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Category Archives: General
Celebrate September: Library Card Sign-up Month
Celebrate Library Card Sign-up Month with new downloadable tools and public service announcements (PSAs). Sample media tools are available to remind the public of all the resources available for free with a library card. Tools include a sample press release, op-ed, proclamation, PSA scripts and radio quality PSAs. To download free promotional materials, visit www.ala.org/librarycardsignup.
Library Card Sign-up Month is a time when libraries across the country remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all. Thousands of public and school libraries join together each fall in a national effort to ensure every child signs up for a library card. Also in celebration of Library Card Sign-up Month, a new slideshow featuring “60 Ways to Use Your Library Card” is now available on atyourlibrary.org. Librarians are encouraged to embed the slideshow, which scrolls through examples like “Learn how to write a business plan” and “Get help with homework,” on their own websites or blogs.
NBA All- Star Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls is the Honorary Chair of Library Card Sign-up Month. During this month, libraries will encourage the public to obtain a free library card that will save them money. According to a PEW Internet and American Life study, 58 percent of Americans age 16 and older have a library card and even more—69 percent—say the library is important to them and their families. A native of the Sudan, Deng has won the NBA’s sportsmanship award for the player who best exemplifies ethical behavior, fair play and integrity on the court. In 2008, Deng was honored with the UN Refugee Agency’s Humanitarian of the Year Award for his efforts to bring education and sports to millions of displaced children. Librarians looking to promote Library Card Sign-up Month locally can download a public service announcement (PSA) featuring Deng at www.ala.org/librarycardsignup. Free customization is available.
The Campaign for America’s is Libraries is the ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians. Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe – use the Campaign’s @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible in part by ALA’s Library Champions.
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Celebrate Banned Books Week September 22-28, 2013
Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types –- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.
By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. Check out the frequently challenged books section to explore the issues and controversies around book challenges and book banning. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read.
For more information on getting involved with Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read, please see Calendar of Events, Ideas and Resources, and the new Banned Books Week site. You can also contact the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4220, or bbw@ala.org.
Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; the American Library Association; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers; Comic Book Legal Defense Fund; the Freedom to Read Foundation; National Coalition Against Censorship; National Council of Teachers of English; National Association of College Stores; PEN American Center and and Project Censored. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Public Relations
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NEH Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections Grants – applications due Dec. 3, 2013
National Endowment for the Humanities Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections Grants help cultural institutions meet the complex challenge of preserving large and diverse holdings of humanities materials for future generations by supporting preventive conservation measures that mitigate deterioration and prolong the useful life of collections.
Libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations across the country are responsible for collections of books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, art, and historical objects that facilitate research, strengthen teaching, and provide opportunities for life-long learning in the humanities. To preserve and ensure continued access to such collections, institutions must implement preventive conservation measures, which encompass managing relative humidity, temperature, light, and pollutants in collection spaces; providing protective storage enclosures and systems for collections; and safeguarding collections from theft and from natural and man-made disasters.
Closing date for applications: December 3, 2013
For more information, visit http://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/sustaining-cultural-heritage-collections.
The American Library Association Invites Applications for Traveling Exhibition
The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office, in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) and National Museum of American History (NMAH), invites applications from public, academic and special libraries, small museums, and historical societies for the traveling exhibition Changing America: The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 and the March on Washington, 1963.
The traveling exhibition is made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor (NEH). Online applications must be submitted to ALA by October 21, 2013.
The original exhibition is currently on view at the NMAH, where it will remain until September 7, 2014. More information, including photographs from the original exhibition, is available on the Smithsonian website.
Changing America will help public audiences understand and discuss the relationship between two great peoples’ movements that resulted in the Emancipation Proclamation, and the March on Washington in 1963. One hundred years separate the Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington, yet these two events are profoundly linked together in a larger story of liberty and the American experience. Both events were the results of people demanding justice. Both grew out of decades of bold actions, resistance, organization, and vision. In both we take inspiration from those who marched toward freedom.
