Author Archives: Christa Porter

Lois Lenski Covey Foundation Bookmobile Grants

For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.

Through the Bookmobile Grant Program, the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation awards grants to organizations that operate a lending bookmobile that travels into neighborhoods populated by underserved youth.
The grants are for purchasing books published for young people preschool through grade 8, Early Reader books through Young Adult and Hi-Lo books.  

Bookmobiles operated by charitable [501(c)(3)] and other non-taxable agencies, including public libraries or schools, are eligible. The Foundation provides grants to organizations that serve economically or socially at-risk children, have limited book budgets, and demonstrate real need. 

Grants range from $500 to $3000 and are specifically for book purchases, and cannot be used for administrative or operational uses.

Only hardcopy (paper) applications will be accepted by mail. A link to a downloadable application and detailed instructions for completing and sending the application are available at the Bookmobile Grant Application webpage.

2025 Applications must be postmarked by August 15, 2025.

Questions regarding the Foundation’s bookmobile grant program may be emailed to bookmobile@loislenskicovey.org.

About the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation

The purposes of the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation are to advance literacy and foster a love of reading among underserved and at-risk children and youth. Lois Lenski, celebrated author and illustrator of over one hundred children’s books and the 1946 Newbery medalist for Strawberry Girl, established the Foundation as a charitable institute in 1967. Since then the Foundation has assisted over 400 organizations in their efforts to nurture reading skills, gain access to books, and instill a love of reading.

Posted in Books & Reading, Grants, Youth Services | Leave a comment

Enter Your Library to Win the 2025 Jerry Kline Community Impact Prize

For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.

The Jerry Kline Community Impact Prize, developed in partnership between the Gerald M. Kline Family Foundation and Library Journal, was created in 2019 to recognize the public library as a vital community asset. When libraries, civic entities, organizations, and the people they serve become close partners, their communities thrive.

One winning library will receive $250,000 in unfettered grant monies from the Gerald M. Kline Family Foundation. The winning library will also be profiled in the March 2026 issue of Library Journal and online.

The winning library will be identified based on the degree of its impact on the community in the following key areas:

  • Engagement with local government to support the service area’s defined goals
  • Engagement with the community to develop library services
  • Community recognition
  • Inclusive service that supports broad community interests
  • Leadership development to perpetuate the library’s organizational strength and dynamism
  • Environmental sustainability and leadership in sustainable thinking
  • Inventiveness as exemplified by one of the library’s services which is particularly original, both strategically and tactically
  • Resilience in the face of challenges

Eligibility: All U.S. Public Libraries are eligible for the prize.

Application Deadline: September 15, 2025.

Please submit nominations via the form found here.

Questions? Please contact Lisa Peet, Executive Editor, Library Journal, at lpeet@mediasourceinc.com

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NCompass Live: National Book Festival Near You

Join us to learn about Nebraska’s The Festival Near You community bookwalks and author visits planned for across the state on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, August 6 at 10am CT.

Every year, the Library of Congress hosts the National Book Festival in Washington D.C.. The Nebraska Center for the Book selects one children’s book and one adult book by Nebraska authors to represent the state at the festival, as part of the ‘Great Reads from Great Places’ programming. This year they have selected Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder by Carla Ketner and illustrated by Paula Wallace, and The Long March Home by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee.

This year Nebraskans will have the opportunity to join in the fun with programming during the month of July and August. The Festival Near You is a statewide initiative celebrating the 2025 National Book Festival by bringing Nebraska’s ‘Great Reads from Great Places’ children’s book to communities, and offers Nebraskans a chance to engage with literature close to home.

Presenters: Tessa Timperley, Communications Coordinator, Nebraska Library Commission and Carla Ketner, Author of Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative
  • Aug. 20 – Banding Together: Lessons from the MPLA Leadership Institute
  • Aug. 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Upcoming Changes to Nebraska Libraries on the Web Service
  • Sept. 3 – E-rate 101: Just the Basics for 2026

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training, Nebraska Center for the Book | Tagged | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: Introducing AI with Purpose and Practicality

Learn how to introduce AI with purpose in your community on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, July 30 at 10am CT.

Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related ‘Pretty Sweet Tech’.

AI is everywhere, but the applications are not always relevant to the local community. Sure, AI is used in autocorrect, camera lens focus, and all these places, but how can this help the local community? What are the tangible careers people can pursue related to AI, and why should people care? Sweet will demonstrate her statewide database of practical AI and emerging tech applications, with examples of how to leverage this database in library programming, from localized maker activities to community conversations, and customizable career exploration resources.

You don’t have to create anything from scratch. This session will reveal a treasure trove of activities, templates, and tech gadget guides designed to introduce all facets of AI and related technology like the internet of things and robotics. Learn how to customize these existing resources with local examples to introduce AI with purpose in your community.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • Aug. 6 – National Book Festival Near You
  • Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative
  • Aug. 20 – Banding Together: Lessons from the MPLA Leadership Institute
  • Aug. 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Upcoming Changes to Nebraska Libraries on the Web Service

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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NCompass Live: Creating and Implementing Library Policies

Learn effective methods for ‘Creating and Implementing Library Policies’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, July 23 at 10am CT.

Policies are a very important piece of how a library is run, but they can be daunting to create or revise for some. In this session, we’ll discuss how to craft policies that fit within your library’s mission statement and goals, are easier to review and revise on a regular basis, and hopefully can be implemented correctly.

Presenter: Scott Childers, Executive Director, Southeast Library System, Lincoln, NE; Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Introducing AI with Purpose and Practicality
  • Aug. 6 – National Book Festival Near You
  • Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative
  • Aug. 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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Books Unbanned Programming Funding Available

For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.

Books Unbanned is offering funding to libraries in the United States to launch programming for teens and young adults focused on the freedom to read.

Selected libraries will receive up to $10,000 to develop teen and young adult programming focused on the freedom to read. BPL’s Books Unbanned team will work closely with awardees to develop educational programming that provides teens with the knowledge and skills to fight back against censorship in their communities and beyond.

Proposals are open to all types and sizes of libraries within the United States. In awarding funds, BPL will pay particular attention to libraries serving small and rural communities, and/or communities facing significant challenges with book censorship. The final selection of partners will be based on community need, programming goals and opportunities for teen engagement.

Applications are open through July 18, 2025. 

Learn more and apply on the Books Unbanned Funding webpage.

Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) founded Books Unbanned in 2022 to provide teens nationwide with unrestricted access to our entire digital collection, to support their right to read what they like, and to build a network of advocates nationwide to defend and expand the freedom to read.

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NCompass Live: Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library

Learn best practices for providing printing, scanning, and faxing to your library patrons on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, July 9 at 10am CT.

Printing has become a “hot app” for libraries. Many people don’t have printers at home or got burned by the expense and unreliability of “affordable” inkjet printers. When they need to print, scan, and/or fax something, they will likely go to their library to do it. Andrew “Sherm” Sherman, NLC Library Technology Support Specialist, will provide recommendations on the best makes and models of printers to purchase and the best practices for providing printing, scanning, and faxing to your patrons.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • July 23 – Creating and Implementing Library Policies
  • July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • Aug. 6 – National Book Festival Near You
  • Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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NCompass Live: Creative Aging Outreach Opportunities for Libraries

Learn how to host a Creative Aging Arts Program for older adults at your public library, with grants available from the Nebraska Arts Council, on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, July 2 at 10am CT.

Join us to learn about the Creative Aging Arts Program (CAAP), a program of the Nebraska Arts Council (NAC). Thanks to special funding for CAAP in libraries, grants are available for artist-led workshops during fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). These grants support sequential, interactive workshops that are led by NAC Roster teaching artists who’ve completed training to engage older adults.

Join NAC Program Specialist Anne Alston and NAC Program Coordinator Joshua Brown, as well as the Louisville Library Director, Michelle Daniels, who will share her experience with CAAP at her library. During this webinar, you will:

  • Hear about how CAAP can help libraries address community outreach goals.
  • Learn how CAAP addresses issues of loneliness and isolation among older adults.
  • Find out about the steps involved with applying for a grant, hiring an artist, and hosting a series of artist-led workshops for older adults.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
  • July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

Posted in Education & Training, General, Programming | Tagged | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: Nebraska Open Meetings Act: 2025 Overview and Update

Join us for a 2025 Overview and Update on Nebraska’s Open Meetings Act on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, June 25 at 10am CT.

