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Author Archives: Jennifer Wrampe
Fifteen Summer Readers across Nebraska to Win NEST 529 Scholarships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2015
Contacts:
Christina Kahler
Director of Marketing, NEST
402-602-6549
ckahler@fnni.com
Mary Jo Ryan
Nebraska Library Commission
402-471-3434/800-307-2665
maryjo.ryan@nebraska.gov
NEST partners with libraries on scholarship program, encourages summer reading
Lincoln, Neb. (May 20, 2015) – Nebraska’s 529 College Savings Plans (NEST), First National Bank of Omaha, Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg and the Nebraska Library Commission announced today the NEST Read to Win $529! Drawing as part of library summer reading programs across the state. Almost $8,000 in NEST 529 College Savings scholarships and more than $3,700 in donations to libraries will be awarded.
The announcement was made during preschool story time at Eiseley Branch Library in Lincoln.
Fifteen summer readers, five in each of Nebraska’s three congressional districts, will be randomly drawn from those who complete a summer reading program. Each winner will receive $529 in a NEST college savings account. The library of each winner will receive a $250 donation. To enter, children must register for the summer reading program at their libraries and complete the program as defined by their libraries.
“This is a perfect partnership for the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office,” Stenberg said. “We know that children eagerly have been participating in summer reading programs at their local libraries for years without monetary incentives. But the NEST 529 Read to Win! Drawing is an ideal opportunity to recognize summer readers and help them see the connection between reading and learning. Maybe in doing so, we plant a seed for their future educational endeavors and a greater awareness of the benefits of saving through our Nebraska Educational Savings Trust, known as NEST.”
“NEST is proud to support the educational efforts of Nebraska’s children as well as the great work of the libraries statewide,” said Deborah Goodkin, Managing Director of NEST at First National Bank of Omaha, the NEST Program Manager. “With the libraries encouraging leisure reading during the summer, children can daydream and think of places they want to go and what they want to be. We hope this scholarship program encourages children and families to get involved in summer reading and complete the program with a little extra incentive for a possible scholarship.”
“Nebraska public libraries’ summer reading programs are great opportunities for children and teens to have the time to enjoy reading while maintaining and improving reading skills. They can also enjoy the many activities that are part of this year’s Every Hero Has a Story summer reading program,” said Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner. “As places for learning, libraries are a natural partner for NEST—helping to illustrate the importance of children and their parents setting aside money for college education. The Nebraska Library Commission is pleased to join with the Nebraska State Treasurer, First National Bank of Omaha, Regional Library Systems, and Nebraska public libraries to promote lifelong learning, financial education and planning.”
Winners will be drawn from the names of children who complete the summer reading program as submitted at the end of their programs by libraries throughout Nebraska. Winners will be announced during college savings month in September.
For official scholarship rules, visit the NEST College Savings Plans at www.NEST529.com, the State Treasurer’s Office at treasurer.nebraska.gov/csp/ or the Nebraska Library Commission at http://nlc.nebraska.gov.
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About NEST
NEST is a tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan and provides four plans to help make saving for college simple and affordable: NEST Direct College Savings Plan, the NEST Advisor College Savings Plan, the TD Ameritrade 529 College Savings Plan, and The State Farm College Savings Plan. The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as the Program Trustee. First National Bank serves as the Program Manager, and all investments are approved by the Nebraska Investment Council. Families nationwide are saving for college using the NEST 529 plans, which have more than 229,000 accounts, including 67,000 in Nebraska. Visit NEST529.com and treasurer.nebraska.gov for more information.
About First National Bank
First National Bank of Omaha is a subsidiary of First National of Nebraska, which is the largest privately owned banking company in the United States. First National and its affiliates have $17 billion in managed assets and nearly 5,000 employee associates. Primary banking offices are located in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas.
About Nebraska Library Commission
As Nebraska’s state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services-“bringing together people and information.” Visit http://booksarejustthebeginning.com/ for more examples of how Books Are Just the Beginning at Nebraska libraries.
Investments Are Not FDIC Insured* No Bank, State or Federal Guarantee May Lose Value
*Except the Bank Savings Individual Investment Option
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Nominate Books Now for the 2015 Nebraska Book Awards
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 5, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Nominate Books Now for the 2015 Nebraska Book Awards
The 2015 Nebraska Book Awards program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book (NCB) and Nebraska Library Commission, will recognize and honor books that are written by Nebraska authors, published by Nebraska publishers, set in Nebraska, or relate to Nebraska.
Books published in 2014, as indicated by the copyright date, are eligible for nomination. They must be professionally published, have an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), and be bound. Books may be entered in one or more of the following categories: Nonfiction, Fiction, Children/Young Adult, Cover/Design/Illustration, Anthology, and Poetry. Certificates will be awarded to the winners in each category. Award winners will be presented at the Fall 2015 Nebraska Center for the Book’s Book Awards Celebration and Annual Meeting in Lincoln.
