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MCLS J Meeting
September 10, 2014
Irondequoit Public Library – Pauline Evans Branch
Attendees:
Amy Holland, (Evans); Margaret Paige, (Monroe); Jean Slocombe, (Winton); Ruth Otto, (McGraw); Jane
McManus, (Winton); Meghan Kitz, (Wheatley); Miranda Hazen, (Central); Pat Connor, (Lyell); Rosa
Díaz, (Lincoln); Sarah Ngo, (Highland); Hannah Squires, (Gates); Stacey Martin, (Chili); Joan Celentano,
(Rush); Cathy Henderson, (Greece); Marcia Thor, (Maplewood); Sarah Lydon, (RPL); Elissa Schaeffer,
(Brighton); Natalie Burch, (Brockport); Jeanne Steinbrenner, (Pittsford); Kathy Wolf, (Central); Judy
Carpenter, (Penfield); Robin Benoit, (Fairport); Anne Hicks, (Henrietta); Annalise Ammer, (Henrietta).
Business Meeting:
Robin Benoit (Fairport) on Amerks Reading Power Play:
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The Amerks’ Reading Power Play program is entering its 10th year and the kick-off will be on
October 15, 2014 at Fairport Public Library. This year we, as Children’s Services Librarians,
want to have more of a presence on social media about this program.
Robin proposed wearing any Amerks gear that you own to have our photograph taken together at
the next MCLS J Librarians meeting on October 8, 2014 at Pittsford. We will all be wearing
moose antlers which will be provided at the meeting. There will be more of an impact if children
see us wearing Amerks gear and/or moose antlers.
Share the photo on your library and personal Facebook/Twitter pages and make sure to tag the
Amerks. We may also be able to borrow a banner and poster of MCLS library card from Central
for the photo.
Kathy Wolf (Central) on Performers’ Showcase and Amerks Photo:
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The Performers’ Showcase will be held at the next MCLS J Librarians Meeting on October 8,
2014 at Pittsford. The Showcase will be held from 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Since the Showcase will begin promptly at 9:00, please arrive at 8:45 a.m. for the Amerks photo.
Cathy Henderson (Greece) on Sunshine Fund:
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Please remember to keep Cathy Henderson or Anne Strang informed of MCLS J Librarians
happenings (weddings, births, deaths, family issues, injuries/illnesses, etc.) so that the Sunshine
Committee can send cards/gifts.
Please see http://mclskids.pbworks.com/w/page/24106015/Sunshine%20Committee for more
details.
You can contact Cathy or Anne by e-mail with any questions or if you have news to share.
Sarah Keppler was married this summer and her name has changed to Sarah Ngo.
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Anne Strang (Ogden) is recovering from a foot injury.
Hannah Squires (Gates) is getting married this month. Her new name will be Hannah
Baumgartner.
Sarah Lydon (RPL) on Financial Literacy Family Kits:
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RPL Community Services Librarian Sarah Lydon shared a sample kit with us, which will be
available at each MCLS library to check out for three weeks; no renewals. Maximum fine for
each kit will be $10 with a $25 replacement fee.
These Financial Literacy Family Kits were developed from a FINRA (Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority) grant through Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County.
The idea behind the kits is to develop financial literacy and education at the local level.
A note will be sent to child care centers about the kits.
Ove Overmyer (Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County) will create and post a video
about the kits on the MCLS website.
Tonia Burton (Children’s Services Consultant):
“Books in Motion”
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RPL/MCLS received Rotary grant for “Books in Motion” Book Discussion Kits. Kits include
books/movies for younger and older children; examples are Snow Queen/Frozen, Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory, and Divergent.
Kits include 40 copies of the book plus the corresponding movie.
Kits will be housed in the Children’s Center at Central Library.
There will be a cataloguing records for these kits; unsure of catalog search terms at this time.
Hold requests can be placed.
Flyers were distributed at the meeting; web story is available.
MCLS Children’s Librarians at RCSD/BOCES School Librarians Meetings
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Attendance at these meetings is a great way to meet area School Librarians.
Monroe BOCES #2 School Library System meetings are run by Jim Belair. Please contact Mr.
Belair at (585) 349-9099/jbelair@monroe2boces.org for meeting information.
Jennifer Caccavale (Penfield) has been going Monroe BOCES #1 School Library System
meetings run by Katie Bertrand. Ms. Bertrand can be contacted at (585) 249-7219/
katie_bertrand@boces.monroe.edu.
RCSD School Library System Director is Colleen Sadowski. She can be reached at (585) 2628733 or colleen.sadowski@rcsdk12.org.
Anyone who is interested in attending future meetings, please contact Tonia for more
information.
Summer Reading Statistics
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Summer Reading Statistics were due on Friday, September 12, 2014.
E-mails should have been sent with subject “2014 Summer Reading Report.”
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WXXI Open House
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WXXI held an Open House on Saturday, September 13, 2014.
Rosa Díaz (Lincoln) attended on behalf of MCLS Children’s Librarians.
Maria Heeks-Heinlein was unable to attend for personal reasons.
Was anyone else able to go?
Beyond the Bump
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Beyond the Bump is “Rochester’s Premier Event for Moms and Moms-to-Be.”
The event will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2014 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the DoubleTree
Hotel at 1111 Jefferson Road, Henrietta, NY.
MCLS Children’s Librarians will be offering early literacy story programs and representing the
library system at an information table.
Any MCLS Children’s Librarians who are free and would like to volunteer their time to the story
programs and/or talk with parents at the table are welcome to join.
