Summer Reading News

This month’s issue of the CSLP newsletter has tons of exciting news! The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) has officially announced 2025’s slogan as “Color Our World,” which features vibrant and whimsical artwork by Mike Mullan. 2025’s theme and artwork will allow libraries to create spaces where creativity and artistic expression can thrive. CSLP is also excited to share a sneak peek at their collection of tie-dye items that will be perfect summer reading incentives to complement “Color Our World.”

Read on for more highlights from the CSLP newsletter!

CSLP Committees

Don't forget: CSLP invites all public library staff members to consider joining a CSLP committee during the recruitment period happening now! The opinions and experience of library staff from all sizes and shapes of public libraries greatly improve and enhance the work of CSLP. Committee member duties vary and generally run for one calendar year. All the work performed by committees can be done virtually, and participation in more than one committee is possible. The deadline to apply for a CSLP committee is October 15 and the application can be found online. 

Summer Symposium

The CSLP Summer Symposium will take place this year on December 5 and will feature keynote speaker Mychal Threets. He will speak about his library program that aims to remind readers of the joy that books and libraries can bring to a community. The symposium also features other speakers sharing information on creative ways to promote summer reading and the 2025 art theme. Registration opens on November 5, so please plan to join some or all of the sessions!

Services to Incarcerated Individuals

Finally, this month’s newsletter also features the stories of different Summer Reading Programs offered to incarcerated individuals in New York state. Over 22,000 incarcerated individuals engaged in summer reading through different activities at Correctional Facility libraries. These engaging and educational activities included reading contests and book clubs. CSLP is proud to highlight how libraries and reading programs can have a positive impact on the lives of all individuals. 

Several poster and slogan images for the 2025 Collaborative Summer Library Program “Color Our World” have officially been shared and are ready to be previewed for libraries! 

The artist is Mike Mullan, and his colorful and playful artwork is sure to provide a great springboard for libraries as they start planning for the art theme in 2025. 

The preview provided by CSLP includes a sneak peek of children’s graphics, multigenerational graphics, and artwork which compliments the overall theme and slogan. 

Stay tuned for additional spot art and graphics in the 2025 manual, which will be available later this fall. 

Are you interested in becoming part of the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP)?

CSLP invites library staff members to use their voices and talents and volunteer as a CSLP committee member for 2025. Committee member obligations generally run for one calendar year, and all work is done through email or virtual meetings. Library staff members who become committee volunteers are not required to attend the Annual CSLP meeting. Library staff can also become volunteers for more than one committee, depending on their interests and availability. 

The deadline to sign up for 2025 CSLP Committees is October 15, and the application form is available online. To see what exciting committees are looking for new members and which committee best suits you, please visit CSLP’s committee page. CSLP encourages all library staff to consider joining a committee. Your input is extremely valuable and keeps CSLP and Summer Reading programs growing and thriving!

The results are in! The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) state reps met for the annual meeting in late August and had a chance to cast their state vote based on the two CSLP listening sessions as well as feedback received from library staff via the CSLP theme and slogan survey. A big thank you to all library staff in new York state who took the time to share their thoughts on possible slogan and theme choices!  New York received 406 responses to the slogan survey and 138 responses to the theme survey.  

CSLP has officially announced the voting results for the 2027 slogan and 2028 theme. Votes at the annual meeting determined that 2027’s slogan choice is “Mysteries Await at Your Library” which will complement the overall theme of Mystery/Detective/Suspense. The 2028 theme will be Mythical Creatures (Unicorns, Dragons, Mermaids, etc.). 

Thanks again to all the library staff members who participated in CSLP’s survey and listening sessions to help shape and determine future Summer Reading programs.

Unearth a Story Program Contest

Speaking of future Summer Reading, CSLP is currently running a program submission contest for ideas for 2026 and Unearth A Story!  

The contest will run until September 20, 2024. CSLP is looking for ideas that are filled with all the dinosaurs, archaeology, and paleontology that you can muster!  CSLP Managing Editor, Alyssa Graybeal, will choose one program from each category (children, teens, and adults), and one contributor of early literacy books and songs that best captures the dinosaur theme. Program ideas submitted with photos (that the submitter owns the copyright to or are proven copyright free) have the highest chance of winning.

The winner in each category will get a coupon for $50 worth of merchandise in the CSLP online store. You can purchase some super fun and creative merchandise for 2025's Color Our World theme and there are some awesome new products that will be available when the CSLP store opens in October!

Full contest and submission details can be found on the CSLP website. Be sure to submit your awesome and creative dinosaur-themed ideas before the September 20 deadline for a chance to win the $50 CSLP gift certificate and have your ideas included in the program manual for Unearth A Story!
 

The National Library Service’s online Summer Reading program offerings have wrapped up, but you can still take advantage of an awesome virtual tour! Have you ever visited the Thomas Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress? If not, a tour of this historic and fascinating building is just a click away.

