Please excuse cross postings *_ _* *FYI,* *_ _* *_Apply for the 2019 Best Practices in Early Literacy Awards – Deadline Extended to March 15, 2019_* The New Jersey State Library is accepting _application forms_ 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 pr ...Continue Reading

Please excuse cross-postings   *_Apply for the 2019 Best Practices in Early Literacy Awards – Deadline March 8, 2019_* The New Jersey State Library is accepting application forms 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 prog ...Continue Reading

FYI, If you are willing and interested, SLJ is asking for people to fill out their Summer Reading Survey by Monday, Feb. 25, 2019. They are gathering insights into public library summer programming for children and teens, with an emphasis on summer reading. It will inform an /SLJ/ feature story in the coming months. Thanks. ~Sharon Best regards, 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 ...Continue Reading

Please excuse cross-postings * * *Seeking Volunteers for the annual Youth Services Forum Planning Committee  - Deadline to Confirm Your Interest March 15, 2019* Have you attended the Youth Services Forum in the past and felt the desire to have more of an impact on the programs offered? The Youth Services Forum, an annual conference for youth services librarians, is looking for volunteers for the Forum’s planning committee (you must be a member of NJLA). You would be working closely with Sandi Cronce, Pr ...Continue Reading

Teen Advisory Board Summit Hi everyone and apologies for any cross-postings.   _Teen Advisory Board Summits Press Release_ The New Jersey Library Association and the New Jersey State Library are proud to support this endeavor of the YA Services Section.  The purpose of this Teen Advisory Board Summit is to allow teens to meet and interact with teens from other libraries.  They will share ideas, discuss different and creative solutions to a variety of scenarios.  Realizing that their experience ...Continue Reading

2019 Ezra Jack Keats Mini-Grant Program Call for Proposals The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, dedicated to supporting arts and literacy programs in public schools and libraries across the country, is encouraging qualifying educators to apply for a 2019 Ezra Jack Keats Mini-Grant. Applications are currently being accepted, and the deadline for submissions is March 31, 2019. Approximately 70 grants, up to $500 each, will be awarded to teachers and librarians whose proposals demonstrate creativity and a desire to make ...Continue Reading

Please excuse cross-postings FYI, The New Jersey Center for the Book is seeking nominations for its 2019 Miss Rumphius Award. Based on the title character of Barbara Cooney’s book, /Miss Rumphius/, winner of the National Book Award in 1983, this Award honors public librarians, school media specialists, and educators who are stellar in spreading ideas about literacy. The nominee must be employed in New Jersey as a professional librarian, library staff member, certified educator, or teacher assistant, and must hav ...Continue Reading

*ALA Council approves new Penguin Random House Library Award for Innovation Through Adversity* The American Library Association (ALA) Council, at a Sunday session during the ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits, approved the new Penguin Random House Library Award for Innovation Through Adversity. Nominations are due *March 16*. The award, which ALA intends to present at its Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., recognizes the staff of U.S. libraries who overcome adversity to create lasting innovative communi ...Continue Reading

Please excuse cross-postings   FYI, *Chipotle Reading Rewards are special bookmarks that include FREE Kid’s Meal cards (for grades K-5) or Buy-One/Get-One FREE entrée cards (for grades 6+).* Chipotle supports organizations in a variety of ways, including in-restaurant fundraisers for non-profit organizations and our Scrip program. Our Reading Rewards program is exclusively focused on assisting literacy programs hosted by: ·         Libra ...Continue Reading

The New Jersey State Library recently conducted its FY19 Statewide Services Survey, a two-part library community ranking survey of current statewide services. The purpose of this survey was to inform upcoming decisions regarding network aid expenditures, should funding resources not be adequate to keep up with rising costs. While not the only consideration in assessing the value of the assorted services represented here, the following summary of results is an informative and important factor. As a reminder, in ord ...Continue Reading