Sites selected for the Changing America exhibition tour will be required to present an opening event and at least two public humanities programs for adult audiences, presented by qualified humanities scholars and related to exhibition themes. Public programming will encourage scholar-led reflection upon and discussion about the major issues surrounding the Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington and acquaint new audiences with the history of these two critical events in American history.
Fifty sites will be selected to present the traveling version of the exhibition in their communities for a period of six weeks. The exhibition requires approximately 1,200-1,400 square feet for optimal display. All sites selected for the project will receive a grant of $1,700 from the ALA, with funding provided by the NEH, for expenses related to public programs. A planning webinar/workshop and online program resources will be available for all selected sites. The tour and programs will begin in January 2014 and continue through December 2017.
The ALA Public Programs Office promotes cultural and community programming as an essential part of library service in all types and sizes of libraries. Successful library programming initiatives have included “Let’s Talk About It” reading and discussion series, traveling exhibitions, film discussion programs, the Great Stories CLUB, LIVE@ your library and more. Recently, the ALA Public Programs Office developed www.ProgrammingLibrarian.org, an online resource center bringing librarians timely and valuable information to support them in the creation of high-quality cultural programs for their communities. For more information on the ALA Public Programs Office, visit www.ala.org/publicprograms.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established as a Smithsonian museum by an Act of Congress in 2003. It is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, art, history and culture. It is now under construction on Washington’s National Mall, on a five-acre site adjacent to the Washington Monument. It is scheduled to open in winter 2015. For more information, visit www.nmaahc.si.edu.
The National Museum of American History collects, preserves and displays American heritage through exhibitions and public programs about social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Documenting the American experience from Colonial times to the present, the museum looks at growth and change in the United States. For more information, visit http://americanhistory.si.edu/.
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities. NEH grants enrich classroom learning, create and preserve knowledge and bring ideas to life through public television, radio, new technologies, exhibitions and programs in libraries, museums and other community places. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at www.neh.gov.
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Digital Inclusion Survey Starts September 3rd
Next week, libraries will begin receiving invitations to participate in a new national survey that will explore the digital inclusion roles of public libraries. These roles include:
- Providing public access computers and broadband connectivity
- Digital content, services, and accessibility
- Instruction in digital literacy
- Providing access to and assistance with essential online services and programs
This survey is critically important to provide data supporting the significant contributions public libraries make in developing digitally engaged communities. I know that fall makes the beginning of “survey season” and that you will soon be asked to complete the annual Public Libraries Survey as well, but this study will add to the body of evidence that libraries are essential community services, so please give it your attention.
The survey is managed by ALA and the University of Maryland Information and Policy and Access Center. Funding comes from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the ALA Office for Information technology Policy (OITP). For more information, read the ALA press release at http://bit.ly/19aGoR8 and visit the University of Maryland website at http://digitalinclusion.umd.edu/.
Posted in General, Library Management, Technology
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News Release: Small-town public library grant applications due October 1
Date: August 20, 2012
Contact: Reggi Carlson
Communications Director, Nebraska Community Foundation
(402) 323-7331; rcarlson@nebcommfound.org
Small-town public library grant applications due October 1
Small-town public libraries have until October 1, 2013 to submit short-form applications for grants from the Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund. The Fund was established to provide support for public libraries located in communities with populations less than 3,000. Once the short-form application is approved, a more detailed application must be completed and submitted by January 6, 2014. Grant awards are announced in March.
The late Shirley Kreutz Bennett of Lincoln was a lifelong educator. She established the fund through the Nebraska Community Foundation because she wanted to help smaller communities gain better access to knowledge and information. Following Ms. Kreutz Bennett’s wishes, a fund advisory committee composed of her nieces and nephews recommends grants in three areas: planning grants leading to accreditation; enhancement grants to improve library services and/or programs; and facilities grants for new facilities or the renovation, restoration or rehabilitation of current libraries.
All grants require a certain level of matching funds and evidence that the project has broad community support. Approximately $70,000 is available each year. Grant seekers are encouraged to review the guidelines and application procedures at www.nebcommfound.org/fund/kreutzbennett.
