CHILDREN'S LIBRARIAN IS UNDERGROUND!

Meet Ms. Mel, Youth Services Librarian at Alexander County Library in North Carolina. She looks calm on this pic but answer me this!


Mel Hager, as usual, hanging out with readers.

When does Ms. Mel run around like a chicken with its head cut off?

During the Summer Reading Program, of course! 

Each year thousands of libraries across the US, particapate in the Collaboarative Summer Libary Program (CSLP).

Based on themes, promotional materials, and program ideas provided by CSLP, local libraries pull off dynamic summer reading programs replete with reading lists, parties, author events and lots of children coming and going all summer long!  Children, teens, and adults have a marvelous time. And libarians like Ms. Mel wonder whatever happened to summer vacation!

Ms. Mel is having hers right now.  No, not really - but she is a bit giddy about representing North Carolina at the CSLP national meeting in Scottsdale, AZ.  Over the next 3 days she'll work with librarians from around the country to determine the summer reading slogans for 2013 revolving around the theme, UNDERGROUND.


How'd Ms. Mel get this gig?

For the past two years, when Lori Special, from the State Library of North Carolina, represented our state's vote, she polled all of the children’s librarians aross the state. As Ms. Mel, said,  "I had to put in my “two cents” – and, lo and behold, it grew in value! I still cannot believe I’m going!"

By now, it should have sunk in because Ms. Mel is probably enjoying a marvelous Arizona morning with librarians from 49 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa and the Mariana Islands.

UNDERGROUND - what an intriguing theme to work with. Before heading for Arizona, Ms. Mel solicited some ideas from her her nckids listserv. A few of her favorites?  Dig A Little Deeper (children's theme) I Dig My Library (teens) and Unseen Passage (adults).

As for the 2014 theme Ms. Mel would like to Go Green but of course there will be other ideas to consider as well!

Dear friends - the Summer Library Reading Program is coming to a library near you. So what do you think?
1.  Anybody want to second Ms. Mel's dream of a "Go Green" theme for 2014?

2.  Got 2013 slogan/title ideas for reading with an underground theme?

3.  What focus possibilities come to mind for an underground theme? (Roots? A railroad? mining? or say...The Mafia?)

Your "two cents", please!

THANKFUL THURSDAY: THE PEOPLE I MEET

There are perks to being a published author. Most of them have to do with the delightful people we meet along the way.

I first met Children's Librarian, Mel Hager in May when she and the delightful YA YA Book Club treated me to a scrumptious meal at the Oriental Cafe in Taylorsville, NC. This fabulous little eatery is run by Helen Cheung and her lovely family.

William, me, Helen, and Kevin

Helen sent me home with these lovely lillies which I enjoyed for a long while after.

Yesterday I saw Ms. Mel again when she bought me a latte at Barnes & Noble. It was so fun to chat with Mel, her mom, Shirley and Mel's two children!

Allison and Barrett were supposed to be back-to-school shopping and must've wondered how they got stuck with this gig. But they were infinitely patient. Here's a pic - minus Barrett, who manned the camera.

Shirley Thompson, Allison Hager, Ms. Mel, and Me
That green bag Mel is holding - ooops! you can't see the green bag - but anyway it has 3 copies of BLUE. Gotta love a librarian who buys multiple copies of your books with her own money! She could hand out library cards instead.