Public library boards for communities of all sizes in Nebraska are required to follow our state’s Open Meetings Act when holding their meetings. In this session, we’ll point out some of the major points of this state law for library boards, changes for 2025, and some of the consequences of not following Open Meeting law.

Note: This topic is very Nebraska specific. If you are attending from another state some of the things we discuss may not be applicable for your library boards.

Presenters: Scott Childers, Executive Director, Southeast Library System, Lincoln, NE; Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • July 2 – Creative Aging Outreach Opportunities for Libraries
  • July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
  • July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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‘Public Library Accreditation 2025’ Workshop Recording now available

The recording of the Nebraska Library Commission’s ‘Public Library Accreditation 2025’ online workshop is now available on the Accreditation webpage.

What is Nebraska Public Library Accreditation? What are the benefits of accreditation? How does my library become accredited? What’s a Community Needs Response Plan? Why does my library need one?

The purpose of Nebraska Public Library Accreditation is to encourage excellent library service in Nebraska communities. The guidelines used to evaluate libraries and their services are community-based, so libraries need to know their communities’ needs in order to provide appropriate library services that meet those unique needs. That’s where Community Needs Response Planning comes in!

In this workshop, Christa Porter, NLC’s Library Development Director, will guide you through Community Needs Response Planning and applying for Public Library Accreditation.

Public Library Directors, Staff, and Library Board Members are encouraged to attend.

If you have any questions or need any assistance with your Public Library Accreditation or Community Needs Response Planning, please contact Christa Porter, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.

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NCompass Live: United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries

Learn about Nebraska’s statewide membership to United for Libraries – free online training and United for Libraries Virtual 2025 for all Nebraska public libraries on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, June 18 at 10am CT.

Beth Nawalinski, Executive Director of United for Libraries, the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, a division of the American Library Association, and Jillian Wentworth, Deputy Director, Strategy and Engagement, will share ideas about United for Libraries’ mission and vision, and how Nebraska and its libraries can benefit and fully use the resources available through this dynamic ALA division.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • June 25 – Nebraska Open Meetings Act: 2025 Overview and Update
  • July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
  • July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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Nebraska Arts Council announces special funding for Creative Aging Arts Programs in Nebraska Public Libraries

For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.

The Nebraska Arts Council is pleased to announce special funding, provided by the Medica Insurance Company, for Creative Aging Arts Programs (CAAP) in Nebraska public libraries beginning in summer 2025.

Public libraries throughout the state are invited to apply at Creative Aging Arts Program – Nebraska Arts Council.

NAC’s Creative Aging Arts Program (CAAP) provides older adults with creative and educational activities along with opportunities for socialization. CAAP’s core programming involves interactive artist residencies that are comprised of sequential workshops for participants who are 55 or older. Residencies are led by CAAP artists (painters, printmakers, writers, musicians, etc.) who have completed training in creative aging program development.

One of CAAP’s primary goals is to address the problem of isolation and loneliness that many older adults experience. There is a growing appreciation for how creative endeavors can invigorate communities and bring people together. CAAP serves to enhance the lives of our older adults and can help libraries achieve community outreach goals.

Apply for CAAP grants at least six weeks ahead. Grants cover most or all expenses. Funds are limited, and grants are processed first-come, first-served.

Questions? Contact Anne Alston or Joshua Brown at the Nebraska Arts Council.

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NCompass Live: Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships

Discover how partnerships can shape organizational views of rural public libraries on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, ‘Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships’ on Wednesday, June 11 at 10am CT.

Why do local organizations, schools, and businesses partner with rural public libraries? Do these partnerships change the partner’s view of the library? After an initial partnership, are community organizations more likely to partner with the library again? These questions have preliminary answers backed by research findings. While public libraries have been shown to benefit from community partnerships, there is little data available on whether the partners also benefit. Discovering how partnerships can shape organizational views of rural public libraries grants insight into effective ways to approach possible partners.