Earlier this year, grants were approved in eight communities: Albion, Ashland, Hildreth, Mitchell, Osmond, Valley, Walthill and Wausa.
For more information, contact Reggi Carlson, NCF Communications Director, (402) 323-7331 or rcarlson@nebcommfound.org.
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________________________________________
Nebraska Community Foundation
Reggi Carlson
Communications Director
PO Box 83107 | Lincoln, NE 68501-3107
Office: (402) 323-7330 | Direct: (402) 323-7331 | Fax: (402) 323-7349
rcarlson@nebcommfound.org | nebcommfound.org | Facebook
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September is Library Card Sign-up Month
Library Card Sign-up Month is a time to remind parents and children that a library card is the most important school supply of all. Free promotional tools for libraries, including the 60 Ways to Use Your Library Card Slideshow, are available at http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/card.
ALA would like to hear what you have planned for Library Card Sign-up Month or answer your questions. Contact Megan McFarlane, Campaign Coordinator, mmcfarlane@ala.org. For more information visit the
Campaign For America’s Libraries
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Back to College
It’s that time of year again when students are preparing to head back to college. Looking at the photos of two Union College dorm rooms from the early 1900’s I’m guessing it took those students a lot less time to move into their dorm rooms then it does for students today. This 1907 picture of a Union College dorm room shows two men dressed in suits and ties sitting at a table studying. The room is simply furnished with a bed, table, nigh stand and wardrobe. The wardrobe is covered with knickknacks and photos. A guitar, lute mandolin and banjo are sitting next to the window. 
The women’s dorm room in this picture from 1911 or 1912 is also simply furnished with a bed, table and rocking chair. The walls are decorated with variety of pennants. The young woman in the photo is wearing a dress and is standing behind a potted plant.
I find it interesting to look at the different styles of buildings that were used as dormitories and how they differ from campus to campus and have changed over the years. The photo of Green Terrace Hall is the oldest photo of a dormitory included in Nebraska Memories. Green Terrace Hall was a women’s dormitory at Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney. 
The picture is dated July 10, 1903 and shows a large building that contained 74 rooms, 16 halls, 40 closets, 6 bathrooms, 4 toilet rooms with basins, 8 water closets and 4 kitchen sinks. According to the note included in the record this dorm earned the nickname of “Cockroach Castle” sometime before it was demolished in 1959-1960.
East Hall and South Hall were located on the campus of Union College in 1911-1912. I think both of these dorms had a bit more of a homey look to them because of the large covered front porches on both structures. Like the Green Terrace Hall the East Hall also received a couple of nicknames over the years.
The students living in the dorm called it the “White House” while other students referred to it as the “Cracker Box.”
The first high-rise residences hall that was built on Wayne State College’s campus was built in 1965. In this picture you can see Bowen Hall during the construction process. According to Wayne State College’s website Bowen Hall is still being used today as a residence hall. The most recent photo of a dormitory that can be found in Nebraska Memories is that of Centennial Hall. Centennial Hall is located on campus of Nebraska Wesleyan University. The photo was taken sometime between 1967 and 1971. According the Nebraska Wesleyan’s website Bowen Hall is also still being used today.
Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images digitized from photographs, negatives, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books and other materials.
Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information, or contact Beth Goble, Historical Projects Librarian, or Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.
Posted in General, Information Resources, Nebraska Memories, Technology
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NPR Celebrates Libraries
Have you been following the National Public Radio special series on libraries? So far, they’ve taken a look at Andrew Carnegie, discussed the portrayal of libraries (and librarians) in drama and song, and investigated ebooks. Being spotlighted like this makes me feel like a star!
Sundance Film Forward Partnership Deadline: August 16
Reply to this RFP soon! The deadline to apply for this partnership effort is August 16. Libraries with a good relationship with a movie theatre could work with them to create a dynamite public program. Any library or other organization is welcome to submit a proposal in response to this RFP, though Nebraska is targeted for the 2014 tour.
