recently, Haichiko Waits, and Barbara Diamond Goldin, author of many non-fiction books and Jewish folklore, including Journeys With Elijah and A Mountain of Blintzes.

Among the many highlights of the afternoon was Lesléa Newman's presentation of how she created Haichiko Waits. (left picture)

Sharon Wooding (right picture) demonstrated how the illustrations for Molly's Family came from real children in real situations.

The best part of the program came towards the end with the panel discussion. Participants were able to ask questions and the panel of authors and illustrators answered them. It was wonderful to see and hear the experience, sensitivity, camaraderie, and humor of this panel!

For more information about these authors and previous Meet the Author panels, please visit: www.nmrls.org/youth/services/author.shtml. Keep an eye and ear out for the announcement of the 6th Annual Meet the Author, scheduled for Fall 2005!

Save the Date! Regional Friends Gathering

The Friends of the Hamilton-Wenham Library invite Friends groups from the NMRLS towns (www.nmrls.org/about/svcarea.shtml) to a joint meeting on Saturday, January 8, 2005, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, at the Hamilton-Wenham Public Library.

This meeting idea was initiated by Marcia Molay and Doris Gallant of the Hamilton-Wenham Friends, who were very interested in the Fall meeting of MFOL, but felt that Northampton was just a bit too far away. They thought that by gathering in a smaller, more local group of Friends, folks could share discussion and ideas about library programs, book sale work, benefits for members, and increasing community participation.

The meeting will be informal. Please pass this message along to your Friends' members, staff liaisons, and colleagues in other Friends organizations on the North Shore and Merrimack Valley.

RSVP to mary@nmrls.org so that we have a count of people coming. Directions are on the Hamilton-Wenham Library website: www.hwlibrary.org/.