New WLAF Conference Scholarship Program

Are you a member of WLA? If so, read on for an exciting new scholarship opportunity!

New Conference Scholarship Program Now Available

Deadline to Apply: August 21

Dear WLA Members, The Wisconsin Library Association Foundation (WLAF) is excited to announce a new and expanded Conference Scholarship Program designed to help more members access valuable professional development opportunities. This year, we are launching a new scholarship application process for the 2026 WLA Annual Conference. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters, five scholarships of up to $500 each will be awarded to WLA members to help cover conference registration. The goal of the scholarship program is to reduce financial barriers to participation, encourage first-time attendees and those with limited employer support, and strengthen the diversity and vitality of Wisconsin's library community. Who Can Apply? Applications are open to all current WLA members. Applicants will be asked to submit a brief application describing: Why they would like to attend the conference How attending will benefit their professional growth Any financial barriers they face Preference will be given to staff from small, rural, or special libraries,  first-time attendees, individuals with financial need, students, early-career library workers, new graduates, and others who may have limited access to professional development opportunities. Scholarships will be awarded as conference registration vouchers and may be used toward conference registration fees. They do not cover travel, lodging, preconference workshops, membership dues, or ticketed special events. This year's scholarships are available only for the WLA Annual Conference on October 20-23 at the Marriott Madison West. Beginning in 2027, we plan to expand the program so members may apply for scholarships to attend other WLA conferences and institutes, including WAPL, WAAL, AWSL, and other eligible WLA events. The number and amount of scholarships awarded each year will depend on the success of the Foundation's fundraising efforts. We're pleased to offer five $500 scholarships this year and look forward to growing this program as support allows. Timeline: Applications open: July 23 Applications close: August 21 Scholarship Committee review: August 24–September 4 Applicants notified: the week of September 7 If attending the WLA Annual Conference has been out of reach financially, we encourage you to apply. We hope this program makes it easier for more members to connect, learn, and engage with colleagues from across Wisconsin. How to Apply:  Follow the link to apply: https://forms.gle/uLrnjW7nxBB8d8PN8 We encourage interested members to apply by August 21 using the link above.  We look forward to seeing many new faces at this year's conference! Best, Kara Sullivan Executive Director Wisconsin Library Association

Free Teacher Admission at Old World Wisconsin

Photo from oldworldwisconsin.org

Looking for a fun summer adventure? Try out Old World Wisconsin. Teachers! Look for free admission on July 31st!

Enjoy a day of history inspiration at Old World Wisconsin! Bring your teacher ID on July 31 for free admission to explore the living history site, discover classroom resources, and scout out field trip possibilities.

Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

 Greenfield Public Library in Greenfield, WI seeks a full-time Children's Librarian

Image by Satheesh Sankaran from Pixabay

The Greenfield Public Library in Greenfield, WI, is seeking a full-time Children’s Librarian. The Children’s Librarian reports to the Youth Services Manager and is responsible for providing library services to children and families in and outside of the library.  This position provides excellent customer service to library patrons, assists patrons and staff in meeting their reference and information needs, plans and conducts programs with a focus on children and their caregivers, promotes youth services to the community, manages assigned library collections, participates in the day-to-day operation of the library and administers other library services as assigned.   

The City of Greenfield is nearly 12 square miles with over 37,000 people. It has two fire stations, an active community center, a popular Sunday Farmer’s Market, 14 city parks, and five county parks.  With five aldermanic districts and a full-time mayor, the boundaries of the City include three school districts:  Greenfield, West Allis/West Milwaukee, and Whitnall.  Greenfield is proud to be the Home of the Knockout Rose.

Please review the full job description for the Children’s Librarian position.

School Library Journal Teen Live!

Photo from SLJ.com

Thursday, August 20th is the 15th annual SLJTeen Live! virtual event! Come hear about the latest and most exciting forthcoming titles for teens and tweens. From rom-coms and mysteries to graphic novels and classic coming-of-age stories, our daylong program of author panels, in-depth conversations, and keynote talks will keep you inspired and entertained.

You’ll also have the opportunity to visit the virtual exhibit hall to meet with leading publishers, and download digital galleys and other free resources.

Register for this free virtual event here.

Play Make Learn Conference next week!

 There is still time to register for next week's Play Make Learn Conference taking place in Madison, WI. 

Photo by Quilia on Unsplash

Register for Play Make Learn 2026 TODAY!

Don't miss your chance to be a part of the conference; Play Make Learn has historically sold out each year. Come to Madison to Play, Make, and Learn alongside inspiring peers!

Calling all librarians, teachers, makers, designers, and more!!

Can you believe we are only a week away from the 2026 Play Make Learn Conference? The countdown has officially begun for registered folks to convene on July 9–10 at the Memorial Union in Madison, Wisconsin for a fantastic learning and networking experience. Whether you are coming to share, create, or discover, the energy of this community is something you won't want to miss!

To help you map out your experience, we have two updates for you today: The Full Session Schedule is officially live -- and we are introducing a brand new networking experience (more below). From hands-on workshops to groundbreaking presentations, this year's lineup is packed with inspiration. Take a look at some of our featured highlights:

• July 8 (Pre-Conference): Dive deep early with special sessions like CONTRACKED: Collaborative Complex Playful Learning through Noise and the STEAM and Making MiniCon.
  
