CSLP Learning Opportunity: Building Community-Based Summers.

Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) is partnering with Building Equity-Based Summers (BEBS) to offer an exciting learning opportunity for library workers at CSLP member libraries nationwide. You are invited to apply to participate in a sequence of four online learning sessions called Building Community-Based Summers.

The four-part BCBS course (participants will be expected to attend all four sessions) will be offered in spring 2025 on the following Wednesdays:
March 19, April 2, April 16, April 30 at 11:30 am - 1:30 pm CT

Participants will be part of a national cohort doing intensive, intentional work together. Considering potential demand, prospective participants are advised the application may be competitive.

Before applying, read “What is Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS)?” on the CSLP website. The link to apply is also on that page.

Applications are due by Monday, February 3 at 9:00 am Central Time.
All applicants will be notified of selection by EOB on Friday, February 14.

BEBS is an IMLS-funded national initiative designed to empower library staff to serve all individuals and populations in their community equitably by providing knowledge and confidence through shared learning experiences.

PLEASE NOTE: this is a national cohort and is a separate opportunity not directly connected to the Wisconsin cohort of libraries who will be participating in the BEBS framework starting this month.

Jeni Schomber 

Public Library Consultant 

Library Services Team 

Division for Libraries and Technology 

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction 

608-266-2749 

jennifer.schomber@dpi.wi.gov 

Registration Now Open: Teen Inclusive Internship Informational Webinar

Registration is now open for the 2025 Teen Inclusive Internship Program webinar. This webinar will introduce attendees to the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funded Wisconsin Teen Inclusive Internship Program.

Last summer, six Wisconsin public libraries participated in the program receiving funding to recruit and hire paid summer teen interns that reflected the diversity of their communities. The interns highlighted and showcased their skills, interests, and experiences by developing and implementing a community focused Connected Learning Project under the guidance of librarian mentors. Participating library mentors learned how to engage and support teens while also creating career pathways to increase diversity in the field of librarianship.

“This is a relatively risk-free way for public libraries to explore an internship and make connections with the teens in their communities.” - 2024 Mentor

For more information on how your library can apply to become one of the participating libraries in this year’s Teen Inclusive Internship Program, register to attend the upcoming informational webinar:

Thursday, February 7, 2025, at 10 a.m.REGISTRATION LINK

In this 2025 Teen Inclusive Internship Informational Webinar, participants will learn about the program’s goals, what is expected of the library, the mentor, and the intern, and how to apply for the program. Up to $2500 in funding is available for each of the Wisconsin public libraries chosen to participate in the program that runs from June 1 to August 31, 2025. This is expected to be a competitive process and not all applications will be accepted into the program.

Presentation slides will be made available to registrants.

Important Dates:

• February 7, 2025 - Informational Webinar at 10 a.m.
• February 7, 2025 - Application open at 1 p.m.
• February 21, 2025 - Application deadline at 4 p.m.
• March 3, 2025 - Applicants notified of award status

For more information or questions, please reach out to the DPI’s Library Services Team Public Library Consultant Jeni Schomber at jeni.schomber@dpi.wi.gov.

Call for Proposals - Play Make Learn Conference

Happy New Year, everyone!!

To all my librarian, teacher, maker, game designer, researcher, and museum worker colleagues... I'm so excited to share that the Call for Proposals for the Play Make Learn 2025 Conference is now OPEN! Please help me share this information far & wide with your networks; if you've not yet been to Play Make Learn, be sure to save the date (August 21st & 22nd, 2025) — and consider submitting a proposal yourself. More information about the conference & the Call for Proposals is included below:

Play Make Learn Annual Conference

August 21st & 22nd, 2025

Memorial Union | 800 Langdon St. | Madison, WI

• The Play Make Learn Conference is a place for collaboration and discovery in the design, research and practice of playful learning, games for learning and positive social impact, making and makerspaces, STEAM education, and arts in education. PML creates an inspirational space for preK-12 educators, designers, developers, innovators, librarians, museum professionals, makers, and researchers to tinker together, share knowledge, and celebrate one another’s work. For the first time ever, Play Make Learn will have a conference theme to bring together the work of all of the communities that come together for the conference. The 2025 Play Make Learn Conference theme is: 