Presenter: April Hernandez, Director, Latah County Library District, Moscow, ID.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
  • June 25 – Nebraska Open Meetings Act: 2025 Overview and Update
  • July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
  • July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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Friday Reads: The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

Did you know that kaiju are an endangered species? Just like pandas? It’s true! Well, in another dimension, not in our own, but they still need our help to ensure their protection and survival.

Enter ‘The Kaiju Preservation Society’, aka KPS.

Jamie Gray has just started working at a new food delivery company in New York City, but is demoted to delivery when the COVID-19 pandemic hits in early 2020. They end up making multiple deliveries to a former acquaintance, Tom Stevens, who offers them a job ‘lifting things’ with an animal rights organization, KPS. All Jamie is told is that they work with ‘large animals’ and the salary and benefits are too good to say no. So, Jamie and Tom head off first to Greenland, and then on to where KPS does their real work, an alternate dimension where life has evolved differently, and giant kaiju roam the world.

But, if they are in a different dimension, away from our own, why do we need a Kaiju ‘Preservation’ Society? Well, naturally, other nefarious folks (government types and shady billionaires) have also found there way there, and they don’t have the kaiju’s best interests at heart. Even though they were only hired to ‘lift things’, Jaime’s resourcefulness and previous education is just what might be needed to help save our world and the kaiju’s world.

John Scalzi is one of my favorite writers. As usual, his writing is fun and the science is easy to understand. This is truly escapist science fiction at its best. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which was something Scalzi, and all of us, needed when it was written during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2021. It does take place at the same exact time, there are references to it. But, as most of the novel takes place in the alternate dimension, we and the characters are lucky in that we don’t have to deal very much with that trauma.

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NCompass Live: Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries

Join us for ‘Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, June 4 at 10am CT.

Imagine grocery shopping at a Dollar Store. That’s a reality for people living in rural food deserts. The Southern Adirondack Library System and the Comfort Food Community food pantry launched the Farm‐2‐Library initiative to reduce food waste by gleaning at local farms, distributing the produce through rural libraries where food scarcity, lack of food pantries, and transportation limit access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Since launching in 2017, we’ve shared more than 230,000 pounds of fresh produce, creating and deepening relationships with the community while fostering renewed interest in library services by previously reluctant users.

Presenters: Erica Freudenberger, Library Development Specialist, Division of Library Development, New York State Library and Jack Scott, Outreach and Technology Consultant, Southern Adirondack Library System.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
  • June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
  • June 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

NOTE:This episode of NCompass Live will be presented online using Zoom. Login instructions will be sent to registered attendees after registration has closed. The Registration End date is listed on each session page, but usually closes on the Monday night before the date of the session.

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Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) for Public Library Construction

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) will host a webinar on June 4, 2025, to review application guidelines for the upcoming program year of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Accredited public libraries are eligible to apply for funding for the acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation of facilities.

The Department will distribute CDBG program funds through six funding opportunities: Downtown Revitalization, Economic Development, Planning, Public Works-Infrastructure, Public Works-Facilities, and Tourism Development. Libraries fall under ‘Public Works – Facilities’ and must be Accredited.

During the upcoming webinar, DED will cover grant funding opportunities, eligibility, deadlines, award activity criteria, and the submission process through DED’s grant management system.

Register for the webinar to be held on June 4, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (CT)8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (MT).

The webinar, which is free and open to the public, is intended to inform and assist applicants who plan to seek CDBG funding during the July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 program year. Visit the DED website for information on grant eligibility, requirements, and more: https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/programs/community/cdbg/. The 2025 CDBG program application guidelines will be posted in early June.

DED administers federal CDBG funding on behalf of the State of Nebraska to counties and incorporated municipalities within the non-entitlement areas throughout the state; this includes all communities with the exception of Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, and Grand Island. These four entitlement communities receive funding directly from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. CDBG program objectives are to help communities provide decent affordable housing, create suitable living environments, and create economic opportunities—with the primary goal of benefitting low- and moderate-income persons.

Individuals with questions, or those requiring sensory accommodations—including interpreter services, Braille, large print or recorded materials—should contact Gina Doose, Economic Development Consultant, at gina.doose@nebraska.gov or 402-310-9772.