The entry fee is $40 per book and per category entered. Deadline for entries is June 30, 2015. For more information, including entry forms, see http://www.centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards/nebookawards.html or contact Mary Jo Ryan, 402-471-2045, 800-307-2665, for print information. Enter by sending the entry form (http://www.centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/docs/BookAwardsEntry.pdf), three copies of the book, and the entry fee to NCB Book Awards Competition, Nebraska Library Commission, The Atrium, 1200 N Street, Suite 120, Lincoln, NE 68508-2023.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission. As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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Award for Promotion of Literature to be Presented at April 25 Nebraska Book Festival
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 16, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Award for Promotion of Literature to be Presented at April 25 Nebraska Book Festival
The Nebraska Center for the Book will present the Mildred Bennett Award to Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner. The award, to be presented at the April 25 Nebraska Book Festival, honors Wagner for his many years of service to Nebraska’s readers and writers. This award honors an individual who has made a significant contribution to fostering the literary tradition in Nebraska. The 2015 award is a framed photograph by Steve Ryan entitled, “Woodcliff Lakes, NE.05.”
The award is named for Mildred Bennett, the charismatic founder and long-time president of the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial and Educational Foundation. Bennett could have literally stepped out of a Willa Cather novel. Like some of Cather’s heroines, she was a strong, fiercely independent, intelligent woman, who loved the land and planted her roots deeply in the soil of Webster County, Nebraska. During her lifetime, Mildred Bennett was recognized as a foremost authority on Willa Cather by literary organizations and universities across the country.
The award is presented annually at the Nebraska Book Festival. This year the festival will be held on Saturday, April 25 at the University of Nebraska Omaha’s Weitz Community Engagement Center. Public admission to the Festival is free. It will feature writers workshops in the morning and author readings/talks in the afternoon. In the evening, the student/teacher writing teams of the NeBooks Project will present an iBooks Showcase. The Bookworm and University of Nebraska Press will offer books by Nebraska authors for sale throughout the event. The Nebraska Book Festival is presented by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission, with support from Friends of the University of Nebraska Press and the NeBooks Project. Visit http://bookfestival.nebraska.gov/2015/index.aspx for a complete schedule of free readings and workshops and other information.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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Young Nebraskans Win Writing Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Mary Jo Ryan 402-471-3434 800-307-2665
Young Nebraskans Win Writing Competition
Young Nebraska writers will receive Letters about Literature award certificates from Gov. Pete Ricketts on April 8, 2015 at a proclamation-signing ceremony celebrating National Library Week, April 12-18, 2015. Letters about Literature is a national reading and writing promotion program. Nearly 50,000 adolescent and young readers nationwide in grades four through twelve participated in this year’s Letters about Literature program, hundreds of them from Nebraska. The competition encourages young people to read, be inspired, and write back to the author (living or dead) who had an impact on their lives.
This annual contest is sponsored nationally by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The Center for the Book was established in 1977 as a public-private partnership to use the resources of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books and reading. The Nebraska competition is coordinated and sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, and Houchen Bindery Ltd.
Young Nebraska writers to be honored are:
Winners
- Emma Harner, Lincoln, for a letter to Karen Hesse
- Owen Morrow, Omaha, for a letter to Mike Lupica
- Ashley Xiques, Omaha, for a letter to Leigh Bardugo
Alternate Winners
- Grace Gutierrez, Omaha, for a letter to Deborah Wiles
- Clio Reid, Lincoln, for a letter to Lewis Carroll
- Morgan Curran, Arapahoe, for a letter to Beatrice Sparks
The students wrote personal letters to authors explaining how his or her work changed their view of themselves or the world. They selected authors from any genre, fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic. Winners were chosen from three competition levels: upper elementary, middle, and secondary school.
The Nebraska winners will be honored at a luncheon and receive cash prizes and gift certificates. Their winning letters will be placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. They will advance to the national competition, with a chance to win a trip to Washington, D.C. for themselves and their parents. For more information see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission. As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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Talking Book Advisory Committee Seeks Nominees
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 6, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION
David Oertli
402-471-4005
800-742-7691
Talking Book Advisory Committee Seeks Nominees
Four vacancies currently exist on the Advisory Committee to the Nebraska Library Commission Talking Book and Braille Service. The purpose of the committee is to represent the needs of talking book and Braille borrowers and to make recommendations concerning library policies, services, and programs. Membership consists primarily of library users but may include librarians, educators, health care providers, and others who understand the needs of individuals with disabilities. The committee normally meets twice a year.
The Talking Book and Braille Service provides free talking books, magazines, playback equipment, and Braille to any resident of Nebraska who cannot see regular print, or hold a book, or turn its pages. Books and magazines are received and returned through the mail postage-free or are downloaded directly from the Internet. Persons interested in serving on the committee should contact Talking Book and Braille Service, 1200 N Street, Suite 120, Lincoln, NE 68508-2023. Phone: 402-471-4005 or 800-742-7691, fax: 402-471-6244, email: nlc.talkingbook@nebraska.gov. Deadline: March 15.
As Nebraska’s state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services-“bringing together people and information.”
