Logo: CT State Library Division of Library Development

Children and YA Newsletter

May 2024

Bitmoji of Kymberlee Powe with text: Happy May,

Summer crunch time...


Are you cramming in some last minute summer prep? We understand. We hope you have time for books, ice cream, and some rest too. As always, we have some things for you. Join us TOMORROW for the Becoming Readers Summit! Make sure End Hunger CT is on your resource list. Need a StoryWalk®? We have! And there's more. Read on to learn all about it.

Kymberlee Powe | Children and YA Consultant

Graphic: Backyard scene with bitmojis of Kym Powe reading a book in chair, eating an ice cream cone, and lounging under a shady tree.
Text: New England States Youth Consultants Youth Summit
Graphic with children playing and additional details in the text.

Becoming Readers: Supporting All Kids on their Reading Journey


TOMORROW! Friday, May 17 | 10:00 am – 1:30 pm

Register for Becoming Readers


Join us in this 100% virtual event for practical sessions aimed at equipping librarians with tools to empower children on their reading journey from infancy and beyond. Session schedule is on the New England State Youth Consultants Summits Website and view past Summit recordings.


Schedule:

  • 9:50-10:00- Zoom Opens & Introductions
  • 10:00-11:00- Readers from Birth: Supporting prenatal and newborn families
  • 11:00-11:15- Break
  • 11:15-12:15- How Kids Learn to Read (MGH SAiL Lab)
  • 12:15-12:30- Break
  • 12:30-1:30- Mind in the Making

Summer 2024


Finalizing your summer plans? Need a little inspiration?


We have resources! You can peruse the CT Pages Summer episodes for starters and from there you can always access recordings from past New England Collaborative Summer Summits organized by the New England Library Youth Consultants. From author talks to library programs from your Connecticut and New England neighbors, these resources are all ready to be reviewed and integrated as you put the finishing touches on summer at the library.

Measuring and Understanding Summer Reading Outcomes


Summer Reading is part of the foundation of library services. Naturally, we want to know what our communities think of this core offering. Does summer reading make folks feel welcome? Does it make people want to return to the library? We are all seeking to remain in connection with and relevant to our communities. Measuring and understanding outcomes feeds this work.


DLD supports and encourages libraries to think deeply about the outcomes we’re working toward and what difference we want to see in skills, behaviors, and attitudes. Going beyond outputs to outcomes will help you to better understand the assets and challenges of your communities and how the library can continually work with stakeholders and community members to support the entire community during the summer months.


Towards this, we offer you the tools we've developed and offered in recent years. Though optional this year with the inclusion of Summer Reading in the CT State Library Annual Report (discussed above), we strongly encourage taking advantage of the Summer Reading Reports. 


Visit the Summer Reading Reports page for additional details.

End Hunger CT


No-Cost Meals for All Kids, All Summer

 

The CT Summer Meals Program is federally funded by the USDA and state-administered by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE). The program provides free, nutritious meals to kids during summer break. Summer Meals meet federal nutrition guidelines and are composed of milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, and meat or another protein. Summer Meals are offered at hundreds of sites around the state from June to late August, serving combinations of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Meals are free to any child age 18-and-under, no questions asked.

 

Learn more at End Hunger CT Summer Meals.

New StoryWalk® Books!


The Middletown Library Service Center (MLSC) has many, many collection items worth knowing about, exploring, and of course, borrowing! We lend resources to public, school and academic libraries throughout the state of Connecticut to help supplement collections or provide access to resources that otherwise might be out of reach.


We recently added new StoryWalks® to our collection! A StoryWalk® is a fun activity that engages families in literacy while being physically active through walking or hiking. Pages from a children’s book are placed along a walkable path. Families have fun reading aloud together and building children’s interest in reading while enjoying the physical and mental health benefits of the outdoors. While StoryWalks® are traditionally outdoor activities, we encourage you to use these materials wherever works for your library, including indoors. 