• Innovations in educational design and play-based learning often emerge from moments of critical reflection, experimentation, and creative risk-taking. By embracing the processes of breaking and mending, we can foster enhanced inclusivity, deeper relevance in teaching and learning practices, and greater belonging in educational spaces. This year’s conference theme invites educators, researchers, scholars, librarians, and practitioners to critically examine the acts of breaking and mending as pathways to systemic transformation, resilience, and creative growth. Whether through playful experimentation, critical deconstruction, or thoughtful rebuilding, we explore how “messiness” can lead to meaningful change and stronger, more human-centered learning environments. Possible Focus Areas for Submissions include but are not limited to:

• Critical Breaking: Exploring how deconstruction of traditional educational systems can disrupt inequities and create more inclusive spaces; investigating maker education as systems thinking: breaking down to understand and transform; examining how games in education challenge systemic power structures, & restructuring educational practices to be student-led.

• Playful Breaking: Leveraging arts integration as a tool for belonging through messiness and experimentation; designing for “productive failure” to foster resilience and creativity in learners; creating “maker” spaces that encourage learners to break, question, and rebuild.

• Rebuilding Through Reflection: Using the metaphor of Kintsugi (the "art of beautiful repair") to explore how educational practices can emerge stronger after breaking; reflecting on the disassembled components of a classroom to build more equitable, inclusive learning environments; developing frameworks for rebuilding educational spaces to support deeper learning and human connection.

• This theme invites participants to embrace the messy, complex, and transformative journey of breaking and mending for better learning futures.

While not all sessions will speak directly to the theme, you are encouraged to use it as inspiration while developing your proposals. Proposals which address the theme will receive special consideration during the review and selection process.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Call for Proposals

You are invited to submit a proposal to present at the 2025 Play Make Learn Conference (PML). PML aspires to foster a learning community that has a diversity of perspectives and practices. Are you a first-time presenter, young person, or practitioner considering submitting for Play Make Learn, and need additional support? Reach out to our planning team at: conferences@education.wisc.edu.

DEADLINE for Submissions: March 7, 2025 at 11:59PM Central

Notifications Sent:  April 2025

• Submit your proposal here!

• Session "Strands": Submissions are encouraged in and across the following themes, but new ideas are also welcome and encouraged. You will be asked to select all themes that apply to your work:

• Playful learning
• Games for learning and positive social impact
• Making and makerspaces
• STEAM education

• Arts in education

• Session Format: You will be asked to select the session format. Please note time and maximum presenters for each type.

• Hands-on Workshops (75 minutes, 1-6 presenters): Workshops should actively engage participants, showcasing your work, or methods you use inside or outside the classroom. They may include physical making, playing a game or something else. Session Organizers will be asked for 2-3 learning goals or takeaways they have for participants in the session.

• Panel Presentation (75 minutes, 2-4 presenters): Panel presentations should have two or more presenters from different projects or organizations. Panels should explore a “big question” relevant to the conference theme or of interest to the larger PML community. Session Organizers will be asked for 2-3 learning goals or takeaways they have for participants in the session.

• Individual Presentation (15 minutes, 1-2 presenters): Presentations will be 15 minutes in length to highlight noteworthy initiatives, ideas, or recent research. Session Organizers will be asked for 1 learning goal or takeaways they have for participants from their presentation. The planning committee will group individual presentations into themed 75 minute sessions with a moderator, who will reach out to coordinate the final format with presenters.

• Poster: Posters provide the opportunity to present innovative ideas, initiatives, and prototypes in both formal and informal learning contexts. Presenters will have space to hang their poster and engage with attendees during the interactive poster & playful demo session.

• Playful Demo: This interactive, open-ended session is a chance to show off or playtest a game, ed tech tool, or other innovation. Presenters will have a table for their activity or tool during the interactive poster & playful demo session.

