Summer Reading Program - Forms Go Online! Deadline September 12!

Both the 2003 Evaluation and 2004 Materials Order forms are now online! On the order form, please note that we are asking for your participation numbers on that form! Also please note, we are offering the same materials as last year: the large unlined log and the small lined log only.

The evaluation form is at http://www.bpl.org/brls/eval.htm. The order form is at http://www.bpl.org/brls/order.htm And both forms can be found at http://www.nmrls.org/sum/cover.html

42 Youth Services Librarians Graduate from YSLead MA Leadership Institute
By Mary Ann Tourjee, Youth Services Consultant
Central Massachusetts Regional Library System

In July 2003, forty-two youth services librarians and seventeen mentors came together for the second YSLead MA Youth Services Leadership Institute that was held at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts. YSLead Massachusetts is a two-year leadership program for youth services librarians sponsored by the Massachusetts Regional Library Systems, and supported with LSTA federal funding administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. This leadership project was designed and implemented by the youth services consultants from the six regional library systems in Massachusetts.

Maureen Sullivan, a prominent national consultant, facilitated the institute. Agenda topics included: Leadership in Libraries Today, Understanding Your Work and Leadership Styles, Interpersonal Communication, Leading Groups and Teams, The Leader as Innovator and Risk Taker, The Leader as Coach and Mentor, Managing Differences, Planning and Setting Priorities, and Achieving Your Potential. Small group discussions and exercises helped those in attendance reflect on each topic; participants were encouraged to consider ways that the techniques discussed might be applied to their work settings. Advocacy, collaboration and networking were recurring themes throughout the institute.

Leading by Association: An Opportunity Fair gave participants the opportunity to discover the benefits of active participation and leadership in professional associations. Displays, handouts and testimonials as well as candid conversations with the mentors increased the participants' awareness of the role of library associations. Two lucky librarians received a free membership to the professional association of their choice.

Mentors from each of the six regions served as role models for the participants by demonstrating their leadership skills, interacting with their colleagues, and sharing their own successes and lessons learned in their professional development. Throughout the institute the mentors encouraged the participants to step forward as leaders in youth services librarianship. The mentors are committed to continuing their leadership guidance with the participants throughout the coming year.

In the coming months, the mentors and graduates of the YSLead MA Leadership Institute will combine their skills as they plan and design a continuing education workshop for the Introduction to Dynamic Youth Library Services (IDYLS) series, which will be held in each region during the winter and spring of 2004. Additionally, they will take an active role in regional, state, and national library associations.

While this will conclude the grant project, the six youth services consultants/staff from the Massachusetts Regional Library Systems are pleased to announce that the YSLead MA initiative will continue. Future plans are being made, and will be announced in the coming months.

From the Northeast Region, 2003 Leadership Institute Graduates were:

Stephanie Aude, Andover Memorial Hall Library, Andover
Kimberly Barker, Peabody Institute Library, Peabody
Rachel Baumgartner, Reading Public Library, Reading
Suzanne Dasaro, Lynnfield Public Library, Lynnfield
Ann Distasio, Danvers Public Schools, Danvers
Patricia Ells, Keverian School, Everett
Lisa Estabrook, Shore Country Day School, Beverly
Margie Shepard, Amesbury Public Library, Amesbury

2003 Mentors from the Northeast were:

Maureen Hardin, Amesbury Middle School, Amesbury
Corinne Fisher, Reading Public Library, Reading
Deborah Lang Froggatt, Memorial Middle School, Beverly
Kathleen Hutchins, J.V. Fletcher Library, Westford

The YSLead Massachusetts web site http://www.wmrls.org/YSLead/ has a complete listing of all participants and mentors and offers a glimpse of the outstanding work that accompanies this initiative.

Clicking Our Way through a New MRLS Performer Directory

The Southeastern Massachusetts Library System announces that SEMLS staff will develop and maintain a Web-based version of the Massachusetts Regional Library Systems' (MRLS) Directory of Programs and Performers.

