Search the Blog
Categories
- Books & Reading
- Broadband Buzz
- Census
- Education & Training
- General
- Grants
- Information Resources
- Library Management
- Nebraska Center for the Book
- Nebraska Memories
- Now hiring @ your library
- Preservation
- Pretty Sweet Tech
- Programming
- Public Library Boards of Trustees
- Public Relations
- Talking Book & Braille Service (TBBS)
- Technology
- Uncategorized
- What's Up Doc / Govdocs
- Youth Services
Archives
Subscribe
Monthly Archives: January 2012
Internship Grant application deadline extended to March 1, 2012
The Nebraska Library Commission’s 21st Century Librarian Internship Grant application deadline has been extended from February 15, 2012, to March 1, 2012.
See the Jan. 12, 2012, NCompass blog post for a short description, or visit the Internships page of the Now Hiring @ your library© website.
Customer Service Books For Before the Patron Says…
After reading about the experiences of public librarians at the service desk I was amazed at the situations they were put through and how well they handled the patrons. I thought maybe some of the following might be helpful as refreshers as well as sources of new ideas for handling situations.
- Defusing the Angry Patron, 2nd ed, by Rhea Joyce Rubin, Z711 .R79 2011
- How to Thrive as a Solo Librarian, by Carol Smallwood & Melissa J. Clapp, Z675.S57 H69 2012
- Listening to the Customer, by Peter Hernon, Z678.85 .H475 2011
- Customer Service Basics , DVD, Library Video Network, 2010 (short online video with catalog entry)
Coming up this month is the free Big Talk from Small Libraries Conference, offered online February 28, 2012. It’s about big things from small libraries, such as the following programs:”Gaming and Game Collection Development”, “Community Partnerships”, and “Training the Public” This conference was organized and is hosted by Michael Sauers and Laura Johnson of the Nebraska Library Commission and is co-sponsored by the Association for Small & Rural Libraries and Library Renewal.
As always,–please contact the Information Services Team if you’d like to check out any of these titles. Thanks.
Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training
Leave a comment
Friday Video: On the Brink
http://vimeo.com/34831838
We’ve created this mini-documentary for our client Ericsson and their Networked Society campaign.
In ‘On The Brink’ we discuss the past, present and future of connectivity with a mix of people including David Rowan, chief editor of Wired UK; Caterina Fake, founder of Flickr; and Eric Wahlforss, the co-founder of Soundcloud.
We’re a creative agency based in Stockholm, Sweden. If you want to know more about us, check out our website: houseofradon.com
Posted in Technology
Leave a comment
Nebraska Learns 2.0: Say Hello to BookThing
Starting in February, we’re going to be running a second parallel program within Nebraska Learns 2.0. The regular program of online “Things” will continue as usual, but we’ll also be running a new program, called “BookThing”.
Each month we’ll pick a single title that we feel has relevance to librarianship and/or information theory. Some of the titles will be very obviously related, while others may not seem so on the surface but there is a connection.
Your assignment will be to read the book and answer the following questions:
- What did you / what can librarians learn from this book?
- How might the focus of this book impact library service?
- How might the focus of this book impact library users?
Each title will be assigned a variable number of CE credits based on the length of the book. To earn the CE credits, participants must either write a blog post answering those three questions (minimum of 300 words) or create a video (YouTube or other video service of your choice) of at least three minutes long answering those three questions, which is then posted to your blog.
If you’ve previously read the month’s choice, that’s great! You don’t have to re-read the book, unless you really want to. You are still welcome to participate by writing your post or creating your video about the book. You will only earn CE credit if you’ve not previously earned CE credit for that title.
BookThing was inspired by Michael Stephens.
Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training
Leave a comment
Introduction to Metadata Workshop Scheduled for March
Description: Dublin Core, EAD, MODS, METS – it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when thinking about all the metadata standards used in today’s libraries. Attend this workshop for an introduction to the basic principles of metadata and how it is used to provide description of and access to information. Participants will have the opportunity to complete hands-on exercises using a variety of metadata standards.
This workshop is approved for the NLC Cataloging Certificate Program.
Audience: Library staff with some knowledge of cataloging.
Date: March 8, 2012
Time: 9 AM-4 PM (Central Time)
Location: Reinert-Alumni Library, Creighton University, Omaha
Cost: No Charge
To register: Go to the Nebraska Library Commission Training and Events Calendar.