• Break the Mold Session: Have an idea that doesn’t quite fit into the formats listed above? Samples include sessions lasting days or weeks asynchronously, sessions within games and so on. What if a session took place in Minecraft? What if participants met outside to explore? What if participants worked collaboratively over the conference to produce a play? Be as creative as you dare for these sessions. If you have questions about an idea before submitting, send an email to conferences@education.wisc.edu.

• Final Notes:

• In the interest of providing diverse perspectives any individual will be limited to participating in a maximum of two sessions. Posters and Arcade Demos do not count towards this maximum.

• Sessions should focus on new insights, learnings and innovations of broad interest to the PML community and should not be promotional in nature. If you are a for-profit company interested in showcasing your product to the PML audience, please reach out to conferences@education.wisc.edu for sponsorship opportunities.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for helping me spread the word. If you have any high-level questions about Play Make Learn 2025, please feel free to reach out and I'll help if I can. Alternatively, you can contact conferences@education.wisc.edu. I look forward to seeing you at the conference!

Chris Baker (he/him/his) Public Library Consultant, Games & Learning Consultant Library Services Team, Division of Libraries and Technology Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction 201 West Washington Avenue | Madison WI 53703 608-264-6709 | chris.baker@dpi.wi.gov | dpi.wi.gov

Two New WI Historical Society Books for Young Readers

 From Wisconsin Historical Society press releases:

An Essential Introduction to Civics for Young Readers Newly Revised and Updated

What are the different levels of government in Wisconsin? How are laws made? What is a political party? Who is allowed to vote in elections? How can citizens, young and old, get involved in their communities? These questions and many more are answered in the newly revised edition of Voices and Votes: How Government Works in Wisconsin, a comprehensive introduction to civics geared for students in grades 3–5. Filled with color photos and illustrations—as well as diagrams, maps, and vocabulary words that make the material easy to absorb—this book explores: • The fundamentals of federal, state, local, and Tribal government • How Wisconsin’s constitution was created and how it has changed • The way elections work and why voting matters Readers will also find compelling examples of citizens from Wisconsin’s past who spoke up and worked to change laws and policies to improve the state and their communities, including: • Gaylord Nelson, who advocated for the environment as a state senator, congressman, and Wisconsin governor • Jesus Salas, who worked with state agencies to improve the lives of migrant farmworkers • Vel Phillips, who fought for fair housing as a member of Milwaukee’s city council Voices and Votes also offers contemporary stories of young people engaging with their communities, working to solve problems, and sharing their voices. This brilliantly updated edition will inspire new generations of readers to understand and participate in our democracy. Paperback: $20.00 112 pages, 56 color and b&w photos and illustrations, 8 x 9 ISBN: 978-1-9766-0026-5 Ages 8-12 Publication Date: Feb. 4, 2025 Ordering Information: This book is available from most library distributors, Maris Dambekaln (262-695-9365), and the Chicago Distribution Center at orders@press.uchicago.edu or 800-621-2736. Published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, which has been sharing Wisconsin stories since 1855 in service to the mission of the Wisconsin Historical Society. www.wisconsinhistory.org/whspress A Compelling Biography of Civic Leader and  Social Justice Advocate Vel Phillips for Young Readers Valiant Vel: Vel Phillips and the Fight for Fairness and Equality tells the remarkable story of fair housing advocate and civic leader Vel Phillips, a groundbreaking figure in Milwaukee’s and Wisconsin’s civil rights history, for readers ages 11 and up. Drawn in part from Vel Phillips’s unpublished autobiography and extensively researched by author Jerrianne Hayslett, Valiant Vel explores Phillips’s inspirational journey, from her childhood experiences facing racial discrimination, to achieving her dream of becoming a lawyer, to her long career in politics and civil rights. Valiant Vel also recounts one of Phillips’s most significant contributions in office: her courageous six-year campaign to confront Milwaukee’s decades-long practice of housing discrimination, culminating in the passage of a citywide fair housing ordinance in 1968. As the first Black woman on the Milwaukee Common Council, Wisconsin’s first Black judge, and the first Black woman to win statewide office after being elected secretary of state of Wisconsin, Phillips fought for justice and equality for all people and left a lasting legacy that has inspired generations. Featuring historic photographs as well as original illustrations by Milwaukee artist Aaron Boyd—plus an afterword by Phillips’s son, Michael, a glossary of terms, and sources for further research—Valiant Vel is both an engaging lesson in civics and an inspiring story of an activist who dedicated her life to making the world a better place. WRITTEN BY JERIANNE HAYSLETT Jerianne Hayslett is an award-winning journalist, a writer, and a trial-court information officer. She left her native state of Virginia at age nineteen and lived overseas and in several states before settling in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Valiant Vel is her first book for young readers. ILLUSTRATED BY AARON BOYD Aaron Boyd knew by age six that he wanted to illustrate children’s books. He has illustrated dozens of books, including The Story of Civil Rights Hero John Lewis and the Wisconsin Historical Society Press title Brownie the War Dog. Aaron lives with his family in Milwaukee. AFTERWORD BY MICHAEL PHILLIPS Michael Phillips is the son of Vel and Dale Phillips and administrator and board member of the Vel Phillips Foundation. Paperback: $20.00 152 pages, 55 color and b&w photos and illustrations, 8 x 9 ISBN: 978-1-9766-0043-2 Publication Date: February 18, 2025 Ages 11-14 UPCOMING EVENTS Jerianne Hayslett, Aaron Boyd, and Michael Phillips Feb. 15 at Milwaukee Public Library Ordering Information: This book is available from most library distributors, Maris Dambekaln (262-695-9365), and the Chicago Distribution Center at orders@press.uchicago.edu or 800-621-2736. Contact: For review copies of the book, author interview requests, author and book photos, and book event information, please contact Susan Jevens, Sales & Marketing Manager, Wisconsin Historical Society Press; susan.jevens@wisconsinhistory.org. Published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, which has been sharing Wisconsin stories since 1855 in service to the mission of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Remembering Youth Book Creators Lost in 2024

