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August
2025 | |
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Youth Services Notes |
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From the Library of Virginia
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Nature Backpacks
The State Park parking passes for the Discovery backpacks are expiring at the end of this year (2025). We have received the updated passes that are good until December 2028. Look for an upcoming survey that will ask who coordinates the backpacks at your library system, how many backpacks you have, and your mailing address.
Nearly all Virginia State Parks charge a per car parking fee for entrance. Two parks charge a per person fee: Natural Bridge and Southwest Virginia Museum state parks. Annual Passes include admission for up to 4 at Natural Bridge and Southwest Virginia Museum state parks. |
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Refresh Your Find It Virginia Skills Trainings!
Homework HelpNow Help students connect with a live tutor, get writing assistance, find practice tests for SAT, AP, and more, and explore study guides and learning tools based on their grade and subject.
When: Wednesday, 9/10, 1 PM ET Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HwcMI2PQREGjps5M_SFwUA
Transparent Language Online Language learning resources for 140+ foreign languages including over 20 indigenous languages, American Sign Language, and Citizenship Prep, and also includes ESL/ELL materials for speakers of 34 different languages. Transparent Language is perfect for supplementing classroom lessons for students.
When: Wednesday 9/17, 1 pm ET Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/GQMqxmCpRsqfVSssr8cMYg
Gale in Context Elementary Gale In Context Elementary provides age-appropriate, curriculum-aligned articles, videos, and more. It’s perfect for supporting classroom learning, research projects, and curious minds at every grade level.
When: Wednesday 9/24, 1 PM ET Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/hXG2eLcwQ8Kpw2LabmGRQA
EBSCO Explora EBSCO’s Explora is a user-friendly search tool that supports both student research and lifelong learners, providing access to a comprehensive collection of full-text general interest articles from periodicals, newspapers, and books. This authoritative general information database is the best place to start your research project.
When: Wednesday 11/12, 1 PM ET Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/j7x0PUhPTDuQqxaxxDYwHQ
Access Video Just for Kids Help your users find and enjoy TV shows like Arthur, Sesame Street, Odd Squad, SciGirls, and much more, including: read-along storybooks and learning videos to explore topics like reading, writing, math, arts and science.
When: Thursday 12/4, 1 PM ET Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/2VEul7u-T2-0fQctzs4Hbg |
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The Collaborative Summer Library Program's Theme & Slogan Committee is happy to announce the winners of the election for 2028 Slogan and 2029 Theme!
2028 Slogan: Libraries Are Legendary (tentative Spanish translation: Las bibliotecas son legendarias)
2029 Theme: Nature (the slogan for this will be decided at the 2026 Annual Meeting, stay tuned for listening sessions/survey input)
Thank you for participating in the national theme and slogan polls and providing your preferences and comments for Virginia’s vote at the CSLP Annual Meeting. A total of 164 Virginia library workers completed the national survey for 2028 slogan and 2029 theme. While there were votes and comments for every slogan and theme, both Libraries are Legendary and Nature received the highest average score in their categories from Virginia participants. |
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Come hear keynote speaker Dan Santat and attend breakout sessions about the manual, learning to decorate a space, and dinosaur programming to use in your library. This event is made possible at no cost to attendees.
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CSLP's annual survey is now open and will close Friday, September 12, 2025.
CSLP has created a survey so they can better assess the usefulness of the materials offered by the program on a national level to better serve you, the CSLP membership! All public libraries in Michigan are CSLP members thanks to the Library of Michigan with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The survey can be found here: https://forms.gle/9ohxTu3YyMcAgB7v6
If you would like to view the survey in PDF form before completing it, you can find that here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ata27kFA_Npyy-kKaSNX8KMQx9wmLb35/view?usp=sharing.
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CSLP is excited to announce the 2027 Manual Program Contest!
August 15 - Sept 20, 2025
Submit your program ideas via the submission form for the 2027 theme, Mysteries Await at Your Library! The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) is looking for programs involving mystery, detectives, discovery, exploring, puzzles, STEM & more.
CSLP Content Editor Amanda Raiche will choose one program from each category (children, teens, and adults) and one contributor of early literacy books and songs that best captures the theme. Program ideas submitted with photos (that the submitter owns the copyright to or are proven copyright-free) have the highest chances of winning.
The winner in each category will receive a $50 coupon for merchandise in the CSLP online store. You can purchase some great merchandise for 2026's Unearth a Story theme!
Use this submission form to submit your program ideas. There is no limit on the number of ideas a library can submit.
