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Health & Fitness

Librarians Ink: Massachusetts Librarians Reveal Tattoos in New Calendar

Buy a unique gift for the holidays and help out Massachusetts libraries at the same time with the Tattooed Youth Librarians of Massachusetts Calendar.

The Youth Services Section of the Massachusetts Library Association has a new fundraiser: the Tattooed Youth Librarian Calendar.  Sixteen models from libraries all over Massachusetts participated in the photo shoot on September 16, 2012.  A local photographer volunteered his time and talent for this great cause. 

Why a calendar? The Youth Services Section wanted to showcase the diverse group of men and women who make up the children’s and teen librarians in the state in a fresh way. The Youth Services Section promotes library services to teens and children and strives to attract excellent librarians to work with this fun and challenging population. Often, a child’s first experience with literacy is at the local library, through story times and programs that are both educational and entertaining and inspire learning through reading, math and science.  Libraries encourage children and teens to become lifelong learners, a goal everyone can get behind.

Money from this fundraiser will go to the Massachusetts Library Association, which supports librarians and libraries around the state. Support comes in the form of professional development opportunities for librarians, including an annual spring conference, with goals of inspiring and improving service in our state’s libraries. The Massachusetts Library Association is also fundamental in advocating for libraries on the legislative stage, ensuring important services for all residents of the Commonwealth.  During a down economy, city and town services are stretched thin but people depend even more on the free services available at their local libraries. The Massachusetts Library Association helps immeasurably in making libraries visible to our government to help maintain and increase programs and services to patrons all over the state.

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The calendar is expected to be ready for sale before Thanksgiving, just in time for holiday giving.

This project was organized by Sharon Colvin, Noelle Boc, Erin Daly and Jessica LaMarre, librarians from Chelmsford, Tewksbury, Chicopee and Pembroke, respectively and active members of the Youth Services Section.

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For the latest information about the calendar and how to order,  find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TattooedYouthLibrariansOfMassachusetts or email the chair of the Youth Services Section at scolvin@mvlc.org or the vice-chair @nboc@mvlc.org.  Find out more about the Massachusetts Library Association and the Youth Services Section at http://mla.memberlodge.org.

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