Each year, Betsy Bird at School Library Journal's Fuse #8 Productions blog memorializes children and teen book creators who died in the previous year. It is always surprising to see the many people who had such a profound effect on the world of children's literature who are no longer with us.

Click here to read her post. [In Memoriam: Remembering Those Lost in 2024. Bird, Betsy. Fuse #8 Productions. School Library Journal. January 2, 2025.]

Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

Once or twice a month on weekends, YSS posts round-ups of ads that are sent to us or that we come across. If you have a position opening up and would like to see it on the YSS blog, please forward the job ad link/descriptions to the YSS blog at the email address listed in the header above the day's blog post.

Here is the first listing of the new year:

Verna Fowler Academic/Menominee Public Library       Youth Services Librarian
The S. Verna Fowler Academic / Menominee Public Library subscribes to the philosophy that every child is entitled to a free, readily accessible and specialized program of library services. The aim of the public library service is to introduce children to the love of reading and literature, to develop capable users of information and technology, and to encourage each child's development to his or her fullest potential.

The primary responsibility of this position is the coordination and implementation of library services for pre-school, elementary, and young adult library users. The Youth Services Librarian will have full supervision of the Children's area and maintain a quiet, safe, productive, and attractive environment. This position involves working directly with children and their parents or caregivers. This position works until the library closes.

Learn more about this position here.

Webinar: Serving Dyslexic Kids

IFLS Webinar:

Serving Dyslexic Kids and Other Emerging Readers at the Library

Tuesday, January 14    1-2:00 pm

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JZ5azY4dS2KaEzrY11244g#/registration

Public libraries are well-placed to provide support to kids who are learning to read, and to their caregivers. Many kids need extra support with reading. Learn ideas and resources to help you serve dyslexic kids, homeschoolers, and all kids who are learning to read with your library's collections, displays, and more.



Presenters: Orton Gillingham tutors and special education veterans Starla Dixen and Becky Glade



This webinar will be recorded. It provides one continuing education contact hour for public library director recertification.

Tips and Info from DPI's Jan 9, 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 January 9, 2025 edition:

So many good things in this week's email! 