Laminated pages can be mounted according to borrowing library's preference. Please do not puncture the laminated pages. Please remove tape, Velcro, and other adhesives before returning. The loan period for StoryWalks® is 45 days.


The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.


View all available StoryWalks®. Keep checking back for new additions! 

Logos: eGO CT and the Palace Project

Need a Reason to Share the Palace Project App with Your Patrons? Here Are THREE!


  1. It’s free!
  2. Your library is probably already live in this free app!
  3. Over 36,000 items are provided for free by the Connecticut State Library.


Did you know? Your library’s eBooks are in Palace too! Palace brings your library patrons the entire CT State Library collection AND all your library's digital content too in one convenient place. Two collections in one!


We have 149 public libraries and 17 college and university libraries that that are actively sharing content through the app with their patrons.


Each week we add content to the platform to support both the Palace Project app and the eGO CT Community Share program for schools. Lyrasis also provides 22,569 items to the Palace Bookshelf!

 

The collection provided by the Connecticut State Library now exceeds 36,000 items and includes backlist bestsellers, biographies, self-help, hundreds of Spanish language titles, and much more!

 

Explore the complete list of Palace participating libraries. 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 public library or school, or want to learn more about eGO CT, the eGO CT Community Share Program for K12 schools, or the Palace Project App, contact Brad Bullis at Bradley.Bullis@ct.gov.

Logo: iRead. Summer Reading Programs. By Librarians, For Librarians. Since 1981.

Planning Ahead for 2025 Summer Reading?


We know that preparing, planning, and implementing summer reading is practically a yearlong cycle - which is why we are thinking ahead! 


If you are interested in getting access to the 2025 iREAD Resource Guide, visit the Summer Reading Reports page for details.


The theme for 2025 is Level Up at Your Library. "Play is one of the ways we learn to relate to others, to think in new ways, and to foster friendships, new and old. Level Up at Your Library is an all ages summer reading program based around puzzles and games. Whether you’re playing with STEM concepts or gamifying your reading logs, learning to play chess or how to code video games, iREAD 2025: Level Up at Your Library reminds us that libraries are not just a space for knowledge, they are a space for fun!"


Visit the iREAD website to learn more. 

All CT Reads 2024 Virtual Author Launch graphic.  Additional details in the text.

All CT Reads 2024


A program of the CT State Library, 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: kids (ages 8-12), teens (ages 13-18), and adults. In addition to the books, All CT Reads provides a supported programmatic structure for CT libraries built around the titles with room for individuality and creativity. 


Find all twelve 2024 titles on the All CT Reads website. Nearly 400 All CT Reads titles have been borrowed through Palace and close to 30 discussion sets from MLSC are circulating through libraries!


Books for Borrowing


Book discussion sets of all twelve titles are available for reservations and borrowing by public, school, and academic libraries from the Middletown Library Service Center. 


Reserve All CT Reads Discussion Sets.


Explore All CT Reads!


Explore the All CT Reads website to see the titles, author launch recordings, engagement resources, publicity materials, book discussion resources and more!

All CT Reads partners banner. Additional details in the text.

Building Equity-Based Summers (BEBS) Podcast


Building Equity-Based Summers’ (BEBS) empowers libraries to create summer services that are built on a foundation of equity and designed with the community to ensure systemically marginalized groups engage in library services in new ways. Learn more about this work with the BEBS podcast.


Listen to the BEBS Podcast

Logo: BEBS: Building Equity-Based Summers

Stay Connected! Join our Email Lists


Our many email discussion lists for the library community help you connect with your peers. Conntech has the greatest reach across the state, and both Goodnightmoon for children's services and Speak for YA services have lively discussions and professional interchange.


Browse the full email list and subscription information.

Bitmoji of Kymberlee Powe with text: Any questions?

Kymberlee Powe

Children and YA Consultant

kymberlee.powe@ct.gov | (860) 704-2207


Connecticut State Library | Division of Library Development

Middletown Library Service Center

786 South Main Street | Middletown, CT 06457

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