Youth Services Forum Executive Committee
February 12, 1999
Charlottesville, VA
Attending: Ginger Armstrong, Karen Gray, Sherry Inabinet, Diantha McCauley, Pat Muller, Sherry Pearson, Linda Gosnell Phillips, Rebecca Purdy, Lorry Risinger, Josie Schaffer
The meeting began with regional reports.
Region I Representative Sherry Pearson reported that Dear America author Joyce Hansen will present a program in the region. "Yo for It" for grades two and up will present yo-yo tricks and a video. A web page design workshop will also be held at the Radford Public Library. A creative art program for K-6th graders as well as another Homeschool Day will be offered at the Radford Public Library. Tips for reading aloud and on how to "tame the tube" were distributed. Also information on the Ready to Learn programming on PBS was distributed. Christiansburg will hold family storytimes as well as "Giggles and Wiggles Storytime" for preschoolers. Donita Moore of the Early Childhood Music Center will hold a Library Music Time with singing, dancing, playing instruments, and expressive movement. "Art for the Public" will continue exhibiting and selling artwork at the library. Twenty percent of each sale will help to purchase a video projector for the library. Roanoke City will provide several themed storytimes one of which will celebrate Bessie Coleman. Roanoke County is presenting a Rock ‘N Read program with dancing and reader’s theater. Afterschool programs include a "Dinos and Dragons" program and a sea tales program. An example of the snow policy was also distributed.
Lorry reported on Region II news. In Lynchburg, a very successful "Born to Read Storytime" for children under two was started. The program is twenty minutes and includes rhymes, Mother Goose, and puppets. Lorry suggested using Mother Goose Time: Library Programs for Babies and Their Caregivers by Jane Marino as a guideline for starting this program. Lorry emphasized that some recommendations in the book such as holding the program for one hour and providing registration were not used for their program. There has been a great response to the new storytime and it will continue to be offered once a month stressing all of the first learning skills. The age limit for the Craft Cravings programs has been lowered. Children’s author, Jane Cutler, is coming to Lynchburg to visit for free. Her children’s novel The Song of the Molimo is based on the true story of Ota Benga who lived his final years in Lynchburg. Cutler will visit on March 4 and will speak to teachers and adults. Region II is sponsoring a "Bookless Storytelling" workshop May 7th in conjunction with a tea for the new Library of Virginia Youth Services Consultant Pat Muller. "Tales for Twos" and preschool storytimes will continue.
Josie reported Region III news and said that the Tidewater Area Youth Services Consortium met and shared information on programs throughout the region. The mailings for "Taking Books to Heart" will be expanded this year. Workshops there include a program on titles relating to Williamsburg, YA tribal life, and fairy dust as well as a session about books by celebrity authors. Children’s author Claudia Mills will be a guest. "Taking Books to Heart" will be held on March 13th from 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Toano Middle School. Call Lorraine Bartlett at 757-850-5114 for more details. Hampton now has an online catalog. The Norfolk Public Library received a Winnie-the-Pooh costume from the publisher so Winnie will visit. Norfolk is promoting an art contest for kids for Black History Month in which kids illustrate a scene from their favorite book about or by African-Americans. Kuzuri dancers will also perform. Chesapeake will be holding a Midwinter Festival with the Society of Creative Anachronism with fights, juggling, and men in armor. Arthur will also visit the library and the popular model train display day will also be held. Virginia Beach will sponsor "Let My People Go" by the Virginia Opera Guild. Also Dylan Pritchett will tell stories, a class on African-American cooking traditions will be held, and an AIDS awareness skit will be performed. Kempsville is sending Library Alert forms to all teachers for homework assignment needs. Chesapeake will also continue with its storytimes featured on the local cable channel.
Ginger reported on Region IV news in Chesterfield. For the birthday of Dr. Seuss, activity sheets will be provided for kids as well as storytimes. A Frederick Douglass re-enactor from Historical Impressions will visit each library for Black History Month. The Mock Caldecott kit program has continued to be popular with the schools this year. For Children’s Book Week, Jonathan Austin performed his juggling feats while at Christmastime, Jim Weiss visited the libraries to tell stories. A Rhythm Music Clinic will be held in the spring for young adults. Southern States has agreed once again to support the "Read and Feed" program with the library and the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter for the summer. Appomattox Regional will hold storytimes and will have a special storytime in which African masks are made. Colonial Heights will continue with storytimes and will have a Valentine Party with games, valentine trading, refreshments, and Valentine stories. An Easter egg hunt will be held on the lawn in the spring. Sock skating to the "Skater’s Waltz" and stories about snow will make up one program and a program on manners with songs will also be offered. Petersburg welcomes ventriloquist Tyrone Travis. For Black History Month, children’s author Muriel Miller Branch will speak. Also a "Money for College" program as well as a Financial Aid Workshop will be offered. Past programs include Puppets and Promises performed by Susan Herring. Powhatan will continue with storytimes.
