Fresh Coast Bookshelf

The Fresh Coast Bookshelf program is a curated selection of 12 books across age range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes. Applications open January 28th for libraries to receive these books plus a full-color promotional display kit.

Cover Image: October Saugatuck by John Shultz

  • Fresh Coast Bookshelf: Title Reveal #2!

    The Fresh Coast
    Bookshelf 2026

    coming soon from the Library of the Great Lakes

    Coming your way, look for the opportunity to apply for the Fresh Coast Bookshelf, a curated selection of 12 fantastic books across age range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes, plus a full-color display kit to help promote it – all local Great Lakes region public libraries will be eligible to apply.

    As we count down to the Application Open date (Jan. 28th), let’s reveal the next four titles:

    The next four titles to be revealed are:

    A book cover with cartoon graphics of a young woman standing on the decl of a lighthouse with a young man a few feet behind her.
    A book cover featuring whimsical art of a large fish jumping out of water.
    Find these titles in our Digital Bookshelf

    The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
    by Anna Rose Johnson

    The Great Lakes: Fact or Fake?
    by Dave Dempsey

    The Best Part of Us
    by Sally Cole-Misch

    The Accidental Reef and Other Ecological Odysseys in the Great Lakes
    by Lynne Heasley

    Save the Date: Application period opens January 28th!

    Program open to all public libraries within the 8 U.S. States and 2 Canadian Provinces in the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, Ontario and Quebec).

    Check out our previously announced titles here.

    Come back on January 15th when we’ll reveal the next four titles!

    Post Image: October Saugatuck by John Shultz

  • Fresh Coast Bookshelf: Title Reveal #1!

    The Fresh Coast
    Bookshelf 2026

    coming soon from the Library of the Great Lakes

    All of our local Great Lakes region public libraries will have the chance to apply for a “Bookshelf in a Box” – a curated selection of 12 books across age range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes, plus a full-color display kit to help promote their new bookshelf!

    The selection list includes fantastic, fresh titles from children’s literature, adult fiction, nonfiction and poetry – and…

    The first four titles to be revealed are:

    The cover of Sisters In The Wind by Angeline Boulley. The cover features a red background with artwork of a woman whose face is obscured by a bird.
    The cover of Women Writing on the Great Lakes featuring a photograph of rolling storm clouds over water.
    Cover of the book Skating Wild on an Inland Sea. The cover features an illustration of a frozen lake with a small figure skater. The skate marks in the ice form the script of the title.
    The cover of Plants of the Great Lakes Region by Philippa Joly. The cover includes pictures of children interacting with nature.
    Find these titles in our Digital Bookshelf

    Sisters in the Wind
    by Angeline Boulley

    Skating Wild on an Inland Sea
    by Jean Pendziwol (author) and Todd Stewart (illustrator)

    Fresh Water, Women Writing on the Great Lakes
    by Alison Swan

    A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region
    by Phillipa Joly

    Save the Date: Application period opens January 28th!

    Program open to all public libraries within the 8 U.S. States and 2 Canadian Provinces in the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, Ontario and Quebec).

    Come back on December 15th when we’ll reveal the next four titles!

    Post Image: October Saugatuck by John Shultz

  • The Fresh Coast Bookshelf 2026

    Coming this January!

    The Fresh Coast Bookshelf 2026

    brought to you by Library of the Great Lakes
    –

    The Fresh Coast Bookshelf program is a curated selection of books across age range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes

    Starting in January, applications will be accepted from public libraries for a chance to be awarded a Fresh Coast Bookshelf at no cost, which will also include a ready-made full-color display kit with poster, bookmarks, stickers and more to help highlight and feature these fantastic Great Lakes books!

    Program open to all public libraries within the 8 U.S. States and 2 Canadian Provinces in the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, Ontario and Quebec)

    Awardees will get 12 curated titles to build their very own Fresh Coast Bookshelf!

    Check back on Nov. 17th, when we’ll reveal the first four titles on the shelf…

    Post Image: October Saugatuck by John Shultz

  • Coming Soon!

    The Fresh Coast Bookshelf 2026, brought to you by Library of the Great Lakes

    October Saugatuck by John Schultz

    The Fresh Coast Bookshelf is a brand new application program bringing libraries in the region a curated selection of 12 books across age range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes. It will include a ready-made “display in a box” to help highlight and feature these fantastic Great Lakes books.

    Applications will be accepted starting in January for a chance to be awarded a program kit at no cost to the selected libraries.

    Check back next month to find out more!