Youth Services & Summer Library Program

Youth Services Resources

Training and Development

2023 YALSA Symposium Share-out - Recording(link is external) (30 min)

  • Katrina Wulff, Youth Services Manager at Neenah Public Library, and Winnefox Youth Services Consultant, shares out some of the highlights and ideas she gathered during her time at the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Symposium in late 2023.  Tune in to learn about ways to enhance your programming and services to teens in your library.  

Youth Services Basics Course(link is external) - provided by Indiana State Library

  • This course is designed as an introduction to library services for public library staff working with youth. Whether you are already working in a library or just starting out in a new youth services position, this content will help you consider why library services focusing specifically on youth are important, how to collect appropriate materials, the types of services and programs you can provide to your patrons, and the importance of outreach services.

Wisconsin Resources

Cooperative Childrens Book Center (CCBC)(link is external) — offers assistance with reference, book challenges, and book recommendations related to literature for youth. Specializes in diverse literature.

YSS (Youth Services Section)(link is external) — resources and advocacy for Wisconsin library staff who serve youth, their families, caregivers, and teachers. YSS blog with new content 3-4 times weekly. YSS is a unit of the Wisconsin Library Association.

Youth Services – DPI, Library Services Team(link is external) — resources and links. Contact Jeni Schomber, Public Library Consultant for questions! 

 

Summer Library Program (SLP) Resources

WLA Summer Performer Showcase List.

  • to access recordings of performers, you must purchase access via the WLA website for your library.

 

Hiring performers:

Printing:

  • Winnefox Printing Services — types of printing available include SLP reading records, flyers, posters, bookmarks, brochures, etc.

Beanstack (link is external)— online reading challenge platform and mobile app, for all Wisconsin libraries

Collaborative Summer Library Program(link is external) website (click Manual Download tab)

  • 2028: Theme – Mythical Creatures
    2027: Mysteries Await at Your Library : Los Misterios te Esperan en tu Biblioteca – Mystery/Detective/Suspense
    2026: Unearth a Story : Desentierra una Historia – Dinosaurs/Archaeology/Paleontology (Tom Bonson)

  • 2025: Color Our World : Colorea Nuestro Mundo – Art (Mike Mullan)

  • 2024: theme: Adventure; slogan: "Adventure Begins at Your Library"
  • 2023: theme: Kindness and Friendship; slogan:"All Together Now"
  • 2022 theme: Oceans of Possibilities
  • 2021 theme: Tails and Tales
  • 2020 theme: Fairytales, Mythology, Fantasy; slogan: "Imagine Your Story"
  • 2019 theme: Space; slogan ”A Universe of Stories"
  • 2018 theme: Music; slogan: ”Libraries Rock”

SLP and the Annual Report(link is external)

  • Are you seeking reassurance about how to count “unduplicated individuals involved” in your “summer literacy offering”? View this refresher webinar presented by Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, Youth and Special Services Consultant to review common questions about youth services definitions and examples on the Wisconsin Public Library Annual Report

synonyms: Summer Library Program, SLP