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DLD Weekly Wrap-Up | April 17, 2026

“In the long term, the economy and the environment are the same thing. If it is unenvironmental it is uneconomical. That is the rule of nature.” 

— Mollie Beattie

DLD Participates in Young Futures Retreat in Colorado!

For more information about the Young Futures Oops! AI Did It Again Challenge, please visit our Young Futures LibGuide or see the write up below.

Now Seeking Forward-Thinking, Futures-Focused Libraries, Library Staff, and Families to Participate in the Young Futures’ Oops!...AI Did It Again Challenge!

We recently shared that DLD has been selected as a grant recipient for the Young Futures’ Oops!... AI Did It Again Challenge, its first dedicated funding initiative for nonprofits at the intersection of youth and AI.

This grant award will support DLD’s partnership with The GIANT Room, which enables public libraries across the state to become creative AI studios through GIANT Remix Stations, and allows young people to design, publish, and share their own digital stories with the world.

Beginning in the spring of 2026, as part of our Young Futures grant, we plan to engage 50 public and school libraries in GIANT Remix stations, enabling students (age 10-19) and their caregivers to participate in creating their own AI-based projects - the sky is the limit to what participants can dream, design and build!

What is it? GIANT Remix Stations: AI-Powered Creative Storytelling Program for Youth in Connecticut Public Libraries

The Connecticut State Library will expand a defined set of supervised, pop-up “GIANT Remix Stations” in public libraries to provide hands-on AI literacy and creative storytelling experiences for young people ages 10-19 and their caregivers.

What do you get? Program Deliverables

The project includes librarian training, community co-design sessions, installation/operation of stations in libraries, creation/publication of youth artifacts (books/trading cards), and digital access to creations.

Why? Libraries as Accessible Learning Hubs

Many families and young people lack access to emerging technologies and AI tools at home. This project utilizing GIANT Remix Stations:

• Enables public libraries to serve as equitable, free, community-based access points for safe and creative AI learning

• Ensures equitable access to emerging technology, creative AI learning, and safe digital play in supervised public settings

• Strengthens libraries as accessible, modern learning hubs where youth can safely explore AI-supported creativity, build critical thinking and digital agency, and create tangible artifacts that promote pride, belonging, and social connection

Who Gets to Participate? YOU DO! There is no cost for this grant-funded program!

We are recruiting libraries and YA librarians along with families to participate in this project. If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Dawn La Valle at Dawn.LaValle@ct.gov or Suzanne Kiss at Suzanne.E.Kiss@ct.gov.

To learn more about this exciting project, please visit our Young Futures: AI-Powered Creative Storytelling through GIANT Remix Stations LibGuide!

Monday, April 27:

• FindIT, RequestIT, and FulfILLment 12: An Introduction to New Interfaces - Presented with Brad Bullis

Tuesday, April 28:

• Brain Architecture and Public Libraries - Presented by Kymberlee Powe



• Using DLD Tools to Tell the Story of Your Library - Presented by Barbara Ghilardi, Kymberlee Powe; and Ashley Sklar

The GIANT Room Visits the Canterbury Public Library!

On Monday, April 13, our GIANT Room partners brought staff and creative activities to the Canterbury Public Library for an in-person program for children and families. The theme was "Neighborhood Architects" and participants created ideas about what buildings or spaces they would like to see in their neighborhood or town that were not currently there. Ideas included puppet shops, chicken farms, and other great additions to Canterbury! 

The children drew and colored their place/building on mission sheets, wrote about their ideas, and submitted them into a magical box that will result in cards or a map published by the staff at the GIANT Room with an AI rendering of the created buildings, which will be shared with the library and families.

Interested in seeing some of the publications created by GIANT Room project participants? There are many ways to do that! You can check out our GIANT Room Libguide, come see our display in-person at the Middletown Library Service Center, or visit our table at the CLA Conference on April 27 and 28 where we will have some of the newest publications to display!

New FindIT CT Interface Coming April 22!

In conjunction with the work being done on the new fulfILLment interface for requestIT CT interlibrary loan, the findIT CT statewide library catalog will be getting a refreshed look on Wednesday, April 22 to comply with the Department of Justice's updated accessibility standards for April 2026. 

Please note that the findIT CT catalog will be down for part or all of the day on April 21 while the updates are being rolled out. We will send additional updates out next week.

Contact Gail Hurley at Gail.Hurley@ct.gov with any questions.

Children begin to develop early literacy skills right at birth, making parents and caregivers a child’s first teachers. In recognizing these early years as a critical time for foundational learning with those close adults, the CT State Library designed an accessible, printable, 12-month calendar full of daily activities, book titles, tips for grown-ups, information on statewide services and organizations serving young children and families, and more.

Designed to be both enjoyable and educational, this supportive resource offers creative avenues for fostering early literacy skills using ABCs and 123s alongside the early literacies of sing, talk, read, write, play, count, and move. Children who begin school with well-developed early literacy skills have greater success learning to read and generally throughout their school years. Since “play” is a child’s “work,” the CT State Library aims to set parents and caregivers up for success with the Early Literacy Calendar as simply playing with your child using the daily activities is the goal!

