Youth Services Forum Executive Committee
Charlottesville, VA
June 13, 2003

Attending: Ginger Armstrong, Josie Bergstrom, Shelley Gravel, Maureen Harrill, Dena Martin, Julie Ramsay

Maureen started the meeting with regional reports and distributed a calendar listing events and dates of summer programs at the Salem Public Library in Region I.  The library will offer juggling/unicycle fun, Wednesday craft programs, storytimes, the Wildlife Center of Virginia, author Lou Kassem, magician Ron Mack, Balloon Magic, and “Howl of the Wolf” folktales and myths.

Josie reported on Region III news.  The Blackwater Regional Library will host Steve Kissell the “Magic Storyteller,” Stevens Puppets, ice cream socials, and crafts this summer.  The Chesapeake Public Library will offer Lynn Ruehlmann, professional storyteller, and Stevens Puppets production of Beauty and the Beast.  The Eastern Shore Public Library will have a program discussion with slides on “Identifying Your Backyard Birds.”  The Delmarva Shorebirds, a minor league baseball team in Salisbury, Maryland will sponsor all of the summer programs on the Eastern Shore this summer.  All participants will take part in a pre-game parade in Salisbury, Maryland.  The Gloucester County Public Library will sponsor a hero-themed program, “Be a Superhero @ Your Library.”  Children and their families are invited to visit local heroes: firefighters, police officers, and military personnel who are each bringing a vehicle for families to tour.  The Hampton Public Library will host performers Paul Krendl, Stevens Puppets, Rainbow Puppets, the Loud Poetry Guy, the Virginia Zoo, Barbara Spilman Lawson, and Betsy Q.  The Mathews County Library will offer a four-week series on the “Magic of Music” featuring stories about musicians and composers and then will hold a concert using homemade instruments.  The Newport News Public Library will use “Red, White and Books” as its summer theme.  The Norfolk Public Library will co-host a summer reading program at the Kirn Library with the Girl Scouts of America.   For five weeks, girls will read and discuss Darby by Jonathon Scott Fuqua.  Each week following the booktalk, the girls will meet with specials guests and participate in a series of programs with the theme “Get Going Girlfriend.”  Mr. Fuqua, who grew up in Norfolk, will visit with the girls during their final get-together.  The Poquoson Public Library will host local artist Cathie Abell-Nelson who will teach how to write “I Read” and other words with her “Calligraphy, the ‘I’s Have IT” program.  The Tidewater Area Youth Services Consortium will have a booth at the Child’s Fair at the Hampton Coliseum and storytimes will be held by the table.  The Virginia Beach Public Library will offer a mehndi program for teens.  The Williamsburg and James City County Library will offer the Wheel of Reading once again this summer.  Josie distributed copies of the Spring 2003 issue of Beach: The Magazine of Virginia Beach to all present.  The magazine features an article about the library construction projects in the area.

