Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS) Cohort Applications Open Soon!

Save the Date!   Application Period for the statewide Fall 2026 Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS) Cohort Opens Monday, August 17, 2026.  Applications open next week for participating in the statewide cohort facilitated by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Bureau of Libraries for the Fall 2026 Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS).   Seven public libraries will have the opportunity to participate in Wisconsin’s BCBS Cohort.  BCBS participants will actively engage in challenging conversations, reflection, and activities with facilitators and each other to consider transformational concepts that view summer programs and services through a community-based lens. The BCBS learning framework will empower library staff who want to engage community voices and provide summer services and programming to all by equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to co-create accessible services and promote involvement across communities served by their library.   BCBS does not focus on specific summer programs and how to implement them. Rather, this systemic approach asks libraries to consider the ways that policies, staffing, budgets, and other tasks impact their ability to build community-based practices. Participants will engage in deep work to identify the “whys” behind their summer services, examine and reimagine traditions, connect and build relationships in their communities, and measure the impact of their services.    Each participating library will be represented by a team of two staff members. Libraries are encouraged to have staff from various departments and can include Youth Services, Adult Services, Programming, Outreach, or administrative staff.  Participation in the BCBS cohort will require participants to:  Attend six online 90-minute interactive discussions on Tuesdays from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. beginning October 13 through November 17, 2026.  Complete the one-hour online WebJunction “Getting Started with Community-Based Summers” course before October 13, 2026. Participants will need to create a free account to access this course.   Work within your library and community to begin to consider and assess your existing summer programs and services through a community-based approach.  This is expected to be a competitive process, and not all applications will be selected. In building a diverse cohort, the selection process is looking for representation of all library and community sizes, various geographic areas, and demographic community compositions. Applicants will be notified of selection status by Friday, September 11, 2026.  Please contact Jeni Schomber (jeni.schomber@dpi.wi.gov) or Kelly Wochinske (KLWochi@milwaukee.gov) with any questions.

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

Tips and Info from DPI's January 15, 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 15, 2026 edition:

 

 

Hello All,  Check out these youth services weekly resources and reminders!  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.  CSLP Unearth a Story 2026 Manual Highlights Recording  Dig into some 2026 manual highlights and unearth some exciting programs, ideas, and adaptations for next summer!  View highlights video here!  View the highlights slides  Play Make Learn 2026 Conference: Call for Proposals  You are invited to submit a proposal to present at the 2026 Play Make Learn Conference (PML). The 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 educators, designers, developers, innovators, librarians, museum professionals, makers, and researchers of all kinds to tinker together, share knowledge, and celebrate one another’s work.  Call for Proposals Deadline for Submissions: March 9, 2026, at 11:59PM Central  Submit Your Proposal Here: go.wisc.edu/PMLsubmit  STARnet Science Across America  As America celebrates its 250-year anniversary, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and STAR Net have launched a new campaign to help libraries highlight the history of scientific achievement in our country, and the local connections to science in our communities. SCIENCE ACROSS AMERICA, the newest campaign from Spark of Science@ My Library, invites libraries to showcase local scientific advances and scientists, engage your communities with focused Community Dialogues, and host educational and inspirational activities that shine a light on the past, present, and future of science in our lives.  The deadline to apply has been extended to Friday, January 23, 2026. For more information, visit the STARnet Community blog post.    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

Tips and Info from DPI's January 8, 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 8, 2026 edition:

Hello All,  Check out these youth services weekly resources and reminders!  CSLP Building Community Based Summers Spring Cohort application  The Collaborative Summer Library Program is excited to launch a third national cohort of Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS) 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.   BCBS is open to applicants from CSLP member libraries. There is no charge to participate. Applications will be open from Monday, January 5 through Monday, January 26. https://forms.gle/zJf4QJ3zmDZ4PxYu6   CSLP Newsletter  Check out the latest Collaborative Summer Library Program newsletter full of great information about resources from the Summer Symposium, the Slogan and Theme survey, CSLP shipping timeline, and Manual Highlights.  BadgerLink Bulletin  Britannica Escolar Update on January 8 – View the Story  Teaching Books Ideas, Graphic Organizer, and Flyers – View the Story  Reflections on a Defining Year for Libraries   A letter from Wisconsin’s State Librarian, Ben Miller, recalling the 2025 work of libraries and the joy to come in 2026.  View Libraries Reflection Story  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

Tips and Info from DPI's December 18, 2025 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 December 18, 2025 edition:

 

 

Hello All,  Check out these library youth services resources and reminders!  2026 Programming and Activity Count Tracker  This workbook can be used to track programs and activities throughout the year, and prepare program, activity counts, attendance, and participation for Sections III and XIII of the Annual Report.  Visit Wisconsin Public Library Annual Report for more information.  Use BadgerLink for Readers’ Advisory  BadgerLink’s readers’ advisory resources can bring you up to speed on the best books of 2025.  View the Readers’ Advisory Story  Wisconsin Public Library Standards Steering Committee Work Begins  Read what topics led their first meeting discussion as they begin the review and revisions of the Wisconsin Public Library Standards.  View the Standards Story.  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.   Save the Date! CSLP Building Community Based Summers application opens soon!  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. Applications will be open from Monday, January 5 through Monday, January 26, 2026.  2026 Wisconsin Public Libraries CE Topics Survey  Help shape 2026-2027 Continuing Education offerings for Wisconsin Public Library Systems!  Library System CE Consultants are planning continuing education events for spring 2026 through spring 2027, and they would love your input. Your feedback helps them offer training that truly meets the needs of public library staff in their systems, regions, and across the state.  Take the CE Topic Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DCDCWQ2  The deadline to complete the survey is January 15, 2026.  This will be the last Weekly Resources and Reminders email for 2025. The next one will arrive the week of January 5, 2026. I hope that you are able to find peace and joy in the upcoming Holiday season.   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