Author Archives: Mary Jo Ryan

Friday Reads: “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen

When a fan approaches the autobiography of a rock star, the bar is set pretty high. And with Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run, I thought the high bar was reached and sailed over. I didn’t really know what to expect. I always thought the real Bruce was probably a combination of the characters that shine out from his songs, but of course that’s an oversimplification. The character that comes off the pages of this book does have a lot in common with the characters that are seen in the narratives in his music. But Bruce Springsteen is a multi-layered guy and he is complicated. He is the real deal, for sure. He came up on the streets of New Jersey and early Greenwich Village, and his reflections on those early days (and what came later) take the reader into a slice of America that goes well beyond voyeuristic star gazing. When he says, “The grinding hypnotic power of this ruined place and these people would never leave me,” (in reference to his hometown) you can bet it won’t be leaving the reader soon either.

This book was written over seven years in several drafts and redrafts. Springsteen likens the process of writing the book to song-writing. That comparison isn’t lost on this reader. He writes the book in the same cool, clean voice that brought us “In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream / At night we ride through the mansions of glory in suicide machines.” The pages of this book ring just as true as the lyrics to the Springsteen songs that this fan listened to over and over on a front porch in Nebraska on hot summer nights.

I was also struck by the fact that for an autobiography there is a ton of rich, juicy detail about the others on this journey with him. His family is finely drawn and very interesting. And there is lots of intel on the cast of characters that made up his bands through the years. For me, Stevie Van Zandt (think stellar musician and one of the central members of the Sopranos cast) and the late sax great Clarence Clemons are tremendously compelling characters that really help paint the picture of Springsteen. Knowing more about his close relationships really rounds out the reader’s understanding of who “The Boss” really is. You’ll love this book if you ever sang along to “We gotta get out while we’re young / `Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run.” Even if you didn’t, this autobiography is worth your time.

Review by Mary Jo Ryan

#FridayReads

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

Simon & Schuster, 2016

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Apply by Dec. 21 for Internship Grants

Accredited public libraries are invited to submit a proposal for a 2017 Nebraska Library Commission Internship Grant.  Apply now to receive up to $1,000 to fund a high school or college intern in 2017. The final deadline to submit your application is Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. Interns bring a wealth of ideas and enthusiasm  to Nebraska library services–and as you can see in this photo of the Atkinson Public Library’s 2016 intern, they are often invaluable as library programming assistants.

Details about the 2017 Nebraska Library Internship Grant Program are available at:  http://nowhiringatyourlibrary.nebraska.gov/Internships.asp  For more information contact: JoAnn McManus, Grants Program Manager, 402-471-4870 or 800-307-2665.

atkinsonintern2016

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Friday Reads: “Tibetan Peach Pie: A True Account of an Imaginative Life,” by Tom Robbins

In Tibetan Peach Pie: A True Account of an Imaginative Life, Tom Robbins assures us that we are not getting his autobiography or his memoir. What we are getting is a delightful collection of stories, vignettes, memories, and strange—but charming—non-sequiturs from a writer that can just flat-out write. If you grew up in the sixties, you know Tom Robbins from the irreverent, witty, wacky, bestselling novels that he wrote and that readers (me included) devoured the week they were released. With Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, Jitterbug Perfume, Skinny Legs and All, Still Life with Woodpecker (to list a few), Robbins showed a whole generation of counterculture youth the power of words when the writer has the skill to mix sharp wit with dramatic tales.

The stories in Tibetan Peach Pie are presented more or less chronologically, starting from accounts of Robbins’ exploits as a little tyke (nicknamed Tommy Rotten by his mom) in rural Appalachia during the Depression, and moving through a series of careers and numerous marriages that took him on a journey from U.S. Air Force recruit to beatnik, to hippie, to world traveler—all the time observing and writing about his observations. Especially entertaining for me was the section on his stint in Omaha while working for Strategic Air Command and discovering the art scene at the Joselyn Museum and the jazz scene at the Red Lion Inn.

If you read his novels, knowing more about his life at the time the books were written is a bonus. If you’ve not read his novels, just enjoy the ride.

#FridayREADS Tibetan Peach Pie: A True Account of an Imaginative Life by Tom Robbins ( Ecco Reprint Edition, 2015)

 

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Register Now for LIS Classes at Central Community College

Central Community CollegeLibrary and Information Services class registration is now open at Central Community College for Fall 2016: August 22, 2016 – December 16, 2016.