Dena reported on Region IV events.  Chesterfield will host Betsy Q in concert, Stevens Puppets presenting “Rumpelstiltskin,” and “Journey of Discovery,” a history of the Lewis and Clark expedition.  Truffles, an agility-titled miniature poodle, will entertain with tricks while Truffles’s owner presents cartooning.  For teens, Manny Yarbrough will discuss Japanese sumo wrestling, Cheryl Dunfree will teach how to draw dogs, and a drum workshop will be held.  Music events will be offered including a violinist, a harpist, an acoustic blues musician, and Spectrum, a 10-piece band playing popular music.  A gift wrapping and duct tape craft program will be offered.  Ginger suggested the titles Got Tape?: Roll Out the Fun with Duct Tape!: 25+ Quick and Easy Duct Tape Projects for the Whole Family by Ellie Schiedermayer and Ductigami: The Art of the Tape by Joe Wilson for those interested in duct tape craft ideas.  The Colonial Heights Public Library will offer an origami program, a snake show, a magician, a juggler, and a ventriloquist.  The new summer reading incentive – Richmond Braves baseball tickets.  The Henrico Public Library will host Birdman Dave who visits with an owl and macaw and reveals “how birds learn to read.”  Henrico will also host Wildlife International who will bring a variety of exotic animals including a wolf cub.  Rising kindergartners will visit, a Hogwarts scarf transfiguration program will be held, and storyteller Barbara O’Neill will explore wolves in folklore.  Teen book discussion groups will discuss Hatchet by Gary Paulsen and Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick.  A readers theatre and teen advisory group may be formed.  The Pamunkey Regional Library will offer a pet care program presented by the Hanover Humane Society.  Children can meet Madeline at the library and visit the pet show (with their real or imaginary pet).  The Science Museum will present Dinosaurs!, a hands-on exhibit, and summer safety will be discussed with a police officer, a fireman, and a member of the Volunteer Rescue Squad.  The American Kennel Club will talk about pet ownership.  Teen movie night, a drumming workshop, a hemp and bead workshop, and a cookout and tie-dye workshop will be offered for teens.  The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity recently donated funds to purchase six LeapPads at the Petersburg Public Library.  Amazin’ Jason will perform and the Virginia Cooperative Extension staff will present “Go Fish” with children handling live fish and learning about fish farming.  The Richmond Public Library will offer biologist Mindy Frost discussing the true story of the wolf.  During Harry Potter week, a Harry Potter drop-in craft will be offered to celebrate the release of the new title.  A Harry Potter scavenger hunt will be offered during the month of June.  Garrett, “America’s most skilled bomb detection dog,” and magician Brad Matchett and his bunny, Houdini, will also visit.  A newly formed chess club will meet.

Julie discussed Region V events.  All libraries in the region are using the state summer reading program theme, “Wolfin’ Down Books.”  The Alexandria Public Library will continue to offer their regular story hour series.  The Arlington Public Library will host Stevens Puppets.  The Shirlington Branch will be celebrating “Kids’ Fun Day” outdoors with a showing of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and readings from the new book.  Mason Talespinner will present “Chocolate Covered Fairy Tales.”  The Caroline County Public Library will offer a lapsit program for infants to two-year-olds and after school programs for kindergarteners to second graders and third graders to fifth graders.  The Fairfax County Public Library has over twenty sponsors who have donated over one million dollars to the summer reading program.  Two of the branches’ Friends’ groups donated a total of thirty thousand dollars.  The Mary Riley Styles Public Library will offer Panda-monium, a puppet show presented by Bob Brown’s Chinese Circus.  Also offered will be world-renowed musician Jamey Turner who uses everyday tools to create a glass harp which he also performs.  Craft programs such as decorating flip-flops and making a bat house will be offered on Thrilling Thursdays.  Other programs offered include storyteller Joan Leotta, magician Tom Lilly, and the Maryland Science Center demonstrating “Science to Amaze and Intrigue.”  The King George County Library will host Running Deer, the Wildlife Center of Virginia, and storyteller Kathy Coleman.  The Prince William County Public Library held a “How to Do a Science Fair Project”  workshop.  The Chinn Park Regional Library recently held an awards ceremony for their author-illustrator bookmark contest with special guest, Suzanne Chitwood, author and illustrator of Wake Up, Big Barn!  The Eastern Loudoun Regional Library held the Boston Tea Party by having the local museum give a presentation on the event and then the kids dumped Lipton tea bags in the pretend ocean.  It was a hit!  Author Valerie Tripp visited for National Library Week.  Julie distributed copies of the SummerQuest 2003 programs at the Mary Riley Styles Public Library.

