On a recent rainy Monday afternoon, a small group of people gathered around a table on the second floor balcony at the Lynnfield Public Library. Present were Children's Librarian Suzanne McGowan, Assistant Director Nancy Ryan, Library Media Specialists Janice Alpert (High School), Susan Tsiatis (Summer Street Elementary), Theresa Maffeo (Middle School), Connie Krueger (Huckleberry Hill), Children's Librarian Kathleen Hutchins (J.V. Fletcher, Westford), and Susan Babb, NMRLS Youth Services Consultant.

The agenda was ambitious. After a round of introductions, Suzanne led a discussion on a brief history of school/public library collaboration in Lynnfield. She expressed a need to evaluate and re-focus on the role of the collaborative - a better collaboration would improve all services.

Kathleen Hutchins was introduced next. Her participation at this meeting was a direct result of both children's librarians having attended the 2003 YSLead Institute. Mentor Kathy and participant Suzanne had also been involved in the IDYLS workshop "Serving the Same Kids - Key Elements of Community Collaboration" presented on April 1st www.nmrls.org/youth/ services/NMRLS_IDYLS.html.

Kathy presented information on the Westford Public and School Library Collaborative. Information on this program is located at www.westfordlibrary.org/ys/westford_library_collaborative.htm. This Collaborative started with a handful of public and school librarians and has grown to include not only J.V. Fletcher but most of the schools. They meet frequently and follow goals created by the group.

Some of the issues the Lynnfield librarians are grappling with are communication, scheduling meetings, and being consistent in message and goals. They were realizing that any gaps in communication or consistency only hurt the kids and parents.

Kathy Hutchins commented: "I think it was helpful for that group to hear that other library systems suffer from the same problems. I also think it was helpful to them to hear that they were on the right track since they did meet together and were of like minds. It seemed additionally that it was helpful to them to hear that the support and change has to come from the top."

A meeting such as this can only help to build a strong collaboration between public and school libraries. You might say it takes a community to serve the same kids in the best way possible!