Linda reported on Pamunkey Regional Library news in Region IV. Dr. Seuss storytimes will be held for Read Across America. Activity sheets will be provided and refreshments will be sponsored by the local women’s clubs. Celebrity readers will come and share stories as well. At the Henrico County Public Library, a "Mad Hatter’s Tea Party" full of games, riddles, and nonsense will be held for those ages six and over. Sherrie Waddill will tell stories during National Library Week. Also a "Say It With Signs" program will be held for grades 5-8 in which Jan Roth will present basic sign language. At the Dumbarton Public Library, a "Travel Far, Pay No Fare" family travel adventure series will continue. Other programs in Henrico County spotlighted were a Chinese New Year program, a Barefoot Puppets "African Trickster" puppet show, a Harp Concert by the Richmond Harp Ensemble, and two American Girl programs. The SPCA will talk about pet care and a Federal Reserve Bank representative will present a "Big Bucks" program explaining how dollar bills are made. "Science, Slime, and More" by Godwin High School’s Science, Math, and Technology Center will offer experiments kids (ages 7-10) can try with the help of high school students. Wildlife International will bring animals to the library including a baby kangaroo and Karen Lyles will perform juggling feats. The Friends of the County of Henrico Public Library are sponsoring children’s author Mary Lyons who will present a "Celebration of African-American Art" Singer Betsy Q will also be sponsored for a program at a later date.
Rebecca reported on Region V news. Teen advisory boards will continue in the school system in Arlington. Central Rappahannock Regional Library will welcome storytellers Jamal Koram and Linda Fang. A Harriet Tubman impersonator will also visit Central Rappahannock. Salem Church will co-sponsor with the Spotsylvania Education Association an open house reading celebration for a Read Across America program. Young adults in Salem Church can fill out an entry form to guess the number of M&M’s in a jar for every young adult book checked out. Women’s history researcher Pat Pesoli-Bishop and psychologist Jeff Bishop will speak about the lives and legacies of American women who changed history for Salem Church’s "Women Make a Difference" program. At Bull Run, a former Tuskegee Airman will reminisce and Kidflicks will show "Brave Irene," "Stone Soup," and other movies for all ages. Bull Run will also be promoting a "Books and Chocolate" book discussion group. Chinn Park and Potomac will be hosting craft programs. Chinn Park will also hold a program on wacky web sites for teens, a "How to Choose a Sound System for Your Car" program for teens, and an origami and kite workshop. Storytimes will continue at all locations in the region with some libraries offering bilingual ones. Rebecca also handed out an evaluation summary of the regional workshop, "Basic Storytelling Skills." The summary includes information about the types of workshops library staff are interested in for future regional workshops.
Diantha welcomed new regional representative Karen Gray and then reported on Region VI news. The regional book review service that the region devised is now under way. Over 300 books have been received by Culpepper and are awaiting the library’s review. A "Motheread/Fatheread" training workshop was held in the region. This workshop helps in teaching parents to improve literacy and parenting skills and instructs parents in how to read and use books with children. Curriculum materials for this workshop were included in a packet. The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library has incorporated the program into its long range plan. More of this training will be done throughout the state.
The October minutes were approved without addition or correction.
Diantha welcomed the new Library of Virginia Youth Services Consultant, Pat Muller. Pat stated that she will provide staff assistance and would like to provide help for regional workshops. She is interested in continuing education and joint education. She is also interested in bringing more performers and authors to the state. She is compiling a performer resource list and if anyone has any suggestions to add to the list, let her know. She asked that youth services personnel give the form to invited performers and have them mail the form to her. This resource list will be available in paper form and may eventually be available in electronic form. The Library Development and Networking Division will have its own web page on the Library of Virginia’s site. She will be posting information there and has also started a youth services listserv which will be used heavily for announcements and to gather information. She would like to offer workshops on strategic planning and is looking forward to the regional teas where she will hear concerns, ideas, etc. regarding the future of youth services in Virginia. A strategic planning workshop may be held for the Youth Services Forum itself.
Diantha would like each region to have two representatives so each regional representative was urged to find another person in their region to join the executive committee. Currently the committee is looking for a chair-elect.
The decision was made to continue supporting the Virginia Young Readers Award program. Pat Muller will contact the chair of the committee and will serve as the Youth Service Forum’s liaison to the Virginia Young Readers committee.
Sherry Inabinet reported on the Jefferson Cup news. Sherry discussed the history of the Jefferson Cup award and explained the process of writing to publishers and receiving titles. There has been some confusion over eligibility for current titles for the award because of differences in copyright date and publishing date. She will check with other book reviewing committees to see how they handle this situation. She stated that there will be a series award given this year in addition to the individual book award.
The Youth Services Forum is planning its spring workshop for the fall. Lorry and Scott will be presenting. Instead of regional workshops held in every region every year, it was discussed that two regional workshops per year be held. The program planner’s checklist was recommended as very helpful for anyone planning a program. Also ALA’s Program Planning: Tips for Libraries by the Continuing Library Education Network Exchange Round Table (ISBN 0-8389-7942-4) was considered extremely helpful. A motion was made and approved to purchase this title for Youth Services Forum files.
VLA Council news followed. The Virginia Beach VLA/VEMA Conference was very successful. Copies of a strategic action plan for VLA Council were distributed. Diantha will review the plan and will discuss it at the next meeting. VLA is currently looking at ways to increase membership. The VLA Conference will be held at the Homestead on October 28-30, 1999. The theme will be "Values and Visions for the 21st Century." At present, speakers include Ann Symons, David Baldacci, Lucinda Roy, Robin and Linda Williams, and Donald McCaig. If you would like to present a concurrent session for 60 minutes at the VLA Conference, forms need to be turned in by May 1 to Linda Hahne. The ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee celebrated 30 years this year and Carolyn Caywood was on the roll of honor. Information on the Youth Volunteer Award is forthcoming.
The next meeting will be in Charlottesville at the Gordon Avenue Library at 12:00 p.m. on April 16th.
The meeting adjourned.