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<img src="cid:image002.png@01DBA7A5.EF9EB640" width="128" height="128" style="width: 128px; height: 128px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; float: left;" id="img-abc397c0-076e-4549-a30e-ba11c1fdab69"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As libraries
plan for summer reading programs, it’s great to find ways to engage with patrons and gain the interest of folks who may not be regular library users. The
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: blue;"><u><a href="https://mel.org/welcome" target="_blank" style="color: blue; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Michigan eLibrary</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> (MeL)
has content to help you plan and execute creative programs for all ages this summer.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Can you find more participants?</b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: blue;"><u><a href="https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=ec3eb60b-694f-39fc-83af-26ba05573be3" target="_blank" style="color: blue; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Going
the Extra Mile</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">" in </span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: blue;"><i><u><a href="https://auth.mel.org/newera/check-direct?url=https://widgets.ebscohost.com/prod/customerspecific/mel/auth.php?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edspub&AN=edp62389&site=pfi-live" target="_blank" style="color: blue; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">School
Library Journal</a></u></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> describes several outreach programs across the country that aim to offer literacy programming and summer reading outside of the library. These types of programs can be beneficial
to folks in rural areas who lack transportation, as well as in urban areas where libraries may not be walkable or open during hours that allow access for certain sectors of the community.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Are your prizes sustainable?</b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">There are always summer reading prize questions that come through library listservs every year. "</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: blue;"><u><a href="https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=1370e52b-872c-3a78-96ca-48581203848a" target="_blank" style="color: blue; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">A
Greener Way to Read: Summer Reading Program Helps the Community—and the Earth</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">" in
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: blue;"><i><u><a href="https://auth.mel.org/newera/check-direct?url=https://widgets.ebscohost.com/prod/customerspecific/mel/auth.php?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edspub&AN=edp3941&site=pfi-live" target="_blank" style="color: blue; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">American
Libraries</a></u></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> tackles this question. Rather than small, individual prizes, the authors focus on giving away books and creating a community goal that everyone can be excited about achieving. Since
the inception of these changes, the community has achieved its reading goal and planted trees, restored habitats, installed solar panels, and donated to animal shelters, food banks, and a parks foundation. In addition, participation in the program has grown
by more than double! Making goals larger and more meaningful is just one way to draw in new patrons.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Looking for ways to expand your reach?</b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Working together with community organizations and other institutions may be the perfect way to bring summer reading to a wider audience.
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: blue;"><i><u><a href="https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=9e52d71d-1939-3dc1-b495-94824db7e1b5" target="_blank" style="color: blue; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Children’s Services:
Partnerships for Success</a></u></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> in the
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: blue;"><u><a href="https://widgets.ebscohost.com/prod/customerspecific/mel/auth.php?database=ebsco-e000xna" target="_blank" style="color: blue; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">eBook Academic Collection</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> provides
ideas for working with others in the community to take library programming to another level. You might have access to a museum, history center, college/university, or local park service and can use the ideas in this book to enhance your summer plans.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Whether it’s taking story hour to a local daycare or senior center, partnering with an excavating company to show off their fleet of trucks, or working with local artists and photographers to teach new skills and
put on an art show, use the articles and eBooks in MeL to find endless possibilities for expanding summer programming throughout every community in Michigan. For additional ideas, you can view a
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: blue;"><u><a href="https://www.mcls.org/files/4317/4010/3730/2025-02_Color_Our_World_MeL_eResources_and_Summer_Reading_2025_.mp4" target="_blank" style="color: blue; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">webinar</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> that
links the 2025 CSLP summer reading program to the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: blue;"><u><a href="https://mel.org/az.php" target="_blank" style="color: blue; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">MeL eResources</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white;"><b>If you have any MeL eResources questions or issues, contact
</b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: blue; background-color: white;"><b><u><a href="mailto:melerhelp@mcls.org" style="color: blue; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">melerhelp@mcls.org</a></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white;"><b> for
help.</b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white;">Brought to you by
<b>Laura Warren-Gross</b> from the MeL Team. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white;">Supporting Michigan Libraries by Putting You First. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white;">Want more information on MeL? Stay tuned for the next MeL Minute available on many Michigan library listservs, visit </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(41, 84, 209); background-color: white;"><u><a href="http://mel.org/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(41, 84, 209); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">http://mel.org</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white;">,
or sign up for the MeL Minute and other Library of Michigan e-mail lists via </span>
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We encourage you to share MeL Minutes with your colleagues and networks. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white;">MeL eResources are available to Michigan residents or for Michigan library or school access only. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: white;">This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: black;"><b>Laura Warren-Gross</b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">MeL Engagement Specialist for Public Libraries <br>
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: black;">Midwest Collaborative for Library Services <br>
517-481-2022 </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(5, 99, 193);"><u>warren-grossl@mcls.org</u></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: black;"> </span></p>
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