MentorNJ Online Meet-ups for Everyone

• These meet-ups provide a space for library staff to come together and seek advice, share ideas, celebrate successes, and find support for topics related to their library work, position, or career path!
• All are welcome to attend and join in the opportunity for learning, growth, and networking; you do not, for example, need to be a library director or manager to attend our Adventures in Administration Meetup. Anyone with an interest is encouraged to join!

Leading Lean Libraries

Mary Martin, Wanaque Public Library

Discussion Notes 

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.

Maker Meetup

Kate-Lynn Grimm, Piscataway Public Library; Danielle Emrick, South Brunswick Public Library

School Library Staff Meetup

Darby Malvey, LibraryLinkNJ;
Michelle McGreivey, Hoboken High School Library/NJASL

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!

Tech Meet-up

Doug Baldwin, Piscataway Public Library

Discussion Notes*

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.

Wellness Wednesday Meet-up

Adriana Mamay, Middlesex College; Bonnie Lafazan, Springfield Public Library; Cara Berg, William Paterson University

Discussion Notes

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.

Identity Focused Meet-ups

• These meet-ups are intended to provide a safe space for library staff to come together for community-building, seeking and providing support, and engaging in important discussions related to aspects of their identity that may affect their experience in the workplace.
• While all are able to attend, we encourage individuals who are not part of the named identity group to be mindful of the space they are occupying as an attendee. 
• Meet-ups are not Working Groups; we encourage those who seek to grow in their understanding of challenges faced by underrepresented identities or those who wish to engage in EDI work to find those opportunities with the EDI-NJ initiative.

African American Library Staff Meet-up

Muriel Odrick, Ocean County Library

Discussion Notes

Asian/Pacific Islander Meet-up

Jennie Pu, Hoboken Public Library and Mimi Hui, Hasbrouck Heights Public Library

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.

Disabled & Neurodivergent Library Staff Meet-up

Stephanie Sendaula, LibraryLinkNJ;
Brie Mintz, Scotch Plains Public Library

Latino Library Staff Meet-up

Lizette Melendez-Villegas, South Jersey Library Assistant

Discussion Notes

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.

LGBTQUIA+ Library Staff Meet-up

Lex Bose, Asbury Park Public Library

Discussion Notes

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.