Tips and Info from DPI's August 7, 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 August 7, 2026 edition:

 

 

Weekly Resources & Reminders

 

Hello All,  The following content is shared as provided by the organization. The DPI Bureau of Libraries does not sponsor or endorse external resources or events.

Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) Theme and Slogan Listening Sessions - Save the Date!  Join CSLP and provide feedback to help determine the 2029 Slogan and 2030 Theme. Two interactive listening sessions will be held in August. Registration is not required, and you can attend one or both sessions.   Listening Session Option #1  Thursday, August 13 at 12pm   Join us on Zoom - no need to register  Listening Session Option #2  Tuesday, August 18 at 3pm   Join us on Zoom - no need to register

News Access and Media Literacy in Public Libraries: A FREE Public Library Association (PLA) Webinar  Join the Public Library Association on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 1 p.m. for a free webinar exploring findings from News Access and Media Literacy in Public Libraries, a new national report sponsored by PressReader. Hear key insights from the research and discover practical strategies public libraries are using to strengthen news access and media literacy in their communities.  Download the report and register for the webinar.

PBS Wisconsin Library Cohort   The PBS Wisconsin Library Cohort blends professional development, hands-on learning, collaboration, and program implementation into one engaging series for Wisconsin public library and school library staff.  Why join?  EXPLORE ready-to-use, research-backed educational multimedia resources.  BUILD media literacy skills for infusing resources that support children in learning how to think, rather than what to think.  CULTIVATE relationships with colleagues across Wisconsin and beyond.  Apply by September 1, 2026 - spots are limited! Invitation to apply.

 

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

PBS Wisconsin Library Cohort accepting applications

Photo from PBS Kids

 

Join the PBS Wisconsin Library Cohort

The PBS Wisconsin Library Cohort blends professional development, hands-on learning, collaboration, and program implementation into one engaging series for Wisconsin public library and school library staff. 

Apply by September 1, 2026 - spots are limited!

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Why join?

• EXPLORE ready-to-use, research-backed educational multimedia resources that:

• Celebrate the process of learning and a love of reading.

• Support early literacy, social-emotional learning, problem solving,
  and local learning connections.

• BUILD media literacy skills for infusing resources that support children in learning how to think, rather than what to think.

• CULTIVATE relationships with colleagues across Wisconsin and beyond.

“This cohort is a wealth of information – the different points of views and programming ideas were so wonderful. PBS is an amazing resource.” 

– Past cohort member

What’s required?

• ATTEND:

• One in-person workshop at the Fitchburg Public Library on Monday, Sept. 28, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM.

• Three 90-minute virtual workshops (October 12, November 2, November 16) to explore resources and connect with library colleagues.

• A virtual celebration (December 7) where we get to learn about each cohort member’s awesome programs!

• PLAN and IMPLEMENT at least one youth-focused program that incorporates PBS resources.  (See previous playshops from La Crosse or Richland Center.)

• COLLECT DATA on program impact, such as number of attendees, photos and testimonials.

• SHARE your thoughts, feedback, and cohort activities via short surveys.

Interested in the Cohort?

Complete the application form by September 1, 2026.
Staff from libraries that have participated in the past are welcome to apply. 

All applicants will be contacted by September 7, 2026. 

Cohort members will be eligible to receive a $150 stipend for participating.

We strive to serve all areas of our state. Rural libraries and libraries that serve diverse communities are encouraged to apply. If there are any accommodations you need to be able to participate, please let us know.

Contact Jami Hoekstra Collins, PBS Wisconsin Education Engagement Specialist, with any questions at jami.hoekstra@pbswisconsin.org.

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.]

Tips and Info from DPI's April 9, 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 April 9, 2026 edition:

Weekly Resources & Reminders

 

Hello All,

Reimagining Information Literacy: A National Forum  Empowering Educators, Librarians, and Learners for a Knowledge-Driven Future. Tuesday, July 14 and Wednesday, July 15, 2026, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Reimagining Information Literacy is an opportunity for librarians, educators, and researchers to gather to reflect on the importance of information literacy. Variously understood as digital, visual, media, textual, and/or technological literacy, this forum approaches information literacy as an umbrella that is inclusive of all types. Register for free.   WiLSWorld Shorts WiLS is inviting you to attend a very special WiLSWorld Shorts, featuring Kirsten Cappy, Executive Director of I’m Your Neighbor Books, on Friday, April 17th at 1:00 pm CT! In this time of unbelonging for our Immigrant and New Generation communities, how do we build belonging for all of our communities? The nonprofit I’m Your Neighbor Books utilizes SEL tenets and the immigrant characters in K-12 books to help readers explore their place in the world and their responsibility for making this nation less “unkind.” Including recommendations for books that address detention, deportation, and the healing power of families, Executive Director Kirsten Cappy will share the free and grant-supported resources I’m Your Neighbor Books offers. With books in our hands, this nonprofit feels we can find a way to “be more human.” Register for the webinar. Can't attend live? Register to receive a link to the recording. For questions, please email us at coop@wils.org  PBS Wisconsin Education: A Love of Learning Workshop Invitation  Please join your colleagues from library systems in central WI at PBS Wisconsin's A Love of Learning workshop on May 7, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:15 p.m., at the Portage County Public Library in Stevens Point. If you work in or with a public library or library system in Wisconsin in a role serving learners in grades 3-12 (ages 8-18+), we would love for you to join us for this workshop + meet-up to connect with colleagues and learn about free multimedia resources you can use.

Jeni Schomber Public Library Consultant The DPI Bureau of Libraries 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 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