Tips and Info from DPI's March 19, 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 March 19, 2026 edition:

Hello All,  Check out these youth services resources and reminders!  DPI Website Modernization Project  As part of the Department of Public Instruction’s strategic plan and commitment to modernizing and improving the agency, and in preparation for the April 24, 2026 Title II ADA digital accessibility deadline, the DPI is currently undertaking a major update to its external website, www.dpi.wi.gov. Visit the DPI Website Modernization Project page for more information.  Summer Reading with BadgerLink Resources  Summer reading is already around the corner! BadgerLink content providers TeachingBooks and Britannica Education offer excellent activities and programming ideas for this year’s summer reading programs at your library. Read the full story.   BadgerLink Bulletin EBSCO Resources Highlight  Check out the latest features, tools, promotional materials, and training on BadgerLink’s EBSCO resources. View full story.  Dinosaurs 101 for Librarians  Join us on Friday, March 27 at 12:30 PM for Dinosaurs 101 for Librarians, a webinar on the core concepts and techniques used by the American Museum of Natural History in teaching paleontology to young learners. Raoul Seroy, Children and Family Learning Educator at the Museum, will guide participants through foundational concepts to connect with young learners and get them excited about paleontology.   This live session, hosted by AMNH and part of a new professional development webinar series for Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) members, will feature a presentation by Raoul followed by an interactive Q&A session with participants. Registration is now open.  PBS Educational Multimedia Resources for School-Age Learners  The PBS Wisconsin Education team is excited to be collaborating with the South Central Library System and Portage County Library to host a free workshop on May 7 for public library staff who serve school-age learners (grades 3-12 / ages 8-18+) to learn about PBS educational multimedia resources and plan for ways to use these resources with library programming. More details and the link to RSVP are included in this invitation.  CCBC Choices 2026 is now available  CCBC Choices 2026 is a digital publication. Entries for each book include full bibliographic citation, annotation, age recommendation and cover image, and a link to the book’s entry in the CCBC-Recommended Book Search database, where custom lists can be created. The publication also includes an introductory essay and name/title index. A citation list (bibliographic information only) of CCBC Choices 2026 is also available on the CCBC website.  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

CCBC Choices 2026

 

CCBC Choices 2026, recommending 231 books published in 2025 for children and teens from birth through high school age, is now available!

CCBC Choices 2026 is a digital publication. Entries for each book include full bibliographic citation, annotation, age recommendation and cover image, and a link to the book’s entry in the CCBC-Recommended Book Search database, where custom lists can be created. The publication also includes an introductory essay and name/title index. A citation list (bibliographic information only) of CCBC Choices 2026 is also available on the CCBC website.   If you’re interested in hearing about some of these titles, the CCBC librarians will present two webinars hosted by South Central Library System this spring highlighting selections from CCBC Choices 2026. The first is Great New Books for Children (Birth – Grade 5) on March 18, 2026, from 9-10am and the second is Great New Books for Older Children and Teens (Grades 6-12) on April 22, 2026 from 9-10am. See the CCBC events calendar for details about these online opportunities, as well as other outreach events around the state.

 

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt 

Director of the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) | she/her

CCBC Choices 2025 is Now Available

CCBC Choices 2025, recommending 251 books published in 2024 for children and teens from birth through high school age, is now available!

CCBC Choices 2025 is a digital publication. Entries for each book include full bibliographic citation, annotation, age recommendation and cover image, and a link to the book’s entry in the CCBC-Recommended Book Search database, where custom lists can be created. The publication also includes an introductory essay and name/title index. A citation list (bibliographic information only) of CCBC Choices 2025 is also available on the CCBC website.

If you’re interested in hearing about some of these titles, the CCBC librarians will present two webinars hosted by South Central Library System this spring highlighting selections from CCBC Choices 2025. The first is Great New Books for Children (Birth – Grade 5) on March 19, 2025, from 9-10am and the second is Great New Books for Older Children and Teens (Grades 6-12) on April 16, 2025 from 9-10am. See the CCBC events calendar for details about these online opportunities, as well as other outreach events around the state.

Tips and Info from DPI's Feb 20, 2025 Youth Services Newsletter

Jeni Schomber's DPI Youth Services Weekly Reminders and Resources is chockfull of great resources. 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 February 20, 2025 edition

Hello All,

National Reading Program Grants - Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

• The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) Division of Early Care and Education (DECE) is awarding funding to reimburse non-profit organizations for book fees for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL). 
• Applications are open and will be accepted on a rolling basis, until funding runs out, or by March 28, 2025, whichever comes first. 
• You will need the following to apply: Proof of affiliation with DPIL or willingness to become a local program partner; and proof of non-profit status.

Teen Inclusive Internship application - deadline to submit is Friday, February 21, at 4 p.m.

• The Department of Public Instruction has opened the competitive application process for $2,500 grants for up to seven Wisconsin Libraries to fund library internships for local high school juniors or seniors to be completed between June 1st, 2025, and August 31st, 2025.
• Each library will be awarded up to $2,500 to recruit and hire an intern, in compliance with applicable nondiscrimination laws and minor workers laws, and in collaboration with the library’s human resources and finance staff.
• The application period is open and will close at 4 p.m. on Friday, February 21st.The informational webinar presentation slides and scoring rubric are available for your review and can also be found on the DPI Youth Services webpage under the Teen Inclusive Internship Program dropdown menu.

