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DLD Weekly Wrap-Up | November 21, 2025

Celebrating November:

“It is also November. The noons are more laconic and the sunsets sterner and Gibraltar lights make the village foreign. November always seems to me the Norway of the year.”

— Emily Dickinson

Celebrating Thanksgiving:

"The more you practice the art of thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for."

— Norman Vincent Peale

CT Summer Story Project 2026 - APPLICATIONS OPEN!

Frequently Asked Questions

Submit an Application

Voting Rubric

Deadline extended: Monday, November 24

Seeking CT public library staff who love to write!

Connecticut public library staff are encouraged to submit an original story to the CT SUMMER STORY PROJECT, a new initiative of the State Library in collaboration with CT Humanities. We encourage you to partner with local writing groups, youngsters, book clubs, etc. to create your special story. This competitive short story project will be released over summer 2026 – one chapter per week to celebrate summer reading and as a resource for library programming!

Applications are due NOVEMBER 24, 2025, and must be submitted electronically.

Writers will need to include:

• Story’s genre
• Brief synopsis of no more than 2,000 characters
• Preliminary thoughts on project art
• Writing sample of no more than 2,000 characters

Final stories should:

• Be based on your town (history, people, places that make your community unique)
• Target family readers / children with a 3rd to 6th grade reading and content level
• Include a nod/reference to the 2026 summer reading theme “Plant a Seed, Read”
• Be between 850 and 2,000 words 
• Be collaborative (librarians are encouraged to work with colleagues, writing groups, patrons, historians, and other local knowledge bearers)
• Be original, not previously published nor AI generated

The CT Summer Story Project team will review all submissions to select eight for the project. Selected applicants will be announced on December 8th.

Project promotion, bonus materials and activities will be released starting May 2026.

But before we asked towns to take this journey—we took it ourselves! 

In this first of four sessions of TIAL: Aging, Ability, and Inclusion with the CT Age Well Collaborative, learn how the Collaborative grew relationships to help build community authority, co-created a project and cultivated lasting community leadership—and how your library might do the same.

If you missed this session live, please visit the CT State Library's Niche Academy webpage to view the recording.

Please join us for our next session!

Connection, Capacity, Resilience and Vibrancy:

What's Age Got to Do With It?

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm

Register for Connection, Capacity, Resilience and Vibrancy: What's Age Got to Do with It?

iREAD Resource Guide Codes

Sign up to receive the 2026 iREAD resource guide.

Sign up deadline is Monday, December 1, 2025

Just when you thought summer was over, it starts all over again. The 2026 iREAD Summer Reading theme is Plant a Seed, Read!

Plant a Seed, Read is rooted in the concept of farm to table. A farm grows food that nourishes our bodies; a library grows ideas that nourish our minds. Both food and stories connect us to our family, culture, economy, and ecology.

iREAD 2026: Plant a Seed, Read will provide a context for exploring culture, history, science, health, and human connection.

This years' illustrators are:

• Pete Oswald
• Hatem Aly
• Wendy Xu
• Sarah Ferone

Interested principle public libraries may sign up to receive access to the 2026 iREAD resource guide which will contain access to the Art and Graphics, program support material, and more. Please note that only one person from each library system needs to request access to the guide. If multiple people from the same library sign up for a guide, the email with pertinent information will be sent to the first person on the sign-up list. 

We encourage library departments to communicate with each other in advance to coordinate the dissemination of resource guide information.

Sign up to receive the 2026 iREAD resource guide.

Announcing the All CT Reads 2026 Titles!

Kids Primary Title:

Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams

Teen Primary Title:

Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell

Adult Primary Title:

The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

Kids Shortlist Titles:

• Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
• The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon
• Oasis by Guojing

Teen Shortlist Titles:

• The Summer I Remembered Everything by Catherine Con Morse
• Ruin Road by Lamar Giles
• In Limbo by Deb JJ Lee

Adult Shortlist Titles:

• The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
• There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak
• Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman

All CT Reads Website

More coming in January 2026! You will be able to explore the website for book and author wraparound resources for each title including engagement resources like discussion questions, author videos, book reviews, and more.