As part of its 2024 Summer Reading Program, the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) is offering a free and fully virtual audio tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. This tour can serve as an educational experience both for the blind and print disabled as well as those who can’t travel to the Library of Congress. The virtual tour offers in depth audio descriptions of the interior and exterior architecture of the building, as well as plenty of educational and historical facts about the building itself.

Check out the Library of Congress’s website to listen to the virtual tour of the Thomas Jefferson building at the Library of Congress. 
 

Since 1944, Smokey Bear has been a mascot for wildfire prevention and forest conservation around the country. The creation of the mascot was inspired by an orphaned black bear who was rescued from a wildfire, and ever since then, Smokey Bear has been a figure encouraging Americans to be more aware and involved in the tragedies that can come from wildfires. Throughout its history, the U.S. Forest Service has highlighted the importance of spreading the message of wildfire prevention across all age groups. As early as the 1950’s, the U.S. Forest Service used their mascot of Smokey Bear to encourage children to become more involved in the outdoors and adventure through Junior Ranger membership kits and educational outreach like Smokey bear themed school supplies. For more information on the history of Smokey Bear, check out the American Library Association’s Smokey Bear and Fire Suppression article written by Susanne Caro.

Celebrate Smokey Bear’s legacy and 80th birthday by participating in the Smokey Bear Reading Challenge at your local library. The challenge runs from January 1st to November 28th to encourage youth across the country to engage in reading while also learning about forest conservation and wildfire prevention. The Smokey Bear Library Toolkit is a helpful resource that provides libraries with materials to promote a summer of adventure and reading while helping kids and communities to become more informed about protecting our forests and natural resources.

It’s almost time for the Collaborative Summer Library Program/CSLP annual meeting and voting by state reps for the 2027 Slogan and 2028 Theme. Before the meeting takes place at the end of August, CSLP would like feedback from libraries to help narrow down the selection options.

Within the 2027 Theme of Mystery/Detective/Suspense, libraries can vote on their favorites from six possible slogans. Make your voice heard by collecting feedback on slogan and theme preferences from your library community and then fill out the CSLP survey! CSLP has set up a slogan survey for those who wish to provide feedback on the 2027 slogans. Further information on CSLP’s survey for the 2028 themes will be provided soon. The slogan survey is open through August 23.

Another way that CSLP encourages feedback and input on slogans and themes is through CSLP Virtual Feedback Sessions. These sessions allow libraries to have a better understanding of the decision-making process for themes and slogans and provides an opportunity for the library community to share their feedback and opinions.

Please register for one of the two sessions that are being offered on Tuesday, August 13th and Thursday, August 22nd.

CSLP recently partnered with the Library Speakers Consortium to bring exciting author talks to member libraries and their patrons in July!

Author Dan Santat pursued his passion for illustration through his award-winning book, A First Time for Everything, which tells the story of his childhood experiences from his own perspective. Have you ever thought about how your life could turn into a graphic novel?  Dan Santat, a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator is teaming up with CSLP to speak about how children and teens can use graphic novels to tell their own stories, just as he did.

On Tuesday, July 30th, CSLP will be hosting an online event with Dan Santat that will allow participants to learn about his story as an author and illustrator and become inspired by the process of creating graphic novels. To register and learn more about this event, please visit CSLP’s website.

During the summer months, families across New York state are often faced with the challenge of providing nutritious food for children who normally have access to healthy meals through their school. For many years, Hunger Solutions New York has partnered with libraries to help diminish hunger for children by maximizing participation in federally funded nutrition assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

This year, Hunger Solutions NY and the New York State Library have once again come together to promote participation in the Summer Meals program, to help provide access to lunches and snacks for children and teens during the summer. Libraries in eligible areas can take part in the Summer Meals program by hosting summer meal “sites” at their library locations, by providing valuable information for families who need assistance, and by bringing Summer Reading activities to schools and food distribution sites within the community.  

With this year’s introduction of the new Summer EBT benefit, providing nutritious meals to children and families in need has never been easier. Through this program, families can receive a $120 food benefit card for each eligible child during summer break. This EBT food benefit card can be used to purchase food from grocery stores, farmers markets, and other SNAP-authorized retailers. To find out more and to access outreach materials in English and Spanish, please visit the Summer EBT webpage.

Libraries can further assist families by sharing the following tools to find sites near them:

• Text “food” to 304-304
• Use the map on SummerMealsNY.org
• Call 211 or 311 (in NYC) or 1-866-3-HUNGRY

Wishing you all a healthy and adventure filled summer!

Did you know that 2026 will be the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence? CSLP is already planning for the 2026 season, which will have a dinosaur theme and a slogan of Unearth a Story. To help with this planning, CSLP wants feedback from libraries!

The 2026 theme, along with the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, creates many opportunities for patriotic celebrations and history activities and programs at different libraries throughout the United States. CSLP has created a survey to gather information and feedback from public libraries about how they plan to promote and engage with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

If your library plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary in 2026, please complete CSLP’s Semi-quincentennial Survey.