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
2015 One Book One Nebraska Book Selected
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATTENTION:
News, Books, Arts & Culture
CONTACT:
Rosemary Vestal
Publicity Manager
402-472-7710
rvestal2@unl.edu
Nebraska Native’s Vietnam memoir chosen for 2015 One Book One Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb.
(Nov. 10, 2014)— Nebraskans have new required reading material. The 2015 One Book One Nebraska selection is Death Zones and Darling Spies: Seven Years of Vietnam War Reporting (University of Nebraska Press, May 2013) by Beverly Deepe Keever, who was born and raised in Hebron, Neb.
Keever was the longest-serving American correspondent covering the Vietnam War and earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination for reporting.
In Death Zones and Darling Spies, Keever describes what it was like for a farm girl from Nebraska to find herself halfway around the world, trying to make sense of one of the nation’s bloodiest and bitterest wars.
“Keever is an excellent storyteller. . . .
Death Zones & Darling Spies adds a woman’s view to the many retrospectives on the Vietnam War—a war covered and perpetrated mostly by men,” said Carolyn Johnsen in the Lincoln Journal Star.
Keever received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and her doctorate from the University of Hawaii, where she is currently professor emerita.
“It was an honor to work with Bev Keever on Death Zones and Darling Spies, and I’m pleased this fine book will reach new audiences around the state,” said Bridget Barry, UNP acquisitions editor. “The University of Nebraska Press is proud of Bev and her accomplishments.”
The One Book One Nebraska program promotes a culture of reading and discussion in Nebraska by bringing the state together around one great book by a Nebraska author. This year marks ten years of the program. It is sponsored by Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission.
Death Zones & Darling Spies: Seven Years of Vietnam War Reporting by Beverly Deepe Keever was the committee’s choice based on Keever’s compelling prose and ability to analyze complex historical/political contexts to provide insight into America’s military and financial involvement in Vietnam,” said Rebecca Faber, chair of the One Book One Nebraska Selection Committee. “Her Nebraska background provided a tie to the response of Americans at home who were trying to comprehend a war like no other in which the United States had been involved.”
Get your copy of Death Zones and Darling Spies from the University of Nebraska Press or wherever books are sold.
For more information about UNP, visit nebraskapress.unl.edu. For more information about One Book One Nebraska, visit onebook.nebraska.gov.
About the University of Nebraska Press:
Founded in 1941, the University of Nebraska Press is a nonprofit scholarly and general interest press that publishes 170 new and reprint titles annually under the Nebraska, Bison Books, and Potomac Books imprints, and in partnership with the Jewish Publication Society, along with 30 journals. As the largest and most diversified university press between Chicago and California, with 3,000 books in print, the University of Nebraska Press is best known for publishing works in Native studies, history, sports, anthropology and geography, American studies and cultural criticism, and creative works. For more information, visit nebraskapress.unl.edu.
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Award for Promotion of Literature to be Presented
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 28, 2014
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Award for Promotion of Literature to be Presented
The Nebraska Center for the Book will present the 2014 Jane Geske Award to The Bookworm bookstore at the November 8 Celebration of Nebraska Books in downtown Lincoln. Omaha’s Bookworm bookstore will be honored for their extraordinary contribution to Nebraska’s community of the book. The Bookworm is seen as a critical part of the Omaha reading community. For twenty-eight years it has encouraged, nurtured, and supported books, readers, and writers. The store has a knowledgeable staff that read widely and guide customers to a variety of books and authors. The Bookworm also sponsors many Authors Series programs, bringing in the best authors from around the world to interact with the public through readings and book signings. The Bookworm also works closely with the Omaha Public Libraries by helping to support library events and projects, providing books for author events, and co-sponsoring an annual service project. Omaha Public Library Director Gary Wasdin said, “The Bookworm is one of the library’s strongest partners in Omaha.”
The Nebraska Center for the Book annually presents the Jane Geske Award to an organization, business, library, school, association, or other group that has made an exceptional contribution to literacy, books, reading, bookselling, libraries, or Nebraska literature. The Jane Geske Award commemorates Geske’s passion for books, and was established in recognition of her contributions to the well-being of the libraries of Nebraska. Jane Geske was the director of the Nebraska Library Commission, a founding member of the Nebraska Center for the Book, a Lincoln bookseller, and a long-time leader in Nebraska library and literary activities.