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NCompass Live: Libraries in Technology Innovation Ecosystems

What is a Technology Innovation Ecosystem? And what does it have to do with libraries? Find out on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, May 28 at 10am CT.

Technology Innovation Ecosystems exist to funnel tech resources towards solving problems in existing organizations, and towards entrepreneurial ventures striving to create the solutions that do not yet exist. These ecosystems are relatively new and best practices are still taking shape. When libraries host code clubs and 3D printer trainings, we are unwittingly contributing to this evolving innovation ecosystem. However, libraries don’t always take the next step to help individuals progress and practically apply those skills. “Coding” has also come a long way since the early days of code clubs. It’s not just website development anymore.

This session will help you:

  • Understand what a Technology Innovation Ecosystem is, and how they take shape.
  • Track current trends in Nebraska’s Ecosystem, and nationwide.
  • Brainstorm new library services to fill gaps within the Ecosystem.

The hope is that we will all start introducing technology with purpose, paired with tangible pathways to progress and practically apply skills in partnership with local businesses, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, universities, government agencies, and curious explorers within the community.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • June 4 – Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries
  • June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
  • June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
  • June 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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NCompass Live: Small Adjustments for Big Changes

Learn how to make ‘Small Adjustments for Big Changes’ at your library on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, May 21 at 10am CT.

Hear about the programs that have influenced one library’s community, including diversifying collections, creating spaces for different age groups, implementing food security programs, getting outside of library walls, implementing 24-hour book pickup, and offering take-home crafts, all on a small budget in a small building. You’ll look at how some of the programs were planned and work together as a team to share successful programs and identify other ways to make big changes with small adjustments.

Presenter: Brenda Hornsby Heindl, Director/Librarian, Liberty (NC) Public Library.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • May 28 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • June 4 – Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries
  • June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
  • June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
  • June 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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NCompass Live: The 2025 Public Library Accreditation Process

Get a head start on ‘The 2025 Public Library Accreditation Process’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, May 14 at 10am CT.

The 2025 Nebraska Public Library Accreditation process opens on July 1. If your library is up for re-accreditation this year, join us for a short refresher on the process. Or, if your library is not currently Accredited, attend this session to explore the possibility of becoming an Accredited Public Library.

In this general overview, you will learn why Accreditation is important and how it benefits your library. We’ll also show you the Application Form, and explain how it relates to the required Community Needs Response Plan.

Public Library Directors, Staff, and Library Board Members are encouraged to attend.

Presenter: Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • May 21 – Small Adjustments for Big Changes
  • May 28 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • June 4 – Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries
  • June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
  • June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
  • June 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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Public Library Accreditation 2025 Workshops Scheduled

‘Public Library Accreditation 2025’ workshops are now open for registration! All workshops will be held online only, via GoTo Webinar.
To register for a session, go to the Nebraska Library Commission’s Training & Events Calendar and search for ‘accreditation 2025’.

NOTE: These online workshops are being offered on several days and at varied times, to give attendees multiple opportunities to find a convenient time to attend. The same information will be provided at each workshop, so you only need to register for one session. A recorded version will also be made available after all of the live sessions have been held.

What is Nebraska Public Library Accreditation? What are the benefits of accreditation? How does my library become accredited? What’s a Community Needs Response Plan? Why does my library need one?

The purpose of Nebraska Public Library Accreditation is to encourage excellent library service in Nebraska communities. The guidelines used to evaluate libraries and their services are community-based, so libraries need to know their communities’ needs in order to provide appropriate library services that meet those unique needs. That’s where Community Needs Response Planning comes in!

In this workshop, Christa Porter, NLC’s Library Development Director, will guide you through Community Needs Response Planning and applying for Public Library Accreditation.

Public Library Directors, Staff, and Library Board Members are encouraged to attend.

Dates and times:

  • June 3 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain
  • June 5 – 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
  • June 10– 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
  • June 11 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain

To register for a session, go to the Nebraska Library Commission’s Training & Events Calendar and search for ‘accreditation 2025’.

Posted in Education & Training, Library Management, Public Library Boards of Trustees | 2 Comments