Tips and Info from DPI's January 22, 2026 Youth Services Newsletter

 Jeni Schomber's DPI Youth Services Weekly Reminders and Resources is an email newsletter chockfull of great resources we've come to rely on. If you are a WI youth library staffer and you don't receive this weekly missive in your email inbox, please contact Jeni (jennifer.schomber@dpi.wi.gov) to be placed on the list!

Here is the January 22, 2026 edition:

 

Hello All,  Check out these youth services weekly resources and reminders!  Money Smart Week (April 4-11, 2026) Kids Read Program  The Money Smart Kids Read Program, targeted at kids ages 5 to 8 years old, is an enjoyable way to introduce financial responsibility to youth through programming at your library. Each family attending a Money Smart Week Program gets to take home a FREE copy of this year’s book, What Can I Buy?, written by Julie Moriarity.  Steps to Participate:  Complete this form by January 30, 2026, to request the number of books you will distribute to families at your library.   Plan a program for kids and/or families.  Hold the program to discuss good money habits with kids and families during Money Smart Wisconsin Week.   Visit Money Smart Wisconsin for more information.  CSLP Annual Slogan (2029) and Theme (2030) Survey  The Collaborative Summer Library Program survey is open! Please take a moment to fill out the survey and make your recommendations for the 2029 Slogan (for the Nature theme) and the 2030 Theme.   This survey is open to all libraries in the country, so please feel free to share it with staff at your library.  The deadline to submit your recommendations is Monday, February 2, 2026.  Building Community Based Summers CSLP Spring Cohort application open!  The Collaborative Summer Library Program is excited to launch a third national cohort of Building Community Based Summers in Spring 2026.  BCBS is designed to help member libraries identify the “whys” behind their summer services, build strategies to engage community voices, and create and provide inclusive summer services for all members of their communities. The spring 2026 cohort will gather for online learning sessions once weekly for 6 consecutive weeks in March-April 2026.   There is no charge to participate. The application period is open through Monday, January 26, 2026.  Big Impact, Small Budget: After-School Ideas That Cost Next to Nothing (WebJunction)  Discover how one librarian launched a thriving after-school program from the ground up with less than $100 a year. Learn how to tap into community partnerships, think outside the box, and turn your library into the go-to after-school hub for enrichment, creativity, and connection.  The pre-recorded webinar is FREE to all Wisconsin library staff. You will need to create a free account to access the recording. Click on the link above and scroll down to “view webinar recording” to create an account or to sign in.  Library Applicants Sought for Pulitzer Exhibition  The American Library Association Public Programs Office and the Pulitzer Prizes have announced an opportunity for public libraries, including tribal and state libraries, to host the traveling exhibit Pulitzer on the Road: Prize-Winning Works that Inform, Empower, and Inspire. The exhibit is an initiative of Pulitzer on the Road, a public outreach series launched in 2023 to feature the journalists and authors honored by the annual prizes.    Eighteen libraries will be chosen as tour stops for Pulitzer on the Road, and the exhibit will continue throughout 2027 and 2028. Each library will host the 1,400-square-foot exhibit for about six weeks and will receive publicity materials, media training, support from ALA and the Pulitzer Prizes, and $3,000 to provide public programs during the show.   Project guidelines are available now, and applications are due by March 27.   Jeni Schomber  Public Library Consultant  The DPI does not sponsor or endorse external resources or events. They are provided for your consideration only.  Contact: jeni.schomber@dpi.wi.gov