The temperatures are getting warmer, the flowers are starting to bloom-it looks like spring is finally in the air! And just in time for the Rhode Island Library Association Annual Conference.

This year's conference is shaping up to be a great one, with speakers and workshops covering all aspects of library service. Come connect and share ideas with others, learn about new initiatives in the library field, as well as ways to implement these ideas into your own library.

Also, after two years of hard work, Eileen Dyer has reached the end of her term as President of RILA; this issue of the Bulletin will give you a chance to get to know the new candidates nominated for the upcoming RILA board.

So join us on June 3 & 4 at Salve Regina University in lovely Newport, RI! We've also got some fun post-conference activities for those librarians who like to let their hair down.  It is not too late to register for the conference, hope to see you all there!

Andria Tieman & Brandi Kenyon
RILA Communications Committee Co-Chairs    

Vice President/President-Elect:

Aaron Coutu, Cumberland Public Library

I fell into librarianship. It started with volunteering at the school libraries in both junior and senior high. Despite an attempt to become a reporter, I found my way back to my true calling, librarianship, and never looked back. I've been the Assistant Director/Technology Coordinator at the Cumberland Public Library for almost two years after serving as the Young Adult Librarian at the Greenville Public Library for more than a decade. I have both an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Political Science and a master's degree of Science in Library & Information Studies from the University of Rhode Island, where I am also an adjunct instructor specializing in young adult literature and public library services for all ages. I have been the chair of the Rhode Island Teen Book Award for the past 11 years.

I see libraries as core organizations for our communities. Besides our traditional role of connecting people to information, we are becoming community centers: helping people learn new skills, overcoming the Digital Divide, coming together with shared interests, creating, and coming together for social reasons. RILA is a core part of that transition. RILA can be a crucial tool for the library community and its members as individual librarians look to improve their skills sets, better market their materials and services, and help with building collaborations among library types and other community and governmental groups. I look forward to being a part of a team helping to continue the great work of RILA.

Member at Large: 

Julie DeCesare, Providence College

Member at Large

For the past year it has been my pleasure to serve the RILA executive board in the capacity of Member-at-Large. I look forward to continuing the work done on Money Smart Week. In the next year, I will work on getting a speaker who is bilingual who might be able to do a program at the Knight Memorial Library and other libraries requiring a speaker who can conduct a program in English and in Spanish. I will also work on recruiting the Providence Community Libraries in our Money Smart Week program. These are my two primary goals for next year. I look forward  to serving the RILA board and attend meetings as an executive board member.

Secretary:
Amy Greer, Providence Community Library  

Amy Greer is the Youth Services Coordinator at Providence Community Library in Rhode Island. Through this position, Amy coordinates children's and young adult services across 9 neighborhood libraries and oversees programming, homework and literacy assistance, and collaborations with local schools and other organizations. Previously, Amy was Community Services Librarian at Barrington Public Library and archivist of the Feminist Theory Papers at the Pembroke Center of Brown University. In Barrington, Amy was responsible for building a programming schedule and cultivating relationships with community organizations. With the Feminist Theory Papers, Amy was involved with establishing, growing, and making accessible FTP's collections. As a PhD student, Amy explores the social and cultural issues around urban youth's access to information and library services. As the Secretary, she plans to work hard to communicate clearly and effectively with RILA members, and support any and all library advocacy efforts around the state.     

ALA Councilor:

Eileen Dyer, Cranston Public Library  

It has been my pleasure to serve as RILA president for the past two years. Together, we have made great strides in becoming a more active and vibrant association. As RILA's Councilor to the American Library Association, I will ensure that the Rhode Island library community is aware of all important national issues, trends, and legislation that could impact our libraries. I believe that my innate passion for politics and policy -- as well as my understanding and familiarity with libraries of many types --  will make me a great fit for ALA Councilor.     

The RILA Conference Committee is gearing up for an exciting 2013 conference, with exciting speakers such as ALA President Maureen Sullivan, NPR reviewer and Georgetown University faculty member Maureen Corrigan, RI Education Commissioner Deborah Gist, and activist librarian and NYC library director Andrew P. Jackson.

