On Dec. 12, I visited the Newark Public Library with the NJLA’s Reference Section.
After a brief introduction by Heidi Cramer, the Tour
took place in two parts. First off, we met with
Leslie Kahn (Reference) in the library’s computer lab.
Leslie discussed the Newark Library’s subject guides, catalog and
growing reference service, and encouraged librarians to call for assistance. She pointed out, as an example of the library’s unique
service, their system for identifying artwork (see their form here: http://www.njstatelib.org/LDB/Statewide_Services_Handbook/art_id_form.pdf
) Leslie concluded with the Library Song.
On the following library tour, led by Heidi Cramer,
we viewed the Periodical Room,
Overall, this trip was a refreshing reminder that sometimes, if the answer to a question is lacking, help is just a phone call/e-mail/fax away.
TopNJLA Reference Section & CJRLC Technology Group Meeting, 11/20/2007 - Monmouth County Library Marlboro Branch - Michael Maziekien
On
Perhaps the best illustration of the themes of Garwood’s discussion is the wiki he created for the meeting. By providing a simple Web site with the main points of his discussion, editable content and helpful links, Garwood has made it convenient for attendees to access this information at any time. See the wiki here: http://web2reference.pbwiki.com/
Many of the topics covered in this meeting have already been heavily discussed in library literature (chat/instant messaging reference, social networking sites, blogs etc.) The discussion of screencasting was enlightening, though. Screencasting is similar to taking a screenshot; but instead of capturing an image of what is onscreen at a given moment, you create a video playback of what happens on screen over a short period. Some screencasting software allows for the addition of visual effects and narration. This would be great for creating a video showing a patron how to access a database!
The majority of attendees seemed to be CJRLC members,
but the information provided is relevant to all branches of librarianship.
“How to Survey Your Public Library’s Preservation Needs” program, Tuesday, November 13, 2007, Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library-Kiran Patel
This workshop was presented by Rachel Onuf, Consultant at Northeast Document Conservation Center (NDCC)
A preservation needs assessment is a key step in developing a preservation plan for any public library’s special and historical collections. Ms. Onuf discussed preservation surveys, surveying the institution, surveying the building, surveying the collections and preservation planning. Preservation is a skilled activity and should not be undertaken by untrained personnel. It is important that staff, and users receive regular training in appropriate handling techniques, and collection users are provided with necessary aids and equipment.
Ms. Onuf discussed following guidelines to follow to help preserve library collection:
Fire and water damage are often considered together since the fire usually results in water damage. Disaster planning process covers preparedness for such events, and it requires collaboration between the library and the emergency services. Once the disaster control plan has been written, it should be regularly tested, reviewed and updated.
Long term goal is to have a permanent funding, which provides training and education, site surveys and needs assessment, disaster response and recovery costs.
A good storage will promote collection well-being by minimizing the risk of infestation, mould growth, water leakage and fire.
Shelves and books should be dusted regularly. No water should be used near the collection material.
Minimize the effects of light. Block ultraviolet light from fluorescent bulbs and windows with ultraviolet filtering transparent films. Most sensitive objects should not be on display all the time but should be rotated periodically.
Provide stable, moderate relative humidity and temperature. Provide cooling and good air circulation in the hotter summer months, use a dehumidifier in humid areas.
Minimize the effects of air pollution. Reduce the amount of dust in a library by upgrading and cleaning the filters in heating and air conditioning units regularly. Limit the use of new wood products, coatings, adhesives, new carpeting and chemicals around the collection. Slightly damp cotton cloths, magnetic wiping cloths, or soft natural bristle brushes are appropriate for routine dusting. Good housekeeping and proper storage can help keep the collection free of pests.
Know how to store objects. Some types of plastic storage products, such as page protectors, photo sleeves, and albums, can be harmful to photographs, slides and negatives. Choose stable materials such as polyester and polycarbonate. Objects should not be in direct contact with rubber bands, paper clips, rubber cement and self-adhesive labels. Framed paintings and framed works of art on paper can be stored vertically, edges protected with padding. Library manager can also develop specifications for digitization of library materials with imaging services. Digital preservation has long term value. . Properly prepared and stored microfilms have long life expectancy of many years.
Systematic assessment of both circulating and special collections assists library in setting preservation priorities and planning preservation programs and objects. Library manager can work with conservation specialist to select appropriate environmental monitoring devices, establish monitoring programs and interpret findings. Resulting data assist facility manager in achieving environmental conditions that promote the longevity of library collections. Professional conservators are skilled in preservation and treatment techniques that can prolong the life of materials in library’s collections.
Please see the attached materials and Northeast Document Conservation Center workbook Assessing Preservation Needs, which contains detailed checklists and instructions to guide the self-survey process for more information.
Kiran B Patel
Top
METRO Workshop,
* “What are some benefits of games?”
* “Gaming = Literacy”
* “Gaming Meets Developmental Needs of
Young Adolescents”
* “The Learning Principles within Games”
She also gave several informative facts regarding gamers: gamers tend to be social, competitive, multi-taskers,
risk takers, heroic, and collaborative. Beth also mentioned that only fifteen
percent of the games that are made are actually rated Mature, while the other
eighty-five percent are either rated T for Teen or E for Everyone.
Infolink, Successful Teen Services,
On
Kimberly Paone’s Successful Teen Programs and Crafts:
- Anime & Manga Club: These clubs meet to watch new anime, discuss manga, and help with the collection development of Manga for the library.