Classes include:

  • Foundations of Library and Information Services, with Marty Magee, Instructor. This course provides introductory information in multiple areas including the history of libraries, foundational principles, databases and websites, library technology use, programming, and changing library roles.
  • Leadership and Management in Library and Information Agencies, with Michael Straatmann, Instructor. This course includes the theories, concepts and activities integral to leading and managing 21st Century libraries and information agencies.

For information concerning Admissions or Registration, contact: Dee Johnson djohnson@cccneb.edu, 402-562-1418 or Toll Free at 877-222-0780

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Friday Reads: “Runaway” by Alice Munro (Vintage, 2005)

RunawayAliceMunroThis stunning collection of short stories illuminates the human condition—warts and all! “Runaway,” the title story, is such a carefully crafted examination of three flawed humans that when I reached the end I sucked in my breath, put the book down, and debated whether to pick it back up again to read the next story. Eventually I did and I’m so glad I did, but I did need a little time to catch my breath.

“Powers,” divided into five sections, uses diary entries and letters to tell the story in the real, genuine voices of the characters. We meet these characters over a period of time and the interplay between them really shows the depths of their personalities and their true natures. The story shows a lifelong journey toward self-awareness, but do they make it to the destination?

One set of stories— “Chance,” “Soon” and “Silence,” —allows us to peek in on the protagonist’s life at various stages. Together these three stories give such a complete detailed picture of her that readers feel like we know her very well, even though we’ve only seen her through three short vignettes. As with all these stories, we may get to know ourselves a little better as we reflect on her feelings and reactions to key incidents in her life.

Munro’s skill as a writer is so evident in all of these stories. She is never manipulative, always presenting straight-forward and minimalist prose. And did I mention stunning? In 2013, she won the Nobel Prize in Literature for “Dear Life: Stories” (Vintage, 2012), another book that demonstrates why she is considered by many to be the “best short-story writer in English today.”

Spoiler Alert (especially for my Bookclub): If you are into happy endings, they are not to be found in this book. But even though the stories are dark, the prose is so light that they are not depressing—just sad. But I promise you’ll be thinking about these characters and their stories long after you finish the book.

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Free Advocacy Webinar Series Set to Start July 14

Library%20Campaign%20Training%20Institute%20logoUnited for Libraries co-sponsors FREE online Library Campaign Training Institute, July 14-Aug. 4

Developed and presented by Libby Post of Communication Services, the Library Campaign Training Institute will teach attendees how to create, market, and implement an effective advocacy campaign for your library.

(Note: Registration is mandatory, and “seats” in the virtual room are first-come, first serve.  All four hour sessions will be recorded and archived for future viewing; registrants will be sent a link after each session to watch the recorded webinar.  Thanks in advance for understanding!)

Part 1: Building your Base – July 14, 2016, 12:00, CST

This workshop makes the connection between program and services outreach and building a library’s base of support for advocacy.  This workshop details:

  • Using recent research as well as preparing public service return on investment calculations.
  • How to map a community.
  • Options for program development – examples used are the Recreation market and local elected officials.
  • Connection between customer service and advocacy.
  • Use of social media.
  • Managing data.
  • Using volunteer messengers.

Register here: http://ala.adobeconnect.com/e237rpvpkjb/event/registration.html

Part 2: The Best Defense is a Good Offense – July 21, 2016, 12:00, CST

This workshop provides participants with the knowledge needed to:

  • Create a campaign plan.
  • Recruit volunteer leadership.
  • Detail roles and responsibilities.

Register here: http://ala.adobeconnect.com/e3l3fk4nzyp/event/registration.html

Part 3: Message, Marketing, & Media – July 28th, 2016, 12:00, CST

This workshop walks participants through:

  • How to develop a campaign message using values and emotional branding.
  • Integrating that message into campaign outreach.
  • Public presentations.
  • Using the media to advance the message.

Register here: http://ala.adobeconnect.com/e8gwutbl7gb/event/registration.html

Part 4: Connecting with YES Voters + Part 5: Get out the Vote (Immediately following Part 4):  August 4, 2016, 12:00, CST

This workshop details the nuts and bolts of a library field operation including:

  • Targeting through using enhanced voter files.
  • Phone Banking/Direct Mail/Social Media/Email/Voter Tracking

This workshop brings the previous four together with the ultimate goal of reaching out to Yes voters and getting them to the polls.