Tim sent the Region VI report for distribution to members.  Maureen noted some events occurring in the area.  The Augusta County Library will offer juggler Jonathan Austin, Wali Brandon of Historical Impression presenting “Tales of the Werewolf,” and local author Alison Hart who will join officers from the Staunton Police Department in presenting real-life crime drama from her books, Chase: A Police Story and Rescue: A Police Story.  A craft program will demonstrate how to create Native American crafts such as dreamcatchers and bracelets.  Clifford the Big Red Dog will visit the Culpeper County Library.  The Amazing Lula will present “Let’s Make a Circus.”  Teens are invited to review books and to enter drawings for FunLand passes and a CD Walkman. Participants will be invited to a skating party at the end of the summer.  The Handley Regional Library will host musicians Kim and Jimbo Cary, Helen Zebarth who will present a program on Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Connie Ralston-Roberts who will offer a drumming program.  The Highland County Public Library will offer a Harry Potter night and a puppet show by Puppets with Pizzazz.  The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library will offer Nicolo the Gypsy and his special blend of Renaissance comedy, juggling, and music as well as Timeless Tales with Donna Washington featuring stories that celebrate world cultures.  A World Beat drumming program will also be held with Robert Jospe and Kevin Davis.  The Crozet Library and the Gordon Avenue Library will have an ice cream social.  For teens, the Chocolate Festival featuring chocolate games and a “Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundae” will be offered.  Teen programs will include book discussion groups, a zine making program, a duct tape craft program, a stained glass art program, a mehndi program, a juggling program, and a creative writing workshop in conjunction with the Charlottesville Writing Center.  The Massanutten Regional Library will include a “Summer Reading Kickoff with WVPT and Cubby.”  The Orange County Public Library will offer food-related crafts including edible necklaces and pasta collages.  Tangerine the Clown will appear.  The Rappahannock County Library will use the theme “Take Flight – Read” in celebration of one hundred years of flight.  The Front Royal Cardinals will share stories at the Samuels Public Library.  At the Shenandoah County Library, “The Best Dog-Gone Reading Time” is making a return appearance.  Children will be invited to come to the library on Mondays to see dogs brought in by a patron and then will read to them.  The Staunton Public Library will host the Magical Company of Brian Bence with magic workshops.

The minutes from the April meeting were approved.

Maureen discussed VLA Council news.  In the June VLA Newsletter new candidates for the year are introduced.  The Scholarship Committee is working on initiating contact with others to increase funding.  VLA was pleased with attendance at the VLA Paraprofessional Conference.  The VLA Conference will be held November 5th through November 7th at the Homestead and members were asked to promote the conference in their libraries. 

The preconference on Wednesday, November 5th will feature author/illustrator Peter Catalanotto.  He will discuss reading the picture first and the word second with books.

Maureen stated that all of our concurrent sessions were approved for the conference.  The current schedule for Youth Services Forum programs is as follows:

Thursday, November 6

1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.                     

Children’s E-Resources and the SOLs
presented by Julie Ramsay and Dena Martin

2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.                    

Patchwork of Teen Programs: The Sequel
speakers include:
Tim Carrier – Logo contest
Rebecca Purdy – Teen Advisory Councils
Linda Nesbit – Readers Theater
Demetria Tucker – P.C. Navigator Program

3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.                     

Graphic Novels for Dummies
presented by BWI and Donna Hughes

Other programs of interest to youth services staff scheduled for Friday are the Jefferson Cup Overfloweth program, a “Going to the Dogs” program, a “Diversity Through Storytelling” program by George Crafts, and a Capitol Choices program.  Other programs/speakers discussed were author Sue Corbett (an IRA honor winner for 12 Again), and a storytime volunteer program.

Julie and Shelley handed out a copy of the advocacy packet received from Pat Muller for the group to peruse. The group discussed transportation and resources as important factors in working with advocacy. Ginger will make copies of the proposal and send one to each member of the committee.

The new Jefferson Cup Chair is Martha Baden.  The winner of the Jefferson Cup for 2003 is Mississippi Trial, 1955 by Chris Crowe.  The honor books are Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam by Walter Dean Myers and Trouble Don’t Last by Shelley Pearsall.  The books worthy of special note are When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan, Six Days in October by Karen Blumenthal, Minuk: Ashes in the Pathway by Kirkpatrick Hill, and Jericho Walls by Kristi Collier.

Shelley reported that the Virginia Young Reader winners have been posted on the VSRA web site - http://www.vsra.org/Virginia_Young_Readers.html.  The committee will meet again in the fall.  Maureen thanked Shelley greatly for her help with the VLA concurrent sessions.

The next meeting will be held on September 5th at 12:30 p.m. at the Gordon Avenue Library in Charlottesville.

The meeting adjourned.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Ginger Armstrong