Please excuse the cross-postings:   Now that the temperatures are finally dropping, it’s time to start thinking warm thoughts.  The summer reading workshops are coming! Once again, the Summer Reading Committee is heading out across the state to help you prepare for your best summer ever. Mark your calendars.  The workshop dates are: ●     Friday, March 6th  at the Mullica Hill Branch of the Gloucester County Library System ●     Monday, March 9th at the B ...Continue Reading

Please excuse cross postings * * *2020 Best Practices in Early Literacy Awards – Deadline to apply is March 6, 2020* * * The New Jersey State Library is accepting applications for the annual Best Practices in Early Literacy Award. The award honors up to four outstanding public libraries that currently provide exemplary literacy programs for children from birth to six years, their families and caregivers. The award provides a $1,000 honorarium, a certificate, and promotion of the winning library as a model pro ...Continue Reading

FYI, See below for a great workshop opportunity. ~Sharon Best, Sharon Rawlins, MLS Youth Services Specialist for Lifelong Learning NJ State Library 185 West State St. P.O. Box 520 Trenton, NJ 08625-0520 sraw...@njstatelib.org 609-278-2640 ext. 116 - phone 609-278-2650 - fax /Pronouns: she/her/hers/ Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: *From:* Beth Cackowski <C...@njla.memberclicks.net>*Date:* January 7, 2020 at 3:20:42 PM EST*To:* Sharon Rawlins <sraw...@njs ...Continue Reading

FYI, * * *Free Leap into Science Training Offered, Monday, January 13, 2020 at the Monroe Township Free Public Library (Gloucester County)* The state leadership team consisting of staff from the NJ State Library, NJ Makers Day and the Newark Museum are offering a free training on Monday, January 13, 2020 from 10:30 am-2:30 pm at the Free Public Library of Monroe Township in Williamstown, NJ for Cohort Year 2 of this initiative. The training focuses on the concept of wind for staff in public/school libraries/ ...Continue Reading

We will soon be planning next summer's reading program.  Our program is set up so that kids receive a small prize each week when they bring their log to the library to be checked.  We would like to be more environmentally conscious as to the prizes we give out.  Specifically we hope to eliminate cheap plastic tchotchkes but don't want to eliminate prizes altogether as we feel receiving a prize does encourage kids to read.  At the same time, we need to be budget conscious.  So, I'm looking for i ...Continue Reading

Please excuse cross postings   FYI, *_ _* *_Free Leap into Science Training Offered, Monday, January 13, 2020 at the Monroe Township Free Public Library (Gloucester County)_* The state leadership team consisting of staff from the NJ State Library, NJ Makers Day and the Newark Museum are offering a free training on Monday, January 13, 2020 from 10:30 am-2:30 pm at the Free Public Library of Monroe Township in Williamstown, NJ for Cohort Year 2 of this initiative. The training focuses on the concept of win ...Continue Reading

Please excuse cross-postings   Hello, Everyone,   I have an important message to send to all of you who are in public libraries and who participate in the CSLP summer reading program. I recently sent out the 2020 Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) incentives catalogs to everyone. Upon reviewing the numerous materials in the manual and catalog, it has come to my attention that the 2020 artwork is problematic for many reasons. In particular, the poster artwork for all age groups – early literacy, child ...Continue Reading

Hi, everyone, We have had a request for Playaway Launchpads at our library, and I see that a number of libraries offer them. If you have them, are they popular? Do they circulate a lot? I'm on the fence about these - I like that they are sturdy and will hold up during circulation, but they are expensive, and now studies are showing that screen time as a preschooler can be a hindrance to later learning. Plus, every student in our township is issued a Chrome tablet in school (this is also done in a neighboring town where ...Continue Reading

FYI, Exciting news! After a year-long effort, in partnership with NJEA, NJASL is being featured in three separate commercials to bring the message of the importance of school library media specialists to a statewide audience. They have done a great job in the videos of promoting the wonderful work they are doing on behalf of their students and school librarians across New Jersey. Iveth Mollinedo English versionIveth Mollinedo Spanish versionDee Venuto   (I saw one of the commercials on PBS last night during the ...Continue Reading

Hi, I’m wondering how other libraries handle craft supplies walking away from the program room.   We have a drop in craft in our program room as a passive program.  Scissors, glue sticks, markers are there to use for the craft.  It was never an issue but lately items are walking away.  Any suggestions? Thanks, *Joyce Murphy**,*** *Principal Library Assistant, Children's Department* Middletown Township Public Library 55 New Monmouth Road Middletown, NJ 07748 jmur...@mtpl.org *732-671-3700x340** ...Continue Reading