Register here: http://ala.adobeconnect.com/e2mcuzeax0q/event/registration.html

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Nominations Accepted Until August 15 for Literacy Awards

NE AffiliateNebraska’s Champions of Literacy and Literature Deserve an Award! The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines award (n.) as “something (such as a prize) that is given to someone or something for being excellent or for doing something that is admired.” Each year the Nebraska Center for the Book honors individuals and organizations that we greatly admire with awards for their “excellent” support of Nebraska reading and writing. Do you know an organization that has demonstrated this by providing “excellent” literacy services? (HINT: It’s fine to nominate your own organization.)

The Nebraska Center for the Book is accepting nominations to honor Nebraska’s champions of literacy. Awards will be presented at the Celebration of Nebraska Books on October 29 at the Nebraska History Museum in downtown Lincoln. The Jane Geske Award is presented annually to a Nebraska organization for exceptional contribu­tion to literacy, books, reading, libraries, or literature in Nebraska. It 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. The award is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and Nebraska Library Commission, and is supported by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress as part of the Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program.

Nominations will be accepted until August 15. For more information see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards.html. Nominations forms are available at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/nominationforms.html or contact Rod Wagner, Nebraska Library Commission Director, 402-471-4001, 800-307-2665.

 

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Libraries to Celebrate Money Smart Week® April 23-30, 2016

money-smart-weekLOGO2016Nebraska libraries are invited to join libraries across the country in celebrating Money Smart Week® April 23-30, 2016. Created by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in 2002, Money Smart Week® is a public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances. This is achieved through the collaboration and coordinated effort of hundreds of organizations across the country. Classes, activities, events, and programming will be offered to all demographics and income levels and will cover all facets of personal finance. Resources for local events are available at http://www.moneysmartweek.org/resources.

The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office, in partnership with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation, recently announced that fifty public libraries will host a new traveling exhibition, Thinking Money. Two are located in Nebraska: Morton-James Public Library in Nebraska City and Lincoln City Libraries. Through an adventure-themed storyline, interactive iPad content and other fun activities, the exhibition explores themes like wants vs. needs, preparing for a rainy/sunny day and imagining your future self.

Comment below to share what your library is doing to help the people in your community  find the information they need to improve their financial decisions.

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Register Now for Summer and Fall LIS Classes

Central Community CollegeRegistration is now open for Summer and Fall online classes in Library and Information Services (LIS) at Central Community College (CCC).

Classes include:

  • Foundations of Library and Information Services
  • Reference Resources and  Services
  • Leadership and Management in Library and Information Agencies

For more information see: http://www.cccneb.edu/library, http://nowhiringatyourlibrary.nebraska.gov/LISFlyerSummerFall2016.pdf, or contact Dee Johnson at CCC, djohnson@cccneb.edu or 402-562-1418 or 877-222-0780, extension 1418.

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Nebraska Libraries Invited to Host Readathon Event on May 21

50204652016readathonSaturday, May 21 is National Readathon Day, a day dedicated to the joy of reading and giving, when readers everywhere can join together in their local library, school, bookstore, and on social media (#Readathon2016) to read and raise funds in support of literacy. Nebraska libraries are invited to partner with the American Library Association (ALA), Penguin Random House, and libraries across the country by hosting events to benefit ALA’s Every Child Ready to Read initiative, a program that supports the early literacy development of children from birth to age five in libraries across the nation. For more information see http://www.readathonday.com/

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Friday Reads: “Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health,” by B.K.S. Iyengar,

iyengaryogabookcoverIf you know me, you will not be surprised to hear that I’m obsessed with a book about yoga. The thing is, it’s not just a book about yoga; it is THE book about yoga. I’ve borrowed it from (several) libraries dozens of times, bought it for myself and others, and talked about this book to so many people that, frankly, people are starting to drift away at cocktail parties when I bring it up. But since I assume that most of the readers of this post are librarians, I’ll continue on.