From: [mailto:CReich@imls.gov]
Sent: Sunday, July 28, 2013 9:06 AM
To: Carolyn Ashcraft; gerald.maginnity@library.ca.gov; jring@dos.state.fl.us; Linda Lord; robertsonn@michigan.gov; jwalker@mlc.lib.ms.us; Wagner, Rod; Devon Skeele; saldrich@pa.gov; Ed Seidenberg; rand.simmons@sos.wa.gov
Subject: Message from IMLS about Film Forward
Good morning! IMLS is a partner in an international exchange program called Film Forward, which brings independent films to communities throughout the United States and the world in an effort to enhance the appreciation and understanding of diverse cultures. Film screenings are followed by audience dialogue and IMLS is particularly interested in identifying museums and libraries as venues for these programmatic opportunities. We are soliciting your assistance in sharing the information below and the attached overview and RFP with your constituents. Any museum or library or other organization is welcome to submit an RFP, though the project is targeting the following states for the 2014 tour: Arkansas, California, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. I will also be contacting state museum associations in those particular states.
Please feel free to call me (or contact Meredith Lavitt at the email below) with any questions and thanks so much for your help.
Chris Reich
July 22, 2013
Dear Executive and Program Directors and Professors,
Attached please find a Request For Proposal (RFP) for your consideration. We are seeking potential Program Collaborators around the US to collaborate with the Sundance Institute to host a FILM FORWARD program in 2014. FILM FORWARD is an international cultural exchange program designed to enhance cross-cultural understanding, collaboration and dialogue around the globe by engaging audiences through the exhibition of film and conversation with filmmakers. FILM FORWARD is an Initiative of Sundance Institute and The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. FILM FORWARD launched in 2010. Prior to that time, the AFI in association with the federal governmental agencies ran the program as AFI 20/20. In the last three years FILM FORWARD has visited 21 locations around the world from China, Morocco, India, and Turkey to Tennessee, California, Arizona and Puerto Rico. 26 independent films including WINTER’S BONE, AMREEKA, BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD and ON THE ICE and documentaries including CHASING ICE, LAST TRAIN HOME, BUCK and SENNA have screened to diverse communities, students and filmmakers. Over 30 filmmakers associated with these films have participated in engaging local audiences in question and answer sessions, workshops, roundtable discussion and meet and greet opportunities.
FILM FORWARD’s goal is to reach audiences that do not have access to independent film and create cultural conversations to break down barriers and bridge similarities between cultures. Our experiences have reinforced the very reason that we believe in this program: We saw this in Nashville, Tennessee as homeless youth told us they felt empowered to tell their stories after seeing LA MISSION and in Imperial Valley, California as audience members said they appreciated seeing aboriginal people being celebrated and not stereotyped. In short, we have seen the power of storytelling to connect with audiences here and abroad, and to light the fires of curiosity about other cultures and new ways of thinking. The experience is enriching for both the local audiences and the filmmakers – who are all learning and benefiting from these cultural interactions.
“We’ve been blessed to host Film Forward three times…Needless is to say that Film Forward made the PRFS a better organization, teaching us how to connect with audiences and spark profound conversations around independent film.”– Guillermo Vazquez, Co-Founder, Puerto Rico Film Society
For more information on FILM FORWARD, please visit sundance.org/filmforward and read blogs by filmmakers, collaborators and audiences, browse through the photo galleries and watch the film trailers. We hope this program is of interest to you and look forward to your proposal. Please feel free to address any questions to Meredith Lavitt via email at meredith_lavitt@sundance.org
Kind Regards, Meredith Lavitt
Associate Director, Film Forward, Sundance Institute
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New Faces: Tina Walker
Tina Walker, Director of Learning Resources for Mid-Plains Community College
In this series, New Faces, the Nebraska Library Commission will interview someone from the next generation of Nebraska librarians.
Today we are speaking with Tina Walker, Director of Learning Resources for Mid-Plains Community College. She previously worked as a library assistant at the University of Nebraska Kearney Calvin T. Ryan Library. She also volunteered at the Kearney Public Library teaching basic computers, social networking, and research. Tina received her Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Missouri – Columbia in 2011. She is a 2011 Nebraska Library Commission / Institute of Museum and Library Services Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian scholarship recipient.