Previously produced in print by the Central Massachusetts Regional Library System with funding provided by all six regions, the directory provides contact information, fees and brief annotations to help member libraries and patrons plan cultural and educational programming for patrons of all ages. In response to budget cuts and staff reductions, MRLS has taken the opportunity to find a new method for delivering this valued service to its members.

Plans are underway at SEMLS to replace the print version with an online database that will go live in September 2003 and be free of charge to member institutions and their patrons. The performer database will be searchable. This includes type of performance, keyword, target audience, fee, town, and a searchable index. A notes box will be available for any special details about a program. As this will be an ongoing project, entries may be made throughout the year. Verification of information will take place once a year. The MRLS Online Directory of Programs and Performers will also include special features such as links to program planning tips and a calendar of library performances and/or showcases.

Details on the submission procedures will be posted on the SEMLS homepage at http://www.semls.org/performer and all regions' discussion lists as they become available. For information, please contact Cheryl Letendre at SEMLS by telephone at 508-923-3531 or e-mail at cletendre@semls.org.

PDP Opportunities for School Librarians

We are pleased to announce that two of our workshop series have received DOE approval for awarding 10 PDPs at completion. The descriptions of the workshops are as follows:

Workshop Series One:

Making the Connections: A MSLMA/NMRLS Library Media Specialist Discussion Series
Course Description: This 5 session series, totaling 12 hours, came out of 4 brainstorming sessions in early 2003 with almost 50 library media specialists.

1. Collaborating with Teachers
   9/30/03 -- 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

   Join your colleagues in a discussion on collaborating with your teachers. How do you connect with your teachers and integrate the library program into the curriculum? Share what works and what doesn't work: scheduling, marketing, collection development, resources. Linda Friel, library media specialist at Methuen High School and Northeast Co-Director for MSLMA, will facilitate the discussion.

   Participants are encouraged to bring examples of their best collaborative efforts.

2. Showcase of Successful Collaborative Programs
   11/18/03 - 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

   Amesbury School District Staff will present a Showcase of their successful collaborative programs. Following the Showcase, there will be ample time for questions, brainstorming, and comments on possible collaborative efforts. Monica Blondin, Amesbury Schools Library Director, will facilitate the discussion.

3. Impact of Library Media Center on Student Achievement
   1/04 - Time and Date TBA (2 hours)

   Join your colleagues in a discussion of how the library media center impacts student achievement and the community. Is collaboration a defining characteristic? What practices do you employ in your library program to achieve the best for your students?

   Facilitator TBA

4. Book Discussion: Books and Techniques
   3/04 - Time and Date TBA (2 hours)

   Join your colleagues in discussions of books for all levels. What tools do you use in book selection? What are some creative ways to acquire books? How do you get kids motivated to read? How do you create your summer list? There will be breakout sessions for the different grades represented by participants. Facilitator TBA.

5. Share Sessions
   5/04 - Time and Date TBA (3 hours)

   Smaller breakout sessions will be held on the following topics: best practices, policies, advocacy, scheduling, library games. Participants will be polled in advance of this session to determine exact schedule of topics.

Workshop Series Two:

Course Name: YS Resources on the Web: Planning a Web Site

Session One (January 2004): Evaluating Web Sites - Participants will examine virtual library sites on the Web and evaluate them based upon the criteria of content, design, and purpose. Participants can note special features for their own web sites. (3 hours)

Session Two (February 2004): Planning a Web Site - Web Site planning should be a careful and thought out process. In this workshop, participants are going to examine their objectives in creating a Web site as well as organizing and designing the content of their site. Included in the workshop will be Web tool resources which can aid in creating a Web site. (3 hours)

Session Three (March 2004): Creating a Web Site: the Basics - Participants in this workshop will be introduced to basic HTML as well as a web editor. Using information from the previous sessions, a basic Web site will be created. Scanning, sizing, and inserting into a web site will also be demonstrated. (3 hours)