If you’ve appreciated the proliferation of yoga classes in contemporary culture, you might have this author to thank for it. Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja (B.K.S.) Iyengar is considered the father of modern yoga and the teacher that opened the door to yoga to the Western world. Called “Guruji” by millions of devoted followers, he was honored with a Google doodle showing him in yoga poses last year on what would have been his 97th birthday to celebrate his practicing, teaching and writing about yoga for more than seventy-five years. It has been said that B.K.S. Iyengar could hold a headstand for nearly half an hour well into his eighties. He died in 2014 at the age of 95.

This book provides concise information on the history and philosophy of yoga, but the bulk of the book is devoted to photos and text on how to practice the classic yoga postures (asanas). The book promises: “Yoga is for everyone. You do not need to be an expert or at the peak of physical fitness to practice the asanas described in this book…This book focuses on techniques, so that even a beginner will have a thorough understanding of how to practice the asanas in order to obtain the maximum benefit. By using a few simple props, students with different capabilities can gradually build up strength, confidence, and flexibility without the threat of strain or injury.” And it delivers on this promise with step-by-step instruction on each asana, featuring photos from different angles. The instruction stresses proper alignment and breathing, with variations from beginner to advanced practitioner. The section on Yoga Therapy offers specific asanas to treat specific ailments by rejuvenating the body and then addressing the cause of the ailment. I can attest to the fact that I have come to the mat with a backache and left without it, but the book stresses the importance of steady, consistent, sequential practice—no quick fixes here.

Whether you only have one book on yoga in your collection, or dozens, Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health, by B.K.S. Iyengar, is one you’ll want to review. And the best way to review it is to try it out on the mat. Namaste…mjr

PS: If you wonder why I have had to borrow it from several libraries, it’s heavy (large format, 400+ pages, 4.2 pounds) and I don’t take it with me when I travel—but I can’t seem to go more than a few sessions on the mat without referring to it. So wherever I travel, I have to have it. Thank you public libraries across the country for loaning me this great book.

 

 

 

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Try the School Library Snapshot Tool this Month

AASL_SLM2016_470sqApril is School Library Month: School Libraries Transform Learning–the perfect time to try out the new School Library Snapshot tool that you can use to tell your school library story to parents, administrators, elected officials, students, and community residents. School librarians are encouraged to use this tool to produce your own tailored infographic and create a visual representation of how your library aligns with provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), from providing information literacy instruction to working with teachers and hosting enrichment activities.  Please share them with us by commenting below and including your infographic in the comment. The tool was made available by the Office for Library Advocacy (OLA), in collaboration with American Association of School Librarians (AASL). More information is available at http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2016/03/ala-and-aasl-introduce-school-library-snapshot-tool.

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Community College LIS Courses Start Jan. 11



CCCbannerJPG

Register Now for Online Library & Information Services Courses through Central Community College

Online Course Offerings: January 11, 2016 – May 5, 2016


LIBR 2150 Managing Collections in Libraries and Information Agencies,
Patty Birch, Instructor
This course will provide students with an understanding of managing collections in libraries and information agencies, including:

  • Basics of Collection Management (terminology, models)
  •  21st Century Literacies
  • Selection (All resources, for all age levels)
  • Acquisition
  • Deselection/Weeding
  • Intellectual Freedom
  • Copyright

Suggested prerequisite: LIBR 1010 Foundations of Library & Information Services. For information regarding course content, contact the instructor: Patty Birch, pbirch@cccneb.edu

LIBR 2210 Cataloging and Classification, Ruth Carlock, Instructor

This course will include theories, concepts and activities for cataloging and classifying materials in the 21st Century. It includes the following topics:

  • The bibliographic record
  • Sears and Library of Congress subject headings
  • Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress classification systems
  • The MARC record
  • Resource Description and Access Instructions

Suggested prerequisite: LIBR 1010 Foundations of Library & Information Services

For information regarding this course, contact the instructor: Ruth Carlock, rcarlock@cccneb.edu

For information concerning Admissions or Registration, contact: Dee Johnson, djohnson@cccneb.edu, 402-562-1418 or 877-222-0780 ext. 1418.

