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The Middletown Library Service Center will be closed on Monday, December 26 in

observance of Christmas. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday!

Announcing All CT Reads 2023 Titles!

2023 All CT Reads – Kids

Living with Viola by Rosena Fung

2023 All CT Reads – Teen

Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed

2023 All CT Reads – Adult

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton

Visit the All CT Reads website to see the shortlist titles!

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 8-12), 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.

All CT Reads is an initiative of the Connecticut State Library Division of Library Development and partners with the Connecticut Library Consortium (CLC) and the Connecticut Association for School Librarians (CASL). All CT Reads is supported by a generous grant from EBSCO Information Services to the Connecticut Heritage Foundation.

All CT Reads 2023 Virtual Author Launch with Rosena Fung, Samira Ahmed, and Dawnie Walton

Thursday, January 12 | 5:00-6:30 pm

Register

Join us for an extra-special virtual launch with the authors of the 2023 All CT Reads primary selections. Each author will discuss their work and answer questions from our community.

Recording & Slides: Recordings will be available on the All CT Reads website.

Who should come: Everyone! Please share this with your patrons - they're invited to join the event too! You can add it to your library calendar and newsletter.

Accessibility: This webinar will be captioned. If you require another access service to participate fully, please use the Accommodation Request Form at least 7 days prior to the event.

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 8-12), 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 Partners and Sponsors

All CT Reads is an initiative of the Connecticut State Library Division of Library Development and partners with the Connecticut Library Consortium (CLC) and the Connecticut Association for School Librarians (CASL).

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

Stay in the Loop!

Sign-up to stay connected! Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with #AllCTReads!

Digital Equity News

CT Libraries & Partners for Digital Equity

At the CT Libraries & Partners for Digital Equity meeting on November 22, it was reported that those planning the Digital Equity Act grants program for our state will be very interested in learning about shovel-ready programs. It is time to think about how fundable your digital inclusion activities will be as the planning rolls out. 

Do you need some assistance in this regard? Are you interested in the frameworks and practical steps taken by other libraries? If so, please sign up for the Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating a Digital Navigation Project workshop from 2:30-4:00 pm on December 7 (more details and registration below). 

National Competitive Outreach Program of the Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program

Have you been helping patrons sign up for low-cost internet for their home via the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)? If so, you may be eligible for one of the upcoming National Competitive Outreach Grants being offered by the FCC.

You can read about the support that will be available in the Benton Institute article: Apply Now to Receive Support for Your ACP Outreach Efforts from November 14, 2022. In some states libraries are talking about collaborating with other agencies to field “circuit riders” that could do ACP trainings in community settings. 

If you are interested in applying, the American Library Association (ALA) would like to talk to you. Please contact Megan Janicki in the Public Policy and Advocacy Office: mjanicki@alawash.org or 202-628-8410.

Book Boxes are essentially a reader’s advisory service for adults and teens masquerading as the "unboxing" experience you get from a paid subscription. The boxes are presented all wrapped up, allowing patrons to open them and discover two hand-selected books to borrow based on the questions and preferences shared in their registration form (as well as a couple of small surprises they get to keep!).

Book Boxes have so many added benefits! They connect patrons to reader's advisory, increase circulation, introduce patrons to lesser-known titles and authors, and help identify trends and growth areas for collection development.

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!

Are you wondering if you have the capacity to do some digital navigation work at your library?

Are you curious about what this type of project might entail?

Learn about the basics from two library directors who acted as project managers for 13-month digital navigation pilot projects supported with IMLS ARPA funds by the CT State Library. 

Presenters:

Sarah Morgan, Library Director, East Hartford Public Library

Melissa Canham-Clyne, Library Director, Hamden Public Library

Learn how early learning programs can be translated into virtual programs, pinpoint popular elements to repeat regularly, and explore recommended activities and developmental tips.

Betsy Diamant-Cohen, creator of Mother Goose on the Loose, holds a BA from Brandeis University, an MLS from Rutgers University, and a DCD (Doctor of Communications Design) from the University of Baltimore. In 2004, Betsy was selected by Library Journal as a “re-inventor” and chosen as one of the “Movers and Shakers: People Who are Shaping the Future of Libraries” largely due to the success of Mother Goose on the Loose. Based on that, Neal Shuman publishing company invited her to write a book on Mother Goose on the Loose. Betsy has been giving training workshops around the country ever since.

Recording & Slides: This program is being recorded, and the recording and slides will be made available only to those who registered and attended in a follow-up email.

Who should come? Perfect for anyone who works with young kids and families including children and youth librarians and educators.​​​​

Accessibility: This webinar will be captioned. If you require another access service to participate fully, please use the Accommodation Request Form at least 7 days prior to the event.

Note: This workshop is open to library staff in Connecticut only.

Explore the best practices when determining the best approach to implement virtual reality (VR) in the classroom. Identify the best hardware and software to begin this journey and what tools are most beneficial for specific purposes.

If your library has databases or apps available for patron use, chances are you’d like to make a video explaining how to access them. Learn to make instructional videos to promote your electronic resources using the WeVideo online site with this hands-on workshop.

Learn about the WeVideo environment, then try two different techniques to make instructional videos. Since this is a small group class, participants will need a computer with a camera and microphone so they can share thoughts and ask questions throughout the class.

This is a beginner class - it is helpful if participants are comfortable with downloading things from the internet, and adding web browser plugins. Participants will receive info about signing up for a free WeVideo account before the workshop. 

Visit our calendar

Front Line Customer Service Course

With more than 1,000 views this past year, the CT State Library, Division of Library Development is pleased to announce that Andrew Sanderbeck’s self-paced, 6-week Front Line Customer Service course is being extended for your use until November 2023.

This course can be accessed through our Niche Academy platform in the Customer Service category. 

Questions? Reach out to Gail Hurley at Gail.Hurley@ct.gov.