- The “Arts at Your Library” programs: a) A Music appreciation class; b) an Art Show; c) author events.
- Craft Clubs: a) Magnetic marbles; b) duct tape wallet; c) Gocks (sock puppets).
- Choose “The Elizabeth Idol” Contest: Kimberly Paone adapted “American idol” as a Teen
program for the Elizabeth Public library.
NJLA, Youth Service Forum,
On
The Two Workshops I attended were:
Tweens: Twixt Tots and Teens:
The presenter was Tracy Sumler from the Ocean County Library, who spoke about the age group known as the Tweens, ages 8-12. She gave examples of age appropriate programs, games, books, and video games that appeal to the Tween generation.
Summer Reading Groups:
This workshop was the introduction to the 2008 summer
program, where the theme “Catch the Reading Bug at your library” was presented. The presenters gave a sample of the artwork for 2008,
the programs available, and the summer booklists available.
Top
NJ
Center for the Book, "Stellar Science Spectacular," 9/25/2007 - Liberty Science
Center - Michael Maziekien
On
Welcoming speeches began at about
Given the choice of numerous one hour workshops for
the morning, I chose: “Using Science to Inspire and Attract Kids to the Library.” YA librarian Jessica Trujillo, from New Brunswick
Public Library, spoke about ideas for fun and educational science programs
at the library, many of which operated on a shoestring budget. As a recipient of the IDEAS (Initiative to Develop
Education through Astronomy and Space) Grant,
After lunch, I attended a presentation by Dr. Joan Bennett
from
I then attended a workshop and book talk by Sally M.
Walker, author of Secrets of a Civil War Submarine and other
children’s non-fiction titles.
The great majority of attendees were educators, with
a good number of school librarians and a relative handful of public librarians
sprinkled in. Nevertheless, I found the workshops
to be informative, and their subjects highly relevant.
In particular, I hope to incorporate
RefUSA Training, 7/11/2007, Parsippany//Troy Hills PL – Michael Maziekien
On July 11, 2007 I attended training for RefUSA at the Parsippany/Troy Hills library. A representative of RefUSA talked about the specialized databases available to users (including Corptech and Health Care), and where they get their information (phone books, census documents, household information surveys, company Web sites, etc.).
New Features for the Business Search were also discussed, including:
Corporate Family Tree – The entire hierarchical structure of a company can now be viewed on a single screen.
Radius Search – One can search for businesses within a defined radius of a business address.
Data Feedback – Essentially an online form where users can correct false or outdated information in the database.
Two new databases were discussed. Trial versions are being made available to NJ users temporarily (for one month). These are:
OneSource Express: A trial version of this database can be accessed. It contains globe-spanning, highly detailed information about large public and private companies. According to the speaker, this database has subscribers in at least one county in every state, except for New Jersey. It is competitively priced.
New Business Database: This is a database of startup businesses, many of them less than two weeks old, which are not included in the standard RefUSA Business Database.
I enjoyed learning about the Health Care database, which contains a massive repository of information on physicians and dentists. I was also surprised to hear that every business listed in the database is called at least once per year to confirm their information.
I feel that my training will aid me in finding accurate information, as InfoUSA seems committed to being recognized as an authoritative source. In addition, the potential benefits for local businesses of accessing this information shouldn’t be underestimated. I feel more qualified to explain these benefits to the public.
Note: During the meeting, little time was dedicated to the possibility of NJ users losing RefUSA in the future. However, attendees’ sentiments were clarified in discussions before and after the training. I agree with the general opinion that RefUSA is well worth holding on to.
Top
2007 ALA Annual Conference, 6/25/2007-6/26/2007 – Washington, D.C. – Kiran B Patel
Record breaking attendance at ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D. C.
More than 28,635 librarians, exhibitors and library supporters attended the 128th ALA Annual Conference at the Washington Convention Center from June 21 to 27, 2007.
American Libraries presents Julie Andrews, Part of the Auditorium Speaker Series.
This program was sponsored by American Libraries. Ms. Andrews talked about her work as an author of children’s books and a reading advocate. She said that at this stage in life, she wants to channel whatever media attention her movie-star status offers into advocacy for reading. As a matter of fact, the American Library Association asked her if she would serve as the Chair for National Library Week for 2008 and she accepted it. Ms. Andrews said that it was a thrill to have children come up to her and say that one of her books had turned them on to reading. The teachers and librarians who really care and do advise parents and children of what’s good and what’s out there, they are very special. They have a kind of wisdom that a lot of people don’t have. In the year 2000, Julie Andrews and her daughter Emma formed The Julie Andrews Collection at Harper Collins Publishers where they published their own books and introduced new authors. Catherine Creedon, a librarian and author published her first novel called, “Blue Wolf.”
Ms. Andrews also said that a library takes the gifts of reading one step further and offers individual and personalized learning opportunities second to none.
Survey Fatigue? An RX for avoiding the problem.
Speakers: Wendy Starkweather, Director, Public Services Division, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Keith Lance, Director, Library Research Service, Colorado Department of Education; Steve Hiller, Director of Assessment and Planning, University of Washington Libraries; Meg Scharf, Associate Director for Public Services, University of Central Florida Libraries.
This program provided practical strategies and techniques to reduce the stress by suggesting ways to improve surveys and by describing alternative approaches for evaluating existing programs and services. Please see the attached materials for more information.
ALA International Librarians Reception at Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building.
This was a unique opportunity to network with information professionals from around the world.
