Time for spring weeding and summer planning.

It's that time of year when clearing out and planning ahead just feels good. Naturally, we have some things for you. Listen to the BEBS podcast and peruse past Summer Summits as you consider 2024's version of helping Every Child Ready to Read, which of course, includes your Transforming Teens Services. There's more. Read on to learn all about it.

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. The first four episodes include:

• The Why of Equity and the Why of Equitable Summer Services 
• Start Where You Are But Don't Stay There
• Evaluation Can Have an Equity Center
• It's OK to Feel Discomfort

Listen to the BEBS Podcast

Summer Reading

Finalizing your summer reading plans? Need a little inspiration?

You can always access recordings from past Summer Summits organized by the New England Library Youth Consultants. From author talks to library programs from your New England neighbors, these resources are all ready to be reviewed and integrated as planning for 2024 Summer Reading gets underway.

Weeding in the Garden of Good and Evil

Watch the Weeding Recording

Weeding your library's collection can be a daunting task, but it is a critical component to providing excellent library service to your community. This workshop gives you the tools and enthusiasm that you will need to assess your collection and make decisions on what material needs to be weeded out of it. Our approach to weeding is that it isn't the irresponsible disposal of the library's property, but rather a part of good public service to borrowers in terms of maintaining the best possible collection for the community.

The workshop covered the purpose of weeding, criteria for weeding decisions, the mechanics of weeding, developing a weeding policy, and resources for disposal of weeded material.

Visit the Weeding Workshop LibGuide page to find resources including links and presentation slides.

Every Child Ready to Read

Watch the Every Child Ready to Read Recording

Every Child Ready to Read empowers public librarians and library specialists to take a central role in supporting early literacy through teaching parents and other caregivers how to support the early literacy development of their children. Join Children and YA Consultant Kym Powe in this online workshop to learn about the six skills of Early Literacy, the five practices of Every Child Ready to Read and how they can be intentionally implemented into storytimes and shared with caregivers. Let's get CT Ready to Read!

Unite Against Book Bans: Book Résumés

Visit Unite Against Book Bans: Book Résumés

In collaboration with the publishing community, Unite Against Book Bans unveiled a free collection of book résumés to support librarians, educators, parents, students, and other community advocates in their efforts to keep frequently challenged books on shelves. Created in partnership with dozens of publishers and with information provided by publishers, librarians, and School Library Journal, Unite Against Book Bans book résumés are easy-to-print documents designed to help support readers’ access to books that are targeted by censors. Each book résumé summarizes the book’s significance and educational value, including a synopsis, reviews from professional journals, awards, accolades, and more. Where possible, the book résumés also include information about how a title has been successfully retained in school districts and libraries after a demand to censor the book. These documents are in a PDF format that can be downloaded and printed for easy sharing with administrators, book review committees, and the public at board meetings.

Save the date! New England Collaborative - May 17

The New England Collaborative presents another free online learning opportunity - Becoming Readers: Supporting All Kids on Their Reading Journey. Stay tuned for more details!

Transforming Teen Services Now on Niche Academy!

Visit the Children's and YA Services Teen Services LibGuide page.

Transforming Teen Services is a series of trainings designed to help improve library services for teens. There are five basic content areas: The Pursuit of Equity, Ages and Stages of Teen Development, Connected Learning, Computational Thinking, and Youth Voice and Program Facilitation. This series was developed as part of an IMLS grant partnership between YALSA and COSLA.

The Transforming Teen Services workshop is now available on the Connecticut State Library Niche Academy! There is a section for each of the five subject areas, and a workbook to help you keep track of notes and assignments. After completing the entire tutorial, you will have the knowledge and skills (and maybe even a plan!) to provide high quality programs and services for and with teens.

Book Bundles from MLSC

Spring is almost here! Stock up on spring and upcoming holiday books for your story times and displays by reserving a seasonal picture book bundle. 

Book bundles include a mix of 15-20 titles, have a 90-day loan period, and the books included can be lent to your patrons or students. If you have specific requests, you can let us know in the reservation form. 

Curious to learn more? Explore all the book bundles we offer at the Middletown Library Service Center.

All CT Reads 2024 Virtual Author Launch

with Kelly Yang, Nick Brooks, and Daniel Black

Watch the Author Launch Recordings

Share with your classroom, patrons, or book group!

The CT State Library Division of Library Development held an extra-special virtual launch with the authors of the 2024 All CT Reads primary selections – Kelly Yang, author of Finally Seen, our kids pick; Nick Brooks, author of Promise Boys, our teen pick; and Daniel Black, author of Don’t Cry For Me, our adult pick. Each author discussed their work and answered questions from our community.

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, engagement resources, publicity materials, book discussion resources and more!

New CT Pages!

Watch the new CT Pages and meet Lynn Pawloski, Librarian at the Southington Public Library, and James Brunelle, Director of the All Access Program at Southington Community Cultural Arts who share the experience of co-creating ImprovAbility!, an improv comedy/fine art series for intellectually and developmentally disabled adults and with support from a CT State Library Summer Enrichment Grant. 

Participants completed improv workshops with Hartford-based Sea Tea Improv Comedy Theater and created collaborative mixed media art pieces inspired by their comedic experiences. ImprovAbility! was featured as the Library’s November 2023 Artist of the Month showcasing to the community that arts participation can and should be accessible and enjoyable for all.

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!