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. Starting January 28th, 2026, libraries can apply to receive these books plus a full-color promotional display kit. Applications close February 18th, 2026.

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. Starting January 28th, 2026, libraries can apply to receive these books plus a full-color promotional display kit. Applications close February 18th, 2026.

Apply Now!

Applications are now open for our inaugural Fresh Coast Bookshelf! Up to 10 libraries will receive:

  • 12 curated books across age-range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes
  • A full-color display kit for promoting your new books

Applications are due by midnight EST on February 18th, 2026.

Apply Here

If you have any questions about your application, please email
info@libraryofthegreatlakes.org

Check out this year’s Fresh Coast titles!

Click any cover to view it in our Digital Bookshelf.

Children’s Books

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.
Skating Wild on and Inland Sea by Jean E. Pendziwol
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.
The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson
Cover of Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer featuring a cartoon drawing of a young girl with a dog in a meadow with flowers.
Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Family Nonfiction

The cover of The Great Lakes, Our Freshwater treasure by Barb Rosenstock featuring a pastel painting of two people and a dog in a canoe at sunrise near a sandy shore.
The Great Lakes, Our Freshwater Treasure by Barb Rosenstock
The cover of Plants of the Great Lakes Region by Philippa Joly. The cover includes pictures of children interacting with nature.
A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region by Philippa Joy
The cover to Dave Dempsey's book "The Great lakes: Fact or Fake?" with a silhouette of the Great Lakes and red questions marks in the background.
The Great Lakes: Fact or Fake by Dave Dempsey

YA & Adult Fiction

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.
Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
Cover for the book "The Best Part of Us" by Sally Cole-Misch. The cover features a photograph of water with distant, forested land.
The Best Part of Us by Sally Cole-Misch

Nonfiction

A book cover featuring whimsical art of a large fish jumping out of water.
The Accidental Reef by Lynne Heasley
Great Lakes Champions: Grassroots Efforts to Clean Up Polluted Watersheds by John Hartig

Poetry & Essays

The cover of Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes featuring a photograph of rolling storm clouds over water.
Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes, edited by Alison Swan
What Can the Matter By? by Keith Taylor

Know a library?

Let them know that applications are open to bring a Fresh Coast Bookshelf to your town!

Fresh Coast Blog

  • Applications Open for Fresh Coast Bookshelf 2026

    brought to you by Library of the Great Lakes

    Applications are now open for the Fresh Coast Bookshelf, a curated collection of 12 fantastic books across age range and genre that celebrate the Great Lakes, plus a full-color display kit! All local Great Lakes region public libraries are invited to apply. Up to ten libraries will be awarded the collection in this inaugural year of the Fresh Coast Bookshelf.

    Apply Now

    Applications are due by Midnight Eastern Time February 18, 2026. Please share this wonderful opportunity with your local library.

    Check out this year’s titles:

    Children’s Books
    Cover of Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer featuring a cartoon drawing of a young girl with a dog in a meadow with flowers.
    Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer
    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.
    The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson
    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.
    Skating Wild on and Inland Sea by Jean E. Pendziwol

    Family Nonfiction
    The cover of The Great Lakes, Our Freshwater treasure by Barb Rosenstock featuring a pastel painting of two people and a dog in a canoe at sunrise near a sandy shore.
    The Great Lakes, Our Freshwater Treasure by Barb Rosenstock
    The cover of Plants of the Great Lakes Region by Philippa Joly. The cover includes pictures of children interacting with nature.
    A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great Lakes Region by Philippa Joy
    The Great Lakes: Fact or Fake by Dave Dempsey
    YA and Adult Fiction
    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.
    Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
    The Best Part of Us by Sally Cole-Misch
    Nonfiction
    Great Lakes Champions: Grassroots Efforts to Clean Up Polluted Watersheds by John Hartig
    A book cover featuring whimsical art of a large fish jumping out of water.
    The Accidental Reef by Lynne Heasley
    Poetry and Essays
    The cover of Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes featuring a photograph of rolling storm clouds over water.
    Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes, edited by Alison Swan
    What Can the Matter By? by Keith Taylor

    Visit our Fresh Coast Webpage!

  • Fresh Coast Bookshelf: Title Reveal #3!

    The Fresh Coast
    Bookshelf 2026

    coming soon from the Library of the Great Lakes

    Coming soon: 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! 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 final four titles:

    The next four titles to be revealed are:

    The cover of The Great Lakes, Our Freshwater treasure by Barb Rosenstock featuring a pastel painting of two people and a dog in a canoe at sunrise near a sandy shore.
    Cover of Bud Finds Her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer featuring a cartoon drawing of a young girl with a dog in a meadow with flowers.
    Find these titles in our Digital Bookshelf

    What Can the Matter Be?
    by Keith Taylor

    The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure
    by Barb Rosenstock

    Great Lakes Champions: Grassroots Efforts to Clean Up Polluted Watersheds
    by John Hartig

    Bud Finds Her Gift
    by Robin Wall Kimmerer

    Set a Calendar Reminder: Applications open 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.

    Post 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