We're thrilled to welcome presenters with a diverse lineup of topics. A smattering:

The Laundromat Literacy Program-- Speakers detail how their Laundromat Literacy Program has spread throughout the state of Maryland, providing crates of books for children and families to enjoy while waiting on their laundry.

Libraries and Bookstores-- Unite! Discover what unfolded when a public library teamed up with a local independent bookstore in Connecticut.

Open Access Publishing and Intellectual Freedom: Remembering Aaron Swartz--

Google Tips and Tricks - Learn about Google's newest supported features and tools, get tips for keeping up on the latest changes, and become a more confident and efficient searcher.

Dealing with Difficult Patrons - New strategies to deal with challenging behaviors.

Dewey for the 21st Century - Create bookstore browsability in a Dewey collection with the Glades classification model!

Just like many adults, teens often feel the need to please everyone and be perfect. They have to do well in school. They have to fit in with their friends. They have to meet familial expectations and obligations. Some must work to earn extra money or volunteer or do after school activities so they will appear as well rounded individuals on their college applications. It can be overwhelming. Even though it is normal for these things to cause some stress, it can sometimes be hard to cope when expectations are coming from so many sources all at once. Stress can affect sleep, school performance, personal interactions, and self esteem; in some cases, excess stress can lead to serious mental health issues including panic disorders, depression, eating disorders, cutting, or thoughts of suicide.

So as librarians, how can we help teens deal with both everyday stress as well as more serious mental health issues?

Be friendly and approachable. While you don't have to constantly ask every teen paton, "So how are you feeling today?" (because lets face it, after a while that starts to feel insincere a bit creepy), sometimes a genuine smile and a simple, "How's your day going?" is enough of an opening to get a conversation going.

Provide resources that teens can access on their own. Not all teens will want to talk with someone they know, so be sure to provide resources on the library's website as well as in brochures in the teen area of the library.Resources can include bibliotherapy booklists on various mental health subjects, as well as hotlines, websites, and other informational aids. Make it a point to review this information often to make sure that links and phone numbers are all current.

Offer active and passive programming. Programming can offer ways to help teens develop healthy habits for managing stress, heading off the development of more serious mental health issues. Set up a bulletin board display and let them post ways that they cope with stress. Create a simple make and take stress ball craft. If it is the beginning of the school year, host a program about how to stay organized and use effective studying methods. Programs such as these also help teens develop that sense that the library is a safe and welcoming place for them. Be sure to see Stephanie Barta's article "Healthy Programs for Teens" in this month's RILA Bulletin for even more programming ideas!

Partner with local health professionals. Be familiar with sevices in your area--both outside of and within the schools. Talk with them about who they serve, and how they interact with teens needing help. It is important to remember while we may be able to lend an ear and provide resources for help, ultimately we are not mental health professionals. If you have a teen patron that you believe may be truly in need of help don't be afraid of stepping in, and readily having a trusted resource or a place to refer them to can make that easier to do.

Stress and obesity are two health issues we can't seem to stop hearing about on the news, in magazines, online and in books.  Just a quick browse through the new bookshelves yields the titles Fat Chance, 8 Keys to Stress Management, How Everyone Became Depressed, and The Heavy, among others.  The First Lady even runs a very public campaign to help keep youth fit and healthy.  Just a glance through health statistics shows why we are constantly hearing about these issues.  About 1/3 of children and adolescents (ages 6-19) are considered to be overweight or obese, according to a publication by the Weight Control Information Network, WIN.  Stress and mental health are factors that can affect physical health and weight.  The National Institute of Mental Health reports that over a quarter of teens deal with some form of anxiety that stems from a variety of sources.   

Offering a variety of fun, health-centered programs is a great way to encourage teens to ways to take stock of their health, learn new skills and have fun.  Here are a few suggestions:

Teens Cook!

Get Active!

Programs that get teens moving are a great way to encourage activity and bust stress.  Yoga classes are a great way to help teens de-stress and start moving and studies show that after practicing yoga participants feel better physically and mentally.  It's low impact and accessible to all levels of fitness.  All you need is an open area and some mats, which you may find by contacting local studios that might donate old or lost mats.

Wii Move!

If your library has a Wii, host a Wii Move night.  Play sports like boxing and tennis that are sure to get teens moving or get your dance on with Dance Dance Revolution.

