Unearth a Story – Summer 2026
Resources for Summer Program Planning
Compiled by Beth Yates ~ Indiana State Library ~ byates@library.in.gov
Indiana public library staff–sign up for a listserv to receive all the latest news and updates about summer reading and more! Visit here to sign up. (Youth services and summer reading news are most commonly sent to INCHILDPROG, YAPPERS, and INPUBLIB.)
General
- CSLP website
- CSLP Online Shop/Incentive Catalog (to order incentives, posters, etc.)
- Printable version of Incentive Catalog
- ISL’s “Unearth a Story” webinar (recording available by late January; live webinar will take place Wednesday 1/7, register here)
- ISL’s tutorial video: How to Access 2026 Online Manual for Indiana Libraries
- ISL’s tutorial video: What to Consider When Planning Summer Reading (geared for those new to summer reading)
- CSLP’s manual tutorial video
- ISL’s Resources for Librarians Serving Youth website
Programming Resources
- CSLP’s Summer Symposium
- Unearth a Story themed Summer Symposium took place on December 4, 2025. The Summer Symposium is a free, national, virtual conference. The agenda and registration, and later the session recordings and resources, can all be accessed via the CSLP Professional Development website. Sessions will include:
- Keynote by author & illustrator Dan Santat
- Unearth A Story™ 2026 Manual Highlights
- Unearthing Science with the Detroit Zoo
- Connect, Create, and Celebrate: A Collaborative Strategy for Summer Reading Decorations
- Archived Symposium session recordings and resources, along with other archived CSLP webinars, can also be found on the CSLP Professional Development website.
- Unearth a Story themed Summer Symposium took place on December 4, 2025. The Summer Symposium is a free, national, virtual conference. The agenda and registration, and later the session recordings and resources, can all be accessed via the CSLP Professional Development website. Sessions will include:
- CSLP’s Pinterest page
- Indiana Early Literacy Firefly Award website – utilize the 2026 Firefly Guide to promote the nominated books during storytimes this summer (2026 guide will be published in spring 2026).
- StarNet STEM Activity Clearinghouse
- TeachingBooks for Libraries – CSLP Book lists with resources for each title (accessible to Indiana residents only)
- Performers recommended by Indiana library staff
- List of Interactive Movie Experience Scripts compiled by Minerva Public Library, OH
- Kid Lit Collective‘s diverse summer reading lists (2026 will be added in spring, past years available now)
Related Partner & Resource Ideas
- Detroit Zoo – Google Drive with suggested activities & plans (featured during Summer Symposium session, view recording when available here)
- Library of Congress – Dinosaurs & Paleontology: A Resource Guide
- American Museum of Natural History – Dinosaur Activities & Lesson Plans
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History – Paleontology Resources
- The Field Museum – Dinosaur Toolkit (scroll down on Dinosaurs & Evolution page)
- National History Museum of London – Dino Directory
- Indiana State Museum – Education Resources (scroll down to Grades 3-5 Videos for Students to find a video that explains the types of “Rocks & Minerals” found in Indiana)
- Indianapolis Children’s Museum – Classroom Resources
- IU’s Indiana Geological & Water Survey – Educational Resources
- Falls of the Ohio Foundation – offers outreach programs for those in southern Indiana
- Indiana Dinosaur Museum – may be willing to partner with those in northern Indiana
Programming Groups On Facebook
- CSLP’s Official Summer Library Programming Group on Facebook
- CSLP’s Facebook Page (Note: as of November 2024 this link was not working on desktop but did work on mobile phone; alternatively, search for “Collaborative Summer Library Program” in Facebook under “Pages”)
- Follow CSLP on Instagram: cslpreads / On Twitter: @cslpreads
- ALA’s Programming Librarian Interest Group on Facebook
Summer Food Info
- USDA’s Summer Meals website
- Indiana’s Summer Food Service Program information site
- Feeding Your Community: Summer Meals at Libraries webinar from USDA and CSLP
- Further resources about Summer Food from CSLP
- No Kid Hungry
- NKH’s Summer Eligibility Map
- NKH’s Guide for Libraries
Root Cause Analysis
During the 2025 Color Our World workshops and webinar, we briefly spent time practicing the “Root Cause Analysis” method of evaluating our “whys” of summer reading. This was a very simplified version of Root Cause Analysis. Ultimately, the goal is to ask yourself what your goal is and why it is important, and to assess whether you need to tweak your program to meet what your community’s actual needs and your library’s actual goals are.
The Colorado Department of Education has a website dedicated to Root Cause Analysis with a number of resources to help you and your colleagues practice this technique at your own libraries. It can be used in many circumstances, including strategic planning.
CDE’s website includes this Root Cause Identification worksheet, which is a starting place to work through the “Five Whys.”
Setting goals for summer, beyond statistics, is key since libraries spend so much time, effort, and money on summer programming. Summer planners should ask themselves:
- Who in our community are we serving with the goal, and how?
- Who is not being served—and how can we reach them?
- Who else is serving that audience—could we partner?
- How will you know you’ve reached the goal?
Stats and Outcomes
- How Do I Count This? Updated Guidelines for Programming Stats –
- Angela Fox, Public Library Services Consultant @ Indiana State Library explains new rules for counting and reporting programming statistics (from 2021).
Reaching New and Old Patrons / Community Asset Mapping
- Where Do We Go From Here? Reaching Young Patrons Post-Pandemic – webinar from Beth Yates, ISL and Christy Franzman, Hamilton East Public Library – about asset mapping.
- Community Asset Mapping handout with resources and examples.
Other Resources
- List of Indiana Library YouTube Channels – add your library’s channel to the list, check out what other libraries are doing, and/or follow each other if you want!
- CSLP 2026 Unearth a Story Font & Design Guide
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Past Program Year Resources
- Resources from 2025 (Color Our World)
- Resources from 2024 (Adventure Begins)
- Resources from 2023 (All Together Now)
- Resources from 2022 (Oceans of Possibilities)
- Resources from 2021 (Tails & Tales)