Infectious Fun @ Your Library!

The following message is sent to us from Michele Farley, Children’s Services Consultant of the Indiana State Library:

Have you ever had a song get so stuck in your head that you find yourself humming it all day? With the incredibly catchy “At Your Library” song from the Kids! @ your library® Campaign tool kit, this is a good thing! Play Bill Harley’s lively, fun song at the beginning and end of your programs or as the message on your phone system while patrons are on hold, and we can guarantee that listeners will be thinking about the library a lot over the next few days!

The song may be freely downloaded in any of its four different versions. There are also ideas for using the song in your library and your community, a public service announcement, the lyrics to the song, and sheet music. This resource is versatile! Find all this and much more in the free Kids! @ your library® Campaign tool kit here:

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/initiatives/kidscampaign/kidssong.cfm
There are only positive side effects from catching the library bug . . . infect your community today!

Have you discovered the ... UPSTART ACTIVITY GUIDES?

A Must Read to prepare for our upcoming 2010 environment themed Massachusetts Regional Library Systems Statewide Summer Reading Program Gogreen at your library - The "Get Your Green On" Upstart Activity Guide ! 

Be sure to visit the Upstart Activity Guide Homepage for a wealth of activity guides that include bulletin board and book display suggestions, recommended programs and special events, and reproducible game sheets!

Junior Duck Stamp Program - Get Ready for Summer 2010!

Even before we gather together at our upcoming WMRLS Summer Reading Program Roundtables, it is time to start planning for Summer 2010's environmental themed statewide library summer reading program.

Be sure to  visit the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services' Junior Duck Stamp Program to read about (and possibly encourage your young readers to particiapte in) the upcoming 2010 Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest!

Sincerely, Janet Eckert, WMRLS

WMRLS Summer Reading Program Roundtables

WMRLS SUMMER READING PROGRAM ROUNDTABLES

Register online at http://www.wmrls.org/events (all roundtables are listed chronologically by event date)

• Wednesday, November 18 - 9 to 11 at the Ware High School (focus on teens)

• Wednesday, November 18 - 1 to 3 at the Palmer Public Library (focus on the general summer reading program)

• Thursday, November 19 – 9 to noon at the Mason Library in Great Barrington (focus on the general summer reading program)

• Friday, November 20 - 10 to noon at the Agawam Public Library (focus on the online reading program)

• Tuesday, November 24 - 1 to 3 at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield (focus on tweens and teens)

All of our WMRLS Summer Reading Program Roundtables (conducted throughout this region this month) will cover the following:
• Reviewing Summer 2009 Evaluations – what worked, what didn’t work, and what can be improved
• Sharing of Your Library’s Summer Reading Program Bests (Ideas, Programs, Services)
• Evaluating the ReadsinMA Online Reading Program – what worked, what didn’t work, and what can be improved
• Preparing for Summer 2010 – A look at the artwork and JanWay promotionals – this is your opportunity to see the items before placing your library’s order
• Planning our annual WMRLS SRP Idea

Janet Eckert, WMRLS Youth Services Librarian, will facilitate.

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners Awards Boston Bruins Summer Reading Program Prizes

Summer Reading Winners

The Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC), and the Massachusetts Regional Library Systems are pleased to announce the 2009 Summer Reading Bruins prize winners.

This summer marked the beginning of a new partnership between the Boston Bruins, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and the Massachusetts Regional Library Systems (MRLS). Together the organizations developed "When you read, you score" that worked with the MBLC/MRLS existing summer reading programs to encourage children and teens to read a variety of books over the summer - including those recommended by current Bruins Milan Lucic, Mark Recchi, Michael Ryder, Mark Stuart, Tim Thomas and Aaron Ward.

As part of the program, Bruins staff coordinated special events with the MBLC/MRLS and public libraries to help support the message that reading is for everyone, even tough guys like the Bruins.

In Hanover Public Library, young patrons and their parents got a feeling of what it was like to travel in space from NASA Astronaut Steve Bowen, an avid hockey fan who told the crowd, "There were two things I did every summer: I lived on the ice and in the library." Bruins Mascot Blades thrilled children in Hyde Park. While children in Woburn Public Library learned what it takes to become a professional hockey player from Bruins Strength and Conditioning Coach, Steve Whitesides. For more about these events please visit: http://bruins.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=41423

Summer reading participants were also eligible for Bruins' prizes including autographed Patrice Bergeron jerseys, autographed Tim Thomas mini sticks and pucks, team autographed Bruins pennants.

Jenna Sylvia from Middleborough Public Library won the VIP package which includes 4 loge tickets, bench assistant role for 1 child (ages of 6-12), "Family High Five," Zamboni ride (ages12 or older), post game meet and greet and a parking pass for one car.