Come January 2026, we will have book discussion sets of all 12 titles available for borrowing from the Middletown Library Service Center. Stay tuned to All CT Reads!

About All CT Reads

All CT Reads is a year-long initiative to promote lifelong reading, learning, and connection that uses a rotating community committee structure to select one main book title and three shortlist book titles, each calendar year for three age groups: children (ages 10-12), teens (ages 13-18), and adults. In addition to the books, All CT Reads provides a supported programmatic structure built around the titles with room for individuality and creativity.

Our Partner and Sponsor

All CT Reads is supported by a generous grant from EBSCO Information Services to the Connecticut Heritage Foundation.

The Awards aim to highlight the exceptional work of public libraries, encouraging growth and evolution in library services, and acknowledging libraries’ outstanding contributions while inspiring others to strive for excellence in serving their communities.

Award Categories

Libraries may be nominated in more than one category, and each category may have more than one awarded library:

• Accessibility and Inclusion
• Advancement in Literacy and Education
• Community Engagement
• Outstanding Children's Services

Eligibility

• Open to all public libraries within the state of Connecticut. 
• Libraries are welcome to submit separate applications for multiple categories; however, they are only able to receive one award per cycle.
• After receiving an award, a library cannot apply for the same category in consecutive years.
• After receiving an award, a library cannot apply for any future awards with the same project.
• Libraries must have completed the Annual Report survey and submitted it by the October 1, 2025, deadline.

For more information, please visit the CT State Library Excellence in Public Libraries Awards Libguide.

• File a Form 470. Make time to upload this request for proposal to vendors by the end of this month!

• Evaluate vendor responses according to a USAC-model rubric. Libraries must set aside hours to evaluate internet provider bids before January 10.

• Select their vendor and sign a contract before they can apply for an E-Rate discount for internet during the January-March application window.

E-Rate and Administrator Transitions 

Your library’s profile in the federal E-Rate system is linked to you as an administrative officer. If you leave your current library for a new position, it is crucial that you transfer administrators in the system or leave sign-in credentials for incoming administrators and staff. If you fail to do this, it may be impossible for the remaining staff to file E-Rate forms in time to meet deadlines, and the library could lose significant funding for that year. 

It is also critical that the person left in charge of E-Rate filing in your library is set up to get emails from CSL-Fiber listserv, a list for E-Rate reminders and information where deadlines for forms and new rules are shared. In order to subscribe to this list, please email Christine.Gauvreau@ct.gov.

Please remember to transition E-Rate work and to connect remaining or new staff with Christine Gauvreau, the State E-Rate Coordinator for libraries, via email at Christine.Gauvreau@ct.gov.  

E-Rate Assistance

Christine Gauvreau, the State E-Rate Coordinator for Libraries, offers consultation to directors and staff applying for federal E-Rate discounts for fiber maintenance and operations, as well as internet access.

ReConnect CT: Digital Pathways Program

The Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy (IMRP) in partnership with the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division (CJPPD) at OPM is proud to launch ReConnect CT: Digital Pathways Program.

This effort, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), is dedicated to advancing digital opportunities for justice-impacted populations.

We are currently inviting Connecticut libraries to partner in this initiative by responding to our Request for Proposals (RFP). Libraries play a critical role in bridging the digital gap, and your participation can help deliver training that normalizes and expands services for incarcerated patrons, both within correctional facilities and in community-based reentry programs.

ReConnect CT: Digital Pathways Program aims to ensure that returning citizens have equitable access to information, digital skills, training, and community resources that promote educational, economic, and civic engagement. The target population includes individuals under or previously under the custody of the CT Department of Correction and justice-impacted people seeking access to library resources. Libraries can also serve immediate family members of currently incarcerated individuals.