Just Chill!

Have Fun!  

Many libraries already host teen game nights, so why not turn these games into something fun and active?  Have a hoola-hoop and jump rope contest, or play a good, old fashioned game of bocce or cornhole. Skill levels are minimal and the fun level is always high.

Laugh!

What is a better way to beat stress than through laughter?  Host a teen comedy night or improv group and teens can brush up on their comedic skills.

Summer is just around the corner, and librarians are busy preparing for their annual Summer Reading Programs.

All 39 cities and towns participate in the Summer Reading Program open to young people, preschool through young adult, with programs, prize drawings, story hours and reading clubs. Some libraries, including Cranston, Providence Public Library, Tiverton, Greenville, and East Providence, are also offering adult summer reading programs.

This year, kids and teens will explore all things underground with the themes "Dig Into Reading" and "Beneath the Surface."

Programs for children may include dinosaurs or construction vehicles, animals that live underground or Ancient Egypt, caves, rocks and more.

Between June and August, children will also be entertained with a wide slate of performers including magicians: The Great Baldini and Malik Haddadi; storytellers: Sarah Gardner and Carolyn Martino; puppeteers; artists: Deenie Pacik Giuliano and Eric Fulford; dancers, musicians: Rick Morin; poets and live animals: Animal World Experience and Bwana Iguana Reptile Adventures.

Teens can look forward to programs that explore what's beneath the surface of the earth, water, history, or our popular culture and participate in some great workshops including watercolor painting, cartooning, improv, crafting, animation, poetry, and magic.

The adult summer reading program, called "Groundbreaking Reads," is designed to encourage adults to read during the summer months while creating positive publicity for the library.  Over the summer, adults can explore new genres or interests which gives the library the opportunity to highlight books of interest. The adult summer reading program also offers an excellent model of lifelong learning and reading to the children participating in their own summer reading programs.

Funding for the Summer Reading Program comes from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act.

Summer 2013 at Rhode Island libraries promises to be tons of fun for kids, teens, families and adults, so be sure to spread the word!

Summer is coming! Suggest Mango Languages to patrons; traveling adults and bored students alike! Mango is an online language-learning program that can help patrons learn foreign languages like Spanish, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Pirate, German, Mandarin Chinese, Greek, Irish, Italian and many more, in an easy-to-learn manner. Mango Languages for Libraries also offers English as a Second Language courses for non-English speakers. Courses include ESL for French, German, Polish, Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and eight other languages (at the time of this writing, Mango is always adding new languages to both databases).

Mango teaches languages by using real-life situations and integrates actual conversations into the lesson. By listening to and repeating material designed from native speakers, patrons will not only learn the individual words and phrases, they'll know how they're used in practical situations and conversations. The lessons include more than simple grammar, vocabulary and conjugation, patrons will learn how to communicate.

Mango for Libraries includes a dashboard that gives a summary of what language lessons have been started and how much time has been spent in lessons learning each language. While in the lessons, Mango (both for ESL and foreign language lessons) has "grammar goals" with grammar notes throughout the lesson and "conversational goals"  with cultural notes that has social explanations of some of the phrases used. It also indicates which type of phrase might be used, for both formal and informal occasions for example, within each lesson.

Mango makes understanding words and phrases easier by initially giving the whole phrase, with its translation, then it breaks down each phrase by word. The patron can hover over highlighted words and phrases to view a pronunciation guide and click to have the word repeated aloud. Words and phrases are color coded so that the student can understand which parts of each phrase translate to each word within that phrase. Mango also includes information such as the literal meaning and implied or understood meanings of words (ie "good day" vs "hello") and how they translate to the language being studied.

Each language group has a Basic lesson and Complete lessons; Mango Basic teaches simple, practical skills for common, polite conversation situations in only a few short hours, Mango Complete 1.0 courses are aimed at students who want to move beyond basic language skills, and Mango Complete 2.0 teaches in-depth and comprehensive language and grammar skills (note: not all languages include a Complete 2.0 lesson plan). Mango incorporates information about the language such as how many people speak the language around the world and where it is generally spoken.