Whether or not your program idea wins the contest, all submissions will be reviewed by CSLP's several manual committees for inclusion in the Mysteries Await at Your Library manual. Due to limited space, not every programming idea will be included in the manual. Similar programs may be combined.
Questions? Please contact Amanda Raiche at amanda.raiche@cslpreads.org.
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| Child & Community Well-Being Virtual Chats
Join the Collaborative Summer Library Program’s Child & Community Well-Being Committee (CCWB) each month via Zoom (same link each month) for resource sharing and a lively discussion. All are welcome! Presentations are typically less than 15 minutes, with open discussion following.
September 30, 2025~ 3:00 PM EST
Anh Tran Ng (CT) - Community Baby Shower October 28, 2025 ~ 3:00 PM EST
Shannon Bismark (Tennessee) - Care Cabinet
November 25, 2025 ~ 3:00 PM EST
Ashley Ewert (Connecticut) - Swap Shops for crafts, school supplies, puzzles and games, holiday décor – refresh, reuse and repurpose
Join any of these dates using this Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2524695097?pwd=Y1Y0alllSjBOZGFpODZpemVJaEdJdz09
For questions about monthly CCWB meetings, please contact Carol Waxman, CWaxman@WestHartfordCT.gov
For questions about connecting to CSLP's Zoom - contact Melissa Hooke, Melissa.Hooke@CSLPreads.org
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Acts of Science - Make Every Program Count This April
October 15, 2025, 3:00 pm ET
Ready to bring real science to your community? Join Citizen Science for an interactive webinar designed for event facilitators, educators, and library and museum staff looking to engage audiences through Acts of Science—real-world, accessible citizen and community science activities. |
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We’ll unveil new program planning tools and resources that make it easy to host science experiences focused on weather, space, environmental monitoring, and public health. Whether you’re planning a one-time event or a full month of activities, this webinar will help you make your Acts of Science count this April—when communities across the country are activating citizen science in celebration of science and Earth Month.
You’ll explore featured projects, get plug-and-play materials, and leave ready to lead meaningful science experiences that connect your audience to real research. |
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The Latinx KidLit Book Festival was created in 2020 during the COVID pandemic by members of Las Musas Books. Our aim was to connect Latinx authors and illustrators with readers and educators in classrooms around the globe. Since then, and with the help of countless volunteers, the festival has continued to foster a love of story and literacy as well as increase empathy and conversation among educators, students, and book lovers while uplifting the voices of Latinx kidlit book creators.
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The Latinx Kidlit Book Festival is a FREE virtual celebration of Latinx KidLit authors, illustrators, and books for all students, educators and book lovers around the globe. The Festival offers a combination of educational materials and virtual literary content in the form of panels, craft sessions and illustrator draw-offs with best-selling and award-winning Latinx authors and illustrators of picture books, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, comic books and poetry. The sessions are geared toward all schools, educators, students and book lovers, not just those identifying as Latinx. Everyone is welcome!
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Eisner Award Winners 2025
The 37th annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards ceremony was held Friday night, July 25 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. Named for the pioneering comics creator and graphic novelist Will Eisner, the Eisner Awards, considered the “Oscars” of the comic book industry, were given out in 32 categories for works published in 2024.
Best Publication for Early Readers: Hilda and Twig Hide from the Rain, by Luke Pearson (Flying Eye) Best Publication for Kids: Plain Jane and the Mermaid, by Vera Brosgol (First Second/Macmillan)
Best Publication for Teens: Lunar New Year Love Story, by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham (First Second/Macmillan) |
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September is World Kid Lit Month, an ideal time to introduce young people to diverse stories from around the globe! Exploring world literature helps young readers broaden their literary horizons, discover new places and perspectives, and develop as world citizens.
The World Kid Lit Month website provides a wealth of resources targeted to libraries and schools, including book lists, reading challenges and prompts, translation lists, free social media graphics, and more. And, the World Kid Lit blog and social media provide international children's/YA literature news, reviews, and reading ideas.
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Children’s and teen programs for the Color Our World Summer Reading Game at the Staunton Public Library in Staunton, Virginia.
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Children who participated in Mathews Memorial Library’s summer program, A Voyage through Time, shared some of their experiences with invited guests who visited them on Friday, August 1. The program was sponsored by Friends of the Mathews Memorial Library.
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Your library program can be featured here!
Please submit a photo and description of your favorite program!
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Upcoming Important Dates & Celebrations
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National and State Conferences 2025 October 1-3: VLA Annual Conference (Richmond) November 5-7: VAASL Annual Conference (Williamsburg)
November 19-22: NAEYC (Orlando, FL)
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