The Borough of Highland Park is pleased to announce that Melaina Squicciarini, the Youth Services Librarian at the Highland Park Public Library, received a grant from the national American Library Association, one of only 29 libraries nation-wide to receive this grant, to conduct a reading club for underserved teens in our area. Squicciarini will be conducting this reading club for teens at the Turning Point Academy, the internal school serving residents of the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center in North Brunswick.

Squicciarini will lead the book discussions in cooperation with staff from ESCNJ Turning Point Academy. The books — curated for the theme “Imagining Tomorrow: Building Inclusive Futures” — will include “Victories Greater Than Death” by Charlie Jane Anders; “Across a Field of Starlight” by Blue Delliquanti; “The Marrow Thieves” by Cherie Dimaline; “The Sound of Stars” by Alechia Dow; and “War Girls” by Tochi Onyebuchi. The titles were selected to point toward the ways that teens might build shared futures while acknowledging the lessons of their origin stories. 

"I'm so proud that Melaina has won this grant and will be representing the Highland Park Public Library, in engaging underserved and at-risk youth,” said Michael Bobish, Director of the Highland Park Public Library. “Melaina very capably embodies the Library's mission, which is to foster a love of reading and life-long learning among all those we can reach."

Highland Park Public Library will receive a $500 programming stipend and 11 copies of each of the selected books, which will be gifted to the book club participants. Highland Park Public Library staff will also receive online training and an array of program resources and support throughout the grant term.

Gatherings of the Great Stories Club at Turning Point Academy will begin on September 18th. More information can be found by contacting highlandparklib@gmail.com.

The Highland Park Public Library has been working with Turning Point Academy by collecting and donating books since January of 2022 and is thrilled to strengthen their partnership going forward.

About Highland Park Public Library

The Highland Park Public Library—an essential and vital community resource—satisfies the varied interests of residents of all ages by providing welcoming space, programs, diverse collections, and up-to-date technology that make Highland Park a better place to learn and work.

About Turning Point Academy

Turning Point Academy is the internal school serving the residents of the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center. The MCJDC is the secure facility for juvenile offenders that are remanded by the Family Court in order to ensure their appearance at Court or to address the safety of the community. The Center is operated by the Office of Adult Corrections & Youth Services under the supervision of Warden Cranston and overseen by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners. The Center currently has contracts with Somerset County, Monmouth County, and Mercer County to house their juvenile residents. Its mission is to provide short-term secure custody for these offenders. It operates through the development and implementation of broad-based services that, integrated with consistent supervisory practices and procedures, results in a safe, secure, and appropriate environment for its residents.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government, and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org.