  
• July 9: Kick off day one with an inspiring keynote by Brenda Baker (Co-CEO, Madison Children's Museum). After that, the schedule bursts open with interactive sessions: preview PBS Wisconsin's newest history video game project, discover how to blend tabletop RPGs with ePortfolios in the Questfolios workshop, or explore Teaching and Designing through the Fluxus Lens inspired by Yoko Ono. Don't forget to explore the interactive Arcade to level up your PML experience with community creatives, and wrap up day one with the Poster Reception.
  
  
• July 10: Start day two with an illuminating keynote from Camilla Zamboni (Wesleyan University). Dive back into more dynamic workshops and presentations exploring the intersections of play, design, and education, and make sure to explore more of the Arcade before we gather one last time for our community Closing Session.

View the Full Session Schedule Here

4th of July parade opportunity

 

If you're still looking for something to do this 4th of July, the Lone Rock Community Library is looking for people to march with them! 

Lone Rock Community Library is working to assemble a large group of libraries to march in the Lone Rock 4th of July Parade! Libraries may choose to collaborate on purchasing items to hand out along the route. Please contact Troy Rinehart for more information.

Accessibility in Children's Books

Photo by Taylor Heery on Unsplash

"Accessibility in children's books is really about design. When text and images are presented clearly, readers can engage with the story instead of having to work to make sense of the page." This quote from educator Natalie Holdren highlights the difference that small adjustments in design can make for children with special needs and disabilities. 

For years, accessibility meant different books for children with special needs, but in an article for Publishers Weekly, Dianne Bright highlights the importance of access to the same books for every child. "When children with special educational needs and disabilities can engage with the same texts as their peers, it creates shared experiences and opportunities for connection," Holdren states. 

There are simple things that editors can do to make books accessible to all including, accessible fonts, uniform spacing, high contrast between text and artwork, and clear layouts. 

Read the full article, and find some great examples of this work in action here.

[Bright, D. The Importance of Accessibility Editing in Picture Books. May 14, 2026. Publishers Weekly.]

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/100407-the-importance-of-accessibility-editing-in-children-s-picture-books.html?oly_enc_id=9241D5865112C4T

Tips and Info from DPI's June 18, 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 June 18, 2026 edition:   Weekly Resources & Reminders Hello All,

BadgerLink Bulletin - EBSCO Interfaces Update July 7  On July 7, EBSCO is releasing a set of enhancements to Explora, EBSCOhost, and NoveList resources that will improve the way that users engage with and navigate the interface. View Update Story.

The following content is shared as provided by the organization. The DPI Bureau of Libraries does not sponsor or endorse external resources or events.  Power Up 2027: A Leadership Conference for Youth Services Managers and Staff - Call for Proposals  Power Up 2027 will occur March 22-23, 2027, in Madison, WI. Share your strategies for project management, mentorship, program evaluation, staff morale & retention, advocacy, change management, culturally relevant programming, and more with fellow youth service librarians! Submit your proposal by September 7, 2026, for full consideration. Visit the Conference Website for more information.

Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) Summer Storytelling Challenge  Sign your library up to host a Dan Santat Summer Storytelling Challenge! Dan Santat is the Collaborative Summer Library Program Summer Reading Champion. Dan is asking young readers ages 8-12 to flex their creative muscles and add their words to his art.  Libraries hosting a Summer Reading Storytelling Challenge will be responsible for running the contest in their community and selecting a winner. All libraries that sign up to host a contest will receive more information about how to host the contest and an offer for free prizing from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.  Please contact Mary Van Akin at mary.vanakin@macmillan.com with any questions.

SciStarter + Summer Reading  Turn summer reading into summer discovery! SciStarter and the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) created summer programs, with project ideas, trainings, slides, event recipe cards, and other ready-to-use resources.

 

Spark of Science Survey  The STAR Library Network and their partners at HHMI/Tangled Bank Studios are excited to begin planning for the next Spark of Science program for public libraries. Before they get too deep into planning, they wanted to make sure they have a clear understanding of current practices across public libraries. For this biology-focused initiative, they’re considering gaming, and specifically Minecraft, as a possible delivery mechanism, among others. Your response to the following questions will help them better develop a program that meets libraries where they are, and where they want to be heading! You'll also have the opportunity to indicate your interest in being a project advisor!  Complete the survey.

Jeni Schomber Public Library Consultant Contact: jeni.schomber@dpi.wi.gov

Take your Library to Pride

Photo from Middleton Public Library

 This past weekend, Middleton WI hosted its 3rd annual Pride Fest to celebrate the LGBTQ+ members of our community. Over 3000 people attended this festival. There were vendors, foodtrucks, live music, drag storytime, a DJ and so much more! It was a festival of color and love and of people being their authentic selves. And, the library was honored to be part of it.

This is the second year we've taken our bookmobile to Pride, and people are so excited to see the library represented. This year we added a tent for teen volunteers to offer free glitter tattoos, too! We had 4 staff people and 5 teen volunteers help out at this year's event. We checked out books, handed out fans, flags, stickers, bookmarks and even some free books. 

We get so many positive comments from the local community and from people from around the United States that always mention that their library could never come to a pride event. And, this is why we do it. This is why we go. The library is for everyone. Happy Pride!

America's Awesome Kids from PBS

As the United States turns 250 years old, PBS is encouraging us to "learn about the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our fellow Americans and to appreciate what we have in common." They have created America's Awesome Kids featuring stories of kids from around the United States.

You can checkout America's Awesome Kids here.

[America's Awesome Kids. pbskids.org. Accessed 6/15/2026.]