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October
2025 | |
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Youth Services Notes |
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From the Library of Virginia
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Virginia Libraries
Beanstack Client Spotlight
This session will spotlight several Virginia libraries as they share tips, tricks, and best practices for Beanstack success in their communities. Hear directly from libraries what is working for them as they engage readers in their communities!
Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. EST
This training will be recorded and available for viewing in the Library of Virginia Niche Academy.
Any questions, contact Sue La Paro, Youth Services Consultant. |
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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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Strong Men & Women in Virginia History Student Contest
The Library of Virginia’s Creative Expressions contest, sponsored by Dominion Energy, is now open! |
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High school students in Virginia are invited to honor outstanding African Americans by participating in Dominion Energy and the Library of Virginia’s Strong Men & Women in Virginia History student contest. This year’s contest is built around the inquiry process of project-based learning and is designed to hit grade-specific standards through a multidisciplinary approach.
Encourage high school students to enter for a chance to win an Apple MacBook Air and $1,000 for their school. |
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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 Manuals
The CSLP Manual access codes have been sent to each Virginia public library director. If you have not received it or it has not been forwarded to you, please contact me and I will send the information to you. |
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The week of November 3-9 is this fall’s celebration of Children’s Book Week, a national week-long event that celebrates books for young readers. Children’s Book Week was launched in 1919 and is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the USA. Learn 105 facts about Children’s Book Week!
Celebrate with free downloadable resources including a poster and Epic Activity Guide created by Dav Pilkey, plus bookmarks, activities, coloring pages, social media posts, and more. Explore and download resources here. |
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Pokémon Clubs at Your Library
AASL and ALSC have joined with Pokémon to create and implement Pokémon Clubs in public and school libraries! Through this partnership, participating libraries will receive extensive resources to create a new club (or enhance an existing one) for patrons 5-14. Membership in AASL or ALSC is required. Learn more and apply! |
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November is International Games Month:
Organized by GameRT in partnership with library organizations around the world and run by volunteers, International Games Month connects communities through their libraries around the educational, recreational, and social value of all types of games. Register for IGM to be entered into drawings for free games. |
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2025 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Longlist
The National Book Foundation announced the five finalists for the 2025 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. The list includes three novels in verse and three authors who were previously finalists for Young People's Literature: Ibi Zoboi (2017), Kyle Lukoff (2021), and Amber McBride (2021). |
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This year’s finalists are:
Winners will be announced at the 76th National Book Awards Ceremony & Benefit Dinner on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. |
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| Children's Booker Prize
The Booker Prize Foundation has announced a new Children’s Booker Prize. Joining the prestigious Booker Prize and International Booker Prize, the new award will honor fiction written for children ages 8 to 12. The Children’s Booker Prize, which will launch in 2026 and be awarded annually from 2027, will celebrate the best contemporary fiction for children aged eight to 12 years old, written in or translated into English and published in the UK and/or Ireland. The aim of the prize is to engage and grow a new generation of readers by recognising and championing the best children’s fiction from writers around the world. Their nominated works will join almost 700 books in the Booker Library.
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Readers Fun Fair - Northumberland County Public Library
We ended our summer reading challenges in August with 185 readers receiving free tickets to the Readers Fun Fair on September 12th. 247,486 minutes were read and 91,436 of those minutes were elementary school children and teachers. The elementary school read 60 thousand minutes more than their goal. We had over 300 attendees at the fair, many of those who won free tickets and more who purchased a ticket at the door. Parents who did not want to get in the bounce houses or play the games got in free. We had 2 food trucks plus specialty coffee drinks and baked goods for purchase. The feedback has been incredibly positive, and we plan to hold the same event next year as a wrap up for summer reading.
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Rockbridge Regional Library System
One of our library families had a litter of 10 pure-bred old English sheep dogs and asked if we would like them to come visit during storytime. The answer was a resounding YES, and what a huge success! In come trotting ten tiny sheep dogs, all in a line, dressed in diapers and onsies! They were very happy to play and interact with the children and families without any issues. After only a short while, the pups became so tired that all plopped down and fell asleep making it extra-easy to cuddle them. It was the sweetest thing ever! |
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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 November 5-7: VAASL Annual Conference (Williamsburg) November 19-22: NAEYC (Orlando, FL) |
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