Common Questions
Applying for a Together Series
- Who can apply to host a Together series?
- What costs does the Council cover?
- When will we receive the money to cover program costs?
- When are applications due?
- When will I find out if my application has been approved?
- How many Together series may my library host?
The Host Site and the Librarian Co-Facilitator
- What are the responsibilities of the host site and the host site coordinator?
- What are the responsibilities of the librarian co-facilitator?
- Does the librarian co-facilitator have to be a children's librarian?
- May a parent with a child in the program serve as a co-facilitator?
- Do I have to have a scholar co-facilitator in place to apply to host a Together series?
- Who qualifies as a scholar co-facilitator?
- How should I go about finding a scholar co-facilitator?
- What are the responsibilities of the scholar co-facilitator?
- How much, and how, does the scholar co-facilitator get paid?
- How large a group is required?
- May children younger than 9 or older than 11 participate?
- Are parents the only adults allowed to come with their children?
- May a child participate without an adult present?
- Do I need to provide childcare for younger siblings?
- Do all participants have to be fluent in English?
Implementing a Together Series
- What are the goals of the Together program?
- What is the format of each session?
- How long does each Together session last?
- When should we schedule the series?
- Do the co-facilitators have to attend the training session?
- Does the host site coordinator have to attend the training session?
- May we charge an entrance fee for a Together series?
- Which books may co-facilitators choose to discuss?
- How do we get the books and other materials for the series?
- May we make substitutions of books in a series?
- May we change the order in which the books are presented in a series?
- What are our obligations after the series has ended?
Applying for a Together Series
Who can apply to host a Together series?
Any public library in New York State is eligible to apply. Together has been hosted at the following libraries:
| Library | County |
|---|---|
| Guilderland Public Library | Albany |
| Hudson Area Association Library | Columbia |
| Kinderhook Memorial Library | Columbia |
| William B. Ogden Free Library (Walton, NY) | Delaware |
| Pawling Free Library | Dutchess |
| Adriance Memorial Library (Poughkeepsie, NY) | Dutchess |
| Starr Library (Rhinebeck, NY) | Dutchess |
| Hamburg Public Library | Erie |
| Old Forge Public Library | Herkimer |
| Oneida Public Library | Madison |
| Greece Public Library (Rochester, NY) | Monroe |
| Rochester Central Library | Monroe |
| Jefferson Market Branch, New York Public Library | New York |
| Lewiston Public Library | Niagara |
| Kirkland Town Library (Clinton, NY) | Oneida |
| DeWitt Community Library | Onondaga |
| Northern Onondaga Public Library (North Syracuse and Cicero, NY) | Onondaga |
| Soule Branch Library (Syracuse, NY) | Onondaga |
| Long Island City Community Library | Queens |
| Windsor Park Community Library (Queens, NY) | Queens |
| Schenectady County Public Library | Schenectady |
| Ogdensburg Public Library | St. Lawrence |
| Brentwood Public Library | Suffolk |
| Emma S. Clark Memorial Library | Suffolk |
| Floyd Memorial Library (Greenport, NY) | Suffolk |
| Ellenville Public Library and Museum | Ulster |
| Mount Kisco Public Library | Westchester |
| Ossining Public Library | Westchester |
| Town of Pelham Public Library | Westchester |
What costs does the Council cover?
The Council covers the direct costs for the program, including a stipend for the scholar co-facilitator and the cost of shipping Council-supplied books to the host site. The Council also provides the library with a $1000 stipend. These funds may be used to offset the cost of the librarian co-facilitator's time, and to provide childcare for younger siblings, activity materials, and snacks for participating families.
When will we receive the money to cover program costs?
Once your application has been accepted, the Council will send 50% of the stipend upon receipt of the agreement letter. The remaining 50% will be sent at the end of the program.
The application deadline for Spring Together series is November 1. The application deadline for Fall Together series is May 15.
When will I find out if my application has been approved?
You will hear from the Council about the status of your request by December 1 for applications for Spring series, and by June 15 for applications for Fall series.
How many Together series may my library host?
A library may host one six-session series in a single calendar year.
The Host Site and the Librarian Co-Facilitator
What are the responsibilities of the host site and the host site coordinator?
Your library is responsible for:
- Designating a host site coordinator.
- Selecting a scholar co-facilitator.
- Selecting a librarian (usually the children's librarian) to serve as co-facilitator.
- Designating a space in the library for uninterrupted group discussion.
- Participating in an online training session led by Council staff.
- Providing childcare for the younger children of participating families.