Posted in Education & Training
Leave a comment
NCompass Live: Tech Talk with Michael Sauers: Presentation Skills – Recorded Online Session
This month’s tech talk will feature three librarians experienced in public speaking each talking about what they feel is important in delivering a great presentation. Some of their advice will focus on the technology involved, while others will focus on the softer skills that every public speaker needs. Our three presenters will be Jezmynne Dene, Director of the Portneuf (ID) District Library, Jenica Rogers, Director of Libraries at SUNY Potsdam, and David Lee King, Digital Branch & Services Manager at the Topeka & Shawnee County (KS) Public Library.
Let’s make sure this isn’t you:
Download audio (MP3)
Subscribe via RSS
Subscribe via iTunes
Video (YouTube)
Links (Delicious)
Posted in Education & Training, Technology
Leave a comment
ALA Youth Media Awards Announced!
Here are the award winners and honor books as announced this morning by ALA.
ALSC Awards (Assication of Library Services for Children):
John Newbery Medal:
Award: Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
Honor:
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Breaking Stalin’s Nose illustrated & written by Eugene Yelchin
Caldecott Medal:
Award: A Ball for Daisy illustrated & written by Chris Raschka
Honor:
Blackout illustrated & written by John Rocco
Grandpa Green illustrated & written by Lane Smith
Me…Jane illustrated & written by Patrick McDonnell
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award:
Award: Tales for Very Picky Eaters by Josh Schneider
Honor:
I Broke My Trunk by Moe Willems
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
See Me Run by Paul Meisel
Robert F. Sibert Medal:
Award: Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade written & illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Honor:
Black & White: The Confrontation of Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene “Bull” Connor by Larry Dane Brimner
Drawing From Memory written & illustrated by Allen Say
The Elephant Scientist by Caitlin O’Connell and Donna M. Jackson
Witches!: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster by Rosalyn Schanzer
Mildred L. Batchelder Award (honors the publisher of a book originally published in a language other than English.)
Award: Soldier Bear by Bibi Dumon Tak
Honor: The Lily Pond by Annika Thor
Pura Belpré Award: (co-sponsored by ASLC & REFORMA) celebrates the Latino culture
Illus. Award: Diego Rivera: His World and Ours illustrated & written by Duncan Tonatiuh
Honor:
The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred by Samantha R. Vamos
Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/ Marisol McDonald no Combina illustrated by Sara Palacios and written by Monica Brown
Author Award: Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Honor:
Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller written and illustrated by Xavier Garza
Hurricane dancers: the first Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck by Margarita Engle
YALSA Awards (Young Adult Library Services Association):
Micheal L. Printz Award:
Award: Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Honor:
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
The Returning by Christine Hinwood
Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
YALSA Excellence for NF Award:
Award: The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, and Treachery by Steve Sheinkin
Finalists:
Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science by Marc Aronson & Marina Budhos
Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition by Karen Blumenthal
Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) by Sue Macy
Music was It: Young Leonard Bernstein by Susan Goldman Rubin
William C. Morris Award:
Award: Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Honor:
The Girl of Fire & Thorns by Rae Carson
Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Sepetys
Margaret A. Edwards Award: (Significant and lasting contribution to Young Adult literature.)
Susan Cooper
Other ALA Awards:
Coretta Scott King Awards:
CSK Virginia Hamilton Practitioner Award: (lifetime achievement presented every 2 years for lasting …)
Ashley Bryan (Let It Shine, Beautiful Blackbird, and more )
He was the first African-American to both write and illustrate a children’s book.
Illustrator Award:
Award: Shane W. Evans for Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom (illustrator and author)
Honor: Kadir Nelson for Heart & Soul (illustrator and author)
Author Award:
Award: Kadir Nelson for Heart and Soul
Eloise Greenfield for The Great Migration: Journey to the North
Patricia C. McKissack for Never Forgotten
Schneider Family Book Awards:
Children – the committee chose not to select a title, no submission was deemed worthy
Middle – selected two titles for this group:
Close to Famous by Joan Bauer
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Teen – The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
Stonewall Childrens & YA lit award:
Award: Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright
Honor:
A+ e 4ever by Ilike Merey
Money Boy by Paul Yee
Pink by Lili Wilkinson
with or without you by Brian Farrey
Andrew Carnegie Medal (excellence in video for children):
“Children Make Terrible Pets” by Peter Brown
Odyssey Award (best audio produced for children or teens) administered by ALSC & YLSA
Award: “Rotters” written by Daniel Kraus
Honor:
“Ghetto Cowboy”
“Okay for Now”
“TheScorpio Races”
“Young Fredle”
May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award:
2013 lecture delivered by Michael Morpurgo
(I’m sorry, I missed the announcement of the Alex Awards while trying to log in to the streaming video.)