Libraries Build Communities! Program was coordinated by the ALA chapter Relations Office and the District of Columbia Library Association.
I participated in community service efforts on Tuesday, June 26, 2007. We walked over to Martin Luther King Library, the main branch of the D.C. Public Library and processed non-print materials.
I had so much fun checking everything at ALA exhibits. I got lot of stuff, books and information.
I would like to express my appreciation for giving me the opportunity to attend ALA annual conference.
Top
"THERE OUGHTA BE A LAW: Introduction to Basic Legal Reference," 5/9/2007 – Rahway Public Library, NJ – Kiran B Patel and Meghan Vacca
This workshop was presented by a team of New Jersey Law Library Association Librarians and Outreach Education Committee with Infolink region.
The workshop provided a basic overview of the United States Federal and State justice systems. They spoke on federal laws and cases, New Jersey Statues and secondary sources. The speakers then discussed the major law publishing houses in United States. Thompson West and Lexus Nexus have the monopoly on law publications. Print and Internet reference materials were discussed. Some major resources are the Rutgers Camden website: http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu. www.njlla.org., http://thomas.loc.gov. and http://findlaw.com
Please see the attached materials for more information.
Top
Emily Lawlor
ALA
Washington, D.C.
June 24-25, 2007
One of the most interesting sessions I attended at ALA centered around libraries building relationships with Generation X. Here are some notes from that session:
Marketing the Library to Generation X
This population (approx. those born between 1965-1979) is looking for:
-efficiency, convenience (ipods, cell phones, netflix)
-customization
-choices, informed decisions
-high quality of life
Gen X must be broken into sub-segments such as:
-Gen X men
-Educated working women
-Young families
-Entrepreneurs
-Students
In terms of advertising/marketing library programs, this generation:
-Isn’t as brand-loyal as previous generations, preferring to have choices and feel as though they are making the best decisions.
-Resists traditional advertising
-Responds to websites and direct mail
-Responds to personal relationships
A group from the St. Charles Public Library in Illinois presented on their successful programming efforts, the TnT (Twenties and Thirties) Campaign
(http://www.st-charles.lib.il.us/at_lib/programs/tnt.htm ):
-Social versus informational programs: social seem to get more response
-Social: Happy Hour
-Informational: “How to Create a Blog”
-Off-site programs (ex) in local bars, businesses: Must tie event back to the library
by bringing related books or making bibliographies of related resources.
-Marketing: They created a business card for the group, build brad recognition
with the “TnT Girl”
-Challenges:
-Generating attendance
-Ageism: people in their 40s & 50s complaining that they are excluded
-Getting participants more involved
A presenter representing the Young Friends of the Kansas City Public Library
(http://www.kclibrary.org/support/youngfriends.cfm ) also spoke:
-The importance of building support from future generations to prevent us from
becoming obsolete
-This group is more interested in building library supporters than building library
users, so her approach was a little different…
-Most events were social: wine tastings, happy hours, dinners out, the type of
event usually sponsored by “Young Professionals” groups
All of the speakers at this session were very interesting and I learned quite a bit about the demographic. Though I have heard talk of libraries becoming less important to future generations before, this was the first time it really made sense and that there seemed to be a real need to reach out to Gen X and create programming that appeals to them and makes the library important to them.
On Monday afternoon, I spent a couple of hours at the LIVE!@ your library Reading Stage in the exhibition hall. The focus of the series that day was authors of books for Young Adults.
First up was Carolyn Mackler, the YA author of several books, including The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. She read from her new book, Guyaholic, a sequel to Vegan Virgin Valentine. She spoke about her inspiration for the stories and how difficult it was to write real, honest teenage characters in the books that followed The Earth… as it received a lot of negative attention after landing on the list of most banned books in the country after its publication.
After Carolyn Mackler, Nick Hornby took the stage. Hornby, traditionally an adult author, has just written his first book written specifically for YAs, Slam. He read an excerpt of the story, which will be released this October. It was quite funny, and the packed audience laughed throughout. I would have been interested to hear his reason and process for writing to a slightly younger audience than he usually does, but the schedule of the event didn’t allow any time for questioning.
The third author to speak in this series was Cecil Castellucci, a very popular YA author. She began by reading from her new novel, Beige. I was most interested in hearing about her new graphic novel, The PLAIN Janes, written for DC’s new Minx imprint. I have been reading quite a bit about the book and about the imprint, as it is the first ever aimed specifically at teenage girls. Launching the imprint with a book written by an established YA author seems like a really smart move, and from what I have seen it so far, I think it will have a lot of teen appeal.
The ALA conference was a very positive experience. Aside from attending sessions, author readings, and auditorium speakers (Judy Blume and Julie Andrews!), I was able to speak with quite a few exhibitors in the exhibition hall and also to meet many other librarians. Thank you for the opportunity to have this experience!
Top
Staff Development Report Jeanne Sylvester
Infolink Diversity Committee May 2, 2007
On Wednesday, May 2nd, I attended a meeting of the Infolink Diversity Committee held at the Infolink Office in Piscataway. Allan Kleiman, Assistant Director if the Old Bridge Public Library, chaired this meeting. Mi-Sun Lyu, Infolink Program Coordinator led off the meeting with a report of the World Language Materials Fair which was held in March at Bergen Community College. This event was a joint effort coordinated by Infolink, the State Library, BCCLS and the Highlands Regional Library Cooperative. Over 100 people attended programs on diversity issues and visited the vendors who exhibit materials in many languages.