NLC: What brought you to the world of library work? How is it you went to library school?
TINA WALKER: I began working as an assistant and fell in love with reference and working with students every day. I learned that my unique background gave me skills others didn’t have and I could use them in this line of work. I was encouraged to get my MLIS from my supervisor.
NLC: What did you learn in your coursework that surprised you the most? Complete the sentence, “I had no idea that….”
TINA WALKER: …so many people were ready to move to electronic library resources.
NLC: How did the NLC/IMLS 21st Century Librarian scholarship help you with getting an education and in your career aspirations?
TINA WALKER: The scholarship allowed me to attend my first ever ALA conference and I learned a great deal about how libraries function and the vendors. I also learned about networking and how useful that is in the future.
NLC: What’s the most useful non-library work experience you bring to a library job?
TINA WALKER: My conflict resolution and mediation from the Department of Corrections. I learned in this position how to handle people and direct conflict situations.
NLC: What does the future hold for libraries?
TINA WALKER: I believe that libraries will be here in 20 years, but the intent of the library is changing. As more research continues to go digital and more information is available for free, librarians will have to keep teaching people how to find good information.
NLC: What does the future hold for librarians?
TINA WALKER: Many hours of coursework on computers, coding, techie stuff. Either learn to change with the times, or get left behind.
NLC: What are you reading right now?
TINA WALKER: Dean Koontz novels. Lisa Scottoline novels. I read Time, Readers Digest, Chronicle of Higher Education, Community College Magazine, American Libraries, and Library Journal.
NLC: Please share a favorite quote.
TINA WALKER: If I drive myself to the brink of my ability, then I don’t get stale or bored. –Dean Koontz
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The New Faces project is made possible by a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant to the Nebraska Library Commission from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
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 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian scholarships to sixteen Nebraska students in undergraduate Library Science programs. Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner commented, “The 21st Century Librarian scholarships are helping to assure 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.”
Students who wish to apply for scholarships for a Library and Information Services Professional Certificate (offered through Nebraska’s community colleges), an Associate of Arts or Science Degree in Library and Information Services, a Bachelor of Arts or Science Degree with a major in Library and Information Science or Library Media, should submit application materials by November 1, 2013.
Spring/Summer 2013 Scholarship Recipients
Dorlissa Beyer, Aurora
Kassandra Bielenberg, Omaha
Nancy Black, Uehling
Kimberly Blackburn, Broken Bow
Gabrielle DeGagne, Omaha
Justine Goeden, West Point
Kimberly Green-Hailey, South Sioux City
Araceli Hernandez, Kearney
Angela Krejci, Louisville
Misty McClain, North Platte
Maureen McCombs, Gretna
Margaret McGurk-Kramer, Lincoln
Julianne Moulton, Omaha
Libby Munsell, York
Mary Jo Pittman, Omaha
Allison Reisig, Morrill
Dorothy Schultz, Wood River
Sky Seery, North Platte
Samantha Stock, Omaha
Jordan Stough, Bellevue
Monica Tidyman, Stromsburg
Brianna Weichel, Harbine
For more information about Nebraska’s Cultivating Rural Librarians’ 21st Century Skills program, see https://nlc.nebraska.gov/NowHiring/. For a list of 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.
Posted in General, Now hiring @ your library
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Friday Video: Neil Gaiman: “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”
Published on Jul 9, 2013
Neil Gaiman stops by the Googleplex to discuss his latest book, “The Ocean at the End of the Lane.” This talk was moderated by Chris DiBona.
From the book description:
A major new work from “a writer to make readers rejoice” (Minneapolis Star Tribune)—a moving story of memory, magic, and survival
Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn’t thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she’d claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.
Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.
A groundbreaking work from a master, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. It is a stirring, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterfly’s wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark.
What’s Sally Reading?
SummerTeen!
Yesterday
School Library Journal held their second annual SummerTeen event. You still have a little time to register (yes, after the event) and they will let you know when the archive of the sessions is available. Right now you can visit the “booths” of different publishers to see trailers of new books, read the chats from the event, and sign up to possibly win some items. It was great to hear about new titles coming out and listen to the authors’ talk about them. Hope they hold it again next summer!