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services
Leave a comment
Don’t Forget the Back
When looking at old postcards it’s easy to get fixated on the image on the front of the postcard or pass a postcard by because the image doesn’t capture your attention. I think it’s important to take a minute and look at the back of the postcard. If you are lucky it will be a used postcard. Let me show you some used postcards in Nebraska Memories that have some interesting backs.
Let’s start with this postcard of the Omaha High School, Omaha, Neb. It is an interesting picture of the High School but I find the back to be pretty amusing. I wish I knew more about Margaret, Cheaty and Helen.
“Der Elsa: How would you like to go to this High School. It certainly is a whopper. Cheaty aught to teach here. Ha!Ha! I could go and see him real often. (Would he like it) and have Helen in my hair. Write and tell me the news.
Margaret Paisch 1041 – 1 ave. So.”
Before moving on I wanted to point out that luckily we don’t have to read the handwriting on the back of these cards. The text from the postcard can be found in the Transcript field which is located on the Item Description area.
The text on the back of the Convent of Mercy postcard is pretty short. It reminds me of a message that I’d actually send as a text message.
“Dear Sis. & Bro.
Will drop you a line to let you know Pappa & Mamma & Kruses are coming over to see you Sunday. Seems as if your papper never will come.
They will be their Sunday for dinner.
Love from all. your Sis Dora”
There are too many postcard backs I like for me to share them word for word. Here are a few teasers and links so you can read the complete transcript if you want to know more.
“Say don’t you wish you could tell me something over telephone? HaHa” This card is postmarked 1911. I wonder when telephones became conman in Nebraska and Kansas.- Here is another one that reminds me of a text message. How would you like to revive a postcard reminding you to do the dishes?
- This next postcard is from SMD telling Isabelle that “No I haven’t got a girl yet. Honest.”
- We know the X on the right side of this post card is where John lives.
- (Don’t tell ma) we are here. I wonder if here is the St. Philomena Catholic Church or here is Omaha.
- Emma is mailing her shopping list. She would like them to “buy fresh yeast 15 cents worth”. She’s very persistent: “15 cents worth. don’t forget.”.
- Would you go see Bessie after her talk of Scarlet fever?
Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images digitized from photographs, negatives, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books and other materials.
Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information, or contact Beth Goble, Government Information Services Director, or Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.
Posted in General, Nebraska Memories, Technology
Leave a comment
Friends of the Library groups: Fill out survey for a chance to win
The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF), a division of the American Library Association, is conducting a survey for Friends of the Library groups. The survey can be accessed at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/J7V9QYZ and responses will be collected through March 1, 2012.
The simple 10-question survey can be completed in five minutes or less. Survey responses will help ALTAFF develop resources for members and will be published on ALTAFF’s website and in an upcoming edition of ALTAFF’s newsletter for members, The Voice. Groups that complete the survey will be entered for a chance to win one of three prizes: $250, a year of ALTAFF membership or a one-year membership renewal (a value of up to $125), or a copy of ALTAFF’s “Even More Great Ideas for Libraries and Friends” (a $44.95 value).
Please e-mail altaff@ala.org with any questions or call (800) 545-2433, ext. 2161. Survey results will be posted on the ALTAFF website, www.ala.org/altaff, later this year.
Recording Now Available: New Opportunities to Retain Wealth in Nebraska Communities: Transfer of Wealth Study
There is still time to ensure that the upcoming transfer of wealth predicted for Nebraska includes the transfer of some funds to the libraries that are so vital to our Nebraska Communities. The recording of the NCompass Live session with Jeff Yost, Nebraska Community Foundation President and CEO: “New Opportunities to Retain Wealth in Nebraska Communities: Transfer of Wealth Study”, originally broadcast live on January 4, is now available at NCompass Live: New Opportunities to Retain Wealth in Nebraska Communities: Transfer of Wealth Study.
