MS MEL and The Summer Library Program Collaborative

A few weeks ago I mentioned that Youth Librarian, Mel Hager would be attending the Collaborative Summer Library Program national conference.  She promised to give us a report and what she has to say follows. 

Ms. Mel in Arizona

It was absolutely incredible to be in that conference room with all those library folk at the CSLP (Collaborative Summer Library Program) national conference. There were some power house people there – even Caldecott and Newbery Committee members!

I was surprised by the “politics” involved. What a hoot to lobby for our favorite slogans and themes! Going at it from 8 am to 5-6 pm at night was exhausting. There was a lot to learn and a lot to decide. We even looked at potential artists for the Underground theme and got to vote for our favorites.

The winning slogans for the UNDERGROUND theme of 2013 are:

• Children's Slogan - "Dig Into Reading"
• Teen Slogan - "Beneath the Surface"
• Adult Slogan - "Groundbreaking Reads"

The all over general theme for 2014 is......SCIENCE. The good news is that recycling, going green, wildlife, agriculture - all of that can go under a science banner. Each library can take it wherever they like!

Another great opportunity I had in Arizona was to visit my friend’s Kindergarten class in Page. Since Page is in the Navajo Nation, most of my friend's students are Navajo. Arizona is a CSLP member state like North Carolina, so these children will have the opportunity to do "One World, Many Stories" this summer at their library just like us. Isn’t that neat to think about?

If anyone would like to see the storytime I did with the Kinders in Page AZ, check out the Alexander County Library Children’s Page on Facebook. I told them my Wide Mouth Frog story. They were a hoot!

Thanks Ms. Mel for that little peek into the world of library politics!  And speaking of hoots - Wide Mouth Frog really rocks!