FYI, I’m passing this along in case anyone is interested. It’s a great way to see and find out more about the school libraries around the state. ~Sharon ----------- Dear Colleagues, Interested in learning more about the many ways New Jersey school and public librarians lead innovative practice?  It’s time for a road trip! In the spirit of traditional garden or art tours, for six years, the popular NJ school library /bus tour/ allowed pre-service LIS students, library colleagues, and school administrators to d ...Continue Reading

FYI,   I’m just passing this along for informational purposes only:   My name is Mel Hioki. I’m the Founder & Chairman of Hioki Creations, a children’s nonprofit organization.   *Our Mission *is to engage and educate children on anti-bullying, diversity and inclusion, and hunger through books and videos.   *Our Vision *is to foster kindness, compassion, and openness in the hearts and minds of children to create a more accepting and loving world. Here’s the link to my new anti-bullyi ...Continue Reading

Please excuse cross postings   FYI,   The Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table Standing Program Committee has planned a literature week, /Reading Coretta's Books/, in celebration and remembrance of Mrs. Coretta Scott King.  Through the virtual Coretta Scott King Book Awards Literature Week, January 15-19, 2024, participants can learn about Mrs. King's life and hear a special reading of one of the award-winning CSKBART titles.  Program dates, book titles, and speakers are listed on the attached ...Continue Reading

FYI,   For many years the NJ State Library has been one of the organizations listed on the NJ Parent Link website. It is a statewide website that contains information for NJ parents and families created by the NJ Department of Health. I don’t know if you’ve ever used it, are aware of it, or have recommended it to the families with young children that you serve. They asked if I would share a survey with you to get your input about the website. They are also looking for families to complete the survey too, if you wo ...Continue Reading

FYI, *_ _* *_Smokey the Bear Reading Challenge_* The US Forest Service has offered to provide materials for a reading challenge to celebrate Smokey the Bear's 80th birthday in 2024. The challenge (and accompanying materials) will be available January - December of 2024 and will be sent to the State Library for me to distribute to libraries in late January 2024. The materials each library will get includes 1 roll of 500 Smokey stickers, 1 pack of 50 Smokey cards, and 1 Smokey stamp.   This is a great tie-in t ...Continue Reading

Please excuse cross postings   FYI,   *ALSC’s 2024 Notable Children's Media Discussions in January*   Do you love book and media talk? Are you interested in observing media evaluation in action? Although ALSC award discussions are confidential, Notable discussion meetings are open! The 2024 Notable Children's Books and Notable Children's Recordings committees will be meeting via Zoom in January to discuss great titles from 2023. Observers can join in at any time throughout the sessions. The Notable Ch ...Continue Reading

*Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture Grant 2024 Grant Information *   *_Program Overview_*   */Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture/* is a family literacy initiative that connects Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI), and American Indigenous or Alaskan Native (AIAN) communities across generations. The Talk Story micro-grant celebrates and explores AANHPI and AIAN stories through books, oral traditions, and cultural arts to provide interactive and enriching experienc ...Continue Reading

Please excuse cross postings   FYI,   If you missed any of the CSLP Summer Symposium sessions from December 7th, the recordings and other resources are now available on the CSLP Summer Symposium 2023 page.   How did you enjoy the Summer Symposium? We would appreciate your feedback, even if you only watched the recordings and not attended the live sessions. *Summer Symposium Evaluations: *https://forms.gle/PqKDiTA8UM2tJecD7 We hope your New Year is full of adventures!   /CSLP Summer Symposium C ...Continue Reading

Hi, Everyone,   Sorry for all the discussion list emails you’re getting today. We did some server maintenance in early December and it wasn’t until today that I realized none of the emails had been going through on NJYAC since late November. Obviously, the problem is now fixed. Please disregard the old messages. Happy New Year!   ~Sharon     All the best, *Sharon Rawlins, MLS (she/her/hers)*/Youth Services Specialist/ /Library Development Bureau/*New Jersey State Library* *P.*  609 ...Continue Reading

Hi Everyone, I am wondering if anyone has a subscription to ComicsPlus for your library, and if so, what you think of it. We are considering it and our TAB enjoyed the free trial, but we wanted to get additional feedback from current users if possible. Thanks so much! Jen Jen Dunne Head of Youth Services Moorestown Library 111 West Second St. Moorestown, NJ 08057 856-234-0333 x 5 moorestownlibrary.org ...Continue Reading