Meeting Minutes: September 22, 2005

Minutes of September 22, 2005 meeting, B'nai Torah Congregation, Boca Raton.

Present: Linda Anton, Helen Beloff, Robin Coller, Barbara Cooper, Paula Dropkin, Lorelei Ennis, Heidi Estrin, Inez Feingold, Jackie Fine, Lisa Furst, Etta Gold, Phyllis Gutmann, Joanne Jaffe, Les Kaplan, Sue Kirshner, Sheila Korinow, Wilma Kosow, Donna Luxemburg, Marian Malkin, Ava Phillips, Art Quinn, Arlene Robert, Ann Rosenberg, Rabbi Tobias Rothenberg, Barbara Samuels, Sara Schandelson, Stephanie Schoenberger, Barbara Share, Zelda Sherman, Idell Shore, Evelyn Slotkin, Kathy Slutsky, Walter Spielman, Arlene Stein, Harry Stein, Alice Warren, Ruth Weiner, Elayna Weisel, Lee Wixman

I) Heidi Estrin called the meeting to order at 12:40pm. She thanked Sue Kirshner for hosting the meeting.

II) Heidi announced that she could provide a list of organizations by e-mail that accept donated books for victims of Hurricane Katrina. NOTE: These organizations have stopped accepting book donations.

III) Future dates for meetings are in the newsletter. Today's meeting will focus on discussion of best new books. The November 2 meeting in Weston will have discussion of Jewish postage stamps. The December 19 meeting in Boynton Beach will feature Jewish comic books and graphic novels. The February 23 meeting in Miami will have discussion of award winning reference books. The April 4 meeting in Kendall will feature a speaker on Hebrew illuminated manuscripts.

IV) Andrea Kalish will no longer be able to prepare copies of the newsletter and mail them. Heidi would like another member to volunteer to take over this work.

V) Convention in Review: Heidi passed around photos from the 2005 AJL convention in Oakland. She talked about some authors that were met by chapter members. Etta added that convention is a great experience to meet people and exchange information. Lee Wixman spoke of agreements with airlines that offer discounts to AJL members for travel to mid-winter meetings and conventions. Reservations should be made 60 days in advance. Lee also mentioned the Doris Orenstein Fund, which provides grants to members attending their first convention. Heidi added that papers are being solicited for the 2006 convention in Boston and the deadline for submission is October 28. For convention details, visit www.jewishlibraries.org.

VI) The Best New Jewish Books for Adults: Etta passed out lists of adult fiction and nonfiction, and spoke of discussions on books that took place at convention. Other members also discussed books they recommend. The handout was from an excellent session at the 2005 AJL convention and will eventually be on the convention proceedings section of the national AJL website (www.jewishlibraries.org).

VII) The Best New Jewish Books for Children: Heidi led a discussion of recommended children's books. She distributed the Sydney Taylor Book Award list for 2004 (available at www.SydneyTaylorBookAward.org), as well as her own favorite Jewish children's books of 2005 (available from Heidi upon request).

The meeting adjourned at 2:10pm.