Food literacy is essential for teens to understand and learn about food in a positive way, including food skills and best food practices.
Young adult library staff will benefit from this workshop designed to guide libraries to in turn support teens as they explore the impact of food on so many levels of their lives.
Food Education Consultant Rebecca Antill will provide in-person workshops on how to plan and deliver nutrition & cooking programs for teens, featuring how to do so with minimal kitchen access. As a former librarian, Rebecca will offer a
tailored learning experience that will equip library staff to offer food programming of all levels at their libraries. Basic health and safety information, kitchen classroom management, culinary skills and community partners will all be discussed as participants
cook and share time together. Bring your own apron as this cooking workshop is hands-on and very interactive!
Workshops will be offered in three locations across the state and
registration is very limited:
Monday, May 5, 2025
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET
Jackson District Library’s Meijer Branch
4699 Airport Road, Jackson, 49202
Registration & Details:
https://libraryofmichigan.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/libraryofmichigan/event.jsp?event=7470&
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET
Traverse Area District Library’s Woodmere Library
610 Woodmere Ave., TC 49686
Registration & Details:
https://libraryofmichigan.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/libraryofmichigan/event.jsp?event=7475&
Friday, May 9, 2025
*9:00 AM – 4:00 PM ET
Gloria Coles Flint Public Library
1026 E. Kearsley St., Flint, 48503
*Please note the earlier start time for this workshop, due to a special GCFPL event following the workshop at 4pm – details on this event TBA to registrants.
Registration & Details:
https://libraryofmichigan.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/libraryofmichigan/event.jsp?event=7480&
These workshops are supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
2025 Dia Reading Lists
The 2025 Día booklists - in English & Spanish! - provide engaging stories representing a variety of cultures and backgrounds to share
with children from birth through 8th grade. #diatogether #bookjoy
LENA Webinar: Early Literacy Is an Open Book
Wednesday, March 5, 1pm ET
Literacy is a powerful thing. When you can read and write, you can aspire to anything. But teaching reading — let alone implementing literacy programming for every child — is not easy.
The one absolute is this: Literacy starts early. Reading and writing success is built on a foundation of responsive relationships in the first five years. That's why early childhood educators play a vital role in a child's literacy journey.
In this webinar, we want to explore early childhood educators' roles in literacy. Join us for a conversation featuring Dr. Nicol Russell of Teaching Strategies and Dr. Shurita Tate-Thomas of Missouri State University.
LENA (Language ENvironment Analysis)
is a national nonprofit on a mission to transform children’s futures through early talk technology and data-driven programs.
2025 Ezra Jack Keats Award Winners & Honors
The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation (EJK Foundation), in partnership with the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM), announced the 2025
Ezra Jack Keats Award winners (EJK Award) and four honor recipients. The annual EJK Award celebrates exceptional early career authors and illustrators for portraying the multicultural nature of our world in the spirit of Ezra Jack Keats. The award ceremony
will be held on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET during the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at USM in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Free For All: The Public Library
Premieres April 29, 2025
PBS’s Independent Lens presents: Free For All: The Public Library
tells the story of the quiet revolutionaries who made a simple idea happen. From the pioneering women behind the “Free Library Movement” to today's librarians who service the public despite working in a contentious age of closures and book bans, meet those
who created a civic institution where everything is free and the doors are open to all.
Children & Screens presents: Video Gaming Effects on Children’s Behavior and Health
The majority of today’s adolescents are video gaming - for many, daily. How much gaming is too much ? Are violent video games actually harmful to children? On this episode of
Screen Deep, host Kris Perry sits down with Dr. Douglas Gentile, a Distinguished Professor at Iowa State University and renowned video gaming expert. Dr. Gentile discusses the latest research on which aspects of gaming can affect child health and development,
and the effects of violent media – including video games – on children’s aggressive feelings and behaviors. He also discusses the prevalence of gaming addiction and what features of games make them potentially addictive to children. Finally, Dr. Gentile explains
how video games can have positive effects on social behavior and learning as well, and the power parents have to influence their children’s media use and behavioral outcomes. In this episode, you will learn: How the 5 “C’s” of video gaming work together to
impact child behavior and health. Why violent video games are linked to increased aggression in youth - and three major effects of violent media. Why even “cute” animated video games can increase aggression in kids, just as realistically violent games. How
many children are struggling with gaming addiction - and how to recognize the warning signs . When video games help children learn and encourage prosocial behavior. For more resources and research on this topic visit the Learn and Explore section of the Children
and Screens website (https://www.childrenandscreens.org)
Empowering Youth: Using the FDIC Reality Fair Toolkit to Build Real-world Financial Skills
February 27, 2025, 1-2pm EST
The FDIC will host a webinar to showcase the Guide to Organizing Reality Fairs and other
financial education resources. These resources are designed to help schools and youth-serving organizations empower young people with essential financial skills to plan for their future. Participants will experience what it is like to have an account at a
financial institution, decide how to use their money, obtain a loan, manage debt, and more. This event is being held in recognition of National Youth Leadership Month.
Details and registration here:
https://www.fdic.gov/consumer-resource-center/events/empowering-youth-using-fdic-reality-fair-toolkit-build-real-world.
Available to all MI Public Libraries through the Library of Michigan thanks to support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The 2025 CSLP summer reading program is available to import into your ReadSquared site! You can import all four age-specific programs
(Pre-K, Children, Teen, and Adult), or each one individually. Each program includes:
How to import the full programs: In the administrative control room site (yoursitename.readsquared/controlroom) go to
Programs > Add Program. Select Learn More next to the program you would like to add and select
Import on the next screen. You will then find the program in your list of editable programs.
Email
support@r2stg.zohosupport.com if you need assistance with program imports or wrap up.
ReadSquared Training Dates:
You and your staff can attend training sessions at your convenience. Onboarding covers all the basics of setting up your ReadSquared site and is designed for those new to ReadSquared.
Onboarding schedule:
- March 6, Thursday, 10 a.m. EST
- April 8, Tuesday, 2 p.m. EST
- May 14, Wednesday, 11 a.m. EST
Refresher training is best for those who have used ReadSquared in the past and want to prepare for upcoming summer programs and possibly add more features to their site. These sessions will cover the new theme, site updates, optional features, and promotion.
Refresher schedule:
- March 25, Tuesday, 10 a.m. EST
- April 17, Thursday, 2 p.m. EST
- May 7, Wednesday, 11 a.m. EST
No registration is required, and all training is free. You can choose from any of the above sessions and use this link to join:
https://join.me/ReadSquaredTraining
This program is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
In the News…
Defending the Department of Education – New America, 2/11/25
Michigan Defies Donald Trump's Schools DEI Threat – Newsweek, 2/19/25
Simmons Receives Mellon Grant for Information Literacy - Simmons, accessed 2/21/25
Hope you can spot some sunshine and warmer temps this weekend.
Best,
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.
“The thing I remember best about successful people I’ve met all through the years
is their obvious delight in what they’re doing … and it seems to have very little to do with worldly success. They just love what they’re doing, and they love it in front of others.”
~ Fred Rogers