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Friday Reads: The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Zevin_Fikry_pbkcvr_rgb_HRThe Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (Algonquin Books, 2014) What reader doesn’t love a story set in a bookstore? …especially a quirky, little independent bookshop in a purple Victorian cottage on Alice Island where the faded sign reads:

Island Books

Alice Island’s Exclusive Provider of

Fine Literary Content since 1999

No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World

Within the first ten pages of this book, the reader is transported to a place where time is trying to stand still, but of course it won’t. We are immediately introduced to a curmudgeonly bookshop proprietor (A.J Fikry), an eager young publishing representative (Amelia Loman), and a tragic set of circumstance that creates tension between the two of them from the beginning. Fikry is reeling from the loss of his beloved wife and he’s not really coping with his grief and loss. The store isn’t exactly thriving either. We meet Fikry just as his life is about to change dramatically. He suffers another devastating loss and gains a reason to live in the space of a few short weeks.

As the story unfolds, we meet more of the residents of Alice Island and the characters in this book are very well written, interesting, and endearing—with lots of juicy dialog between them. We come to care about them and their community and it goes without saying, we are rooting for Fikry to pull himself together. The writing is clever and crisp and I love a good convention in a book and this one has one—each chapter is introduced with a short book review suitable for a printed shelf-talker. Sometimes it takes until the end of the chapter to figure out what the review had to do with the action in the chapter, but that just makes it more fun. A side benefit of this setup is that I got a bunch of recommendations of books to read.

This is a great selection for a book club, makes a great gift for a reader in your life,  and I promise it’s a page-turner.

Mary Jo Ryan

 

 

 

 

 

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Apply for Internship Grants by Dec. 17

EmilyTwo weeks left for Accredited Public Libraries to submit a 2016 Nebraska Library Internship Grant application to receive up to $1,000 to fund a high school or college intern in 2016! The final deadline to submit your application is Thursday, December 17 at 5:00 p.m. Interns bring a wealth of ideas and enthusiasm  to Nebraska library services–and as you can see in the attached photo, they are often invaluable as technology mentors for library customers.

Details about the 2016 Nebraska Library Internship Grant Program are available at:  http://nowhiringatyourlibrary.nebraska.gov/Internships.asp  For more information contact: JoAnn McManus, Grants Program Manager, 402-471-4870 or 800-307-2665.

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Friday Reads: Make Your Home among Strangers by Jennine Capó Crucet

cover make your home_In this excellent debut novel by a newly transplanted Nebraska author, Jennine Capó Crucet demonstrates that she is a gifted writer who can create strong multi-dimensional characters. Relocating to Nebraska from Miami, she teaches English and Ethnic Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

In Make Your Home among Strangers: A Novel, Lizet leaves Miami to venture north to an Ivy League school for her first year of college. The change in climate is not the only thing she has to get used to in her new environment. Besides adjusting to a very different life—academic and social—she has to traverse some unanticipated emotional territory. Learning to live with people with very different backgrounds and expectations than she’s ever been exposed to is just one part of the adjustment process. She also has to manage her own feelings about those she left at home—and maybe left behind? (And what a great colorful crew of well-developed, interesting characters they are!) Lizet has to decide how much her sense of responsibility for family and friends at home will trump her own needs—where the past ends and her future begins. She has to deal with managing her own expectations about her ability to help and steer the ones she loves vs. her ability to do this for herself in her own life.

All of this is explored in the context of very engaging storytelling and true-to-life dialog. We come to really care about Lizet and her family. I found myself really cheering for them all by the end of the book. This story is fun to read and I really enjoyed the author’s wicked observations of human nature—portrayed with gentle humor, not malice. There’s a fascinating sub-plot about what goes on in Miami’s Little Havana while Lizet is away at school and it leaves the reader wanting more of that story about Lizet’s family and friends. I hope I get to read about what happens next for them. Welcome to Nebraska, Jennine Capó Crucet. We can’t wait to read the rest of your stories.

This would be a good book for library book clubs. They would have a great time reading this book—and talking about it. Maybe you could even persuade the author to come to your library to make a presentation. I would love to come to that program!

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Librarians Encouraged to Promote New NET Production “Yours, Willa Cather” on Radio, Television and Digital

Willa Cather wrote some of the most unforgettable fiction of the 20th century including the novels My Antonia and O Pioneers!  But the voice of the private Willa Cather tells a much more personal story. Until recently, many scholars believed that Nebraska author Willa Cather burned most of her letters before her death. Not so. In the new NET Television documentary and NET Radio series, the private person is revealed through letters that survived, hidden away in drawers, trunks and archives.

