Catch the Beat with SEMLS SRP 2007

Memories extended!

How could I have forgotten to announce this?! Kudos to the town of Sandwich & Sandwich Public for creating such a wonderful Harry Potter event. In case you hadn't read the July 24 online version of Publisher's Weekly, then you may have missed the blog article by Alison Morris (Shelftalker) featuring the success of SPL & Titcomb Bookshops' event. Here it is again.

And after all was said and done, the community event raised $15,000 for the local high school library. Now that is a great example of library community partnering. Great job Kathy, Stu and the whole SPL gang!

Summer Reading 2007 Photos Anyone?










Memories,
Like the corners of my mind
Misty water-colored memories
Of the way we were
Scattered pictures,
Of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another
For the way we were...

Excerpted lyrics from The Way We Were (1973)

We would be remiss if we didn't at least share some photos of our Catch the Beat summer. Here are few from some of our regional members from Norwell, Carver & W. Bridgewater. I would have offered a Powerpoint but I'm getting ready for 2008. Sorry. *sigh*

It's time to evaluate!

Greetings all,

The sounds of summer are far behind us and now we face cooler temperatures and falling leaves. Before all sounds leave us and if you participated in the Statewide Summer Reading Program, please fill out the 2007 Catch the Beat Evaluation at http://www.nmrls.org/surveys/srp07_eval.htm

We try to keep the evaluation as short as we can but it seems we always need to know more about something!

This year we debuted the ReadsinMa online summer reading program at readsinma.org. If you used this program at all, we are interested in your responses to the evaluation questions.

Please do complete this evaluation! We need the statistics and we need the information to continue to present and manage a Statewide Summer Reading Program for you. The deadline to do so is September 28!

Thank you! Your Youth Services Consultant will be sending out information and order forms for 2008 "Wild Reads" in early October!

MRLS Summer Reading Program Contacts

Boston Regional Library System (BRLS):
Kenneth J. Peterson, Assistant Regional Administrator
Email: kpeterson@bpl.org

Central Massachusetts Regional Library System (CMRLS):
Maureen Ambrosino, Youth Services Consultant
Email: mambrosino@cmrls.org

Metrowest Massachusetts Regional Library System (METROWEST): Sarah Sogigian, Trainer/ Consultant for Youth Services
Email: sarah@mmrls.org

Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System (NMRLS):
Susan Babb, Youth Services Consultant
Email: susan@nmrls.org

Southeast Massachusetts Regional Library System (SEMLS):
Vickie Beene-Beavers, Assistant Administrator for Youth Services
Email: vbeenebeavers@semls.org

Western Massachusetts Regional Library System (WMRLS):
Janet Eckert, Youth Services Consultant
Email: jeckert@wmrls.org

Hello all!

With the roll-out of our online registration for this past summer reading program, we have found ourselves in a bit of a dilema. We have BOXES of Catch the Beat readig logs left over. I'd hate to just throw them away if someone could use them in a craft program. Maybe someone would like to create a hanging mobile or perhaps cut out select graphics to use as accents for their bulletin boards.
But then again, you may have left-over reading logs of your own to convert into craft ideas. If so, how will you use the leftovers?

Or if you don't have any leftover logs and you are brimming with ideas to cut, paste or laminate, feel free to ask for our stash. I'll gladly send some your way. *wink* *wink*

Summer is nearly over and I want to extend an early congratulation to all of you who spent an entire year planning for your 6-8 week summer program. *smile* In a matter of days, kids will return back to school ready to talk about their summer of fun at their local library. Whether it was by the traditional onsite registration or through the web via your ReadsinMa.org page, kids entered the library to participate in your summer reading activities. And if we regard reading as a form of physical exercise then we have had a hand in helping parents to prepare their 'athletes' to excel in school. I'd love to hear how you helped your kids dance across the finish line before our Wednesday morning October 3rd, 2007 Catch the Beat Summer Reading Wrap-Up workshop, feel free to share your Olympic story here. (And as with every contest, the first three bloggers who post will receive a new Sterling Publishing children's book from their fall collection.)

Note: Pictures of your 'race-to-have-fun' are gladly accepted.

If you wish to have your Harry Potter party photos & story to be considered for the next bi-monthly issue of MBLC notes, submit your entries to David Gray, Director of Communications & Public Information (David.L.Gray at state.ma.us).

Please include the following in your email by August 23, 2007:

Name of Your Library
Date of Event & Name
Caption for each photo

May I also suggest that you contact the photographed persons to ask for their permission first if you have not already done so.

We have some CATCH THE BEAT 11x17 Posters!

If anyone would like any more posters, we have 20 to giveaway. Granted the summer is almost over but perhaps you can hand them out as prizes! Thanks goes out to my colleague in Shrewsbury (CMRLS) who graciously provided us with some extras. Any takers? Hurry up and claim one of them before someone else does.