Elissa Schaeffer (Brighton) will pass out MCLS Infant Story Time schedules at our table. If you’d
like your Infant Story Time program added for the next round of flyers, please contact Elissa.
For us this is a volunteer-only event; MCLS staff will not be paid for their time.
“Reading with Your Baby,” the MCLS program, will be held from 11:30 a.m. – 12 Noon.
More information can be found at http://beyond-the-bump.com/.
Tickets are $8 at the door and proceeds will go to March of Dimes.
Children’s Book Festival
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This year’s Children’s Book Festival will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2014 from 10 a.m.
– 4 p.m. at Monroe Community College.
Since this is a long day, volunteers are needed for 1 hour blocks of time, if possible.
If your library will pay for you to volunteer, great; if not, you are still welcome to offer your time.
Tonia will be sending out an e-mail with more information.
Disney on Ice & Circus Tickets
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These are an all-or-nothing deal.
People have expressed gratitude for these tickets.
Unsure if we’ll be participating again this year.
Tonia will keep us posted.
Upcoming Professional Development
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Community Assessments; performing these assessments is a great way to advocate for children’s
services in our libraries. Tonia Burton and Anne Hicks will attend.
Every Child Ready to Read in New York State.
Children’s Spaces in Your Library.
More trainings/workshops coming up in near future.
Tonia will send out more information.
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Mary Jo Smith (Gates)
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Received $15,000 from Joe Robach to change Story Hour Room into Interactive Play Area.
Elissa Schaeffer (Brighton)
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As previously mentioned, Elissa will distribute MCLS Infant Story Time schedules at Beyond the
Bump. If you’d like your Infant Story Time program added for the next round of flyers, please
contact Elissa.
Brighton, Chili, Fairport, Greece, Henrietta, Irondequoit (McGraw), Monroe, Penfield, and
Winton have sent in their story times for the current flyer.
Infant Rhyme & Song Book Update
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Goal is to have MCLS Infant Rhyme & Song Books available to pass out at Beyond the Bump.
Anne Hicks (Henrietta)
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Annalise Ammer is a new part-time Children’s Librarian at Henrietta.
She is also part-time Children’s/YA Librarian at the Sully Branch.
[End of Business Meeting]
Summer Reading Share
Amy Holland (Evans)
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Promised to dye hair purple if 200+ children turned in their reading cards.
Well, they did, and she did!
While it got the kids excited about reading, she wasn’t sure that it would make them continue
reading outside of the program.
Tonia Burton (Children’s Services Consultant)
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Research on extrinsic rewards has shown to not actually make lifelong readers.
Change Summer Reading Program to reflect this research?
Should we banish reading logs? Shift focus to programming?
Our goal is to get kids into our libraries and excited about reading.
How will we change the program to meet our goal?
Patty Uttaro (MCLS Director) is interested in hearing what we have to say about the Summer
Reading Program.
Tonia will ask Dr. Brian Bailey (Nazareth College) to talk with us about SRP, programming, and
reading for the love of reading.
The Toy Library at the Lincoln Branch had over 1,000 children come in to do science each week.
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Cathy Henderson (Greece)
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Baby Beach Parties were a hit!
Everyone dressed up.
Included beach-themed story time and beach discovery bottles (water, shells, colorful paper, etc.
in repurposed water bottles).
Contact Jen Preisser at Greece for more information.
Mentioned need for more booklists with call numbers based on topics.
Jeanne Steinbrenner (Pittsford)
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Value in being able to hand out our own MCLS booklists.
Many of our MCLS booklists need to be updated.
Have lists that are editable?
Lists should be on MCLS Kids Wiki and then updated on the MCLS website.
Booklist Revision Committee Formed
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Meghan Kitz, Miranda Hazen, Rosa Díaz, Margaret Paige, Robin Benoit, and Kathy Wolf will
plan a time to meet after October 8, 2014 to discuss booklists and begin to update.
[End of Summer Reading Share]
Booktalks
Amy Holland (Evans): Chapter Books
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Shared her booklist: “Miss Amy’s Favorite Ghost Stories for Kids.”
Booktalked Doll Graveyard by Lois Ruby. Because who doesn’t enjoy a good creepy
story about dolls who won’t stay buried?
In case you wondered, Amy’s quite effective font of choice for this list was “Burton’s
Nightmare.”
Booklist will be sent in e-mail with the final draft of meeting minutes.
Stacey Martin (Chili): Picture Books
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Good books for story time as well as one-on-one
I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison: Uses action words and senses.
Hickory Dickory Dog illustrated by Alison Murray: Nursery rhyme variation, school
related, employs “guess what word is missing?” device.
Bears in the Bath by Shirley Parenteau: Rhyming, dirty/messy fun!
Tools Rule! by Aaron Meshon: STEM, uses real tool names, humor for adults, speech
bubbles/graphic novel feel to the book, cooperation/teamwork.
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It is Night by Phyllis Rowand: Zoo animals, farm, Q&A format
Ruth Otto (McGraw): Non-fiction Books
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I’m a Scientist: Backyard by Lisa Burke (DK Publishing): Good for younger children
with parents to guide them; other books in series available.
Star Wars: Science Fair Book by Samantha Margles: how to make lava lamps, and lots of
cool stuff, especially for Star Wars fans!
Next meeting:
Pittsford on Wednesday, October 8th.
Please remember to arrive at 8:45 for our Amerks photo and wear any fan gear that you
have. Moose antler headbands and craft instructions will be provided.
Respectfully Submitted,
Margaret Paige
{Fin.}
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