Our full roster of MentorNJ Meetups is back on the calendar this fall! Meet our Meetups below and be sure to keep an eye on your Monday morning emails for each week's Meetup Zoom links!
Disabled & Neurodivergent Library Staff
1st Tuesday Monthly, 2pm-3pm; Hosted by Brie Mintz and Stephanie Sendaula
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. We recognize that not all disabilities are visible. Your privacy is most important, and self-disclosure is not required in order to participate.
Maker Meetup
1st Thursday Monthly, 3pm-4pm; Hosted by Kate-Lynn Grimm and Danielle Emrick
In conjunction with our partners at NJ Makers Day, MentorNJ is proud to present the Maker Meetup! Join your colleagues from around the state to talk all things "maker" - from 3D printers and Makerspaces to simple crafts and programming! Join this casual discussion to seek suggestions, share ideas, celebrate successes, and much more! On alternating months, join Kate-Lynn Grimm for general maker discussion or Danielle Emrick for discussion focused on adult services making!
Wellness Wednesday
1st Wednesday Monthly, 3pm-4pm; Hosted. by Cara Berg, Bonnie Lafazan, and Adriana Mamay
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.
Latino Library Staff
2nd Tuesday Monthly, 10am-11am; Hosted by Lizette Melendez
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.
Leading Lean Libraries
2nd Tuesday Every Other Month, 2:30pm-3:30pm; Hosted by Mary Martin
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. The job can also be very isolating. It means being responsible for everything, even if you have never encountered a problem before. If you feel that you could use the support, perspective, and advice of others who understand all the plates you’re juggling, then join us for “Leading Lean Libraries." 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.
*NEW* LGBTQUIA+ Library Staff
2nd Wednesday Monthly, 11am-12pm; Hosted by Lex Bose
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.
Adventures in Administration
2nd and 4th Thursday Monthly, 10:30am-11:30am; Hosted by Dave Costa, Irene Langlois, & Nadine Giron
Join us for an informal discussion about the challenges and opportunities we are currently facing as library leaders.
API
3rd Monday Monthly, 10am-11am; Hosted by Mimi Hui
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.
Juggling Parenting & Library Work
3rd Wednesday Monthly, 2pm-3pm; Hosted by Kimberly Paone and Erica Krivopal
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. This Meetup is a judgement-free zone for library workers of all types who want to commiserate with their fellow caregivers about how to manage it all!
School Libraries
3rd Wednesday Semi-Monthly, 4pm-5pm; Hosted by Michelle McGreivey and Darby Malvey
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. 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
3rd Thursday Monthly, 3pm-4pm; Hosted by Doug Baldwin
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.
African American Library Staff
4th Wednesday Monthly, 2pm-3pm; Hosted by Muriel Odrick
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.