Award winners in each region are as follows:

Southeast:
Elise Mello (jersey) Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library  
Patrick Slater (mini hockey stick) Paul Pratt Library 
Erin Haley (puck) Pembroke Public Library
Julia O'Brien (pennant) Berkley Public Library

Western:
Gavin Crehan (jersey) Griswold Memorial Library, Colrain
Sophie Dorshow (mini hockey stick) Sunderland Public Library
Kai Nieto Gonzalez (puck) Sunderland Public Library
Bobby Slowinski (pennant) Griswold Memorial Library, Colrain

Metrowest:
Makayla Goss (jersey) Morrill Memorial Library
Jonathan Midey (mini hockey stick) Maynard Public Library
Marjorie Hollohan (puck) Woburn Public Library
Sadie Noone (pennant) Weston Public Library

Boston:
Aunnakalia Boyce (jersey) Boston Public Library
Arinze Manning (mini hockey stick) Boston Public Library
Cathy Nguyen (puck) Malden Public Library
Frazar Bullard (pennant) Malden Public Library

Northeast
Jahnavi Raparti (jersey) Tewksbury Public Library
Sean Whelton(mini hockey stick) Tewksbury Public Library
Li Kangar (puck) Tewksbury Public Library
Jason Young (pennant) West Newbury Public Library

Central
Jennifer Lee (jersey) Northborough Free Library
Carolyn Garvey (mini hockey stick) Harvard Public Library
Adam Bickford (puck) Auburn Public Library
Lilly Bartelloni (pennant) Bellingham Public Library

The first round of prizes was awarded to winners in Central Massachusetts Regional Library System at a celebration held at Northborough Public Library. Commissioners Irving Zangwill and Mary Rose Quinn were special guest readers and MBLC Vice-Chair Katherine Dibble awarded the prizes to the lucky winners.

The Western Massachusetts Regional Library System (WMRLS) will award prizes during the Friends of the WMRLS First Annual BOOK IT TO THE LIBRARY Road Race on October 3, 2009: http://friends.wmrls.org/2009/

The Metrowest, Boston, and Southeastern Massachusetts Regional Library Systems have planned a celebration at the Boston Sports Museum. The Northeast Regional Library System is also planning an event for October.

The MBLC, MRLS, and the Boston Bruins also recognized the hundreds of teen volunteers whose work in the libraries helps make the summer reading programs possible. Librarians nominated over thirty outstanding teens for Bruins prizes. At the September Board Meeting the MBLC selected the four prize winners:
Kasey Krischner (jersey) Norfolk Public Library
Wyatt Craig (mini hockey stick) Hardwick Public Library
Nicholas D'Errico (puck) Southborough Public Library
Allie Giza (pennant) Sutton Public Library

The Boston Bruins, MBLC, and MRLS are looking forward to 2010 when the theme for the summer reading program is Go Green@ Your Library! For more information please visit www.mass.gov/libraries

Celeste Bruno
Communications Specialist
Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
98 North Washington Street
Boston, MA 02114
617-725-1860 x208
800-952-7403 (in state)
Fax: 617-725-0210
celeste.bruno@state.ma.us
www.mass.gov/mblc

Consolidation of Regional Library Systems - Let Your Voice Be Heard

Dear Youth Librarians,

I want to keep you updated on the recent discussion about consolidation of Regional Library Systems. In case you didn't see the messages earlier, the MBLC is facing a 16% cut for FY2011 which begins July 1, 2010. They are planning to take the funds out of the Regional Library Systems line, which will amount to a 28% cut to the Regions. The plan is to consolidate the Regions from 6 down to one or two.

We will begin to know more in the next weeks. Rob Maier, Director of the MBLC, will be taking comments about the budget cut at a special meeting today at the Sargent Memorial Library in Boxborough. In addition, Rob is asking librarians to email comments to him by Monday, October 5.

Right now, it looks like there will be consolidation with a focus on delivery, databases, and continuing education. We're not sure yet how youth services projects like Summer Reading, our annual Teen Summit, and the performer's directory, will continue.

If it is important to you that we somehow maintain some sort of system where members do have localized programs and services as well as support for librarians who serve children, teens and families, please write a short email to that effect and send it to Rob Maier by Monday, October 5. Rob’s email is: Robert.Maier@state.ma.us

It isn't much time but a quick email to Rob could help.

FY10 Budget and Regional Services

To: Members of Regional Library Systems


Last week at a regular meeting with regional administrators I began a conversation about reductions in the state budget that are being proposed for fiscal year FY2011 (July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011). The Board of Library Commissioners has been given a budget cap by the administration of a 16% reduction compared to this year. Most other state agencies are facing a similar budget-making scenario. This is the result of declining state revenues and the fact that the FY2010 state budget benefits substantially from the use of one-time federal stimulus funds.

Even if a 16% reduction was to be imposed equally on all library programs the impact on regional library systems would be significant. However, given the recent erosion of funding for State Aid to Public Libraries, it is unlikely that that account would be cut further. The reduction in regional and library of last recourse funding may be as great as 28%.

With this information in hand I have asked the regional administrators to work with me and with regional member libraries and regional staff to prioritize regional services for FY2011 and beyond. This planning will include options for the consolidation of regional library systems with the likelihood of 1 or 2 restructured regions going forward and changes in required services including support for regional reference centers.

I fully recognize that changes of this magnitude are challenging. I know that if we work together we can continue to provide the regional services that the libraries and residents of Massachusetts value and rely on every day to improve their lives.

Robert C. Maier, Director,Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
98 North Washington Street, Suite 401,Boston, MA 02114; Ph (617) 725-1860 x249