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Hi everyone,

First, I'd like to introduce myself.

I am the new Chair of the VLA Youth Services Forum. I hope over the coming year to work with all of you to make the Youth Services Forum a useful group where you can network, find support, and share ideas. If you know someone who is not a VLA member, but who would like to participate in our networking, let me know and I'll add them to our email list!

Here are the notes from the VLA Youth Services Forum meeting in November.

Vacancies for the forum include a Region 1 (SWVA) representative and a Vice Chair/Chair Elect who would take over as chair at the end of 2017. 

The group decided that in the future, meetings will alternate between themed discussion sessions and regular business meetings. A tentative schedule for the next several months is:

  • December 16, 2 p.m.: Share your ideas about event planning, both holiday events and other family events. Have a successful Star Wars Reads Day? Or after hours events for teens? Ask questions and leave inspired (we hope)!
  • January 27, 2 p.m.: Regular meeting — all are welcome to attend. Time to start thinking about session proposal ideas for VLA 2017!
  • February 24, 2 p.m.: STEM programming and outreach
  • March 24, 2 p.m.: Regular meeting
  • April 21, 2 p.m.: Summer reading. What do you have planned? 
  • May: Regular meeting
  • Summer: Is everyone too busy to meet? Or do we want informal networking events to vent and support each other?

Other topics we discussed:

  • Favorite VLA session: Storytime Underground
  • Idea: Popsicle based icebreaking and delegation. Write down icebreaker personal questions for team building on popsicle sticks. Everyone draws a question during each staff meeting.
  • Youth Services Notes: Enid Costley has offered to include Forum information in the Youth Services Notes published by the Library of Virginia. Angela will connect with Enid to start that process.
  • Networking: Next year at VLA, we plan on repeating the well-liked networking event.

Thanks, everyone! Feel free to send questions and comments my way!

— Angela Critics, Youth Services Forum 2017 Chair