Learn how to make ‘Small Adjustments for Big Changes’ at your library on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, May 21 at 10am CT.
Hear about the programs that have influenced one library’s community, including diversifying collections, creating spaces for different age groups, implementing food security programs, getting outside of library walls, implementing 24-hour book pickup, and offering take-home crafts, all on a small budget in a small building. You’ll look at how some of the programs were planned and work together as a team to share successful programs and identify other ways to make big changes with small adjustments.
June 4 – Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries
June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
June 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week and some recently recorded webinars! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.
Get a head start on ‘The 2025 Public Library Accreditation Process’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, May 14 at 10am CT.
The 2025 Nebraska Public Library Accreditation process opens on July 1. If your library is up for re-accreditation this year, join us for a short refresher on the process. Or, if your library is not currently Accredited, attend this session to explore the possibility of becoming an Accredited Public Library.
In this general overview, you will learn why Accreditation is important and how it benefits your library. We’ll also show you the Application Form, and explain how it relates to the required Community Needs Response Plan.
Public Library Directors, Staff, and Library Board Members are encouraged to attend.
Presenter: Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
May 21 – Small Adjustments for Big Changes
May 28 – Pretty Sweet Tech
June 4 – Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries
June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
June 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
‘Public Library Accreditation 2025’ workshops are now open for registration! All workshops will be held online only, via GoTo Webinar. To register for a session, go to the Nebraska Library Commission’s Training & Events Calendar and search for ‘accreditation 2025’.
NOTE: These online workshops are being offered on several days and at varied times, to give attendees multiple opportunities to find a convenient time to attend. The same information will be provided at each workshop, so you only need to register for one session. A recorded version will also be made available after all of the live sessions have been held.
What is Nebraska Public Library Accreditation? What are the benefits of accreditation? How does my library become accredited? What’s a Community Needs Response Plan? Why does my library need one?
The purpose of Nebraska Public Library Accreditation is to encourage excellent library service in Nebraska communities. The guidelines used to evaluate libraries and their services are community-based, so libraries need to know their communities’ needs in order to provide appropriate library services that meet those unique needs. That’s where Community Needs Response Planning comes in!
In this workshop, Christa Porter, NLC’s Library Development Director, will guide you through Community Needs Response Planning and applying for Public Library Accreditation.
Public Library Directors, Staff, and Library Board Members are encouraged to attend.
Dates and times:
June 3 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain
June 5 – 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
June 10– 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
June 11 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain
To register for a session, go to the Nebraska Library Commission’s Training & Events Calendar and search for ‘accreditation 2025’.
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week and some recently recorded webinars! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.
Central Community College announces classes for the Library Information Services program for Spring 2025.
Enrollment is open as of April 14, 2025 for classes beginning August 18, 2025. The Library & Information Services Certificate is a 15-credit hour program. All credits can be applied to a Central Community College associate degree.
Pick up some practical, affordable, and successful advocacy strategies for your small library on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, May 7 at 10am CT.
Everyday advocacy is a way of connecting continuously with your community – with your funders, patrons, business community, schools, and with your local, state, regional, and national governments, as well as with your library colleagues and organizations. This presentation offers practical advice on successful strategies for library advocacy with an emphasis on low-cost activities that are manageable for smaller libraries with limited staff and resources, focusing on educating your community on what a library really is, what a librarian does, and the value of the library to its community.
May 14 – The 2025 Public Library Accreditation Process
May 21 – Small Adjustments for Big Changes
May 28 – Pretty Sweet Tech
June 4 – Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries
June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
June 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week and some recently recorded webinars! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.
Highlights & Trends from Computers in Libraries 2025 will be shared on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, April 30 at 10am CT.
Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.
Computers in Libraries is the world’s leading technology and innovation conference for librarians! In this session I will cover come of the awesome ideas, tools, tips and tricks of the trade I picked up while in D.C. this year.
I hope to see you there! As a side note, if you’re looking for more emerging tech trends in the library, check out Computers in Libraries magazine.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
May 7 – Everyday Advocacy for Smaller Libraries: Practical & Affordable Solutions
May 14 – The 2025 Public Library Accreditation Process
May 21 – Small Adjustments for Big Changes
May 28 – Pretty Sweet Tech
June 4 – Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries
June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
June 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week and some recently recorded webinars! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.
Learn how to implement Password Best Practices at your library on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, April 23 at 10am CT.
In this session, we will learn about the importance of having the library’s account logins and passwords fully documented. Especially for staff changes. Don’t leave new staff in the lurch! Sherm will also cover other password related topics such as password security, creating strong passwords, and using a password manager.
Presenter: Andrew “Sherm” Sherman, IT Infrastructure Support Analyst, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
April 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2025 Highlights & Trends
May 7 – Everyday Advocacy for Smaller Libraries: Practical & Affordable Solutions
May 14 – The 2025 Public Library Accreditation Process
May 21 – Small Adjustments for Big Changes
May 28 – Pretty Sweet Tech
June 4 – Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries
June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week and some recently recorded webinars! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.
“Join us for our Library Journal Day of Dialog virtual event! Spanning a variety of genres, this day-long program will offer an in-depth look at the biggest forthcoming books for summer/fall 2025.”
