What Are They? Online Meet-ups via Zoom
This is the time and place to discuss your concerns, share your ideas, and “hang out” with your colleagues. We can discuss a particular topic or just chat about what life is like in the library community!
Let's come together to network and figure out how to take care of ourselves and our patrons! We all have a lot to learn from each other.
- No registration is required, but each session is limited to 100 people.
- Each week we will send out the Zoom meeting information for all meet-up sessions scheduled for that week, via LibraryLinkNJ's mass mailing system.
- Please DO NOT share the Zoom meeting room information publicly (See why we ask this).
- Please know we will not be able to provide any technical support during our online meet-ups. Please see the Zoom resources section prior to any session you intend to attend, so that you can join the meet-up without any trouble.
- If you have any suggestions or thoughts to share with us after you attend each meet-up, please use our Online Meet-up Feedback Form.
- If you have any questions or need help, please emaill us.
Online Meet-up Topics & Discussion Leaders
| Topic & Discussion Leaders | Descriptions |
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Adventures in Administration David Costa, Sparta PL; |
Join us for an informal discussion about the challenges and opportunities we are currently facing as library leaders. |
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Disabled & Neurodivergent Library Staff Meet-up Stephanie Sendaula, LibraryLinkNJ
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Join us for a monthly, online meetup that serves as a safe space for disabled and neurodivergent library staff to connect with each other and build community. Your privacy is most important, and sell-disclosure is not required in order to participate. |
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Juggling Library Work and Parenting Kimberly Paone, Matawan Aberdeen PL; |
Having a home/work balance is now tougher than ever before - join this discussion to share ideas, talk about strategies, and even vent a little. You are not alone! |
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Mary Martin, Wanaque Public Library |
Leading a small library means you have unique opportunities to connect with individuals, develop community partnerships, and think creatively about how you can improve and increase your services while stretching every dollar in your budget. We will pool our collective knowledge, celebrate our successes, brainstorm together, and support each other as we work to ensure that our small libraries can survive and thrive. |
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LGBTQUIA+ Library Staff Meetup Lex Bose, Asbury Park Library |
This MentorNJ Online Meetup is for for library workers who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community and Allies! This group is for discussing all things LGBTQIA that are going on in our libraries, socially, and politically. It's a safe space and we’re here to support one and other. |
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Kate-Lynn Grimm, Piscataway Public Library; Danielle Emrick, South Brunswick Public Library |
Brought to you in partnership with New Jersey Makers Day, this discussion brings together library staff who currently are or who hope to be hosting "making" of any type in their libraries! Join us to share ideas, ask questions, and seek advice from your fellow Makers. |
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Darby Malvey, LibraryLinkNJ; |
School librarians and school library staff are invited to join us for discussions focused on the unique challenges, opportunities, and needs of K-12 school libraries. Join your colleagues from around the state in these virtual meetups where you decide on the topic of conversation. Whether you’re alone in your school or district and just looking for a chance to connect with colleagues, new to school libraries and seeking guidance for your program, or a veteran hoping to share your knowledge and see what’s new, our School Library Meetups are for you! |
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Doug Baldwin, Piscataway Public Library |
MentorNJ is excited to add an additional virtual meetup opportunity to our slate of weekly sessions - MentorNJ Technology Meetup! These meetup sessions were occurring every two months in person all over the state prior to Covid-19, and now we would like to take this discussion opportunity virtual! MentorNJ Technology Meetup is an opportunity to discuss any topics related to technology, applications in libraries, technology challenges and success, and much more as we face an uncertain future where tech will play a vital role in our work and public services. This meetup is for any library staff, at all levels, who are interested in and would like to talk about topics in technology. While we hope one day soon to be able to again host our regional in-person tech meetups, this is an opportunity to allow our conversations to continue and consider the future as well. |
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Adriana Mamay, Middlesex College; Bonnie Lafazan, Springfield Public Library; Cara Berg, William Paterson University
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Wellness Wednesdays are an opportunity for you to network, check-in, and relax with library colleagues throughout the state. In these sessions, participants will share about work and/or personal matters and participate in activities such as hobby and self-care exploration, meditation and chair yoga, coloring, games, journal activities, and more. Join to connect with other NJ librarians and alleviate work/life fatigue. |