A six-page summary report that is referenced during the presentation is available at: http://www.nebcommfound.org/media/docs/2011_Transfer_of_Wealth_Summary_Report.pdf
There is no cost to view this session.
Nebraska libraries are eligible for 1 hour of CE credit per recorded session.
If you have any questions, please contact Christa Burns, 800-307-2665, or 402-471-3107.
Announcing the Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference
We’ve been listening! A comment we’ve heard pretty often is that so many presentations at conferences seem to be by and for librarians from larger libraries. Well, Big Talk From Small Libraries will change that.
This free one-day online conference is aimed at librarians from small libraries; the smaller the better. Each of our speakers is from a small library or directly works with small libraries.
Topics range from technology (new tech and old tech) to programming to partnering with your community. Speakers will cover eight topics—one each hour. Come for the programs on what you’re dealing with now or maybe try something new.
Everyone is welcome to register and attend, regardless of how big or small their library is, but if your library serves a few thousand people, or a few hundred, this is the day for you.
More details, including speaker bios, session descriptions, technical information and registration can be found @ http://nlcblogs.nebraska.gov/bigtalk/.
This conference was organized and is hosted by Michael Sauers and Laura Johnson of the Nebraska Library Commission and is co-sponsored by the Association for Small & Rural Libraries and Library Renewal.
Big Talk From Small Libraries
February 28, 2012
8:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (CT)
Preliminary Schedule:
8:45am Log-in, Welcome, Housekeeping – Michael Sauers & Laura Johnson, Nebraska Library Commission
9:00am Helping Your Patrons E-Read – Karen Mier, Plattsmouth Public Library (NE)
10:00am Community Partnerships – Karla Bieber, A.H. Brown Library & Diane Althoff, Gregory Public Library (SD)
11:00am The Fayetteville Free Library Fab Lab – Lauren Smedley, Fayetteville Free Library (NY)
12:00pm Combo School/Public Libraries – Lindsey Hansen & Linda Holmberg (SD)
1:00pm Training the Public – Jessamyn West, Librarian.net (VT)
2:00pm Working in the Cloud – Jezymnne Dene, Portneuf District Library (ID)
3:00pm Gaming and Game Collection Development – Diane Trinkle, Nortonville Public Library (KS)
4:00pm TBA
Posted in Education & Training
Leave a comment
Friday Video: Cory Doctorow: The coming war on general computation
The last 20 years of Internet policy have been dominated by the copyright war, but the war turns out only to have been a skirmish. The coming century will be dominated by war against the general purpose computer, and the stakes are the freedom, fortune and privacy of the entire human race.
The problem is twofold: first, there is no known general-purpose computer that can execute all the programs we can think of except the naughty ones; second, general-purpose computers have replaced every other device in our world. There are no airplanes, only computers that fly. There are no cars, only computers we sit in. There are no hearing aids, only computers we put in our ears. There are no 3D printers, only computers that drive peripherals. There are no radios, only computers with fast ADCs and DACs and phased-array antennas. Consequently anything you do to “secure” anything with a computer in it ends up undermining the capabilities and security of every other corner of modern human society.
And general purpose computers can cause harm — whether it’s printing out AR15 components, causing mid-air collisions, or snarling traffic. So the number of parties with legitimate grievances against computers are going to continue to multiply, as will the cries to regulate PCs.
The primary regulatory impulse is to use combinations of code-signing and other “trust” mechanisms to create computers that run programs that users can’t inspect or terminate, that run without users’ consent or knowledge, and that run even when users don’t want them to.
The upshot: a world of ubiquitous malware, where everything we do to make things better only makes it worse, where the tools of liberation become tools of oppression.
Our duty and challenge is to devise systems for mitigating the harm of general purpose computing without recourse to spyware, first to keep ourselves safe, and second to keep computers safe from the regulatory impulse.
Posted in Education & Training, Technology
2 Comments
What’s Sally Reading?
YALSA Video Academy is free to librarians!
The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) revealed their new Video Academy project on January 17, 2012. Right now there are twelve You Tube videos on topics ranging from “Twitter Basics” to “Running a Mock Printz Program” with times varying from 1 minute to 7 minutes long. Go here to view the topics. YALSA encourages you to watch them at your convenience and at no charge. They also suggest librarians create and submit videos to add to the selection. If you are interested in creating a video, start at their FAQ. Just so you know, because these videos are so short, you will not be able to earn CE credit for them (the video or training must last at least 20 minutes to receive CE credit) but they will certainly be helpful to you. However, if you create a video you could earn CE credit, talk to Laura Johnson.
