FYI,

NJ State Library Projects:

Introducing Money Smart for Life!

Join the New Jersey State Library to promote financial literacy information and resources for all ages during Financial Literacy Month in April 2026! Money Smart for Life is NJSL’s statewide initiative to showcase how public libraries support financial education and wellbeing in their communities.

Coming Soon!

• Resources: Discover financial literacy websites and tools in one place!
• Professional Development: Attend webinars on financial literacy topics!
• Statewide Reach: Host financial literacy programs at your library!

Stay updated through the NJSL website: www.njstatelib.org/moneysmart

If you have questions, contact Andrea Levandowski (...@njstatelib.org" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.3; color: #2199e8; text-decoration: none;">alev...@njstatelib.org) or Sharon Rawlins (...@njstatelib.org" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.3; color: #2199e8; text-decoration: none;">sraw...@njstatelib.org).

Join the Community of Practice (CoP) to Discuss Teaching Information Literacy in New Jersey 

The New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) now require that information literacy be taught to K-12 students across all grade levels. Public and academic libraries will also be instrumental in helping to ensure that young people have access to resources and knowledge to help support the learning of information literacy.

Anyone who works with youth in school, public or academic libraries is invited to register to join the NJ State Library sponsored monthly virtual Community of Practice (CoP) meet ups. You will have the opportunity to engage with colleagues by sharing information and gaining knowledge of information literacy that you can use with youth in your libraries.  The CoP meet ups will be held on the second Tuesday of each month beginning in December from 4:00 – 5:00 pm via Microsoft Teams.

If you missed the Four Pillars of Information Literacy workshops the NJ State Library offered in the summer and fall but would like to view the recordings of some of the sessions from Series #2, visit this page to access the recordings links from  the sessions. 

CoP meeting dates and registration links:

• December 9, 2025. Registration link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/9ba28b2f-8df8-4c8c-bacf-fda97c63c9eb@794ba110-1a07-44b3-8e5a-d1972f9130b1
• January 13, 2026. Registration link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/77bad6cf-bd82-443d-b2da-542811c6376b@794ba110-1a07-44b3-8e5a-d1972f9130b1
• February 10, 2026. Registration link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/eccf99b4-acd3-4dc0-adcd-22775f0b99b8@794ba110-1a07-44b3-8e5a-d1972f9130b1
• March 10, 2026. Registration link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/2a9354d8-5e54-478f-bd62-d46bf8046588@794ba110-1a07-44b3-8e5a-d1972f9130b1
• April 7, 2026. Registration link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/142c5972-4a49-4424-a4cf-49a542473024@794ba110-1a07-44b3-8e5a-d1972f9130b1
• May 12, 2026. Registration link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/7365bb7f-9711-4a4b-9fe5-7f4a80146d83@794ba110-1a07-44b3-8e5a-d1972f9130b1
• June 9, 2026. Registration link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/08b86518-4f87-4b22-ac7d-1b9ef2dbc87a@794ba110-1a07-44b3-8e5a-d1972f9130b1

You will earn one hour of professional development for each CoP meet up you attend. Questions? Contact Sharon Rawlins, ...@njstatelib.org" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.3; color: #2199e8; text-decoration: none;">sraw...@njstatelib.org

Regional and National Opportunities:

From author Rowana Miller:
My debut YA thriller, Secrets of the Blue Hand Girls, recently released from Sourcebooks Fire. The most rewarding part of the book launch has been the opportunity to speak with the young people with whom the book resonates. I would love to do any free virtual author visits (or in-person visits, if you're within commuting distance of NYC) that would be interesting to your patrons in your libraries. I can structure these visits as creative writing workshops or more traditional author talks. If you'd like me to come in, please fill out the request form at:

https://www.rowanamiller.com/for-educators

===
Rowana Miller, Founder and Executive Director, Cosmic Writers
Adjunct Professor of English, Pace University
...@cosmicwriters.org" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.3; color: #2199e8; text-decoration: none;">rmil...@cosmicwriters.org
cosmicwriters.org

NJ STEM Month Mini Grant Application Now Open

Thanks to the generosity of the Overdeck Family Foundation, 2026 NJ STEM Month mini grants are available in amounts of up to $500 to amplify the impact of your events and programming. Event/program activities can include hosting costs such as snacks, meals, transportation, materials, etc.

The deadline to submit is January 9, 2026.

Learn more at www.njstempathways.org/njstemmonth

Apply here: NJ STEM Month (March 2026) Mini-Grant Application Form

Apply for a YALSA Grant for Teen Programming at Your Library – December 1^st Deadline

Applications are due for YALSA's Joann Sweetland Lum Memorial Grant. This annual $1,000 award, funded by friends and family of Joann Sweetland Lum and issued by YALSA, recognizes a librarian who has a creative, innovative project that promotes literacy. Apply here by December 1, 2025!  Questions? Reach out to YALSA Program Manager Maggie Reagan (...@ala.org" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left; line-height: 1.3; color: #2199e8; text-decoration: none;">mrea...@ala.org).

AASL and ALSC are partnering to bring Pokémon Clubs to school and public libraries!

Through a new collaboration, AASL and ALSC are partnering with The Pokémon Company International to provide participating libraries with a Pokémon Club Kit designed to help librarians create engaging, community-based clubs for children ages 5–14. Learn more about this partnership here!

 All the best,