MiYouth
Tuesday, September 9th
2:00 pm ET
Public library staff that work with youth are invited to join LM’s Youth Services Advisory Council (YSAC) for networking and guided discussion.
MiYouth meets quarterly (months vary) on the 2nd Tuesday at 2pm. Looking forward to seeing you at the next “MiYouth TWOsday!”
No need to register, just join us at 2pm ET! (This meeting is not recorded, but shared notes will be sent out)
Password: 454345
MiKidLib
MI KidLib, is a FREE unconference for youth services and teen services staff (current, aspiring, retired). While the unconference has been on hiatus since 2020, mark your calendars for September 24, 2025 to join us
in this event hosted this year at the Bay County Library System's Alice & Jack Wirt Library. Registration and more information can be found
here. Once you've registered, please select no more
than 4 topics that are of the highest interest to you on our
voting submission form by Friday, September 12th. The topics with the most interest will be slotted into our 9 breakout sessions for the day.
Building Community-Based Summers
Public library staff are invited to apply to participate in
Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS), a series
of learning and discussion sessions held online. BCBS is designed to help libraries build strategies to work with their communities to provide summer programs and services that are inclusive of all. Selected participants will engage with a cohort of library
staff to dig deeply into inclusive summer services. Participants will work with the facilitators and each other to consider what impact summer programs are having on those that need them the most.
Each participating library should be represented by a team of at least two staff members.
Libraries are encouraged to send staff from across departments and can include Youth Services and/or Adult Services staff, programming coordinators, summer library program coordinators, outreach staff, marketing, and administrators. Participation
in the BCBS initiative will require, of all team members:
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Active attendance and participation using cameras, shared whiteboards, and breakout sessions.
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Participation in an introductory orientation before the learning sessions begin.
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Additional work will be required within your library and community to begin to consider and assess your existing and planned summer programs and services through an equity lens. Expect to spend approximately 1-2 hours/week doing this work, in addition to the
virtual sessions.
If you are interested in participating in a virtual BCBS cohort, Michigan libraries currently have
two options to apply for:
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A new Ohio/Michigan/Indiana Tri-state Cohort! This cohort will offer up to 11 sessions (some deep dives, some optional check-ins), with the Youth Services Consultants from Michigan and Ohio, the Adult Services Consultant from Ohio, and each other to consider
what impact summer programs are having on those that need them the most.
To
learn more and apply to the
Tri-State BCBS Cohort, go to :
Tri-State
BCBS Cohort Invitation to Apply.
Have questions about this opportunity?
Sign up for a virtual Q&A session taking place on Tuesday, August 19 at 10:00 ET. -
The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) sponsors this six-session interactive BCBS discussion series, held over the course of two months this Fall. Selected participants will have the opportunity to engage with a nationwide cohort of library staff
to dig deeply into inclusive summer services.
To
learn more and apply to the
CSLP BCBS Cohort, go to the CSLP
Building
Community Based Summers site.
We recommend that you consider your work schedules and apply to a cohort that fits best, however you are welcome to apply to both, too.
This program is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Collaborative Summer Library Program updates
CSLP's annual survey is now open and will close Friday, September 12, 2025.
CSLP has created a survey so they can better assess the usefulness of the materials offered by the program on a national level to better serve you, the CSLP membership! All public libraries in Michigan are CSLP members thanks to the Library of Michigan
with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The survey can be found here:
https://forms.gle/9ohxTu3YyMcAgB7v6
If you would like to view the survey in PDF form before completing it, you can find that here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ata27kFA_Npyy-kKaSNX8KMQx9wmLb35/view?usp=sharing.
The Collaborative Summer Library Program's Theme & Slogan Committee is happy to announce the winners of the election for
2028 Slogan and 2029 Theme!
2028 Slogan: Libraries Are Legendary (tentative Spanish translation:
Las bibliotecas son legendarias)
2029 Theme: Nature (the slogan for this will be decided at the 2026 Annual Meeting, stay tuned for listening sessions/survey input)
Save the Date for the Summer Symposium: December 4, 2025 11-4:30 ET. The link to sign up for this symposium will go live in the coming months...
This program is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Additional Resources
Citizen Science webinar:
Acts of Science - Make Every Program Count This April
October 15, 2025, 3:00 pm ET
Ready to bring real science to your community?
Join Citizen Science for an interactive webinar designed for event facilitators, educators, and library and museum staff looking to engage audiences through Acts of Science—real-world, accessible citizen and community science activities.
We’ll unveil new program planning tools and resources that make it easy to host science experiences focused on weather, space, environmental monitoring, and public health. Whether you’re planning a one-time event or a full month of activities, this webinar
will help you make your Acts of Science count this April—when communities across the country are activating citizen science in celebration of science and Earth Month.
You’ll explore featured projects, get plug-and-play materials, and leave ready to lead meaningful science experiences that connect your audience to real research.
Back-to-School with OK2SAY
OK2SAY,
Michigan’s confidential student safety tipline, reported a 20% surge in tip volume compared to the previous year, according to the program’s
2024 Annual Report. With an unprecedented 11,671 tips received, the program has reached its highest reporting level since its inception in 2014, underscoring the vital role it plays in safeguarding Michigan’s youth. OK2SAY is available 24/7 and tips can
be submitted in the following ways:
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
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.
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Do you know an outstanding Michigan educator?
Nominate them for 2026-27 Michigan Teacher of the Year!
The MTOY Program is accepting nominations through September 24.
Nominate an educator using the
online form.
For more information visit
www.Michigan.gov/mtoy.
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Get personalized voter information on early voting and other topics at
Michigan.gov/Vote.
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