Yesterday I finished reading Here Lies Linc by Delia Ray. Linc is 12 and just started junior high. His earlier schooling was as part of the Ho-Hos: Home-Away-From-Home School taught by a retired professor. His father died when he was seven, and he and his mother live next to the town cemetery. The Adopt-a-Grave class assignment is the catalyst for all kinds of trouble (and revelations) that mires Linc in several messes. His theft of a crypt key to impress another student is his worst move. Linc finds navigating junior high; and changing relationships with friends, former friends, and family are a lot to take on in his first fall at a public school. This title will appeal to readers in grades 4-7, and the real epitaphs from tombstones that start each chapter could result in readers trying their own hands at it. This title will also work well with the 2013 summer reading program topic: underground.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services
Leave a comment
New Books Added to the Library Commission Collection
The following books have been added to the collection–please contact the Information Services Team if you’d like to check out any of these titles. Thanks.
Best Practices for Corporate Libraries, ed. by Sigrid E. Kelsey & Marjorie J. Porter
Reading Julia Alvarez, by Alice L. Trupe
Reference Reborn; Breathing New Life into Public Services Librarianship, ed. by Diane Zabel
Reality is Broken; Why Games Make Us Better & How They Can Change the World, by Jane McGonigal
Pre- & Post- Retirement Tips for Librarians, ed. by Carol Smallwood
Posted in Books & Reading
Leave a comment
NCompass Live: Discovery tools? You Can Compete with Google – Recorded Online Session
Discovery tools that can be customized for your library can be a powerful alternative to Web search engines like Google. Dee Ann Allison, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, will show you how libraries can customize these tools to provide an Information Portal that brings together the best resources for our communities.
Download audio (MP3)
Subscribe via RSS
Subscribe via iTunes
Video (YouTube)
Presentation Slides (SlideShare)
Links (Delicious)
Posted in Technology
Leave a comment
Youth Business Showcase Video Competition
The Center for Rural Affairs is excited to announce their first ever “Youth Business Showcase Video Contest.”
The video based contest will judge creatively captured and edited video submissions from students (middle school through high school-aged students are eligible to enter) across Nebraska, capturing their youth lead businesses in a three minute or less video. Students can showcase current business(es) or entrepreneurial ventures in progress.
Students must create a three minute video that captures their business and “pitch” it to judges. Submissions can be made as one of three categories: 1) Personal business (outside of school/community), 2) School-based business, or 3) Community/organizational youth-lead business.
Judging criteria will be based on creativity, innovative ideas and strategies for approaching the implementation of the business, and the vitality and sustainability of the business for the future.
Entries in the video competition are now being accepted and must be received by midnight on January 30, 2012. The award-winning videos will be announced at a special ceremony in conjunction with the first ever IDEA (Innovation, Dialogue, Entrepreneurship, Action) Summit, an event dedicated to high school entrepreneurs, being held on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center in Kearney, NE.
“This is an exceptional opportunity for youth not only to showcase their knowledge and efforts in establishing, maintaining and sustaining their savvy entrepreneurial endeavors but also a great way to recognize their efforts and learn about their impacts,” said Shawnna Silvius with the Center for Rural Affairs. “The semi-finalist videos will be shown to all the youth and adult attendees at the BIZ IDEA Summit and will provide an opportunity to inspire others while informing the audience about how their business is influencing each of their futures as well as contributing to their local economies. We hope this is also an attractive way of connecting economic developers and community leaders to their future businesses.”
Students should highlight the product or service, their team, applicable market research, branding and design, financial strategies, sales, direct and indirect competitors, as well as long and short-term business development goals. The video must demonstrate a well thought through business idea and coordinated implementation strategy which has shown impacts.
The semi-finalists will be asked to attend the IDEA Summit and student attendees will narrow to one winner per category. Contest winners will win an Xbox 360 Kinect for the Personal Business category, and a $200 cash prize for each the School-based business and Community/organizational youth-lead business categories. Semi-finalists must be able to attend the awards ceremony during the IDEA summit to win. Winners will be contacted and given the chance to attend if they are selected and not registered for the entire event.