The November 8 Celebration, free and open to the public, will also feature presentation of the 2014 Nebraska Book Awards, and some of the winning authors will read from their work. A list of winners is posted at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards.html. The Celebration of Nebraska Books is scheduled for 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. at 1200 N Street, with the Nebraska Center for the Book Annual Meeting to be held at 2:30 p.m. and an Awards Reception, book signings, and announcement of the 2015 One Book One Nebraska book choice concluding the festivities. The Celebration is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission, with support from the Friends of the University of Nebraska Press.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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Finalists for 2015 One Book One Nebraska Announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 14, 2014
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Finalists for 2015 One Book One Nebraska Announced
Four nonfiction books and three novels——all stories with ties to Nebraska and the Great Plains——are the finalists for the 2015 One Book One Nebraska statewide reading program. The finalists are:
Benediction, by Kent Haruf
Death Zones and Darling Spies: Seven Years of Vietnam War Reporting, by Beverly Deepe Keever
Eagle Voice Remembers: An Authentic Tale of the Old Sioux World, by John G. Neihardt
The Floor of the Sky, by Pamela Carter Joern
Free Radical: Ernest Chambers, Black Power, and the Politics of Race, by Tekla Agbala Ali Johnson
Goodnight, Nebraska, by Tom McNeal
The Loren Eiseley Reader, by Loren Eiseley
The One Book One Nebraska reading program, now in its eleventh year, is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission. It encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss the same book, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting. A committee of the Nebraska Center for the Book selected the seven finalists from a list of twenty-five titles nominated by twenty-nine Nebraskans. In the coming weeks, Nebraska Center for the Book board members will vote on the 2015 selection.
The choice for the 2015 One Book One Nebraska will be announced at 5:30 p.m. at the Celebration of Nebraska Books on November 8 at the Nebraska Library Commission, 1200 N Street in downtown Lincoln. This year’s One Book One Nebraska, Once Upon a Town: The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen by Bob Greene, will be featured at the Celebration, see http://onebook.nebraska.gov/2014/index.aspx or https://www.facebook.com/OneBookOneNebraska for more information about ongoing 2014 One Book One Nebraska activities.
The Celebration of Nebraska Books is scheduled for 3:30 – 6:30 p.m., with the Nebraska Center for the Book Annual Meeting to be held at 2:30 p.m. and an Awards Reception, book signings, and announcement of the 2015 One Book One Nebraska book choice concluding the festivities. Awards will be presented to the winners of the 2014 Nebraska Book Awards, and some of the winning authors will read from their work. A list of winners is posted at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards.html. The event will also recognize Omaha’s Bookworm bookstore, named as the recipient of the 2014 Jane Geske Award. The Jane Geske Award recognizes a Nebraska association, organization, business, library, school, academic institution, or other group that has made an exceptional, long-term contribution to one or more of these fields in Nebraska: Literacy, Reading, Book Selling, Books, Libraries, and/or Writing in Nebraska. The Celebration of Nebraska Books is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, and University of Nebraska Press. For more information, contact Mary Jo Ryan, 402-471-3434 or 800-307-2665. Confirmed presenters will be announced at www.centerforthebook.nebraska.gov and http://www.facebook.com/NebraskaCenterfortheBook
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases
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Book Award Winners to be Honored at November 8 Celebration of Nebraska Books
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 29, 2014
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Book Award Winners to be Honored at November 8 Celebration of Nebraska Books
An awards presentation ceremony will highlight the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Celebration of Nebraska Books on November 8 at the Nebraska Library Commission, 1200 N Street, in downtown Lincoln. Winners of the 2014 Nebraska Book Awards will be honored and the celebration will include readings by some of the winning authors. And the winners are:
2014 Nebraska Book Award Winners
Anthology
The Untidy Season: An Anthology of Nebraska Women Poets, by Heidi Hermanson, Liz Kay, Jen Lambert, and Sarah McKinstry-Brown, Editors. The Backwaters Press.
Anthology Honor
The Northwoods Hymnal, by Luke A. Hawley. River Otter Press.
Children
Simpson’s Sheep Won’t Go to Sleep!, by Bruce Arant. Peter Pauper Press, Inc.
Cover/Design/Illustration
Simpson’s Sheep Won’t Go to Sleep!, by Bruce Arant. Peter Pauper Press, Inc.
Fiction
Stranded, by Alex Kava. Doubleday.
Fiction Honor
Haven’s Wake, by Ladette Randolph. University of Nebraska Press.
Non-Fiction: Biography
Black Print with a White Carnation: Mildred Brown and the Omaha Star Newspaper, 1938-1989, by Amy Helene Forss. University of Nebraska Press.
Non-Fiction: History
The Last Days of the Rainbelt, by David J. Wishart, University of Nebraska Press.
Non-Fiction: Natural History
Yellowstone Wildlife: Ecology and Natural History of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, by Paul A. Johnsgard and photographs by Thomas D. Mangelsen. University Press of Colorado.
Non-Fiction: Reference
Witness: A Húnkpapȟa Historian’s Strong-Heart Song of the Lakotas, by Josephine Waggoner and Emily Levine Editor. University of Nebraska Press.
Poetry
Saving Singletrees, by Leo Dangel. WSC Press.
Young Adult
Eleanor & Park, by Rainbow Rowell. St. Martin’s Griffin
The celebration, free and open to the public, will also feature presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Jane Geske Award to a Nebraska organization for exceptional contribution to literacy, books, reading, libraries, and literature in Nebraska. The Jane Geske Award commemorates Geske’s passion for books, and was established in recognition of her contributions to the well-being of the libraries of Nebraska. Jane Pope Geske was a founding member of the Nebraska Center for the Book, former director of the Nebraska Library Commission, and a long-time leader in Nebraska library and literary activities.
