2021 Summer Reading: Tails and Tales

Please check this page for updates on the 2021 Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP). You can also find information on the CSLP website. Please email akim@mt.gov with any questions you have.

2021 Program Theme:

• Theme: Animals and Stories
• Slogan: "Tails and Tales"
• Artist: Salina Yoon

2021 CSLP News

• 10/1/2020: The CSLP Manual is now available! Please visit the CSLP website at cslpreads.org to access your library's copy of the online manual. If you are having trouble accessing your copy, or don't know how, please contact your CSLP state rep, Amelea Kim, at akim@mt.gov
• 10/7/2020: Montana will not be receiving any print catalogs for CSLP materials this year. If your library would like to order CSLP materials, please visit the CSLP Store on the website and order directly from there. You can also download a PDF copy of the 2021 CSLP Catalog.
• 10/10/2020:  2020 Summer Reading Report - For those interested in seeing how 2020 went, please see the following StoryMap with feedback and results from Montana libraries
• 10/20/20: CSLP Tutorials - CSLP now has short video tutorials available on their website to help you navigate and find resources. Check them out on the CSLP Tutorial page, and check back in the future for other tutorials that will be added!
• 10/22/20: CSLP Teen Video Contest Winners - Please check out the 2020 CSLP Teen Video Contest Winners and Honorable Mentions! The videos created are incredible and inspiring, and it's amazing to see what teens can create.
• 12/2/20: Here are a few CSLP udpates:
  • November 2020 CSLP Newsletter
  • CSLP on Instagram – You can now follow CSLP on their official Instagram account @CSLPreads. Give them a follow!
  • CSLP President Elect – Our very own librarian, Cindy Christin, has just stepped into the role of President-Elect for CSLP 2021! Cindy was serving as the Secretary on the CSLP board, and due to personal circumstances, the President Elect for 2021 had to withdraw her candidacy. A vote was held among state reps, and Cindy was voted in to serve as President-Elect. Congrats Cindy!
• 1/25/21: Some more resources from CSLP and Zoo Montana
  • CSLP Social Media Kit for CSLP Member Libraries - If you are interested in getting access to CSLP's social media kit, please email Amelea Kim at akim@mt.gov for the link! This kit has sample captions, hashtags, images, and more, that you can customize to help spread the word about your summer reading program. 
  • Zoo Montana - Zoo Montana is excited to offer live-streamed programs for libraries! Their summer program schedule is available on Calendly, and interested libraries can sign up for a date/time that works for them. Please see the links listed below for more information, as well as supplemental resources from Zoo Montana:
    • Live Stream Program Schedule on Calendly
    • Zoo Montana YouTube Channel
    • Zoo Montana Website Resources
• 2/16/21: Programming Opportunities for Libraries from the Museum of the Rockies and Montana PBS
  • Digging Into Dinosaurs with Museum of the Rockies - Do you DIG dinosaurs? Join Museum of the Rockies for a three-part series all about PALEONTOLOGY! Museum of the Rockies has one of the largest collections of dinosaur fossils in the United States, and we want to share them with YOU! In this virtual series, you will learn about Montana’s dinosaurs and geology, take a virtual guided tour of the Hall of Horns and Teeth, and  ask questions to our paleontologists. Attend all three programs and receive a Junior Paleontologist certificate, signed by our John R. Horner Curator of Paleontology, John Scannella, Ph.D.! Each program will take place on Zoom and will be 30-45 minutes in length.
    • Cost: Free!
    • How to register: Visit the MOR Library Program website after 3/1
    • Dates: June 7th, 14th, 21st, and July 12th, 19th, and 26th
    • Topics: Montana Dinosaurs 101, Tour of the Hall of Horns and Teeth, and Ask a Paleontologist!
  • MontanaPBS Education: Summer Reading Program
    • Cost: Free!
    • Program Description: Request a fun program from MontanaPBS about lizards! 
    • Topics: Grip like a Gecko, Drink Like a Thorny Devil, Blend Like a Chameleon, Glide Like a Draco
    • Audience: Programs are focused on children aged 3 - 8, and families are encouraged to attend as a group!
    • To request a program: Please contact Deanna Mydland at deanna@montanapbs.org
• 3/15/21: CSLP Teen Video Competition - The Annual CSLP Teen Video Competition is back! Please see the links below for information on competitions rules, submission guidelines, and prizes.
  • There will be five national winners, with cash prizes available! 
  • Librarian and teacher support is encouraged, and small teams can work together to submit a video.
  • There are logos you can use to promote the competition on your social media accounts - see the competition homepage link below.
  • Main Teen Video Competition Homepage
  • Teen Video Winners from Past Years
• 4/5/21: CSLP March 2021 Newsletter
• 4/19/21: Town Pump Grants for Public Libraries for Summer Reading
  • The Town Pump Charitable Foundation is offering $1,000 grants to public libraries in Montana to help fund summer youth-reading programs.
  • Libraries can apply now through April 30 at  www.townpumpfoundation.com using the Keep Kids Reading application. Grants will be awarded in May 2021.
• 5/4/21: CSLP April 2021 Newsletter