Other features of Mango include a translation service that will take a word or phrase in a source language and translates it to a target language. Mango for Libraries can also be downloaded onto a mobile device (available for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Android phones) in order to take language lessons to the beach!

I recently met with Wil Gregersen, the Community Services Librarian at the Warwick Public Library, to discuss upcoming events that he has planned for the library, and the ways in which the library is growing and changing in order to better serve the community.  Upon entering the library, visitors will notice that the library has several recent additions and improvements, including a newly open floor plan.  The librarians and circulation staff are constantly moving, providing assistance where they are needed.  Also, the Reference and Circulation counters are a thing of the past, having been replaced with compact Welcome and Reference desks that allow staff to work together more easily to serve patrons.  "We do a lot of instruction at the Reference Desk," says Gregersen, "and so by having a smaller desk that you can walk around and get behind, we can invite people behind the desk [for instruction].  Also, there's the idea that there would be one spot where people would go in the library to be served."

A couple of the changes that are clearly a hit with patrons include the new computer workstations and Teenspace.  Gregersen explains, "Our public computers are used all the time, and so the improvement was to upgrade some of the hardware, and to create a space that was more amenable to folks who are using it."

"The idea behind Teenspace," he adds, "is that teens are a very special population.  They don't necessarily fit in the Children's Room and they don't fit in the adult library.  They need a space that caters to their developmental state.  Teenspace was developed so we could have a dedicated space.  There are plenty of teens in Warwick, and they need to be served."  

The Warwick Public Library is also continuing to bring a variety of programs to the community, with activities and events for every age group.  There are a number of successful "recurring programs" that started out as one-time events, and are now "self-run" groups.  "We do the advertising and give them the space, and [the group members] actually own the program," says Gregersen.  One event that aims to engage the community in unique ways is the Writing from Memory group.  This group will be meeting April 9 & 23 and May 7 & 21.  Library patrons are invited to write about their experiences and share their stories with the group.    

Gregersen stresses that the staff of the Warwick Public Library are looking to the future.  There are plans to make improvements to the Children's Room, and an empty room at the entrance to the library will become a tech lab.  "There's a real drive for everyone to understand what Warwick wants from its library and then to work out how we can actually give that service," says Gregersen.  "If [patrons] want space, if they want to be creative or they need information...whatever Warwick wants from its library, we're working hard to provide."

The Rhode Island Afterschool Plus Alliance (RIASPA), an education initiative of United Way of Rhode Island, officially announced its grantees for the 2013 Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative. The Cumberland Library Children's Department, along with the Boys & Girls Club of Lincoln/Cumberland, The Office of Children Youth Learning, and the Cumberland School Department were one of the grantee teams chosen!

Out of sixteen programs, reflecting eleven cities around Rhode Island, the Cumberland Library is one of three libraries in RI who will be participating within this grant this summer!

The implementation team of myself, Tamara Burman of the Boys & Girls Club, Liz Lemire of the Office of Children Youth and Learning, the principal of Garvin School, and two teachers from the BF Norton Elementary School and the Garvin Elementary School,  have already begun collaborative efforts,  planning ahead to use the summer months as an opportunity to co-create and co-deliver thematic curriculum for low income, under-served elementary age children in Cumberland, RI. This is a great collaboration which aims to prevent literacy loss and build a stronger community of educators and children!

The curriculum implemented by this team will focus on approximately 30 campers enrolled in the Boys & Girls Club camp. All activities will carry Common Core Standards curriculum focused on social, emotional, and 21st Century Learning.

The library portion of the funding will focus upon extending library staff hours to work at the Boys & Girls Club and within the library with the campers, hiring additional performers, adding additional programs, and purchasing Summer Reading initiative resources and books for this community. Our Summer Reading Program "Dig into Reading" will easily meet the many measurements and outcomes within the rubrics and evaluations of the grant team.

The library already plans to offer these services:

• "Dig Into Reading" Summer Reading Program initiative materials and free books
•  Training of Boys & Girls Club staff to run the Summer Reading Program at their camp
• Literacy based creative programs and performers within the Boys and Girls Club
• Special program invitations to Boys & Girls Club children within the Cumberland Library
• Recreational programs created and held for library children/families within the Boys & Girls Club.