This year the Celebration marks the tenth year of One Book One Nebraska, selecting and promoting a book title for Nebraskans to read to celebrate the literary richness of our state. The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen by Bob Greeneis the 2014 One Book One Nebraska, and Nebraska libraries and other literary and cultural organizations across the state are hosting activities and events to encourage all Nebraskans to read and discuss this book (see http://onebook.nebraska.gov.)
The Nebraska Center for the Book Annual Meeting will be held at 2:30 p.m.—just prior to the 3:30-6:30 p.m. Celebration. An awards reception honoring the winning authors, book signings, and announcement of the 2015 One Book One Nebraska book choice will conclude the festivities.
The Celebration of Nebraska Books is sponsored by Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission, in partnership with the Friends of the University of Nebraska Press. The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 22, 2014
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors
Young readers in grades 4-12 are invited to write a personal letter to an author for the Letters about Literature (LAL) contest, a national reading and writing promotion program. The letter can be to any author (living or dead) from any genre-fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic—explaining how that author’s work changed the student’s view of the world. This reading and writing promotion is sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, in partnership with the Nebraska Center for the Book and Nebraska Library Commission, and locally supported by Houchen Bindery Ltd.
Prizes will be awarded on both the state and national levels. The Nebraska Center for the Book’s panel of judges will select the top letter writers in the state, to be honored in a proclamation-signing ceremony at the state capitol during National Library Week in April 2015. Their winning letters will be placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. Nebraska winners will receive state prizes, and then advance to the national judging.
A panel of national judges for the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress will select one National Winner per competition level (Level I for grades 4-6, Level II for grades 7-8, and Level III for grades 9-12) to receive a $1,000 cash award, to be announced in May 2015. The judges will also select one National Honor winner on each competition level to receive a $200 cash award.
Teachers, librarians, and parents can download free teaching materials on reader response and reflective writing, along with contest details and entry forms, at www.read.gov/letters. Nebraska-specific information (including lists of Nebraska winners of past contests) is available at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html. Submissions from Grades 9-12 must be postmarked by December 15, 2014. Submissions from Grades 4-8 must be postmarked by January 15, 2015.
Nebraska-specific information (including letters from Nebraska winners of past contests) is available at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html. For more information contact Mary Jo Ryan, 402-471-3434 or 800-307-2665.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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First Nebraska-Produced Talking Book Now Downloadable
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 19, 2014
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
When the Nebraska Library Commission Talking Book and Braille Service (TBBS) recorded I Am a Man: Chief Standing Bear’s Journey for Justice, it enabled Nebraskans with a print-related disability to participate in the 2012 One Book One Nebraska statewide reading program. Now Nebraska’s recording is available for direct download to any qualifying U.S. resident through the Library of Congress’ Braille and Audio Reading Download service (BARD).
Written by Nebraska author Joe Starita and narrated by Alice Timm, this book is the first Nebraska Library Commission studio production to be offered through BARD online downloading. The book chronicles what happened when Chief Standing Bear undertook a 600-mile trek to return the body of his only son to their ancestral burial ground.
In recognition of Nebraska’s efforts, Library of Congress National Library Service Director Karen Keninger offered her congratulations, “Thank you for participating in the network-produced audiobooks on BARD pilot. I am pleased to inform you that your book . . . is now available on BARD. The posting of your book to BARD marks an important milestone in our efforts to increase the quantity of materials available on BARD.”
Launched in 2009 by the Library of Congress, BARD allows qualifying U.S. residents to download encrypted files of audio books and magazines, Braille, and music instruction materials. Materials can be accessed through home computers or through a mobile app for use with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch device. Currently 354 Nebraskans participate in BARD—9% of TBBS borrowers—many more could be eligible (see application instructions at https://nlsbard.loc.gov/NLS/ApplicationInstructions.html). For more information see https://nlsbard.loc.gov/login/NE1A or contact nlc.talkingbook@nebraska.gov, 402-471-4038, 800-742-7691.
As Nebraska’s state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services-“bringing together people and information.”
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
Nebraska Librarians Invited to Attend Financial Education Webinar July 10
IMLS’ partner, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, is holding its first financial education webinar for librarians on Thursday, July 10 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time. We invite you to attend using the login information below.
TO ACCESS THE WEBINAR:
- To join, please click on the following link at the time of the webinar: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW7282426&p=LIBRARY&t=c
- Alternatively, you can also access the webinar by clicking https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join/ and enter the following information:
o Conference number: PW7282426
o Audience passcode: LIBRARY
If you are participating only by phone:
- Phone: 877-960-9067
- Participant passcode: LIBRARY
CFPB also has new resources for librarians, launched during the ALA conference last week at www.consumerfinance.gov/library-resources. These resources include:
- Program ideas – program ideas from CFPB, its partners and other libraries (updated monthly).
- Partnership guide –22-page guide to local partnerships, developed with input from librarians.
- Links and web resources – a selection of 50 financial literacy websites, videos and courses using guidelines consistent with the National Strategy for Financial Capability and other financial literacy organizations.