Wouldn’t it be great if kids all over Nebraska were talking about books? Hear about the Nebraska Library Commission & the Regional Library Systems’ program where kids can all read and discuss the same book on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, April 16 at 10am CT.
NOTE: This is a rescheduled session, due to technical issues with the original show.
Join Sally Snyder, the NLC’s Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services; Aimee Owen, Information Services Librarian; and Bailee Juroshek, Office Specialist, to learn all about the One Book for Nebraska Kids and Teens program.
Our 2025 titles are: One Book For Nebraska Kids – Lions & Liars by Kate Beasley, and One Book For Nebraska Teens – Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
April 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2025 Highlights & Trends
May 7 – Everyday Advocacy for Smaller Libraries: Practical & Affordable Solutions
May 14 – The 2025 Public Library Accreditation Process
May 28 – Pretty Sweet Tech
June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
This theme captures the resilience, innovation, and collaboration that define small and rural libraries. We recognize the challenges our communities face—tight budgets, small spaces, and limited staffing—but also the incredible creativity and determination that allow us to soar despite these obstacles.
ARSL 2025 Conference Scholarships
Applications for ARSL-funded conference scholarships are still open for select grants! Applications close Monday, April 21!
Each year, the ARSL Grants, Awards & Scholarships (GAS) Committee accepts applications for competitive scholarships to facilitate first-time attendance at the ARSL Conference:
Dr. Bernard Vavrek Scholarship for LIS Students, Deadline Extended!
Thorndike Press Champions of Large Print Scholarship
Are you a community engagement superstar? Have a storytime formula that can’t be beat? Do your reader’s advisory recommendations always hit the mark? We need YOU to present at ARSL 2025! The program presenters are the heart of the conference, bringing valuable skills and experience to share with fellow attendees.
Submit your proposal by April 25 at 5:00 PM CT. Notification of proposal outcomes will be sent by May 30.
Wouldn’t it be great if kids all over Nebraska were talking about books? Hear about the Nebraska Library Commission & the Regional Library Systems’ program where kids can all read and discuss the same book on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, April 2 at 10am CT.
Join Sally Snyder, the NLC’s Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services; Aimee Owen, Information Services Librarian; and Bailee Juroshek, Office Specialist, to learn all about the One Book for Nebraska Kids and Teens program.
Our 2025 titles are: One Book For Nebraska Kids – Lions & Liars by Kate Beasley, and One Book For Nebraska Teens – Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
April 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2025 Highlights & Trends
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Don’t forget to complete the conference Evaluation! We’re looking for input from people who attended the live conference and watched the archived recordings.
And mark your calendars now – Big Talk From Small Libraries will be back in 2026! Next year’s conference will be on Friday, February 27, 2026!
This guide was created as part of a Girl Scout Gold Award service project with Civic Nebraska, the League of Women Voters of Nebraska, and the Omaha Public Library, to encourage voter information and other civic opportunities at more Nebraska public libraries. The goal is to make public libraries’ civic outreach easier to achieve and more collaborative with community organizations, with information specific to Nebraska libraries and the state’s political processes.
Presenters: Fiona Bryant; Bethany Barelman, Branch Manager, A.V. Sorensen Branch, Omaha Public Library; Mike Forsythe, Civic Nebraska.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
March 26 – Creating Connection in Library Events
April 2 – One Book for Nebraska Kids & Teens 2025
April 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2025 Highlights & Trends
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
The American Library Association (ALA) announces the opening of the third year of the ALA Building Library Capacity Grants of $10,000 to public libraries assisting New Americans – immigrants and refugees.
This opportunity is for public libraries that are or will serve New Americans – immigrants and refugees. It is open to libraries already serving New Americans or those who would like to use the grant to begin serving New Americans. ALA membership is NOT required.
The grants are to bolster library operations and services including literacy and other skill development, developing collections, staffing, expanding outreach, as well as maintaining and amplifying existing service strategies or adding new ones to make an impact.
The ALA Building Library Capacity Grants are supported through a three-year grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Each year focuses on helping add capacity to different segments of the library community.
For questions, contact the American Library Association (ALA) Chapter Relations Office staff at cro@ala.org or 1-800-545-2433, ext. 3200.
Hear about Lexington (NE) Public Library’s ‘Family & Community Programming: Major Successes & Epic Fails’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, March 12 at 10am CT.
The Lexington Public Library utilizes community partnerships and innovative ideas to reach a culturally diverse community. Family programming and community festivals are a major part of the ways in which the library serves the community.
April 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2025 Highlights & Trends
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Microsoft announced it is discontinuing Publisher in October 2026! Is anyone still using it? Most all of the libraries I’ve worked at/with use Canva for their flyers and handouts these days. If you own Office Standard, you will be able to continue to use the Publisher app it came with. If you have an Office365 subscription, you will lose access to Publisher.
If you were or are an Office365 Publisher user, Microsoft recommends converting your *.pub files by opening and saving them as Adobe *.pdf files before the October 2026 EOL (End-of-Life). Unfortunately, you will lose the ability to easily edit the converted *.pdf file using this method. I did some experimenting and LibreOffice Draw is a good alternative if you have Office365 and Publisher files you want to continue working with past the Publisher October 2026 EOL.