- Scheduling the six discussion sessions that are part of the series in consultation with the co-facilitators and notifying the Council of these dates.
- Publicizing the event in your community to gather a group of at least eight participating families.
- Crediting the Council in all materials related to the series.
- Recruiting, registering, and retaining participating families.
- Coordinating the loan of Council-supplied books for the series and returning all books to the Council within three weeks of the end of the series.
- Organizing hospitality at each session (room set-up, welcome and check-in, snack, etc.).
- Returning all participant registration forms, evaluations, and attendance sheets to the Council within three weeks of the end of the series.
What are the responsibilities of the librarian co-facilitator?
The librarian co-facilitator is responsible for:
- Working with the scholar co-facilitator to select the six books to be discussed in the series.
- Reading all six books.
- Working with the scholar co-facilitator to develop appropriate and thought-provoking discussion questions about the book and the theme.
- Attending a mandatory one-day training session before the start of their series. Training for Fall 2010 series will be held on August 21 in Schenectady for upstate libraries and on August 28 in New York City for downstate libraries.
- Co-facilitating each of the six 90-minute discussion sessions. (Along with the training session, the Council provides a detailed manual to guide co-facilitators in this process.)
Often the host site coordinator will also be the librarian co-facilitator. If this is the case, it is important to keep these two sets of responsibilities separate so that you can do both well, and that you have an assistant to help you at each session. Host site coordinators are not required to attend the training session unless they are also acting as librarian co-facilitator.
Does the librarian co-facilitator have to be a children's librarian?
No. Although the librarian co-facilitator is often the children's librarian, any librarian who is committed to the successful implementation of the Together program may serve as co-facilitator.
May a parent with a child in the program serve as a co-facilitator?
Yes. Any qualified parent may serve as either the scholar co-facilitator or the librarian co-facilitator as long as another adult attends and participates with parent/co-facilitator's child.
The Scholar Co-Facilitator
Do I have to have a scholar co-facilitator in place to apply to host a Together series?
Yes. In order to apply you must have identified a humanities scholar who is committed to co-facilitate all six 90-minute discussion sessions, and you must include that person's current resume with your application. Please make sure your proposed scholar co-facilitator has visited our website and is familiar with the Together program requirements before agreeing to facilitate your series.
Who qualifies as a scholar co-facilitator?
A humanities scholar is an individual with particular training or experience qualifying him or her as a professional in one or more of the academic disciplines of the humanities. The typical qualifications are an advanced degree (M.A. or Ph.D.) in a humanities field of study and a regular appointment at a recognized institution of higher learning. However, individuals without an advanced degree or who are not affiliated with a college or university may qualify as humanities scholars because of their methods of research, inquiry, and teaching. Students doing graduate work in a humanities discipline are also qualified. The Council recognizes that scholarship and knowledge gathering are defined differently in different cultures, and respects such diversity of training and preparation as consistent with our understanding of the humanities as fields and as methods of inquiry. The humanities scholars for a Together series do not have to have experience working with children. They simply have to have an interest in taking on the role of co-facilitator for a humanities-based family discussion group.
How should I go about finding a scholar co-facilitator?
Often the easiest way to find a scholar is by contacting your local colleges and/or universities. Don't forget to inquire about interested graduate students if you are near a school with graduate programs, and also ask about retired faculty who might still be in the area. Many organizations also have scholars as board members, advisors, or volunteers who may be interested in facilitating a series, or who can recommend others. You may want to ask potential participants if they know someone who would be qualified. You may also contact the Council to ask for recommendations for scholars in your area.
What are the responsibilities of the scholar co-facilitator?
The scholar co-facilitator is responsible for:
- Working with the librarian co-facilitator to select the six books to be discussed in the series.
- Reading all six books.
- Working with the librarian co-facilitator to develop appropriate and thought-provoking discussion questions about the book and the theme.
- Attending a mandatory one-day training session before the start of their series. Training for Fall 2010 series will be held on August 21 in Schenectady for upstate libraries and on August 28 in New York City for downstate libraries.
- Co-facilitating each of the six 90-minute discussion sessions. (Along with the training session, the Council provides a detailed manual to guide co-facilitators in this process.)
How much, and how, does the scholar co-facilitator get paid?
The scholar co-facilitator is paid $800. The Council contracts directly with the scholar co-facilitator once an application has been accepted, and pays them directly (50% prior to the start of the series and 50% after the last session).
Participating Families
How large a group is required?
The number of participants may vary depending on how many parents and children from each family are eligible to attend, but a group of at least eight families is required. A maximum of fifteen families may participate. The families should be asked to make every effort to take part in all six discussion sessions.
