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Launched last year, the purpose of the Summer Enrichment Grant is to empower public libraries to enhance their Summer Reading Programs with additional enrichment opportunities for their public by providing library-led programs and activities that spark creativity and productivity, engage individuals, and benefit their communities.

This year, the CT State Library awarded 13 Summer Enrichment Grants, up to $2,000 per library. These grants will support summer activities that are outcome oriented, engage the community, and promote active learning experiences that are positive, experiential, educational, and fun.

We congratulate the following CT public libraries, and their summer reading programs:

• Burlington Public Library – Community Through Quilting
• East Hampton Public Library – East Hampton Public Library Bike Rodeo
• Essex Library Association – Find Your Voice at Essex Library: Summer Reading 2023
• Killingworth Library Association – Find Your Voice with American Sign Language
• Oxford Public Library – Find Your Voice 0-18
• Prospect Public Library – A Library and Community Garden
• Russell Library (Middletown) – Find Your (Artistic) Voice
• Southington Public Library – ImprovAbility!
• Stratford Library Association – Stratford Library Forest to Shore Tour
• Wallingford Public Library – Summer Buddies
• Waterford Public Library – Health Habits for Life
• Westbrook Public Library – Comicas & Connections
• Willimantic Public Library – Summer Reading Goes Sustainable

“We are pleased to be able to offer this Library Services & Technology Act federally funded Summer Enrichment Grant,” shared Dawn La Valle, Director of the Division of Library Development. “One objective of this grant is to empower CT libraries to be a catalyst for lifelong reading skills, library connection, and peer engagement across all ages of their communities.”

“Building on our recent transformation of our Summer Reading Report to be an outcome-based community impact model,” said Kymberlee Powe, Children and Young Adult Consultant, “we wanted to offer support for libraries to dive deep and design creative opportunities for all ages summer reading engagement, thus the Summer Reading Enrichment Grant.”

Digital Equity News

Looking Forward to Funding Opportunities for Digital Navigation: What Steps Should You Take to Prepare?

In 2024, there is reason to expect a variety of funding opportunities for digital inclusion activities to flow from state planning for the BEAD and DEA programs. Libraries will likely be considered for grants for digital inclusion activities carried out in collaboration with other libraries, with your towns, and/or with community partners. How can you prepare for this moment?

1.   Familiarize yourself with the digital inclusion movement and models by delving into the resources provided online by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, or NDIA and the State of CT on Digital Equity Planning.

2.   Fill out a survey created to help the State of CT plan digital inclusion funding. This will put you on the outreach list.

3.   Do a community/digital needs assessment of your catchment area. Using tools available from the NDIA and the State Library, do a map of your town and determine:

a.   How many residents need a high-speed internet connection at home.

b.   How many need a large-screen device at home.

c.   Use maps with overlays to determine the characteristics of the streets or neighborhoods where there are concentrations of residents in need. The State of CT has created a useful group of maps and other assessment tools.



For a complete list of ways to prepare or for more information, contact Christine Gauvreau, christine.gauvreau@ct.gov or 860-704-2224. 

CT Library and Partners for Digital Equity is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Connecticut State Library.

Browse 2024 Elementary Nutmeg Book Discussion Sets

Browse 2024 Intermediate Nutmeg Book Discussion Sets

Browse 2024 Middle School Nutmeg Book Discussion Sets

Browse 2024 High School Nutmeg Book Discussion Sets 

Please note: we are still waiting for some sets to arrive at MLSC and will add them as soon as we are able. All of the sets that are currently available can be found in the Equipment Catalog.

Last year's sets remain available! You can browse the equipment catalog by age group or search by title for backlist Nutmeg nominees and many other book club sets.

The library staff also offers training to their community, who can then sign up and use the studio in two-hour blocks. So much to do!

CT Pages is a channel for sharing community engagement success stories by libraries with and for their communities. We partner with CT libraries to create and release short video conversations with the library staff who make things happen.

Do you have a creative program, service, activity, partnership, or project that you want to share with your library neighbors? We are always seeking submissions for consideration – Submit your idea!

Recommended for all library staff, including librarians, administrators, managers, and volunteers:

• Common terms and acronyms so we have a shared language
• Defining gender
• Important statistics
• Pronouns
• How you as library staff can support LGBTQ+ youth

Representatives from the CT Library for Accessible Books (CTLAB), the CT Tech Act Project, the New England Assistive Technology Center (NEAT), the State Education Resource Center (SERC), and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of Eastern CT will be on hand to share and demonstrate various forms of Assistive Technology (AT) that may benefit your library’s patrons. 

A range of low- and high-tech AT will be featured, including:

• Apps for tablets and smartphones
• Screen reading and screen magnification software
• Handheld and desktop magnification devices
• Smart pens
• Computer Access devices (alternative keyboards & mice, switches, etc.)
• A range of hearing-related devices
• Accessibility features for tablet

Fostering an Inclusive Environment in Your Organization is a professional development training that focuses on educating the staff at

CT Public Libraries about how to create a safe and affirming environment for employees in your workplace.

We will cover information about LGBTQ+ identities, the complexities of gender and sexual orientation, how to use respectful language, inclusive practices to implement, and more. This workshop is geared towards all employees of CT Public Libraries, including administration, managers, and employees.

Topics to be discussed include:

• Legal Considerations
• Common terms and acronyms so we have a shared language
• Defining gender
• Important statistics
• Pronouns
• Inclusive language
• Inclusive practices
• Do’s and Don’ts for admin/managers and colleagues

Libraries scrambled to adapt services for their communities, but it would have been extraordinary if libraries had a plan to flip the switch and activate strategic and tactical actions to seamlessly transition to a new normal.

Traditional linear strategic plans collapsed and became irrelevant, but there is a better way to plan for your library.

This session will provide the content and tools for libraries of any type and size to effectively create robust, resilient, adaptive strategies that will allow the library to thrive in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environments.

Representatives from Equinox, Bibliomation, and the Connecticut State Library will be available from 11:30-12:30 so drop in anytime during the hour. The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86830148739

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

Grant Requirement: Attendance at a construction grant information session is a requirement for all applicants. 

Who should come? Anyone considering a public library renovation or construction project, including library directors/administrators, library board chair and members, municipal leaders, procurement officers, and building committee members.

Who must attend?

Association Libraries- Library Director and Building Committee Chair

Municipal Libraries- Library Director, Town Manager or chief executive (Mayor, First Selectman).

Visit our calendar

The eGO CT Program Supports Reading Programs!

DLD purchases content that supports All CT Reads, Experiencing America, and Summer Reading Programs. We aim to provide titles in eBook and eAudio format and in Spanish language when available. We purchase multiple copies of titles, including many classics that are available without loan restrictions and are great for book discussion groups!

During the month of April, DLD purchased a total of 193 items for both platforms. There are now 25,627 items provided for free to public libraries. This includes 16,025 open access titles provided by Lyrasis in the Palace Bookshelf. A sampling of titles available in Palace can be found on our LibGuide.

DLD is continuing to work with Baker & Taylor to bring the eGO CT Community Share Program to Connecticut schools. This program allows DLD to deliver eBook and eAudio content, including Nutmeg, Charter Oak, Summer Reading, and All CT Reads titles from eGO CT directly to schools in Connecticut. To date, we have 108 sites that are active in the program and over 1,100 items have been purchased specifically for this program.