CYART Executive Committee Meeting
Charlottesville, VA
September 11, 1998

Attending: Ginger Armstrong, Diantha McCauley, Sherry Pearson, Linda Gosnell Phillips, Scott Phillips, Rebecca Purdy, Lorry Risinger

Diantha McCauley called the meeting to order and started the meeting with regional reports.

Region I Representative Sherry Pearson reported on events from the Salem Public Library, the Roanoke City Public Library, and the Roanoke County Public Library. In Salem, library staff have created a guide of hints for parents regarding storytime. In Roanoke County, library staff have created "refrigerator reminder" schedules of storytimes and will hold storytime for five weeks. The Fall Preschool Party/Halloween Party will include crafts, storytime, and square dancing for the kids. A Mystical Magic program will be held for the older kids (K-4th graders). For Library Card Sign-Up Month, Roanoke County is using a Lassie theme. Anyone who signs up for a library card will be eligible to win a poster of Lassie or a Lassie beanie baby. Kids who already have cards will also be eligible. All kindergarteners will receive a Lassie doorhanger with sign-up information. A computer specifically designated for children's use is a new feature. A child must sign-up to use the machine which is filtered using Surfwatch.

Lorry Risinger reported on Region II news. At the Amherst County Public Library, Suzanne Blackwell, the "craft queen," is leaving the public library and moving to the Amherst Elementary School Library. The Pittsylvania County Public Library is reading stories to 3-5 year olds on the radio every Monday. Library staff are also traveling around the community for the Project Read program in cooperation with Headstart. The Central Virginia Regional Library took the summer reading program on the road and visited schools with summer school sessions. The James L. Hamner Public Library hosted Kevin Dunn, a "Scientific Magician" and had a ground breaking for their new building. At the Campbell County Library, the Amazing Jason presented a program and was highly recommended. The local baseball team sent players out to all branches where they read to children. A local radio station's morning personalities also read to children. The Lynchburg Public Library is offering a storytime open house drop-in in the morning and in the afternoon. A kindergarten kick-off will be held for those attending school for the first time. A teacher and panel of former kindergarteners tell kids what to expect from school and there is a storytime held. The life-size Clue game was extremely popular for the older kids. The Mystery Poetry program in which kids received a word and then wrote a poem about it for display at the library was also extremely successful.

Rebecca Purdy reported on Region V news. The Arlington Public Library recognized their teen volunteers with a mini-golf celebration. A teen advisory board will be starting in September and a Saturday morning science project lab for teachers and students will be offered. At the Central Rappahannock Regional Library, the Young Reader's Club for 4th through 6th graders will be held once a month. Fabulous Fridays for 6-11 year olds as well as Mother Goose Time for walkers and prewalkers will be held during the school year. Storytimes will be held for four weeks every other month and will be held year round. A YA monthly trivia contest will continue as well as the Teen Writer's Group, the Web Surfers, and the Teen Council. Also a Poetry Slam and Bandfest 3 are scheduled programs. The Star Wars Reader's Theater program will also be offered this school year.

Ginger Armstrong reported on Region IV news in Chesterfield County. Teen volunteers were counted as a young adult program for the first time even though the program has been in place for over ten years. Currently, they are working with Southern States and the animal shelter to find a time to present the shelter with the meals earned by the children who completed the summer reading program. The Chesterfield County Public Library Resources web page focused on the "Go Wild" themes (Wild West, cooking, and wild animals) during the summer months to coincide with the summer reading club. For Teen Read Week, Chesterfield is working with the Richmond Public Library and the Henrico Public Library as well as with the local Fox network to recognize teens and reading. Young adults will be able to win a chance to do a twenty second spot on the local Fox channel in which they will say their name, the name of their library, and hold up a favorite book. These spots will air the week of October 17th - October 23rd so as not to interfere with Fox's sweeps week. Posters about this contest will be posted at the middle and high schools. Booklists of young adult favorites based on circulation will be distributed during Teen Read Week also. Jonathan Austin has been scheduled for Children's Book Week and storytimes will continue this fall for families, babies, toddlers, and those children 3-5 years old.

Linda Gosnell reported on Henrico County Public Library in Region IV. The summer reading club theme they used was "Get in the Game." They sponsored a library night at the Diamond and again enlisted corporate sponsorship for the summer reading club from area businesses like Capital One. Membership in the summer reading club/listening club was up from last year. They also had more participation in the teen volunteer program this year and these young adults received a certificate of recognition and a t-shirt when the program ended. Henrico and Pamunkey are having an in-house storytelling training session led by Sherrie Waddell. For Children's Book Week, author Elvira Woodruff, will visit. The Gayton Library is starting a Mother/Daughter Book Club.

Diantha McCauley reported on Region VI news. The Waynesboro Public Library worked with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and using an old ice cream truck, gave away free books to kids. The Friends of the Library gave funding for the giveaways. In the region, "Please Read to Me" kits consisting of a canvas bag, free books, and information on how to read to your baby will be taken to area hospitals. Augusta County Public Library will present a workshop for teachers on an inservice day. It was reported that a good promotion is provided by Hershey's. They will put information about the library, etc. on a wrapper for a fee. Augusta will provide a program for parents as part of the Internet Teach-In program. This program will be held during storytime and will focus on basic Internet information and good sites for kids.

Scott Phillips asked for a motion to approve the April and June minutes. The minutes were approved without addition or correction.

Scott Phillips reported on VLA Council news. Due to the reorganization plan, roundtables will be abolished. There will be no change in status of CYART but the group will now be called a forum. Discussion ensued as to what the name of our group will be called. Suggestions were Children and Young Adult Services Forum and Youth Services Forum. A motion was made and seconded and the new name of CYART is now Youth Services Forum (YSF). Concern was expressed that young adult librarians may not feel included but members agreed that promotion of our group should help make others aware that youth services includes both children and young adult library staff.

Scott stated that renewal forms will be sent directly to the members this year. Registration for the VLA/VEMA Conference has been extended and using the VLA Housing Bureau for making reservations was encouraged.

VLA will sponsor a Youth Volunteer Award this year.

CYART discussed the role of continuing education. Without the Youth Consultant position at the Library of Virginia filled, CYART discussed the possibility of jointly developing programs that we could share among the regions. By sharing programs, regional representatives would not always have to create a program on their own. Members discussed the possibility of creating "how-to" basic programs which will help library staff in planning young adult programs or school visits. Any ideas for programs should be e-mailed to Scott Phillips at scphilli@leo.vsla.edu. We may brainstorm other ideas at the next meeting.

The next meeting will be held in Virginia Beach at the VLA/VEMA Conference immediately following the Jefferson Cup Award Program on Thursday, October 15.

The meeting adjourned.