Yours Willa CatherThe NET Television premiere is 9:00 – 9:30 p.m. CT, Monday, Sept. 21. The NET Radio series begins Saturday, Sept. 5 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 27.  Nebraskans can listen Saturdays at 9:35 a.m. CT (Sept. 5, 12, 19 and 26) and Sundays at 4:35 p.m. CT (Sept. 6, 13, 20 and 27) on NET Radio.

Based on the 2013 book The Selected Letters of Willa Cather, co-edited by University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor Andrew Jewell and Texas scholar Janis Stout, the NET project has created original video, audio, photography, and commentary. New digital resources including a companion website and e-book will soon be launched. Visit catherletters.org later in September.

The documentary was produced by NET’s Christine Lesiak who also contributed to the 2005 American Masters production of “Willa Cather – The Road is All,” which aired nationally on PBS. The voice of Willa Cather is read by actress Marg Helgenberger of Fremont, known for her Emmy-nominated role on the commercial television series “CSI.”

“Yours, Willa Cather” is funded in part by the NET Foundation for Television, Humanities Nebraska and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Nebraska Librarians Encouraged to Promote 2015 Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest

Latino American CommissionThe Nebraska Latino American Commission invites the youth of Nebraska to participate in the Ninth Annual Hispanic Heritage Month State Commemoration Essay Contest. The theme revolves around a quote from influential leader Julian Castro, former mayor of San Antonio, current Secretary of U.S. Housing & Urban Development. Students are asked to write about what his words and Hispanic Heritage Month mean to them.

“In the end, the American dream is not a sprint, or even a marathon, but a relay. Our families don’t always cross the finish line in the span of one generation. But each generation passes on to the next the fruits of their labor.”

 Please note that eligibility requirements are inclusive: Students of all ethnicities currently enrolled in a Nebraska public, private, home school or magnet school (grades 6 – 12). Entries welcome in English or Spanish, and must include a signed entry form. More information at http://www.latinoac.nebraska.gov/

All essays due by Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 5 P.M. Essays and entry forms may be submitted by email to Jasel.Cantu@nebraska.gov, via fax at 402-471-4381, or mailed to:

Nebraska Latino American Commission

ATT: Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest

P.O. Box 94965

Lincoln, NE 68509-4965

CONTACT:

 Jasel Cantu

Public Information Officer

Latino American Commission

www.latinoac.nebraska.gov

Nebraska State Capitol

6th Floor, PO Box 94965

Lincoln, NE 68509-4965

Office: 402-471-2791

Fax: 402-471-4381

Email: Jasel.Cantu@Nebraska.gov

 

 

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Deadline September 25 to Apply for “Curiosity Creates” Grants

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)  announced the availability of Curiosity Creates, a new grant to help fund creativity programming in public libraries. Your library could be one of 77 lucky recipients of a $7,500 grant to encourage creativity for children ages 6-14. The grants may be used to expand existing programming and/or create new opportunities for children to explore their creativity.  

  • Applicants must be public libraries; individual branches within a library system are welcome to apply separately.
  • Publicly funded community-based local library systems and branches in the United States are eligible to apply. (Includes all 50 states and Puerto Rico)
  • Grantees may be invited to participate in the development of a best practices publication for creativity programing in libraries. Selected grantees will be expected to participate in interviews and/or site visits by a consultant who will be developing this publication.
  • Projects should be for the development and implementation of a program or series of programs to serve children ages 6 to 14.
  • Projects should focus on one or more of the following seven critical components of creativity:

1) Imagination & Originality 2) Flexibility 3) Decision- Making 4) Communication & Self-Expression 5) Collaboration 6) Motivation 7) Action & Movement

Selection Criteria Includes: 

  • Creativity components addressed
  • Program reach (including diversity, inclusion and community partnerships)
  • Project design and replicability

Grant website: http://www.ala.org/alsc/curiositycreates

Apply Now!: www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/9c4eBJTdUrq80e1e40

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): http://www.ala.org/alsc/curiositycreates_FAQs

Contact:

Angela N. Hubbard Program Officer, Projects & Partnerships Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) ahubbard@ala.org (312) 280-1398

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Free Tools for School Library Advocates Available Now

aasl_advocacypacks_200x300School library advocacy packs containing tools to spread the word about the many ways school librarians are transforming teaching and learning are now freely available through the ALA online store. Generously sponsored by Bound to Stay Bound Books (BTSB), these specially created packs are available while supplies last. Valued at $29.99, school library advocates pay only for shipping.

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