To learn more and submit a video, please visit: http://www.cfra.org/marketplace/youth-video
The BIZ IDEA Summit will be held prior to Nebraska’s premiere rural entrepreneurship conference, MarketPlace. Though separate events, both emphasize small business development through entrepreneurship in rural Nebraska and will be held during National Entrepreneurship Week.
The BIZ IDEA Summit is a day of hands on experience dedicated to youth entrepreneurs intended to stimulate innovation and business ideas development; to engage in dialogue; to raise entrepreneurial action; and to recognize distinctive visions, efforts, accomplishments and impacts of youth-led businesses in celebration of National Entrepreneurship Week.
For more details on the BIZ IDEA Summit visit: http://www.cfra.org/marketplace/IDEA . For further information contact Shawnna Silvius, shawnnas@cfra.org or 402-873-4027. And for more on MarketPlace visit: http://www.cfra.org/marketplace/ne-12 .
###
Contact: John Crabtree, johnc@cfra.org, 402-687-2103 ext. 1010, 563-581-2867 (cell)
Elisha Smith, elishas@cfra.org, Phone: 402-687-2103 ext. 1007
Center for Rural Affairs Announces First Ever
“Youth Business Showcase Video Contest”
Winners to be announced at IDEA Summit during National Entrepreneurship Week
Posted in General
Leave a comment
What’s Sally Reading?
ALA Book Awards will be announced January 23, 2012!
Awards from the Association of Library Services for Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) are always announced on the Monday of the ALA Midwinter meeting. That will happen on January 23rd this year. You can watch the announcement live online. Details are here. Afterwards, if you wish, you can share your thoughts on the winners by posting or Tweeting (please use #alayma and #bestofyalit). I can’t wait!
Stars by Mary Lynn Ray is a fun title for next year’s summer reading program. The joy of stars is celebrated in this appealing picture book. While children cannot put a real star in their pockets, they can cut one out of shiny paper. They can find stars in the garden (strawberry blossoms) in the woods (moss on a tree) and in winter (snowflakes). Marla Frazee’s amazing illustrations convey the beauty and wonder of stars.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services
Leave a comment
Friday Video: Scott Berkun Lecture: The Myths of Innovation
Author and Carnegie Mellon alum Scott Berkun shows that much of what we know about innovation is wrong as he explores the history of innovation and creative thinking. Featuring: Scott Berkun http://www.scottberkun.com/
Posted in Education & Training
Leave a comment
Public Library Internship Grant applications due Feb. 15, 2012
Application deadline: Feb. 15, 2012
1/30/12 NOTE: The deadline has been extended to March 1, 2012
The Nebraska Library Commission’s 21st Century Librarian program offers support for student internships through grants to accredited public libraries. In partnership with the Nebraska Library Association and funded through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, the internship grants increase awareness about library professions and education and the opportunities for employment in Nebraska libraries. So, what can your library do with the internship program?
- Share your enthusiasm for library education and the library profession.
- Expand your programming.
- Bring in fresh faces.
- Show interns what happens behind-the-scenes.
- Partner with other library types to show the variety of work settings.
Internship grants range from $500 to $1,000. A library may provide one 100-hour internship during the summer months that might last eight weeks, or two 50-hour internships during the school year that might last ten weeks, depending on the needs of the library and the scheduling needs and qualifications of the internship candidates. Library grantees will recruit, select, and hire their interns. Usually, interns are hired as contract workers and paid on a stipend rather than an hourly wage, but the terms of employment are determined by the library’s governing body experiences. Interns provide valuable assistance with library service activities and local library programming. Library staff help introduce interns to the joys of library service careers.
Applications are now being accepted. The deadline for applications is Feb. 15, 2012. More information is available on the Now Hiring @ your library© website.
NCompass Live: Linked Data and Libraries: What? Why? How? – Recorded Online Session
In October of 2011, the Library of Congress released a statement outlining its efforts to move away from the MARC 21 format and toward another carrier for library data. According to the statement, “Linked Data principles and mechanisms” will be the focus of this project. You may be wondering, what is Linked Data? What could it mean for our library catalogs? How do we create Linked Data? In this session, Emily Nimsakont, the NLC’s Cataloging Librarian, will answer those questions and more.
Download audio (MP3)
Subscribe via RSS
Subscribe via iTunes
Video (YouTube)
Presentation Slides (SlideShare)
Links (Delicious)
Posted in Education & Training
Leave a comment