Cheryl O’Connor, Executive Director of Infolink, discussed a grant opportunity available from the State Library with the committee. The group brainstormed ideas that would fit within the parameters specified by the grant and meet with Infolink’s goals. Cheryl agreed to focus on preparing a grant application that would focus on developing and conducting a community needs assessment. Allan Kleiman discussed the “Senior Spaces” project at the Old Bridge Library. This unique space was developed with an Infolink Incubator Project Grant and with library funding. Its grand opening will be June 8th.
The committee members discussed the difficulty in ordering library materials in languages other than English, and the need for “specialists” in other languages to act at resource contacts. Other ideas discussed were establishing a multilingual rotating collection, considering library architecture when meeting a community’s diversified needs and emphasizing the needs and concerns of a diverse community to library staff, boards and directors. The committee’s focus for the 2007-2008 fiscal year will be evaluating and redesigning the Diversity Resource website that was developed after the 2005 Infolink Diversity Fair. Each committee member will be assigned different sections of the website to evaluate.
Top
NJLA Annual Conference, Wednesday April 25, 2007 - Heather Craven
Protecting Privacy – Grayson Barber
(I only attended the end of this session due to beastly traffic on the way there.)
Barber discussed current legal issues involving privacy in libraries, and took questions from the audience. She stressed that library staff are not law enforcement officers, and have the right not to be recruited into participating in law enforcement activities unless required by a court order.
Some points that were raised:
• A library was approached by police officers who wanted to observe a patron’s computer use. They suspected that the patron, a convicted sex offender, was using the Internet in violation of his parole. The library refused to let the police do this without a warrant. Barber said that the library was within its rights.
• Because libraries are public places, library staff may divulge the presence of a patron in the library (ex. when someone calls and asks “is so-and-so there?” library staff may legally answer.) However, library staff are not under any obligation to give this information. It is important for each library to have a stated policy regarding when and whether to answer such questions, page people in the library, etc.
Keynote Speaker – John Perry Barlow
Barlow discussed current issues affecting libraries, such as intellectual freedom, technology, copyright, and privacy, and praised the role of librarians in maintaining access to information. The address was a good summary of library issues in layperson’s terms. In fact, a colleague from another library reports that the talk was a very helpful overview for a board member who attended the conference. Unfortunately, it was all old news and little new information for librarians.
Growing Business @ Your Library – Rhonda Kleinman
Kleinman described an extensive county-wide library business program in Lancaster County, PA. County administration found that small businesses made up a large part of Lancaster’s economy, and wanted to reach out to and strengthen small local businesses.
They determined that the most appropriate role for the county was in providing information, and that the best way to do this was to dedicate funding for county libraries.
The libraries used the funding to set up business centers in several libraries, staffed by librarians with business expertise, with databases, reference tools, etc.
Kleinman offered suggestions for successful outreach to businesses:
• Form as many partnerships as possible with groups such as the local chamber of commerce, and groups that provide information and training, such as local chapters of SCORE or the Small Business Association.
• Make things as convenient as possible for small business owners, who are usually busy and pressed for time. For example, the Lancaster library business centers provided fax machines, staplers, etc. so that business people could get things done in one stop while doing their research. They also dedicated computers to business research, so that business people could avoid the wait times at public computers.
• Use the library’s strengths in providing information. For example, small businesses often need help with marketing research, and library databases and training can meet this need.
Peek-a-boo, We See You: Personal Profiles and Other Publicly Available Information – Robert Lackie
Lackie discussed the ubiquity of personal information on the Internet, and demonstrated how easily one can find information about people through their web presence or through online public records. Further information is available at http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/fil/pages/liststudentpe3.html
• People search engines such as wink.com can show information from all of a person’s social networking profiles, giving a detailed picture of that person’s interests and activities.
• Search engines such as www.privateeye.com search public records to give a person’s current and past addresses, phone number, age, and relatives. For a fee, these search engines can also give information such as criminal records, real estate information, etc.
• Many search engines will remove information on request. However, as long as information exists online or in public records, it will still materialize in one search engine or another.
• Some tips for protecting privacy: guard your Social Security number and do not use it as a general ID. Do not use the “remember password” feature of a browser on any computer that might be used by others. Be aware that information you post about yourself online is public and permanent.
• If general search engines such as Google turn up a website with information about you that you prefer not to share, there is no way to get rid of the information or keep the search engine from showing it. However, you can start a blog and post many entries, so that a search for your name turns up many hits for your blog entries first, effectively burying the unwanted website several pages into the search.
Top
Keynote Speaker: John Perry Barlow
Mr. Barlow is a retired Wyoming rancher, a former lyricist for the Grateful Dead, and co-
founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Mr. Barlow said that physical libraries would be more important in the future. Communities need that physical element. But libraries will have to be places where people do more than go to get books. Libraries will be places where people will go to exchange ideas, and librarians will be even more essential than they are now, guiding people to information, knowing where to find it. He thinks that the book has a promising future and books will be with us for a long time. If librarians really care about what they do, they need to become more politically involved. He would love to see more librarians ready to charge the battlements, because you cannot be confident that this is all going to work out. He hopes that more librarians would join Electronic Frontier Foundation.