2021 Summer Reading Planning Resources

• 2021 Summer Reading Brainstorm Session 1 on January 22nd, from 2 - 3 pm
• 2021 Summer Reading Workshop with Sherry Norfolk Part 1 on January 29th, from 2 - 4 pm:
  • Come and join Sherry Norfolk, storyteller and former children's librarian, for a fun virtual summer reading workshop based on CSLP 2021's theme of Tails and Tales! Sherry will go through various activity ideas with ideas for virtual and socially-distanced options and help you start thinking about what programs you want to offer in Summer 2021! 
  • Part I on January 22 will focus on programming for toddlers, perschoolers and children with special needs, along with some brief ideas for promotion, kickoff programs, and decorations.
• 2021 Summer Reading Workshop with Sherry Norfolk Part 2 on February 5th, from 2 - 4 pm: 
  • Come and join Sherry Norfolk, storyteller and former children's librarian, for a fun virtual summer reading workshop based on CSLP 2021's theme of Tails and Tales! Sherry will go through various activity ideas with ideas for virtual and socially-distanced options and help you start thinking about what programs you want to offer in Summer 2021!​
  • Part 2 of Sherry's workshop session will focus on programming for elementary, tweens and teens.
• 2021 Summer Reading Brainstorm Session 2 on February 11th from 12 - 1 pm: 
  • Come join your fellow librarians from around to state to learn more about the CSLP Theme for 2021, talk about ideas for Summer Reading 2021, and ask/share any questions or comments you may have! In this webinar, we will do the following:
    • Give a brief overview of CSLP and the resources offered to MT public libraries through our statewide membership
    • Review Sherry Norfolk's Summer Reading Webinars from January, and discuss the ideas mentioned
    • Share potential ideas and programs that libraries are thinking of doing
• 2021 Summer Reading Brainstorm Session 3 on March 24th
• 2021 Summer Reading Brainstorm Session 4 on April 17th, from 9 - 10:30 am (MLA Conference): Recording available through the Montana Library Association. Please email Debbi Kramer at debkmla@hotmail.com for access to the recording. 
• 2021 Summer Reading Brainstorm Session 5 on May 26th, from 3 - 4 pm
• 2021 READSquared Webinars
  • 12/03/20 READSquared Office Hours Webinar: password is "readsquared"
  • 3/17/21 READSquared Office Hours Webinar: password is "readsquared"

2021 Summer Reading Evaluation

At the end of each summer, the Montana State Library evaluates the summer reading program to learn more about what went well, what was challenging, and what can be improved for next year. MSL uses a survey created by CSLP that uses a mixture of standardized questions that libraries all around the country will answer, and state-individualized questions that are only relevant to Montana. Once evaluation of the summer reading program is complete (typically around September) a Storymap summary will be created and posted on this webpage. For more information about the evaluation survey, please contact Amelea Kim at akim@mt.gov.

MSL also hosts a reflection webinar, which will happen on August 26th, Thursday, from 3 - 4 pm. Please see the Summer Reading Reflection ASPeN Event page for more information.