One of the many things I learned is that Tamora Pierce, the Keynote Speaker, has some advice for writers on the FAQ section of her web page. Scroll down until you see the questions “Where do you get your ideas?” “How do you deal with writer’s block?” “How do you start a book or story?” and more. It is a good place for aspiring young writers to glean some sage advice from a well-known author.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell is set in Omaha in 1986. Eleanor, new to school and to the school bus, is immediately an outcast and Park tries to avoid eye contact so she will sit somewhere else. She ends up next to him on the bus. Park soon realizes Eleanor is reading his comics surreptitiously over his shoulder during the ride and he adjusts how he is sitting to give her a better view of the story. Soon they are sharing music and moving toward a more serious relationship. Eleanor’s home life is scary. Her stepfather abuses her mother and Eleanor must tread lightly. Park’s home life is the opposite, with loving supporting parents. When home life gets too dangerous for Eleanor, she and Park must decide the best solution to the situation. Bullying is a big topic as well as abuse, and finding acceptance in love. Eleanor & Park has a starred review from Booklist and is for grades 9 and up.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services
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What’s Sally Reading?
Have You Seen a 90-Second Newbery?
Challenge your young readers to create a video telling the entire (hitting the high points anyway) story of a Newbery or Newbery Honor title in 90 seconds. The 90-Second Newbery is a film festival in which kids make movies that tell the story of a Newbery-winning book in 90 seconds or less. This is the third year of competition and entries are due by December 10, 2013. Visit the web page to see the rules for the competition as well as a sampling of the best movies kids have made. You will also find a guide full of helpful information on creating the video. What is your favorite Newbery or Newbery Honor winning title? (No, I cannot chose just one either.)
Stick Dog by Tom Watson is a humorous tale of a group of dogs who plot to steal the hot dogs and hamburgers from a family enjoying their picnic in the park. Stick Dog is the leader and is very tolerant of the less than useable ideas from his friends. Eventually, after many side trips and discussions, they have a better day than they ever imagined. Lots of white space and the stick art style of drawing will appeal to readers looking for a quick yarn. This book will be enjoyed by readers in grades 3-6.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Gov. Heineman Names New Appointment to Nebraska Library Commission
Gov. Dave Heineman recently appointed Michael LaCroix, of Omaha, to a three-year term on the Nebraska Library Commission.
LaCroix is Director of the Reinert-Alumni Memorial Library at Creighton University. He formerly served as library director at Greensboro College and Wingate University in North Carolina, and at Albright College in Pennsylvania. He has served on the Nebraska State Advisory Council on Libraries—including a term as council chair—and also served on the North Carolina State Advisory Council on Libraries. LaCroix was elected to the board of directors of the American Library Association’s Association of College and Research Libraries and served as Nebraska’s representative to the Online Computer Library Center Member’s Council. LaCroix was formerly the treasurer of the Nebraska Library Association (NLA), and he chaired the NLA College and University section.
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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Save the Date: Celebration of Nebraska Books Set for October 26
An awards presentation ceremony will highlight the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Celebration of Nebraska Books on October 26, 2013 at the Nebraska State Historical Society’s Museum of Nebraska History, 15th and P Streets, in downtown Lincoln. Winners of the 2013 Nebraska Book Awards will be honored and the celebration will include readings and signings by some of the winning authors. The 2013 Jane Geske Award will also be presented. The event will close with the announcement of the book selected for the 2014 One Book One Nebraska statewide read. Details about the event will be posted at centerforthebook.nebraska.gov and facebook.com/NebraskaCenterfortheBook.
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What’s Sally Reading?
Writers Have Bad Days (or Weeks) Too!
Libba Bray recently posted a humorous item on her blog lamenting the problems writers sometimes face. It is “laugh out loud” funny and also gives some insight into her writing process, or lack of one. All of us waiting for Diviners 2 will now know it is going to take a little longer than we had hoped. But, that gives those of us who haven’t yet read The Diviners some more time to be ready for the sequel, whenever it is published. Keep your fingers crossed.