Serving seniors of Color
Librarians Ingrid Betancourt and Allan Kleiman shared their experience and provided practical tips to serve growing populations of different ethnic cultural and religious backgrounds of seniors. As of 2000, 17.5%of the state’s population was foreign born. New Jersey had the 3rd highest percentage of foreign-born residents among the 50 states, surpassed only by California and New York. We need to expand our library services to all different ethnic, religious and economic backgrounds populations. We need to select and provide library materials that reflect the languages and cultures of the communities we serve. Plan programs that bring people of different ages, beliefs, cultures and lifestyles together, to encourage dialogue among different groups of people.
Develop programs that reflect cultural values. Involve local organizations, religious institutions and community leaders in developing the programs, provide translators to encourage and enable communication. Partner with ethnic community organizations and health care providers to organize health prevention and awareness programs that are appropriate and recognize the value of alternative medicines. Look at local demographics, report cards, check with social agencies and develop programs that allow people to share their lives and cultures. Set aside funds to cosponsor a variety of high-level diverse programs annually.
A Library Revolution: Returning the means of production via service discovery, systems integration and open standards.
Mr. Michael J. Giarlo described himself as a librarian technologist, currently employed by the Princeton University Library, where he is developing tools for digital library. Technologies such as OPENURL, COINS, UNAPI, and OpenSearch were explained. Imagine, if you will, a world where library services are automatically discovered; Library users retrieve information objects and databases with a single click, never having to navigate the dark alleys of dead-ends that are full-text resolvers. Information sources and services are connected and remixed according to user preferences and needs, where and when they wish.
OPENURL is designed to support medicated linking from information resources to library services. Examples include full-text, abstracts, citation databases, on-line catalogs and other web-resources services.
COINS (Context Objects in Spans) is a simple, ad-hoc community specification for publishing OPENURL references in HTML
UNAPI is a tiny HTTP API (Application Programming Interface) for the few basic operations necessary to copy, discrete, identified content from any kinds of application.
OpenSearch is a collection of simple formats for the sharing of search results. For more information visit http://www.opensearch.org
This was a good opportunity to meet fellow librarians and visit various exhibits.
Top
Staff Development Report
Jeanne Sylvester
New Jersey Library Association
Annual Conference
April24, 2007
On Tuesday,April 27th I attended the annual conference of the NewJerseyLibrary Association held at the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch. Theprogramsand exhibits were informative, inspirational, practical and enjoyable.It was awonderful opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and meet newprofessionalsin the field. Materials from programs, poster sessions and the exhibithall arelocated in a folder at the Reference Desk.
The firstprogram, “Habitual Reading: Reading as an Obsession” was presented byprofessorand author David Carr. After a humorous quiz about our personal readinghabits,Dr. Carr discussed the importance of reading and how it affects uspersonally,emotionally, intellectually, and how it can affect communities as awhole. Hestressed the importance of libraries and librarians to sustain aculture ofreading for individuals and for the community.
The KeynoteSpeakers were Barbara Bailey and Janet Nocek. They were two of the fourConnecticut librarians who received an FBI National Security Letterdemandingpatrons’ records under the USA Patriot Act. They spoke about theirexperiencesworking with the ACLU to fight this. They discussed their case, Doe v.Gonzales, and the future implications that their case holds forlibraries andlibrarians.
Librarydirectors of “small” libraries presented “Small Can Do It in Big Ways”.Smallcan mean population served, budget, staff, square footage or anycombination ofthese factors. In New Jersey, over one-third of libraries areconsidered“small”. The overall theme of this presentation was that small was justanattitude and that small libraries can do big things through innovativeprograms,networking with patrons and community groups and dynamic publicrelations.
The paneldiscussion, “Building Your Career”, provided attendees with differentperspectives of the profession. A new librarian, a mid-career levellibrarianand a current library director offered advice based on their experienceto aroomful of librarians and library students. They all stressed theimportance ofjoining the NJLA and serving on its various committees. Alumniassociations,Library Consortiums and other community organizations were alsomentioned aspossible career development opportunities. Librarians need to beaccepting ofand anticipating change and be willing and eager to embrace newtechnologies toremain valuable and meaningful to the profession and community theyserve.
Afterlunch, a walk on the beach, and a stroll through the exhibit hall, Iattended afinal program, “Extra, Extra, Read All About It: News Searching on theWeb”.The presenter, Dr. Randolph Hock, is an author and creator of OnlineStrategies.He developed a web resource guide, http://onstrat.com/news,which categorizes various news resources on the web. The presentationhighlighted the availability of websites that offer news from differentcountries and in different languages. He also discussed news portalssuch as“My Yahoo” where one can choose different news topics they wish toreceiveonline daily or as a personalized homepage. New trends in online newsresourcesinclude email alerts, Instant Messenger headlines, and RSS Readers.Thisprogram offered information that will be valuable to librarians andnewsseekers, especially now in our ever increasingly diversified communities.
Iappreciate the opportunity to attend the annual conference of the NewJerseyLibrary Association. It was a day to gain information, insight and inspirationthat can be used in my work at the Nutley Public Library and in my ownpersonaland professional development.
TopEmily Lawlor
NJ Statewide Children’s and Young Adult Author Conference
Woodbridge, NJ
May 4, 2007
Michael Buckley: TheSisters Grimm Series
MichaelBuckley started off the day talking about his path to writing children’sfiction. He segued into children’s fiction in general, and morespecifically,fantasy and folklore for children. He is of the opinion that all of theparodying of traditional folklore can ultimately be harmful to childrenandtheir understanding of our culture, in that, if they are unaware of thetraditional stories, then the parodies are all they know. I had heard asimilarargument while completing a Storytelling class as a part of my Masters program,and I agree with the sentiment. I think that the traditional folklore andfairytales are a part of a rich literary tradition, and that it isimportant for children to be exposed to and familiar with them. That is why Ihave paid special attention to our 398.2 section, weeding and replacing andupdating itwith accessible, quality versions of traditional stories from worldcultures.