So, what now?:

• Libraries are invited to share the link to the Early Literacy Calendar on their website and in newsletters.
• This calendar can be printed by the month and shared with library patrons, at the circulation desk, storytimes, outreach...
• Share the calendar with your local day care facilities.
• The options are endless!!

Plant a Seed, Read! Gardening Resources Round Up

iREAD & the Connecticut State Library's summer reading theme for 2026 is Plant a Seed, Read and it has made us curious about all the gardening resources available at Connecticut's public libraries. We plan to compile a list of these resources to release in conjunction with the CT Summer Story Project and would love to include you! The list will be shared both with the library community and the public, though the release date is still to be determined. Fill out the form below (only one form per library, please) and let's get folks planting, growing, and reading!

Gardening Resources Survey Link – open through April 24.

CT Summer Story Project

The CT Summer Story Project is a community book of short stories brought to you Connecticut State Library and CT Humanities and CT Center for the Book. We asked local library staff to submit fictional short stories around the theme of Plant a Seed, Read.

With this program, our goal is to develop a statewide project that provides opportunity for creativity, community partnerships, curiosity, and a love of reading and writing, all while strengthening our connection to the CT community.

Just in time for summer 2026 programing, a short story will be released digitally each week (dates TBA). Accompanying each story will be discussion questions and suggested activities providing an easy, out-of-the-box summer program. Look for more CT Summer Story Project announcements soon!

Any questions that the E-Rate reviewers have about your application will be sent to you via email. You usually must answer their questions within a 14-day period, and you might need to gather some documents in order to answer properly.  

Do not ignore any email from E-Rate, as a failure to answer in a timely way could lead to a loss of funds. If you would like assistance when answering any E-Rate queries, please contact Chris at Christine.Gauvreau@ct.gov.

Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL):  All applicants should watch for their Funding Commitment Decision Letter. This could come anytime between now and July. Check the amount that E-Rate says it has committed to you against the amount that you asked for in your application. If you have a question, call Customer Support at 888-203-810 and ask about the discrepancy. 

Put on Your Calendar: After the service start date of July 1, 2026, if you have received your FCDL, you must file a Form 486 or Start Service Form. This is a form with which you authorize USAC to pay your vendor's invoices. If you fail to file the Form 486 on time, USAC could reject invoices from your internet provider.  

Feel free to contact Chris at Christine.Gauvreau@ct.gov with any questions.

• How the End of the Cold War Saved the Siberian Tiger | The New Republic

• 15 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint at Home | Sealed



• What Happens to Leftover Hotel Soap? | Reasons to Be Cheerful

• Why Composting Is More Accessible Than It Seems (and Easier) | Trellis

• This Runner Was Bothered by Blizzard of Disposable Cups at Races. She Invented Something Better | AP News

• New Gel Could Boost Coral Reef Restoration | UC San Diego

• How a California County Eliminated PFAS From the Water Supply | Governing



• Northeast Summit on Climate Adaptation for Library Facilities | LibGuides at Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services

Libraries applying for Construction Grants through CSL are encouraged to pursue designs that are adaptable, resilient, and transformative to create user-centered experiences.

If your library is thinking of applying for a construction grant from the CT State Library, this webinar will walk you through the process. You'll learn what you need to do before applying as well as what's required after you receive the grant.

We'll cover funding categories, application process, grant application evaluation, timeline, grant contract, starting and managing the project, state requirements, and advice.

PLEASE NOTE: ATTENDANCE AT A CONSTRUCTION GRANT SESSION IS A REQUIREMENT FOR ALL APPLICANTS. Prospective library applicants should attend the mandatory construction grant session for the grant cycle they intend on applying for.

Upcoming Construction Grant Information Sessions:

Monday, May 11 | 10:00-11:30 am

Register for May 11 Construction Grant Session

For more information about the CT State Library's Construction Grant Program, please visit the Construction Grant Libguide.

Visit our calendar for additional workshops and programs!

We had a total of 2,626,241 loans, a 3% increase from 2025! Many thanks to all the libraries who participate in this important program.

There continues to be an increase in the number of non-library meetings hosted by libraries which shows how valued our libraries are in their communities. 

Congratulations to all CT libraries on their accomplishments in FY25!

CT Digital Library

We continue to add new content to the Palace Project app to support the 187 sites that are live in the app.

If you have questions about the status of your site or want to learn more about eGO CT or the Palace Project App, contact Brad Bullis at Bradley.Bullis@ct.gov

If you have specific requests, please let us know in the reservation form. 

Check out all the book bundles we offer at MLSC!

Do You Know Where Your StoryWalks® Are?

With nicer weather just around the corner, we will venture outside and want to find our StoryWalks®.

Did you know that DLD has a running list of StoryWalks at libraries in CT?

If you don't see your library, and you have a StoryWalk®, fill out the Public Library StoryWalk® Sites form.

And don't forget to remind your patrons of StoryWalks® – a perfect spring activity for all ages!