Wisconsin Science Festival - Virtual Kickoff Party

• Ready to start making plans for the fall? Just want to learn more? Join the kickoff party for networking and conversation about the 15^th annual Wisconsin Science Festival.
• Click here to register. 

CCBC Choices 2025 - Cooperative Children's Book Center

• CCBC Choices 2025, recommending 251 books published in 2024 for children and teens from birth through high school age, is now available!
• CCBC Choices 2025 is a digital publication. Entries for each book include full bibliographic citation, annotation, age recommendation and cover image, and a link to the book’s entry in the CCBC-Recommended Book Search database, where custom lists can be created. The publication also includes an introductory essay and name/title index. A citation list (bibliographic information only) of CCBC Choices 2025 is also available on the CCBC website.

WebJunction FREE Resources:

• Easy as ABCD: Using asset-based community development as a lens for authentic relationship-building
• This is a great resource when considering your Summer Library Programming! Many organizations and professions based in a social service model, including libraries and librarians, may find themselves unconsciously defaulting to a deficit mindset. This directly impacts how we approach partnerships, services, and programs for individuals and organizations from systematically excluded communities. (Excerpt from the article)

Have a great weekend!

CCBC Choices 2024 is Available!

CCBC Choices 2024, recommending 238 books published in 2023 for children and teens from birth through high school age, is now available!

CCBC Choices 2024 is a digital publication. Entries for each book include full bibliographic citation, annotation, age recommendation and cover image, and a link to the book’s entry in the CCBC-Recommended Book Search database, where custom lists can be created. The publication also includes an introductory essay and name/title index. A citation list (bibliographic information only) of CCBC Choices 2024 is also available on our website.

The CCBC librarians will present two webinars hosted by South Central Library System this spring highlighting selections from CCBC Choices 2024:

Great New Books for Children (Birth – Grade 5) on March 20, 2024, from 9-10am  

Great New Books for Older Children and Teens (Grades 6-12) on April 17, 2024 from 9-10am. 

See the CCBC events calendar for details about these online opportunities, as well as other outreach events around the state.

CCBC Starred Review Days Registration Open

The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) is hosting its annual 

Starred Review Days November 13-17.

Librarians and teachers are welcome to come for hands-on book examination of 2023 books we’ve received that have one or more stars in the following journals:  Booklist, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Horn Book, Kirkus, and School Library Journal.  

We will also have books selected to-date for CCBC Choices 2024 on display.

• November 13-16:  8:30 am – 7:00 pm
• November 17:  8:30 am – 2 pm

 You must RSVP if you plan to come.

 

More information

 

Megan

 

Megan Schliesman (she/her)
Assistant Director
Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC)

2022 CCBC Choices is Out!

The fully annotated CCBC Choices 2022  publication is now available!

 

This year’s edition of CCBC Choices is once again being distributed as a pdf available on the CCBC web site. 

 

The Choices page our the  site provides links to the:

 

• Complete CCBC Choices 2022 pdf (fully annotated)
• CCBC Choices 2022 Citation list
• The CCBC’s annual “observations on publishing” essay

 

In addition, all of the Choices 2022 books are searchable in the CCBC-Recommended books database.

CCBC Choices Virtual Presentations

As you know, CCBC Choices will once again be published in a digital-only version, available in March.

Due to COVID, the CCBC has not been scheduling in-person outreach visits yet; however, the CCBC librarians will be doing two online presentations highlighting CCBC Choices 2022, sponsored by South Central Library System:

• Great New Books for Birth through Grade 5 (March 31, 9:00-10am)
• Great New Books for Older Children and Teens (April 7, 2022)

News of Note from the CCBC

At the recent State Youth Services System Liaisons meeting, CCBC Director K.T. Horning shared the following news:

• The CCBC has had several in-person visits from groups of teachers, university students, and librarians this fall, including book selection groups.  If you want to schedule book selection, you can sign up here.

• CCBC Intellectual Freedom Information Services Coordinator and Librarian Extraordinaire Megan Schliesmann has worked with Monica Treptow at DPI to compile a list of resources  in response to the current challenges and public attacks against books for children and teens taking place nationally and around our state.

• CCBC Shorts will be offered from 9:00-9:30am in the Spring of 2022 on Feb 2, March 16, April 20, and May 18. Past presentations are archived and available on the CCBC’s website. Check South Central Library System's calendar page to register for these free programs..

• Due to COVID, we have not been scheduling in-person outreach visits yet; however, the CCBC librarians will be doing two online presentations highlighting CCBC Choices 2022, sponsored by South Central Library System:
• Great New Books for Birth through Grade 5 (March 31, 9:00-10am)
• Great New Books for Older Children and Teens (April 7, 2022)

• CCBC Choices will once again be published in a digital-only version, and will be available in March (paper shortages, distribution, and cost have been huge factors). Hope to go back to paper in 2023.

• De Anza Williams, a new faculty member in the UW-Madison iSchool, visited the CCBC in November, soon after moving to Madison in October.  She has a public library youth services background and for many years worked as young adult librarian and then a manager at the Nashville Public Library.  She also has a strong background in diversity, and did her doctoral research on the depiction of African American boys in young adult literature. She will teach courses in the iSchool in Children’s and Young Adult Literature, Multicultural Literature, Public Libraries, and Library Management, among other things.