Funding will support programming through December 31, 2026. The estimated total amount available under this RFP is up to $1,000,000, with award sizes based on project scope and number of sites.

Proposals for the ReConnect CT: Digital Pathways Program will now be accepted on a rolling basis. Priority consideration will still be given to applications submitted by the original deadline of November 21. 

Please see below useful links: 

• For full details, please visit: RFPs requested for IMRP's ReConnect CT: Digital Pathways Program | Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy 

• For guidance and resources regarding the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds

• Expanding Information Access for Incarcerated People Initiative

EPC Administrative Window is OPEN

The EPC administrative window is the period during which applicants can make updates to their profile information including library square footage, and the entities and individuals associated with your entity including consulting firms, in EPC to prepare for the upcoming FY2026 FCC Form 471 application filing window.

Applicants and service providers should also review EPC account permissions and make updates as needed.

The administrative window opened on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, and will close shortly before the FY2026 application filing window opens in early 2026. After this time, applicant profiles will be locked, and you will not be able to make changes to your profile information.

FY2026 will be the first year of the FY2026-2030 Category Two (C2) budget cycle so applicants should update their library square footage as needed. The information in your EPC profile will be used to calculate a forecasted C2 budget for the FY2026-2030 cycle.

Visit the EPC Administrative Window webpage for detailed information on updating entity profiles. If you have additional questions, please contact Chris Gauvreau at Christine.Gauvreau@ct.gov for assistance. 

AI Updates

Last month, Libraries in Response hosted a webinar on how AI-generated content (also called "AI slop") can affect library collections: "Generative AI and the Library Collection: Risks, Realities, and Responses."  

• 10 Kids Books about Gratitude | Kids Yoga Stories

• 12 Kids’ Books on Showing Thankfulness and Being Grateful | The Childrens Book Review



• Gratitude Comes with Benefits − A Social Psychologist Explains How to Practice It When Times are Stressful | The Conversation

Coming Up Next Month...

This workshop will be divided into two parts. In this session, participants will receive an introduction to digital accessibility, focused not just on what constitutes an accessible Web site or application, but why it’s important to design and create accessible digital materials.

This session will provide key insights to explain the challenges people with disabilities face when trying to navigate inaccessible digital materials. Participants will understand the impact of inaccessible content as well as the benefits of inclusive design.

The second part of the session will cover basic testing techniques to uncover common obstacles found in most digital materials. Using a think-aloud process, the session host will illustrate the use of free, semi-automated and manual tools and techniques by evaluating both demonstration and live Web sites that are relevant to the audience.

Upcoming in this series:

• Understanding the Department of Justice's Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability Regulation - Tuesday, December 9 | 1:00-2:00 pm

• The Basics of Web Accessibility Office Hours - Tuesday, December 16 | 1:00-2:00 pm

For more information, please visit the Towards Inclusive Accessibility in Libraries (TIAL) Libguide.

What are DLD Minis?

DLD Minis are 30 minute (or less!) virtual sessions with staff on a variety of DLD programs, services, or initiatives. Each Mini will focus on one specific topic allowing for an information deep dive and giving staff space to answer your specific questions. 

All DLD Minis are recorded for reference and education of new library workers. Head on over to our DLD Minis Libguide for videos of our past programs!

It's a fun app that parents and caregivers can use to spark healthy early childhood development. 

Families can access:

• Ages & Stages Questionnaires® developmental screening
• Off-screen, educational playtime activities
• Tips for parents
• Connections to local supports and resources, including Help Me Grow CT and 211 Child Development

Sign up for this engaging session to learn how libraries can use Sparkler to help families across the state. 

How do we begin helping our communities to be sure they’re ready before disaster strikes?

One way is with a new free kit created for the Maine State Library (MSL) by The Healing Library (THL)!

