Resources

 

Child & Community Well-Being Virtual Chats

Join the Collaborative Summer Library Program’s Child & Community Well-Being Committee (CCWB) each month via Zoom (same link each month) for resource sharing and a lively discussion. All are welcome! Presentations are typically less than 15 minutes, with open discussion following:

Join any of these dates using this Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2524695097?pwd=Y1Y0alllSjBOZGFpODZpemVJaEdJdz09 For questions about monthly CCWB meetings, please contact Carol Waxman, CWaxman@WestHartfordCT.gov. For questions about connecting to Zoom - contact Melissa Hooke, Melissa.Hooke@CSLPreads.org. All public libraries in Michigan are member libraries thanks to the Library of Michigan, with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.


Teens’ Top Ten

A longstanding YALSA project, Teens' Top Ten is a "teen choice" list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. Nominators are members of teen book groups in 15 school and public libraries around the country. Readers ages 12 to 18 then vote online for the top 10. Teens’ Top Ten is now being announced in June, in time to promote during summer library programs. Find the 2025 list here.


YALSA Update
Speaking of YALSA, you have likely read by now that ALSC and YALSA, the ALA’s two youth services divisions, plan to merge in 2026. Both divisions originally grew out of the Association of Young People's Librarians and have been separate divisions since 1957. You can read about the planned reunification of these divisions on the ALSC/YALSA Reunification FAQ page and this article in "School Library Journal," and on the ALSC blog.
Whether you are an ALA member and a member of YALSA and/or ALSC, or none of the above, these two national bodies supporting children’s and teen library services have individually provided copious resources and leadership. Will share any further updates in the future.

How Libraries Can Promote Computational Thinking and Learning Among Preschool Families with Work It Out @ Your Library
PLA Webinar
July 30 – 2:00 pm ET

Work It Out @ Your Library! is a new program for librarians and families built around Work It Out Wombats!, the national PBS Kids television series for four- to six-year-olds. The first public media series to promote computational thinking to preschoolers, Work It Out Wombats! follows the adventures of Malik, Zadie, and Zeke, a trio of marsupial siblings who live with their grandmother and an array of diverse friends and neighbors in a fantastical treehouse apartment complex called the Treeborhood. Through hands-on activities, library storytime sessions, animated videos, and a family app (all available free of charge), Work It Out @ Your Library is a flexible program helps library staff guide families through the exploration of computational thinking (CT for short). Learn more and register here: https://ala-events.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2GCBo5ChRzikIFjWwWSQPQ#/registration. 


Kids Count® Data Book – Michigan
KIDS COUNT® indicators capture what children and youth need most across four domains:

  1. Economic Well-Being;
  2. Education;
  3. Health; and
  4. Family and Community.

This year’s Data Book tells a mixed story — steady progress in some areas, setbacks in others and opportunities to do better for kids and families. Among all four domains, Education saw the biggest decline — 3 out of 4 education indicators worsened since 2019. However, serious challenges remain as 16% of children still live in poverty, and nearly 1 in 3 children live in households struggling with high housing costs.

Where a child lives continues to matter deeply, with stark geographic disparities shaped by local and state policies, economic conditions, community investment and infrastructure. These gaps aren’t just between states, however: they show up between neighborhoods and ZIP codes.  Be sure to check out Michigan’s Kids Count® Data Book: https://assets.aecf.org/m/databook/2025-KCDB-profile-MI.pdf, where we rank 33 overall in child well-being.

Girls Who Code – FREE 3rd-12th Clubs
These 3rd-12th Grade Clubs are free computer science programs that inspire passion, build community, and prepare young people for the future.
Program Highlights: Check out our Clubs flyer 

Sign-up to start your free clubs at girlswhocode.com/clubsapply


SciStarter: Summer Slide
Alas, the "summer slide" isn't playground fun—it’s the seasonal dip in academic skills. Students often lose ground in science and math because hands-on learning usually takes a vacation when school is out.

Citizen science—real science that anyone of any age can do—is one antidote. The projects featured in this newsletter include educator-tested materials, because research shows that when projects are designed to support learning, the science improves, too! Check out some of their programming highlights.

 

MDHHS – Resources for Families and Children

The Stay Well program was established in 2020 to offer behavioral and emotional support to Michiganders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provided coping resources, including webinars, toolkits, support groups and educational materials. Live Stay Well programming ended in 2023. We invite you to browse this archive to find mental wellness resources that can still be helpful and relevant to you and your organization post-pandemic. Be sure to take advantage of the free resources on mindfulness & summer wellness for children, teens, and caregivers!

 

Children’s Book Council: Building a Home Library
The Children’s Book Council is happy to announce the 2025 BUILDING A HOME LIBRARY list. In 2024, the CBC enlisted the help of five Ingram Collection Development Librarians to relaunch a more robust and more up-to-date annual list of new books and some classics that are recommended for every home library. The 2025 BUILDING A HOME LIBRARY list has books from 56 publishers, and represents the best in everything from board books to graphic novels, from picture books to middle grade fiction. The books are categorized in four age ranges: 0-3, 4-7, 8-11, and 12-14.

 

In the News…
As Michigan scrambles to improve literacy, school librarians are losing their jobs – Bridge MI, 7/9/25

Virtual Book Display: Disability Pride Month – Baltimore County Public Library, 7/1/25

 

Packed a lot in this week… Mark it to “read for later” if you need to, and take a deep breath!
Stay well,

Cathy Lancaster

Youth Services Coordinator

Library of Michigan
702 W. Kalamazoo St.
Lansing, MI 48915
My Pronouns: She/Her/Hers - See www.mypronouns.org to learn more.

LancasterC5@michigan.gov | 517-335-8129 | www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan
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Join the MiYouth Listserv, created for Michigan public library staff to share and discuss children and teen programming and services.

 

 

Nourishing Michigan’s Future during the summer! 

Find a Summer Food Service Program site nearest you and encourage Michigan’s children to Meet Up and Eat Up! Michigan.gov/MeetUpEatUp.

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Get personalized voter information on early voting and other topics at Michigan.gov/Vote.