| EDI Meet-ups | |
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African American Library Staff Meet-up Muriel Odrick, Ocean County Library |
African American Library Staff are invited to come together for an online meetup to share our thoughts, cares, challenges, and ideas while building community and caring for each other. Library workers who do not identify as African American but desire to grow their understanding of African American issues and become our allies are also welcome to attend. |
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Asian/Pacific Islander Meet-up Jennie Pu, Hoboken Public Library and Mimi Hui, Hasbrouck Heights Public Library |
Everyone in the New Jersey library community is welcome to attend! Asian & Pacific Islander (API) library & workers are invited to come together to build community, to share and care for each other. Library workers who do not identify as API, but desire to grow their understanding of API issues and to become our allies are also welcome to attend. |
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Lizette Melendez-Villegas, South Jersey Library Assistant |
Everyone in the New Jersey library community is welcome to attend! Latino library staff are invited to come together for an online meet-up where we'll to share our thoughts, ideas, and challenges, build community, and care for each other. Library workers who do not identify as Latino but desire to grow their understanding of Latino issues and to become our allies, are also welcome to attend. |
If you have any questions, please contact us --- MentorNJ Task Force.
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Notes:
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Previous Meet-up Topics
* Previous meet-up notes are shared via GoogleDoc.
| Topics | Descriptions |
| Let’s start our week off with a chance to share what’s going on in our libraries and lives! A place to network, share, discuss, and support each other during these challenging times! | |
| Some thoughts on the importance of self-care. | |
| Youth Services Meet-up | Let’s chat about online programming, how to navigate the wealth of online resources, and books! We can’t forget the books; they will always be there for us in our hour of need. |
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Zoom Tutorials |
Open session Zoom training, Led by Hebah Emara, Elizabeth PL |
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Adult Services |
Join us for a chat about the challenges we face while trying to provide essential services while our libraries remain closed. Share ideas, brainstorm, and let others know what types of initiatives have been successful. Led by: Nadine Sergejeff, Newark PL & Mimi Hui, Hasbrouck Heights PL |
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Ideas for the Work From Home (WFH) Library Assistant |
Brainstorm with Library Assistants and Supervisors on productive tasks that can be completed from the comfort of your living room! Let's share what we're doing in this new not-so-normal world. What works? - What doesn't? Join us and get those creative juices flowing! Led by: Irene Langlois, Maplewood Memorial Lib. & Zara Wilkinson, Rutgers University-Camden |
| Curbside and Contactless Pickup Service Meetup | Join us for an informal discussion about implementing curbside and contactless pickup. Has your library started offering this service? Share your lessons learned. Have no idea where to start? Let's discuss your options. |
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Summer Reading Check-in |
Let’s chat about online programming, how to navigate the wealth of online resources, and books! We can’t forget the books; they will always be there for us in our hour of need. Led by: Maryjean Riou, Hunterdon County Lib. & Erica Krivopal, Piscataway PL |
| Youth Services & Back to School Prep | Is your school district resuming in-person instruction in September? Some parents/guardians are choosing to opt-out of in-person instruction, while some school districts are asking for full remote instruction. As a result, there are concerns that students may be left unsupervised on those days when they are not in school and parents may have to return to physical workplaces. Without a vaccine for COVID-19, public libraries cannot encourage anyone to linger and must adhere to policies regarding unsupervised students in the library. How is your library preparing for these different scenarios? Let's chat about your back to school plans, Fall online programming, and school library and public library partnerships. |
| Support for Intellectual Freedom Fighters | Book challenges are at an all-time high, both nationwide and in New Jersey. This discussion is designed to allow those who are experiencing or preparing for challenges an opportunity to share their advice, seek support, and connect with others around the state. |
| Services for Immigrant Communities | What has been the impact of the pandemic on your services for the immigrant community? Have you been able to provide ESL or Citizenship classes virtually? What barriers have your students faced as a result? Let’s share ideas and look for new ways to support our immigrant populations in these trying times. We can also discuss related programming such as high school equivalency classes and job search workshops. |
Zoom Resources
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