In 2020, the Maine State Library received a grant to support deepening their science programming from NASA. Join us to learn about the grant and about the kit that it created, which features three sections centered around disaster preparedness: Before Severe Weather, During Severe Weather, and After Severe Weather. Each section is filled with tips to stay as physically and emotionally safe as possible, all while instilling a love of nature in our children.

With Futures School alumni and key stakeholders, TFSX will facilitate the session to generate dialogue and synthesize alignments, strategic opportunities, and innovative ideas to continue momentum of the Future of Libraries and allocate ownership for maximum impact.

Five notable Transformation for Libraries TFSX Cohort Alumni will join this session as they are participating in an ongoing Future of Learning cohort to serve as mentors in this future-facing endeavor.

We are thrilled to welcome back:

• Nan Carmack, Senior Consultant of Learning and Development, VA Dept. of Social Services, former Interim Executive Director, Virginia Library Association and former Director, Library Development and Networking, The Library of Virginia
• Kendra Davey, former Community Engagement Administrator, Pima County Public Library, Arizona
• Sarah Fuller, Senior Program Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services
• Joel Nichols, Chief, Neighborhood Library Services Division, Philadelphia Free Library
• Michelle O’Rourke, Futurist/Writer

Presenters:

• Nicole Baker-Rosa, Head of Human Design and Development, TFSX
• Dawn La Valle, Director Division of Library Development, CT State Library

To learn more, please visit the Transformation for Libraries: The Futures School (TFSX) LibGuide.

You'll leave with clear knowledge of where your strengths lie and what to focus on next.

Participants will gain the most from this session if they have basic understanding of the following areas of focus: intersectional identities, trauma informed care, wellness-centered engagement, restorative justice, ACEs & PACEs.

Join DLD's Cathy Potter as she takes a deeper look at the science behind each concept.

In this workshop, participants will learn more about the concept of talking, establish associations to current initiatives, and discover ways to incorporate or expand upon activities for more meaningful learning and connection through library spaces, programming, and outreach. 

Whether you’re new to library services for children birth to kindergarten or familiar with ECRR2, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the concept of talking and ways to make your library programs and space for nurturing the spoken word. 

Visit our calendar for additional workshops and programs!

Library Data You Can Use

Join Barbara Ghilardi, CT State Data Coordinator, on Monday, December 15 @ 10am for a DLD Mini to learn the different ways your library's story can be visualized with tools supported by DLD!

CT Digital Library

The collection provided by the Connecticut State Library in eGO CT’s Palace Project app now exceeds 54,000 items and continues to grow!

The eGO CT Community Shares Program will end with the closing of Baker & Taylor on December 15^th. Items that were purchased from Baker & Taylor will be available for checkout through November 24^th in Palace, Destiny, and the Boundless app. We are currently moving all content over to Palace. Stay tuned for updates!

We’ll continue to add new content to the Palace Project app to support the 185 sites that have moved into production and are actively sharing this free content with their patrons. View the complete list of libraries participating in the Palace Project on the eGO CT Libguide.

If your library is not listed, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t live in the app!

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

If you were unable attend these webinars, you can now find the recordings on our Trainings for Librarians Libguide. 

For more information about resources available through researchIT CT, please visit the researchIT CT Libguide, or contact Brad Bullis at Bradley.Bullis@ct.gov.

Book bundles include a mix of up to 25 titles, have a 90-day loan period, and the books included can be lent to your patrons or students. Bundles can be reserved up to 365 days in advance, so book your themes all year long!

Please leave a note in the reservation form with which topics you’d like included.

Browse book bundle offerings in our Equipment Catalog:

• Picture Book Bundle 
• Elementary Fiction Book Bundle
• Middle Grade Book Bundle
• YA Book Bundle
• Nonfiction Bundle (youth)
• Services to Veterans & Military Families Book Bundle
• Large Print Book Bundle (Adult)

Seasonal Large Print Books from MLSC