Cathy Talty, Children's Librarian at the Sawyer Free Library, Gloucester, received the highest award a librarian can hope for! A 5th grade boy who volunteers weekly after school received a 3 year full scholarship to Harborlight Montessori School in Beverly. He had to write a 250 word essay about a person who significantly influenced his education. He chose Cathy! "I almost fell off my chair when his mom showed it to me with a 'thank you' card from his family." Our work goes further than we can see.
Congratulations to Nevins Memorial Library (Methuen) Director, Krista McLeod! Krista was named the Methuen Board of Trade's Person of the Year. Her accomplishments for the Nevins Library were celebrated at a dinner at Guesthouse International on April 14. See
www.eagletribune.com/news/stories/20050310/LN_005.htm for all the details.
A Huge Thank You to Beverly from Swampscott
Submitted by Sandy Moltz, Young Adult Librarian, Swampscott Public Library
The Swampscott Public Library wanted to start a Teen Poetry Contest based on the very successful contest run by the Beverly Public Library. We began in 2004 by contacting all the local English teachers and school librarians at the Middle School and High School. We were contacted out of the blue by a wonderful woman in our town who wanted to sponsor a poetry event in memory of her mother. Our plan was to begin the contest in January 2005 with an awards ceremony during April, National Poetry Month.
I contacted Rhonda Finberg at the Beverly Public Library. I was bowled over by how helpful she was. Not only did she answer any and every question I had, but she made copies and sent me all her materials--program checklist, winning poetry booklet, certificates, letters to schools and winners, press releases, you name it. Any time I wasn't sure about a next step or a correct wording or format, I just had to look through the materials she had sent me.
The contest was very successful -- about 200 entries. We gave 14 awards and 10 door prizes at the Awards Ceremony. And we hope for even more participation next year. I really mean it when I say I couldn't have done it without Rhonda's help. Thank you!