Buckley discussed hisSisters Grimmseries, which intertwines many fairytale and folklore characters andmoves themto a modern setting. He read a portion of one of the stories. It seemedto beperfect for middle grade readers, flush with humor and excitement. Additionally, his stories feature strong girl characters havingadventures andsolving problems, whereas these adventurer roles are often relegated to boycharacters in other similar stories.
Jim Gownley: AmeliaRules Graphic Novels
Second tospeak was Jim Gownley, author and illustrator of the Amelia Rulesgraphicnovels. Much of his presentation revolved around his process increating andpublishing graphic novels, as well as the format itself and itsadvantages andpopularity with both children and young adults. He spoke specificallyto thedearth of graphic novels aimed at children, which was, in part, theimpetus forhis creation of Amelia and her friends.
Gownleyoriginally self-published his creations, beginning when he was in highschooland selling his comics out of his locker and to a local comic bookstore. Asthe popularity and visibility of the graphic novel format increases,his storycould be inspiring to artistically inclined child or young adult withhis orher own ideas for comics and graphic novels.
I wasimpressed by the measures he has taken to promote graphic novels forchildren,and also inspired by the idea that comics and graphic novels may appealtoreaders to whom traditional novels to not appeal. Anything that can getkidsreading is a positive thing! More graphic novels are being reviewed inSLJ andother journals, and I will continue to look for high quality,entertaining resources in this format to add to our children’s collection.
Delia Sherman: Changelingand other Fantasy
for Children and YAs
Whatinitially impressed my about our third presenter, Delia Sherman, washer fairlyrevolutionary notion that fairies and other magical Folk can and do, inliterature, exist in cities. She said that she had at one time attendedaconference for writers of fantasy and been told that magical beings exist onlyin the country. And, having been raised in New York City and borne witness toits magic as a child, she challenged that notion in her new novel, Changeling.Changeling tells the story of a mortal child, Neef, who existsin NewYork Between. She is raised in Central Park Central by her fairygodmother, arat. Meanwhile, in the mortal New York City, a fairy changeling hasbeen livingthe life Neef had been born for. Aside from its urban setting, whatmakes thisbook interesting is that, though it is never stated outright, Shermanpresentsthe fairy changeling child in such a way that to those of us living inthereal, physical world, the child would be perceived as ahigh-functioning autistic. Sherman spoke briefly about this idea, mentioning that in herresearch, she has found that the rules and perceptions she attributes to thatsupernatural world she has created are commonly familiar to andunderstood bydifferently-abled children. I like that this story can be read andunderstoodon several different levels, and may challenge its readers ideas ofwhat theyunderstand to be real versus fantasy.
Ellen Kushner, ThePrivilege of the Sword
EllenKushner’s presentation incorporated many of the ideas that DeliaSherman hadpresented, including using fantasy and non-traditional settings topresentstories for young adults, and why these settings may appeal to this agegroup.Additionally, she spoke about writing for your audience. She said thatshe hadnot intended for several of her books to be perceived as Young Adultfiction,and was surprised and even slightly alarmed that they had been labeledas such,given the subject matter within. She spoke about the idea of the YoungAdultgenre, in that the age of the narrator tends to dictate whether a bookwill bemarketed towards teens or adults.
Some of herpresentation bookended well with what Michael Buckley had started offthe day speakingabout in terms of source material and the passing down of traditionalstoriesand folklore. She spoke about adapting traditional ballads into novelsandtelling the stories behind them. Her Thomas the Rhymer is onesuchstory, and it sounded as though she is interested in adapting moreballads intonovels if inspiration allows.
Though thespeakers were obviously quite varied, their published works
rangingfromgraphic novels for children to fantasy for young adults, the overall
message ofthe day was one of providing interesting, entertaining, quality
literature foryoung people that challenges as it supports. I was inspired
to expandmy owninterests in children’s literature, not personally being much
of agraphicnovel or fantasy reader traditionally. Since Friday, I have worked
mywaythrough several novels by these authors, and I am a better librarian
for it asI can now recommend that many more books to our customers. The event
was also agreat opportunity for meeting and networking with other arealibrarians,
andwas a very positive experience that I am glad I was able to be a partof.
Emily Lawlor
NJLA
Long Branch, NJ
April 24, 2007
Meet the Author: Scott Westerfeld
Scott Westerfeld, popular author of novels for young adults and adults,spoke about his books and his inspiration, as well as the concept ofgenre fiction and why young adults are drawn to the stories he writes.Science fiction and fantasy are popular genres for many young adultreaders, and often, Westerfeld pointed out, people who are not avidreaders of those genres do not understand the draw. Likewise, heproposed that many science fiction readers read only science fiction,and not outside of the genre. Westerfeld compared the universes createdin science fiction to those created in any other work of fiction, usingJane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as an example. He said that if we areable to see the similarities between worlds created in all fiction, andto encourage that our young adult patrons do the same, perhaps readers can be encouraged to read beyond the books they might be initiallydrawn to.
