News from the Library of Virginia

CSLP 2026 Slogan and 2027 Theme Listening Session  

Friday, September 08 ~ 3pm Eastern

These listening sessions are an opportunity for all CSLP member libraries to advocate for their favorite slogan and theme but also, to hear a variety of perspectives from others.  Talk up your favorite 2026 Slogan and 2027 Theme from the vetted and translated voting slate.  

How are the Listening Sessions different from the previous Wordsmithing sessions?  The longer list of possible slogans has now been reviewed for copyright, trademark and translated into Spanish.  We will not be tweaking verbiage or revising the options at this stage. These sessions are YOUR opportunity to build support for your favorites.  

State Reps will be listening and then casting their votes at the CSLP Virtual Annual Meeting. Make sure to reach out to your state rep by September 13 and let them know your favorites too!

CSLP 2026 Slogan and 2027 Theme Listening Session

Friday, September 08 ~ (12pm PDT, 1pm MDT, 2pm CDT, 3pm EDT)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81180413010?pwd=L1N6WjBGeFVaN2FoTzNZRHc5aGxxZz09

Consider joining a CSLP committee!

Volunteering for a CSLP Committee is a great opportunity to develop professionally while also contributing to the CSLP mission. Our committees are the lifeblood of CSLP. Volunteers play a significant role in the success of our organization and programs.

While the duties vary, committee obligations generally run for one calendar year. All committee work is done virtually, either through email, phone, or online meetings. Attending the CSLP Annual Meeting is not expected for committee volunteers. We are recruiting for all committees, except the Artwork committee -- which is already working on the 2025 artwork.

Most CSLP committees are open to all, however some have limited seats or require previous CSLP experience. Before volunteering, please visit https://www.cslpreads.org/committees/ to review the committee descriptions.

Apply now! - CSLP Committee Application form

Sign-up period is August 15 through October 3.

For questions about committees, please contact Donna Throckmorton, CSLP President-Elect

CSLP Virtual Symposium - Save the Date!
The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) will host its 3^rd annual CSLP Summer Symposium.  This half day virtual offering is for public library staff to connect, learn, and collaborate as we plan for summer library programming around the upcoming theme of Adventure Begins at your Library.  Scheduled for 11:00 AM ET – 4:30 PM ET, Thursday, December 7, 2023, speakers and topics will be announced soon.

CSLP Ordering
CLSP ordering for materials for summer reading 2024 will take place in October.

Grants and Opportunities

Library Card Sign-up Month
September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when the American Library Association (ALA) joins libraries nationwide to remind everyone about the valuable resources available with a library card. A library card is your patrons' most important school supply—it's elemental, really—and everyone should have one! Check out ALA's free toolkit designed to help you celebrate, including press release templates and shareable graphics featuring characters from Disney and Pixar's "Elemental"!

Get Caught Reading: Eight New Posters
Managed by Every Child a Reader, an award-winning literacy charity, Get Caught Reading provides teachers, librarians, and booksellers free bulletin-board-sized posters of inspiring community leaders, authors, artists, athletes, and beloved book characters reading a favorite book. Their 8 new posters include Joon Lee, Angela Medina, Erin Napier, Jessamyn Stanley, Duncan Tonatiuh, Nathan Chen, Noah Van Sciver, and the Curlfriends.  Order posters here.

Applications for a visit from National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Meg Medina opens 9/6/23
The Children’s Book Council is excited to begin planning Meg Medina's second year of travel as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. They will begin accepting proposals for 2024 on September 6 and closing on October 5. Because the proposal form is extensive and requires that a school and public library work in partnership for an event, CBC invites you to review and begin gathering your proposal details now. Review event information and use our checklist to prepare.

Featured Programs

Staunton Public Library

The Staunton Public Library held a drop-in after-school event for students ages 7-12 called Rubik’s Cube “Block Party” for puzzle cube aficionados and beginners. For this event, the library set out four tables with different activities on each:

1) a coloring table with Rubik’s Cube coloring pages (can be found for free online or can be made easily; there are also “fold your own cube” templates if you want to go 3D with it)  

2) a fidget table with about a dozen different puzzle cubes, fidgets, and Perplexus maze balls for kids to just play with (some purchased online for the event, some borrowed)

3) a book table featuring some of the library’s brain teaser and search-and-find books

4) a learning table where students could learn how to solve a 2x2 cube (SPL purchased a set of 2x2 cubes online AND the Programmer had to learn how to solve one ahead of time, but there was also a YouTube video playing that the kids could follow step by step)   

Other easy additions were playing the latest Kidz Bop songs and offering a small giveaway. Students wrote their name and contact on a slip and put it in a box, and one winner was chosen to receive a puzzle cube after the program. This was also an easy way to keep track of attendance, since this was a 2-hour long drop-in program with kids coming and going to different stations. Although there is a bit of monetary investment – SPL bought about $50 worth of puzzle cubes – the Library has put these cubes out at EVERY tween and teen program since, and they get a ton of use as ice breakers and fidgets. The cubes will also be used for the next Block Party!  

Your library program can be featured here! 
Please submit a photo and description of your favorite program!

Self-Care Corner

Upcoming Important Dates & Celebrations

National and State Conferences
September 20-23..........Association for Rural & Small Libraries Annual Conference.........Wichita, KS
October 22-24..................Virginia Library Association Annual Conference.........................Chantilly

November 10-12......Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Symposium......St. Louis, MO
November 15-18...National Assoc. for the Education of Young Children Conference.....Nashville, TN