News & Views
Morris County School Media Association
March 2024
From the President
Dear MCSMA members,
This is my first letter as Acting President and I thought I'd start by introducing myself. I've been a Library Media Specialist at Stonybrook Elementary in Kinnelon for 17 years. I've got two full grown daughters. One is in college and the other is a Computer programmer in NY state. My husband and I love to travel and explore the outdoors (especially if it involves toys like boats or snowmobiles!) but we are happy just to stay home too.
I hope this letter finds you ready and geared up for Read Across America! I'm sure I'm not alone in struggling to bring new ideas and inspiration to my staff and students for this occasion. But through collaborating with my peers, I always manage to keep it fresh and find the fun to be had. This year we are kicking off with an Author Day visit from Jay Cooper. Then we will have guest readers that share stories from each of the states across the country. Once a class reads the book, they will bring the puzzle piece representing that state to the library to build the map of the USA.
Speaking of fun, we've got two great workshops coming up that you need to be on the lookout for! Read below to hear about Kimberly Luppino's Canva workshop and our Summer kickoff session of Board Painting! I truly hope to see you there. I've always gained so much, not just from the presentations, but from YOU...my colleagues!
If you've ever caught up with us at NJASL or a workshop, you'll hear us brag that we are the most active county group in the state and that still holds true. (Although I'm hearing about some other counties that are becoming more active now too!) But the truth is, we are in need of membership and leadership. We have a few open spots on our 2024-2025 board. If you look at our Programs tab (on our website MCSMA.info), you'll see that it's a once a month commitment! That's it! Are you interested? Reach out to me and let me know.
Best regards,
Nancy Bosch
Acting President
MCSMA
Thank you!
.
A sincere and tremendous THANK YOU to
former President Tara Collins!
Thank you, Tara, for heading MCSMA for the past SIX years!
We are forever appreciative of your leadership, guidance, and service to our organization!
March Workshop
Are you using Canva? There's so many things you can create on Canva! No matter your expertise, Kim Luppino has something to offer in our March workshop.
Mark your calendar for March 13th! (No snow date. If we run into bad weather, we will go virtual.)
Don't forget to bring a device!
4pm Snack and Social time.
4:30-6:00 Workshop
IMPORTANT!! Take Legislative Action!!
For an eye-catching graphic to share, please see what Martha Hickson created, which clearly outlines the scope and purpose of the bill (attached below).
MCSMA Social Outing!
Mackin and MCSMA Best Books
Thank you to Jess Donovan from Mackin for her Best Books presentation. If you joined us, we hope you found the presentation engaging and useful! If you missed it, please visit our website mcsma.info to find Jess' Best Book lists (arranged by grade levels)
Roxana's Best Books of 2023
My Best Books of 2023
by Roxana Caivano
Since January’s Best Book presentation by Jess Donovan on January 17th, I started thinking about my favorites of the past year. I managed to read 88 books during 2023, made up of mostly fiction, with a healthy mix of adult and young adult titles. In no particular order, here are just a few of my favorites.
Adult:
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (Fantasy): One of the best books I've read this year. Magic, dragons, a love triangle, and a strong female character. How much more could you ask for? The writing was excellent, the story was thrilling and engaging, and the romance was out of this world. The sequel was pretty awesome as well!
The Talk by Darrin Bell (Graphic Novel, Realistic): An autobiographical story of Bell being given ‘The Talk’ by his mother when he was a young boy. The story takes us from the time he was a child and is confronted by the police because he's carrying an obvious toy gun to the time he himself is a father and is contemplating having ‘The Talk’ with his own child.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry (Autobiography): I will admit I picked this up right after Matthew Perry died so it may have affected me more than it should have, but I don’t think so. It was so raw and honest and I’m just so sad about how he lived his life.
The Measure by Nikki Erlick (Sci Fi): Everyone in the world wakes up one day to find a box with a string in it on their doorstep. The string is the measure of their lives. There are long stringers and short stringers and pretty soon everyone is defined by their string length.
The Women by Kristin Hannah (Historical Fiction) (release date February 6, 2024): The story of the women who served as nurses in Vietnam and what they went through, not only there, but how they were treated when they got home. They weren’t considered Veterans since they didn’t see battle and therefore not eligible for benefits, which they needed. The nurses experienced trauma just like the fighting men did but were cast aside.
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano (Realistic Fiction): The story of a very close knit family, focusing on four sisters. They were inseparable, all with very different personalities and all fiercely loyal, until one of them is not. And that shakes up the family for years. So much to unpack in this one!
Young Adult:
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross (Fantasy): A magical typewriter connects rival war correspondents who fall in love through their letters. There’s love, action, fighting gods, addiction, grief, and a strong female character who does everything it takes to keep her family together.
Accountable, The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account by Dashka Slater (NF): Written by the same author of The 57 Bus, Slater delves into the fascinating story of a group of White High School students who created a private Instagram account to tell racist jokes. Once discovered, we discover the power of words and their effects on those around us. A powerful book every teenager should read.
Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood (Romance): Cute, if not predictable rom-com featuring Mallory, a genius at chess and Nolan, her incredibly sweet and handsome rival. We all know how this story progresses and ends, but I just wish Hazelwood wrote Mallory with the confidence and self-esteem she deserved.
The Davenports by Krystal Marquis (Historical Fiction): Told in four POVs in the late 1800’s - wealthy sisters, their maid, and their friend. Each was a strong, determined woman who was determined to live the lives they wanted. Probably unrealistic for the time, but entertaining and educational nevertheless.
Plan A by Deb Caletti (Realistic Fiction): One of the best books I read this year and torn from the headlines, Ivy is a teen who lives in Texas and can’t get an abortion because of their conservative laws. It’s all about choices, and making the right ones for yourself.
We want to hear from you!
We look forward to hearing from you!
MCSMA Membership Info
From the Membership Committee ~
I'd like to thank every one of our wonderful School and Public Librarians in Morris County and beyond who have paid their membership dues this year. It is our goal to provide you with quality programming, and sometimes that comes with a price tag. Like most organizations, our membership numbers have decreased over the past couple of years, and we completely understand that. The pandemic brought a great deal of stress, uncertainty, and financial hardships. Hopefully we're moving away from that and into a better situation.
Simply navigate to our Membership page and either click on the PayPal button to pay your dues or print out a form and mail a check to the address indicated. Dues are $20.
For new members and current members, we now have a donation button on our Home Page in case you're feeling particularly generous. Click on the button and give what you can...any donation large or small is appreciated!
A warm welcome our new members, and we thank our current members for your continued support!
Follow Morris County School Media Association on social media!
Website: mcsma.info
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorrisCountySchoolMediaAssociation
Twitter: @MCSMAlibrarians