He also discussed and answered questions about his book So Yesterday,the Young Adult selection for One Book New Jersey. And, he discussedhis Pretties, Uglies, and Specials series, announcing that there is afourth book in the works and giving away a few plot and characterdetails. I was very interested to hear that he has been approached forTV and movie deals for all of his young adult books, though consideringtheir popularity among the 12-17 set, I’m not all that surprised. I’llbe interested to see if any of them make it to the screen.
Experiencing Literature Aurally with Bruce Coville
I have seen the dynamic Bruce Coville, author ofmany popular works of middle grade fiction, speak before. However, Iwas fairly unaware of his involvement in the audio book industry. Heheads up a company called Full Cast Audio, which is unique in that itcasts every part in an audio book with a different actor. So, a bookwritten from the point of view of a twelve-year-old boy is narrated bya twelve-year-old boy, with a different actor voicing his mother,sister, and best friend. We listened to a little portion of oneproduction, and it was really very well done! Coville discussed thegrowth and history of the audio book industry, including the roots ofliterature in the spoken word. It is obvious that Coville has a greatpassion for this format, which made his presentation very enjoyable.
Coville wrapped up his presentation by impartingseveral tips for promoting the use of audio books. These included theidea that a well-made audio book models expressive reading,recommending audio books to parents who have a child home sick fromschool or are planning a long vacation in the car, and the use of audiobooks for teaching listening skills. This last tip seems especiallyrelevant with listening skills being tested in relation to readingcomprehension in schools.
Owning the Room with Teri Merliss
This session was run as a workshop, aimed atlibrarians who present programs to children. Its purpose was to give usskills to feel comfortable being our authentic selves in front of anaudience. I was interested in attending, as I spend a good part of mytime either planning for or presenting programs to groups of children.However, I didn’t feel as though anything was presented in this programthat I wasn’t already aware of and fairly adept at. Merliss talkedabout her three basic values to keep in mind when presenting to agroup: Love, Peace, and Truth. She called audience members up to thefront of the room to practice projecting their voices and beingcomfortable being in front of a group. She called up another group topractice the same skills, and then called up a third group toadditionally practice movement and rhythm. Several more groupspracticed these skills in front of the rest of us. Merliss is aconfident, talented presenter, and it was an interesting presentation.
Effective Communication with Adolescents
My final session of the day was given by GailPoverman-Kave, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and it dealt withpsychological development in children and, given that information,methods and skills for creating effective communication scenarios.
She touched on the idea that much of ourcommunication is comprised of body language and the way in which wepresent our ideas, rather than our words. She talked about strategiesfor giving negative feedback without inciting defensiveness and angersuch as focusing on behaviors instead of people, avoiding absolutes,and focusing on the positive. She spoke about development, andbehaviors that are specific to children at certain ages, such aspre-teens and middle schoolers needing adults to tell the truth and betrustworthy above all else. These are all great ideas to keep in mind,not only when communicating with children in the library, but with alllibrary customers. No one likes to feel signaled out and defensive.Overall, what I took away from this presentation was to be mindful andsensitive in communicating with customers of all ages.
In addition to all of these interesting seminars, Ihad many opportunities throughout the day to network with librariansfrom across the state. I also got to be a part of the NLJA podcast,coordinated in part by Beth from QandANJ, and to chat with Beth aboutour experiences so far with QandANJ. It was an inspiring andinformative experience!
Top
NJLA Report, Nicholas Van Dorn.
On Wednesday April 25, 2007 I went to the NJLA Annual Conference inLong Branch.
Keynote Speaker: John Perry Barlow “Librarians on the Front Line.”
During this keynote speech, Mr. Barlow went on to say how librariansprotect freedom and a person’s right to learn. He also went on todiscuss the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which he co-founded.
Harnessing the Web: the Minerva Project.
MINERVA (Mapping the Internet Electronic Resources Virtual Archive) isthe Library of Congress’ largest archive of born-digital materials.During this program, the speaker Arlene Hayes went on to speak to usabout preserving resource materials in digital format.
Garden State Book Awards Luncheon: Bruce Coville
Mr. Coville went on to discuss his life, some of the novels he haswritten, and his special audio book collections.
Managing Student Assistants: A Crash Course
In this program, presented by Kimberley Burke Sweetman, I learned howto get the best performance from student workers as well as how tomotivate them to excel in their jobs. There was much group discussionand I anticipate applying what I have learned with the monitors.
Top
STAFFMEETING
APRIL 12, 2007
Present: Jeanne Sylvester, Scott Bergenfeld, Trina Staropoli,Emily Lawlor, Dina
Bruce, Ermira Mitre, Berenice Tavella, Heather Craven, Dhiren Patel,Jean Olney,
Christine Donato, Nick Van Dorn, Meghan Vacca
1. JoAnn asked all staffmembers to complete the Customer Service Self-Assessment
and then reviewed the individual items. Some suggestionsregarding the individual
items were:
Give the patron yourundivided attention; smile; watch your timing; explain
courteously.
Ask a telephone caller ifyou may put them on hold. Follow up – ask if they got
what they needed.
Cover sheets – attach the sheet and include name and number.
Business cards – use them, maintain personal connections
BCCLS Email loannotifications – establish when it was generated. Try to confirm
when it was sent to the patron. The patron must sign whenreceived.
Equal consideration – be sure to have a pleasant message on your voicemail. Deal
with the patron in front of you first. Do not answer a ringingphone. Let the
voicemail take the call.
Use the speed dial forextensions to save time.
Provide assistance withoutbeing asked, use your judgment when you see someone who
looks like he/she needs help.
Be positive, emphasize whatthe patron can do.
