Building Community-Based Summers: Tri-State In-Person Workshops * Thursday, November 5, 2026 - from 9:30 am - 4:30 pm at the Main Library, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, 325 N. Michigan St, Toledo, Ohio. Free Parking is available. Registration: https://forms.gle/H1v37vAk1wzPT5W59 * Thursday, November 19, 2026 - from 9:30 am - 4:30 pm at the Meijer Branch, Jackson District Library, 2699 Airport Rd., Jackson, MI 49202. Free parking is available. Registration: https://forms.gle/wUsExGchA63cWhxo6 Both workshops will cover the same BCBS content; register for the date and location of your choice. Registration is free. Description: Over the last few years public libraries in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio have participated in cohorts of the Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS) national IMLS project. Through learning sessions and activities, BCBS helps libraries develop new thinking and strategies about summer services in four key areas: Rethinking Internal Systems, Fostering a Culture of Learning, Centering Community, and Reflecting Continuously about summer services and their impact. These BCBS Workshops are being offered to any IN, MI, and OH library workers who are interested in evaluating and reassessing their summer services. Attendees will participate in a variety of activities to help them view their summer services through fresh eyes at a critical time of the year as they plan for next summer. The facilitators will share a brief history and background about BCBS for those unfamiliar with the project, and details for those who wish to be trained more deeply regarding the BCBS learning topics and strategies. The workshops will also include much time for discussion and sharing, to learn what libraries are planning to better reach all their communities and to provide ideas and strategies to address challenges. Who should register? To support your ability to implement BCBS strategies in your community, we highly encourage 2 or more staff members from your library or system to register and attend the workshop. Staff working in any department, especially those with a focus on public programming, are welcome to attend. Facilitators: Bringing extensive experience with BCBS, facilitators Cathy Lancaster (Library of Michigan), Katy Hite (State Library of Ohio), Janet Ingraham Dwyer (State Library of Ohio), and Beth Yates (Indiana State Library), will offer key insights. They will discuss how applying BCBS framework processes enables libraries to design more adaptive summer services and programs tailored to local needs and community perspectives. Learning Objectives - Participants will be able to: * Explain briefly the history of the Building Community- Based Summers (BCBS) project and its four key principles * Identify their library organization’s “why” of summer services * Name examples of strategies that other libraries have implemented to build greater community involvement into their summer services * Identify one or two action steps your library could take to help build more community voice into your summer services Feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions. Thank you, Cathy Lancaster Youth Services Coordinator Library of Michigan 702 W. Kalamazoo St. Lansing, MI 48915 My Pronouns: She/Her/Hers - See www.mypronouns.org<http://www.mypronouns.org/> to learn more. LancasterC5@michigan.gov<mailto:LancasterC5@michigan.gov> | 517-335-8129 | www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan<http://www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan> Follow us: Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/libraryofmichigan/> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/libraryofmich> | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/libraryofmichigan/> Join the MiYouth<https://liblists.org/postorius/lists/miyouth.liblists.org/> Listserv, created for Michigan public library staff to share and discuss children and teen programming and services. [A picture containing logo Description automatically generated] Do you know an outstanding Michigan educator? Nominate them for 2027-28 Michigan Teacher of the Year! The Michigan Teacher of the Year Program is accepting nominations through September 23. Nominate an educator using the online form<https://mde.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3VO6y33yPJYG0t0>. For more information, visit www.Michigan.gov/mtoy.<https://www.michigan.gov/mtoy> [Michigan.gov/Vote logo Description automatically generated]<https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/> Get personalized voter information on early voting and other topics at Michigan.gov/Vote<https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/>.