- Free print materials – more than 20 free publications from the CFPB, Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, and Department of Labor, which can be ordered in English and Spanish (up to 200 copies of each publication).
- Marketing materials – social media share graphics and web banners, as well as a preview of posters, bookmarks and displays that will soon be available for bulk delivery.
- Librarian training – monthly one-hour webinars for librarians on a variety of financial literacy topics. The webinars will be recorded and archived for viewing anytime.
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Nebraska Library Commission Awards 21st Century Skills Scholarships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 12, 2014
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan 402-471-3434 800-307-2665
Nebraska Library Commission Awards 21st Century Skills Scholarships
Thanks to a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Nebraska Library Commission recently awarded 21st Century Librarian scholarships to eight Nebraska students in undergraduate Library Science programs. Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner commented, “The 21st Century Librarian scholarships are helping to ensure that Nebraska libraries have educated and skilled staff to serve the thousands of Nebraskans who rely on libraries for a variety of needs each and every day. We congratulate these students for their efforts to improve their knowledge and skills and wish them the very best toward their educational and career goals.”
Spring 2014 Scholarship Recipients
Dorlissa Beyer, Hastings
Kassandra Bielenberg, Omaha
Nancy Black, Uehling
Gabrielle DeGagne, Omaha
Rachelle McPhillips, Columbus
Mary Jo Pittman, Omaha
Martha Savely, Lodgepole
Dorothy Schultz, Wood River
For more information about Nebraska’s Cultivating Rural Librarians’ 21st Century Skills program, see https://nlc.nebraska.gov/nowhiring/. For a list of all current scholarship recipients, see https://nlc.nebraska.gov/NowHiring/Scholarshiprecipients.aspx. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov. As Nebraska’s state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services-“bringing together people and information.”
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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Children Completing Nebraska Summer Reading Programs to Be Entered to Win More Than $11,000 in NEST 529 Scholarships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2014
Contact:
Christina Kahler
Director of Marketing, NEST
402-602-6549
ckahler@fnni.com
Jana Langemach
Director of Communications
402-471-8884
Jana.langemach@nebraska.gov
NEST partners with libraries statewide on scholarship program, demonstrating that Books Are Just the Beginning at Nebraska libraries
Omaha, Neb. (June 5, 2014) – Nebraska’s 529 College Savings Plans (NEST), First National Bank of Omaha, Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg and the Nebraska Library Commission announced today the NEST Read to Win $529! Drawing as part of library summer reading programs across the state. More than $11,000 in NEST 529 College Savings scholarships and donations will be awarded.
Fifteen summer readers, five in each of Nebraska’s three congressional districts, will be randomly drawn from those who complete a summer reading program. Each winner will receive $529 in a NEST college savings account. The library of each winner will receive a $250 donation. To enter, children must register for the summer reading program at their libraries and complete the program as defined by their libraries.
“The Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office is happy to help sponsor the NEST Read to Win program this summer in local libraries all across Nebraska. Libraries are special places where children and teens can explore, learn, and dream. These early experiences in their local hometown libraries help children foster a love of reading and learning and set the stage for their years of formal education, from kindergarten through a four-year college, community college, or technical school. We here at NEST wish the very best for all the young readers in Nebraska and for their educational futures,” State Treasurer Stenberg said.
“NEST is proud to support the educational efforts of Nebraska’s children as well as the great work of the libraries statewide,” said Deborah Goodkin, Managing Director of NEST at First National Bank of Omaha, the NEST Program Manager. “With the libraries encouraging leisure reading during the summer, children can daydream and think of places they want to go and what they want to be. We hope this scholarship program encourages children and families to get involved in summer reading and complete the program with a little extra incentive for a possible scholarship.”
“Nebraska public libraries’ summer reading programs are great opportunities for children and teens to have the time to enjoy reading while maintaining and improving reading skills. They can also enjoy the many science-themed activities that are part of this year’s programs,” said Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner. “As places for learning, libraries are a natural partner for NEST—helping to illustrate the importance of children and their parents setting aside money for college education. The Nebraska Library Commission is pleased to join with the Nebraska State Treasurer, First National Bank of Omaha, Regional Library Systems, and Nebraska public libraries to promote lifelong learning, financial education and planning.”
Winners will be drawn from the names of children who complete the summer reading program as submitted at the end of their programs by libraries throughout Nebraska. Winners will be announced during college savings month in September.
For official scholarship rules, visit the NEST College Savings Plans at www.NEST529.com, the State Treasurer’s Office at www.treasurer.org/cs/or the Nebraska Library Commission at http://nlc.nebraska.gov.
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About NEST
NEST is a tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan and provides four plans to help make saving for college simple and affordable: NEST Direct College Savings Plan, the NEST Advisor College Savings Plan, the TD Ameritrade 529 College Savings Plan, and The State Farm College Savings Plan. The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as the Program Trustee. First National Bank serves as the Program Manager, and all investments are approved by the Nebraska Investment Council. Families nationwide are saving for college using the NEST 529 plans, which have more than 215,000 accounts, including 62,000 in Nebraska. Visit NEST529.com and www.treasurer.org/cs/ for more information.