May children younger than 9 or older than 11 participate?
No. The target age for this program is 9 to 11, since this is a critical period in the development of reading for pleasure. Many students in middle elementary school do not have opportunities in their busy classrooms to read, or to discuss their reading in meaningful ways. This is also a period in a child's life when parents often step back and lose contact with their children's reading. The Together program aims to help prevent this decline by targeting 9 to 11-year-olds and involving them in family discussions about their reading.
Are parents the only adults allowed to come with their children?
No. The Together program welcomes both traditional and non-traditional families. Any care-giving adult or family member who has regular contact with the child may participate; however, consistent and enthusiastic participation is essential. Examples of adult participants could include:
- Grandparents, uncles and aunts, adult siblings, or other extended family members.
- Foster parents or the spouse/partner of the child's parent.
May a child participate without an adult present?
No. Open discussion between children and adults is the cornerstone of the Together program.
Do I need to provide childcare for younger siblings?
Yes. The Council provides funding for childcare for the young children of participating families. It is the library's responsibility to find a suitable childcare provider.
Do all participants have to be fluent in English?
At this time Together is intended for participants who are comfortable reading in English. This skill is essential to fully participating in the Together program; however, there may be exceptions that can be determined on an individual basis.
Implementing a Together Series
What are the goals of the Together program?
The goals of the Together program are:
- To provide a forum for focused intergenerational discussion of humanities themes related to American identity.
- To encourage families to use books as a way to discuss "big ideas" and issues that relate to their lives and our nation's history - both in the library-based discussion groups and at home.
- To introduce and reinforce the pleasures of engaged reading and discussion of texts.
- To encourage and support the use of community libraries as sites for intergenerational book discussion.
What is the format of each session?
The six 90-minute sessions are divided into three thematic units: Courage, Freedom, and Being American. Each unit pairs one picture book with a chapter book addressing themes that promote dialogue about the democratic process and American identity. Each session will focus on one book and its major themes and ideas. In all but the first session, the participants will have completed reading the book before the discussion. Co-facilitators should plan questions and activities that promote open and fluid dialogue among both parents and children.
How long does each Together session last?
Each of the six Together sessions should last roughly 90 minutes. The host site should also set aside an additional 15-30 minutes for snack time and getting settled.
When should we schedule the series?
The six sessions in a Together series should be scheduled at times that allow for the greatest number of people to take part (usually evenings or weekends). Generally the Council suggests scheduling the six sessions biweekly on a consistent day of the week. Libraries applying for the spring must schedule their six sessions between February and July; libraries applying for the fall must hold their series between September and January.
Do the co-facilitators have to attend the training session?
Yes. Co-facilitators are required to attend a one-day training session. Training for Fall 2010 series will be held on August 21 in Schenectady for upstate libraries and on August 28 in New York City for downstate libraries.
Does the host site coordinator have to attend the training session?
No. Instead, host site coordinators are required to participate in an online training session led by Council staff before implementing a Together series.
May we charge an entrance fee for a Together series?
No. All Together series must be free and open to all eligible families.
Which books may co-facilitators choose for the discussion?
Co-facilitators must choose one picture book and one novel from the books listed under each theme. The complete book list is available here.
How do we get the books and other materials for the series?
The Council will send you 30 copies of each book that the co-facilitators have chosen for the series at least two weeks prior to the first session. We will also provide a toolkit for each participant including copies of the required evaluations, a pencil, index cards and other note-taking tools, and a Together bookmark. Registration forms, a Together fact sheet, and flyers advertising the program are available from the Council in Coordinator Administration.
May we make substitutions of books in a series?
No. The co-facilitators must select from the Council's list of picture books and novels which illustrate important themes in American life. The co-facilitators decide together which books from the list they would like to discuss in their Together series.
May we change the order in which the books are presented in a series?
The co-facilitators may pair any picture book and novel together as long as there is one of each type of book for each unit. Books from different units may not be paired together and only one picture book and one novel can be used in each unit. For example, the co-facilitators may pair any picture book from the "Freedom" unit with any novel from that unit, but may not pair two novels together even if they are from the same unit.
What are our obligations after the series has ended?
Your organization is required to distribute, collect, and return all participant evaluations. These should be returned to the Council within three weeks of the end of the series along with all facilitator notes for each session and a final report summarizing the successes and challenges of the program at your site. The librarian co-facilitator and the host site coordinator must each complete an online evaluation at the end of the series. You are also responsible for sending a copy of your participant registration forms and your final attendance for each session, and for returning all Council-supplied books within the same timeframe.
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