When busy, say “Yes, but give me a moment.” Watch your speech speed. Slow down if
necessary. Be careful with your body language. Try to be atlevel of the patron,
especially of children. Sit or lean down if possible.
Identify yourself. Instead of “reference” say “library” when answering the
reference phone.
A pat on the back for astaff member who does something special is very nice.
2. JoAnn showed the staff theAnnual Report. This is the first printed report. It
shows statistics and the value of services. For instance, forevery $1 we take in
we return $3.35 in value. Meghan Vacca was commended for herlayout and design of
the report. Staff were thanked for contributing programinformation.
3. A new policy regardingSales at the Circulation Desk and also a new Library
Automobile policy were introduced and reviewed. JoAnn reviewed therevised Loan
Policy regarding fines and fees.
4. Performance evaluationsare coming up. Think of your purpose, things that make
you proud , anecdotes of happenings, where to improve, do you need moretime or
assistance, what about classes, etc. Cover 2006 up to the date ofevaluation and
state what you want to achieve up to the next evaluation.
5. Review of BCCLS Manual.There are online tutorials. Did you complete them? Were
they helpful? Emily finds them very helpful. JoAnn advisesus to use them
routinely.
6. BCCLS will upgrade allBCCLS machines on 5/16/07. They will replace OPACs and
upgrade staff computers. They will erase each machine andreinstall. Office,
Printshop, FTP, Netscape will be gone. To do: Create a newfolder with your name –
move to it things you must keep – templates, etc. Save anything you feel you must
keep on the USB drives which we have just received. Save to adrive and copy back
after your machine has been finished. Reinstall but do notregister the software.
Use the machine’s name (Nutley Library) not your own name.
Do not install any programswithout written permission. Do not install updates
until they are checked and ok’d.
Q&A: Evaluations should be completed by June. They willstart the first week in May.
May 16 is a Wednesday. On Tuesday before 5 p.m. move your stuff. (Just BCCLS
machines).
This was the easiest yearfor scheduling vacations. Half days can be used, but
must be for special circumstances.
Leanne’s internship isending the first week in May.
Top
ListenNJ andNextReads Meeting, March 23, 2007 - Infolink Office, Piscataway -Jeanne Sylvester
On Friday, March 23rd I attended meetings at theInfolink office in Piscataway. At the morning session, librariansthroughout the state discussed Listen NJ(OverDrive), the downloadableaudiobook service offered through the Infolink and Central JerseyLibrary Cooperatives. Participants were pleased with this resource andways were discussed to improve marketing and increase usage. Issuessuch as number of titles borrowed and loan periods were discussed andchanges were made immediately with OverDrive. The collection development committee discussed their selection criteria and budget. Wewere able to view different libraries statistics and narrow results bysubject matter. Marketing materials such as posters, postcards andbusiness cards were distributed amongst the participants. Two librariespresent, Hoboken and Millburn, participate in both Listen NJ andListenNJNW. ListenNJNW is offered through the Highlands RegionalLibrary Cooperative and most, if not all, BCCLS libraries offer thisservice.
After a delicious lunch provided by Infolink, there was ameeting for participants in the NextReads program. NextReads is a freenewsletter sent directly to your email. It contains lists of readingsuggestions, arranged by genre. Infolink and the Central Jersey LibraryCooperative participants in this service shared their statistics,practices and experiences with this service. All agreed that growth isslow but steady, and all would like to continue providing thisresource. Infolink and the Central Jersey Regional Library Cooperativewanted our input to decide whether or not to continue this service andto begin discussions on costs and pricing for next year. Lists ofMarketing Tips for NextReads were distributed to attendees.
Top“I Love This Place!” Practical Lessons inCustomer Service, March 23, 2007 – Glen Ridge Senior Center, Glen Ridge, New Jersey – Kiran Patel
Instructor: Joanne P. Roukens, Executive Director, Highlands RegionalLibrary Cooperative.
The presentation began with the quote, “The customer drives the bus!” This dealt with the feeling that library patrons should be seen as customers who come for services and products. Great customer service requires preparation and planning so we can knowand think like the customer. Treat customers the way you expectto be treated. Apply this to all library customers, internal andexternal, including your co-workers. Guidelines for treatingcustomers need to be incorporated into written policies andprocedures. Customer service is a team effort, all staff membersare involved. Make sure you have a good communication system inplace for all departments of the library. The four areas of behavior are important at the public service desks: Approachable,Attentive, Helpful and Considerate (AAHC) Make the customer the centerof your attention: Smile! Make eye contact, use body language toexpress your continued concentration such as nodding and leaningforward. Pay full attention to the customer and take notes ifnecessary. Ask questions and repeat to make sure you understandwhat the customer wants. The same holds for telephone customer service,where the use of proper etiquette, putting callers on hold, using goodlistening skills and speaking clearly. This workshop also focused onLessons from Nordstrom way by Robert Spector. What Nordstrom doesis acknowledge that the “Customer is always right.” and build along-term relationship with the customer. In today’s world wherelibraries are competing with bookstore chains and Internet, it iscrucial that we provide the best customer service to our patrons.
It is important to know the “dos” and “don’ts” whendealing with difficult situations and complaints. Posting rules, knowing a solid procedures and being consistent can break tensionquickly. Through discussion, individual and group exercises andpower point presentations, program participants explored newtechniques, practice verbal and non-verbal interactions to welcome andeffectively communicate with library customers.
Please see the handouts for more information.
Top