Play Make Learn Annual Conference

• Call for Proposals is now open!
• You are invited to submit a proposal to present at the 2025 Play Make Learn Conference, held August 21 and 22, 2025, in Madison, Wisconsin.
• Deadline for submissions is March 7, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. CST. Notification will be sent in April 2025.
• Submit your proposal here!

Wild Winter Wisconsin Web Conference

• There is still time to register for this virtual conference that will be held January 22 and 23.
• Fourteen session will be available in four different tracks, including Management, Internal Communications, Reference and Reader's Advisory, and Small Libraries.
• Register online today!

2025 CLEL Bell Awards Shortlist Announced

• Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy has announced the Bell Awards shortlist. Librarians, caregivers, and all children's book lovers are encouraged to vote for their favorites until January 31, 2025. The winners will be announced in early February.

Smokey Bear Reading Challenge

• Did your library participate in the Smokey Bear Reading Challenge in 2024? If so, the USDA Forest Service is excited to learn about how the Smokey Bear Reading Challenge went at your location. If you can please take just a few moments to complete the following survey, that would be greatly appreciated: https://forms.office.com/g/QQq84KgKut. We kindly ask for responses by January 31st. Your responses will provide vital information regarding the program’s reach across the country. The Forest Service also welcomes any additional stories, pictures, or other information you would like to share about the challenge that you are not able to include in the survey response (just email those to rachel.bayer@usda.gov).

Save the Dates! Wisconsin Science Festival Curiosity Unleashed

• We are also thrilled to announce that this coming festival will be held October 16-26, 2025. This year, we’re giving science even more room to shine! To celebrate the 15th Wisconsin Science Festival, we’re expanding from one week to ten days. By kicking off on a Thursday, we’re incorporating two weekends of events, making it easier for everyone to join the fun. More days, more discoveries, and more opportunities to explore the wonders of science!
• While you’re marking your calendar, be sure to also put a hold on Thursday, April 24, 11:30-12:30p for our official kickoff party. All are welcome to attend this virtual call to learn more about this year’s festival and how to get involved as an event host. Stay tuned for registration information for the kickoff party and event submission details for 2025.

BadgerLink Bulletin

• Britannica School - High is being updated in late January to early February 2025. Updates include redesigned Homepage, revamped article layouts, and enhanced navigator tools. 
• Register for a free, live webinar next Tuesday, January 14 at 3PM CT or Wednesday, January 15 at 10AM CT to view the updates before they happen. If you can't make it, register to receive the recording link. 

Need Mental Health Help But You Aren't in a Crisis? Try a "Warmline" - Huffpost article

• Please consider this resource for your patrons and for yourselves. "Warmlines" help prevent smaller issues escalating to mental health emergencies and fill the gap when counseling or therapy is not readily available or affordable.

Jeni Schomber 

Public Library Consultant 

Library Services Team 

Division for Libraries and Technology 

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction 

608-266-2749 

jennifer.schomber@dpi.wi.gov 

Centering Teen Programming and RA Around the Calendar

Karen Jensen, who writes at SLJ's Teen Librarian Toolbox blog, recently - and very generously - shared the calendar resources she has gathered that help her plan programs, displays and more.

From DEI calendars and upcoming movies/TV shows to book related posts, she has you covered.

Karen writes: "Throughout my 30+ years of working with youth and teens in libraries, I have compiled dates of interest for doing programming and reader’s advisory. I started creating a running list years ago, and now I have a pretty solid spreadsheet of dates that I can use to put together programs and promotions on a theme. And because it’s a spreadsheet – I do love a good spreadsheet – I can easily add dates, sort dates, etc. I can keep track of what I’ve done, how it’s worked, and more."

To read the entire post with links and annotations as well as her personal 12 month calendar of notable dates to help with programming/RA, please stop here. [Take 5: Reader's Advisory Calendar Sources to Help Plan Your RA Throughout the Year. Jensen, Karen. SLJ's Teen Librarian Toolbox. December 26, 2024.]

Karen and the writers at the blog also encourage you to share your RA tips, tricks and tools as part of the 2025 Project The Year of RA. Find out more here.