[Michlib-l] Update - RE: Smokey Bear Reading Challenge

[Lancaster, Cathy (MDE)]

This morning I was able to talk to the US Forest Service directly to clarify a few things. They do not have funding to ship materials to every library system, so I am working on ways to get materials to participating public libraries<https://forms.gle/iYbSoXGvr3QhBF477> in Michigan. Stay tuned on that process. Meanwhile, each public library that signs up will receive the following (1 set, per branch):

  *   500 stickers
  *   50 Smokey cards (enough for the first 50 youth who complete it)
  *   Smokey stamp for marking printouts/log (paw print)

They aim to ship these out to states in January, while supplies last, but the reading challenge is up to you when you wish to run it. All other materials are in-house printable<https://smokeybear.com/library-toolkit-reading-challenge> materials and social media graphics for your library to print, if you are offering this challenge. Libraries can run it anytime between end of January – November 28, 2024, though I would recommend waiting until at least February or so, if using the provided supplies, because shipping timeline may fluctuate.
Smokey’s actual “birthday” is observed on August 9th, and there will be special news coming out of the Collaborative Summer Library Program, so you can also tie this challenge into “Adventure Begins at Your Library,” should you choose to!

Remember, only you can prevent wildfires. 😉

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Cathy Lancaster
Youth Services Coordinator
Library of Michigan
702 W. Kalamazoo St.
Lansing, MI 48915
My Pronouns: She/Her/Hers - See www.mypronouns.org<http://www.mypronouns.org/> to learn more.
LancasterC5 at michigan.gov<mailto:LancasterC5 at michigan.gov> | 517-335-8129 | www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan<http://www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan>
Follow us: Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/libraryofmichigan/> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/libraryofmich> | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/libraryofmichigan/>
Join the MiYouth<http://mail2.mcls.org/mailman/listinfo/miyouth> Listserv, created for Michigan public library staff to share and discuss children and teen programming and services.


From: Miyouth <miyouth-bounces at mcls.org> On Behalf Of Lancaster, Cathy (MDE) via Miyouth
Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2023 1:01 PM
To: miyouth at mcls.org; Michlib-L (michlib-l at mcls.org) <michlib-l at mcls.org>
Subject: Re: [Miyouth] Smokey Bear Reading Challenge - 2024 Year-Long

CAUTION: This is an External email. Please send suspicious emails to abuse at michigan.gov<mailto:abuse at michigan.gov>

Quick reminder if your library would like to participate anytime next year in the Smokey Bear Reading Challenge, sign-up using this form: https://forms.gle/wmwhc8ZubCEQy2VN9.
Details in my message below.
Thank you,
Cathy Lancaster
Youth Services Coordinator
Library of Michigan
702 W. Kalamazoo St.
Lansing, MI 48915
My Pronouns: She/Her/Hers - See www.mypronouns.org<http://www.mypronouns.org/> to learn more.
LancasterC5 at michigan.gov<mailto:LancasterC5 at michigan.gov> | 517-335-8129 | www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan<http://www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan>
Follow us: Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/libraryofmichigan/> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/libraryofmich> | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/libraryofmichigan/>
Join the MiYouth<http://mail2.mcls.org/mailman/listinfo/miyouth> Listserv, created for Michigan public library staff to share and discuss children and teen programming and services.

From: Miyouth <miyouth-bounces at mcls.org<mailto:miyouth-bounces at mcls.org>> On Behalf Of Lancaster, Cathy (MDE) via Miyouth
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2023 3:15 PM
To: miyouth at mcls.org<mailto:miyouth at mcls.org>; Michlib-L (michlib-l at mcls.org<mailto:michlib-l at mcls.org>) <michlib-l at mcls.org<mailto:michlib-l at mcls.org>>
Subject: [Miyouth] Smokey Bear Reading Challenge - 2024 Year-Long

CAUTION: This is an External email. Please send suspicious emails to abuse at michigan.gov<mailto:abuse at michigan.gov>

Smokey Bear Reading Challenge
The USDA Forest Service, in collaboration with the Georgia Public Library Service, is excited to announce the Smokey Bear Reading Challenge in celebration of Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday in 2024! They’re collaborating with public library systems across the country for this year-long challenge. This challenge is meant to complement CSLP's “Adventure Begins at Your Library,” and is designed to be a fun and easy way to engage children in reading about wildfire prevention, forests, and natural resource careers, while exploring their local environment. Celebrate Smokey’s 80th Birthday by joining the Smokey Bear Reading Challenge. Public libraries are invited to run the challenge for those 4 to 10 years of age, from January 1st to November 28th, 2024.
We are asking Michigan library systems sign-up under 1 point of contact, using this form: https://forms.gle/wmwhc8ZubCEQy2VN9

Important things to note:

  *   CSLP “Adventure Begins at Your Library” – The Collaborative Summer Library Program is partnering with the US Forest Services and these themes will tie nicely together! Be on the lookout this winter to hear who the 2024 Summer Reading Champion is… (If you attended CSLP's Summer Symposium<https://www.cslpreads.org/summer-symposium/> last week, you may have heard about this!  Session recordings should be available soon, FYI.)
  *   READsquared – I am working with US Forest Services and R2 to try get this in as a pre-made challenge. You can also use the art from the toolkit to make your own challenge. Beanstack is also apparently offering this as a challenge, too.
  *   Reporting – In Dec 2024 I will be asking all libraries who signed-up to complete a survey that includes the number of your participants & their zip codes, so be sure to track that information.
  *   Toolkit –You can download and print these materials in-house or send to a printer: https://smokeybear.com/library-toolkit-reading-challenge.

     *   Note: No alterations or variations should be made to graphics or promotional materials.
     *   This toolkit includes poster, bookmarks, sticker/button, reading log, and numerous incentives and marketing materials.


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Cathy Lancaster
Youth Services Coordinator
Library of Michigan
702 W. Kalamazoo St.
Lansing, MI 48915
My Pronouns: She/Her/Hers - See www.mypronouns.org<http://www.mypronouns.org/> to learn more.
LancasterC5 at michigan.gov<mailto:LancasterC5 at michigan.gov> | 517-335-8129 | www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan<http://www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan>
Follow us: Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/libraryofmichigan/> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/libraryofmich> | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/libraryofmichigan/>
Join the MiYouth<http://mail2.mcls.org/mailman/listinfo/miyouth> Listserv, created for Michigan public library staff to share and discuss children and teen programming and services.

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