About First National Bank
First National Bank of Omaha is a subsidiary of First National of Nebraska, which is the largest privately owned banking company in the United States. First National and its affiliates have $17 billion in managed assets and nearly 5,000 employee associates. Primary banking offices are located in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas.
About Nebraska Library Commission
As Nebraska’s state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services-“bringing together people and information.” Visit http://booksarejustthebeginning.com/ for more examples of how Books Are Just the Beginning at Nebraska libraries.
Investments Are Not FDIC Insured* No Bank, State or Federal Guarantee May Lose Value *Except the Bank Savings Individual Investment Option
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Library Commission Approves Change in Regional Library System Areas
At its meeting on May 16 the Nebraska Library Commission approved a change in Nebraska’s regional library system structure based on recommendations from the Nebraska Regional Library Systems Configuration Task Force. As a result, Nebraska’s current six regional service areas will be re-organized into four regional areas. The regional changes are expected to be in place no earlier than January 2015.
State and federal budget cuts in past years and flat funding in recent years prompted consideration of reducing the number of Nebraska regional library systems. Failure to secure increased funding for the current state biennium budget led to formation of the task force to develop recommendations for regional organization. The task force met several times before proposing regional options. The regional options were presented for discussion at the Library Commission’s March 2014 meeting.
Library Commission staff, regional library system directors, and regional library system boards are working on implementation actions to create the new regional entities.
The Regional Library Systems Task Force Configuration report, questions and answers about regional changes, and the new regional map are available via the Library Commission’s website: http://nlc.nebraska.gov/systems/
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Kooser Book Chosen to Represent Nebraska
House Held Up by Trees, by Ted Kooser with Jon Klassen (Illustrator), will represent Nebraska at the 2014 National Book Festival in Washington, DC. The book is the state’s selection for the National Book Festival’s “Discover Great Places through Reading Map.” Each state selects one title of fiction or non-fiction, a book about the state or by an author from the state that is a good read for children or young adults. The map is distributed at the Pavilion of the States at the Festival and lists “Great Reads about Great Places.”
Kooser’s children’s picture book offers a powerful view of the natural world. Though there’s a family involved, the real star of this multilayered modern parable is a plot of land…the artwork initially functions as stoic backdrop for the story, with wide-angle perspectives filled with plenty of open space and muted colors. But in the second part, as the trees take over, Klassen’s compositions command more and more attention, elbowing the text into the periphery and subtly reinforcing the themes in play… Unfolding with uncommon grace, the environmental heart of this story is revealed obliquely but powerfully.
Ages 5-8. -Publishers Weekly
Ted Kooser was the United States Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006 and won a Pulitzer Prize for his book of poems Delights and Shadows. He is the author of twelve full-length volumes of poetry and several books of nonfiction, including Nebraska Book Award winner Local Wonders, Seasons in the Bohemian Alps. His work has appeared in many periodicals. He is also the author of Bag in the Wind, his first picture book. Kooser lives in Garland, NE. For more information see http://tedkooser.net. Jon Klassen is the author-illustrator of I Want My Hat Back. The first picture book he illustrated, Cats’ Night Out by Caroline Stutson, won the Governor General’s Award for illustration in his native Canada. Klassen now lives in Los Angeles.
The National Book Festival will be held in Washington, DC at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday August 30, 2014. This year’s festival will feature authors, poets and illustrators in several pavilions. Festival-goers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite poets and authors, get books signed, hear special entertainment, have photos taken with storybook characters, and participate in a variety of activities. The Pavilion of the States will represent reading and library programs and literary events in all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. trusts and territories. Children attending the festival are given maps to take to each state’s table to be stamped to receive a prize. Representatives from the Nebraska Library Commission and Nebraska Center for the Book will staff Nebraska’s table in the Pavilion. For more information see loc.gov/bookfest.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission. As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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$32,000 in Internship Grants Awarded to Nebraska Public Libraries
The Nebraska Library Commission and the Nebraska Library Association recently awarded 21st Century Librarian internship grants totaling $32,000 to twenty-one Nebraska public libraries. These internship grants will support public library interns, who will contribute to the scope and value of the diverse programs and activities in Nebraska’s public libraries.
“The internships offer valuable work and learning experiences for the interns and helpful assistance to the participating libraries. We thank the participating libraries for their contributions to the internship program and we wish this year’s group of interns the very best for great and worthwhile experiences,” said Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner.
Funding for the project is provided through a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), administered through the Nebraska Library Commission. Such funding helps the Nebraska Library Commission and the Nebraska Library Association continue to support the missions and goals of libraries across Nebraska and statewide efforts to recruit the next generation of Nebraska’s librarians.
Student interns will learn about library work as they shadow and assist with day-to-day library operations and implement special projects. Interns will lead youth summer reading program activities, conduct training sessions to teach senior citizens to use technology, facilitate book discussion activities, help develop and update library Website and Facebook pages, create young adult library programs and spaces, work on publicity materials for library programs, sort and preserve archival materials, and assist in a host of other worthwhile activities.
In 2013, interns brought their technology skills to the forefront, much to the appreciation of the library staff, library customers, and their communities:
- One intern completed videos of summer reading activities as a promotional tool.
- Another intern created an instructional video on Overdrive (downloadable eBook and audio book collections) use, and added to the website.
- A third intern started a library Facebook page.
Said one intern: “I learned that librarians need to have very extensive knowledge regarding the operations of computers and their programs. It was very surprising, but I can see how necessary this knowledge is now that books, journals and magazines are becoming digitized.”
The following Nebraska libraries received internship grant funding in March 2014:
- Atkinson Public Library
- Bassett, Rock County Public Library
- Cozad Public Library
- Emerson Public Library
- Grand Island Public Library
- Grant, Hastings Memorial Library
- Howells Public Library
- Kimball Public Library
- La Vista Public Library
- Lincoln City Libraries
- McCook Public Library
- Neligh Public Library
- Norfolk Public Library
- North Bend Public Library
- Omaha Public Library
- Papillion, Sump Memorial Library
- Ponca Carnegie Library
- Schuyler Public Library
- Shelby Public Library
- Valparaiso Public Library
- Verdigre Public Library
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information. For more information, visit http://nlc.nebraska.gov/.
The Nebraska Library Association is the cornerstone of the Nebraska library community. The Association advocates for its members, enriches their professional lives, advances the lifelong learning of all Nebraskans, and promotes all library interests in Nebraska. For more information, visit http://nebraskalibraries.org.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit http://www.imls.gov.
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Young Nebraskans Win Writing Competition
Young Nebraska writers will receive Letters about Literature award certificates from Gov. Dave Heineman on April 9, 2014 at a proclamation-signing ceremony celebrating National Library Week, April 13-19, 2014. Letters about Literature is a national reading and writing promotion program. Nearly 50,000 adolescent and young readers nationwide in grades 4 through 12 participated in this year’s Letters about Literature program, more than 400 of them from Nebraska. The competition encourages young people to read, be inspired, and write back to the author (living or dead) who had an impact on their lives.
This annual contest is sponsored nationally by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The Center for the Book was established in 1977 as a public-private partnership to use the resources of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books and reading. The Nebraska competition is coordinated and sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, and Houchen Bindery Ltd.
Young Nebraska writers to be honored are:
Winners
- Brianna Wilson, Big Springs, for a letter to Charles Bukowski about You Get So Alone at Times That It Just Makes Sense
- Sydney Kohl, Lincoln, for a letter to Gary Soto about A Fire in My Hand
- Christopher Penas-Hull, Lincoln, for a letter to Jules Verne about 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Alternate Winners
- Thomas D’Aquila, Elkhorn, for a letter to Art Spiegelman about Maus
- Wyatt Liewer, O’Neill, for a letter to Gary Paulsen about Brian’s Hunt
- Madeline Walker, Lincoln, for a letter to Sharon Draper about Out of My Mind
The students wrote personal letters to authors explaining how his or her work changed their view of themselves or the world. They selected authors from any genre, fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic. Winners were chosen from three competition levels: upper elementary, middle, and secondary school.
The Nebraska winners will be honored at a luncheon and receive cash prizes and gift certificates. Their winning letters will be placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. They will advance to the national competition, with a chance to win a trip to Washington, D.C. for themselves and their parents. For more information see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission. As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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Nominate Books Now for the 2014 Nebraska Book Awards
The 2014 Nebraska Book Awards program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book (NCB) and Nebraska Library Commission will recognize and honor books that are written by Nebraska authors, published by Nebraska publishers, set in Nebraska, or relate to Nebraska.
Books published in 2013, as indicated by the copyright date, are eligible for nomination. They must be professionally published, have an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), and be bound. Books may be entered in one or more of the following categories: Nonfiction, Fiction, Children/Young Adult, Cover/Design/Illustration, Anthology, and Poetry. Certificates will be awarded to the winners in each category. Award winners will be presented at the Fall 2014 Nebraska Center for the Book’s Book Awards Celebration and Annual Meeting in Lincoln.
The entry fee is $40 per book and per category entered. Deadline for entries is June 30, 2014. For more information, including entry forms, see http://www.centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards/nebookawards.html or contact Mary Jo Ryan, maryjo.ryan@nebraska.gov, 402-471-2045, 800-307-2665, for print information. Enter by sending the entry form (http://www.centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/docs/BookAwardsEntry.pdf), three copies of the book, and the entry fee to NCB Book Awards Competition, Nebraska Library Commission, The Atrium, 1200 N Street, Suite 120, Lincoln, NE 68508-2023.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission. As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases
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Celebrate National Library Week April 13-19
Looking for ways to promote National Library Week, April 13–19? Librarians can encourage local celebrities, library staff, and library supporters to snap a selfie with the Lives change @ your library word balloon and share their story of how the library has changed their life. Camera-shy supporters can are also encouraged to tweet their change using the hashtags #liveschange and #nlw14. There are also free downloadable tools available on the NLW website. All participants will be entered into a grand-prize drawing for a Kindle Fire HDX.