I know I should review The Diviners now, but instead I have to go with another book. The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central: High School Basketball at the ’68 Racial Divide by Steve Marantz tells of events prior to, and the build-up to, the spring 1968 state high school basketball championship game between Omaha Central and Lincoln Northeast. Events included a visit from George Wallace to the Omaha Civic Auditorium. His presence and comments precipitated riots three days prior to the game which then was moved to Lincoln. I was a sophomore at Lincoln Northeast in the spring of 1968 and attended the championship game that year. I was naïve and had heard about some riots in Omaha but didn’t realize what they were about or even much about George Wallace; my world was pretty small back then. This book reminded me of the many things I remember and the many things I should have known in 1968.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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Nebraska – 125 Years Ago
Recently I was browsing the Nebraska Memories website and ran across a photo of Omaha taken from the intersection of Center Street near 40th Street. The date of the photo was 1888. I did a bit of searching in Nebraska Memories and was pleasantly surprised with the variety of items all from 1888. Here are a few items that made an impression on me.
Let’s start in the panhandle with a picture of Crawford. The picture appears to be showing main street or business area of town. Reading the note included with the picture I learned that sometime in the future most of the wooden buildings on the right side of the photo were destroyed in a fire. It’s hard to imagine how devastating of a loss that would be for the town.
Unfortunately the next stop in Fillmore County also isn’t very cheerful. On January 12, 1888 a bad blizzard hit the Great Plains. There are no pictures of the blizzard but there is a book in Nebraska Memories documenting the 50th anniversary of the blizzard. You can learn more about the blizzard and this book in Blizzard Reunion blog post.
Let’s move on to a happier occasion and look at the program from the Lincoln May Music Festival that was held at the First Congregational Church in Lincoln on May 14-16, 1888. At first this may not sound that interesting unless you are a music lover but I was surprised with all of the interesting things I learned looking at the program. As you expect there is great information about the concerts and performers but you will also ads from local businesses. Looking at the program I learned:
I’m sure everyone attending the Music Festival felt safe with the Lincoln Police Force on duty.
- It would have cost your 50 cents to attend the festival or you could have purchased season tickets for $1.25.
- At the festival they performed Judas Maccabaeus composed by George Frederic Handel and The Holy City by A. R. Gaul.
- J. E. Miller advertised “Best Quality Body Brussels Carpet” for $1.05 per yard. The ad didn’t mention installation.
- A single meal at the Odell’s Dinning Hall would cost you 25 cents or you could pay $4.50 per week.
- The ad for “Leavitt’s Domestic” does not say what they are selling. Based on the picture and wording I’m guessing its coal. Whatever it is will cost you $7.65 delivered and it “Burns to Clean Ash. – Makes no Soot nor Clinker.”
- Folks saving their money at the Union Savings Bank they would receive interest. “Paid depositors at the rate of Five per cent per annum on all deposits exceeding $5.00 and under $3,000.00, for all full calendar months such deposit is in bank. Interest payable semi-annually.”
Let me end this tour of with the some photos of Omaha taken in 1888 by William Wallace. I’ve included links to the 1888 photos along with links to Google Street views of approximately the same location.
- Woolworth Avenue, looking east from Georgia Avenue
(Georgia Avenue is now 29th Street)
Google Street View - Corner of Georgia Avenue and Woolworth Avenue, looking northeast
Google Street View - Street grading on Center Street near 40th Street
If you haven’t heard of the street grading projects make sure you check out Emily’s blog post on Re-Shaping Omaha.
Google Street View
Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images digitized from photographs, negatives, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books and other materials.
Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information, or contact Beth Goble, Historical Projects Librarian, or Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.
What’s Sally Reading?
“Scary Out There”
A new blog by Rot and Ruin author Jonathan Mayberry , hosted by the Horror Writers Association, contains interviews with well-known horror writers, including Darren Shan, Holly Black, Charlie Higson, and Barry Lyga. He started it on March 26, 2013, so you will want to look down a little on the right side of the page for the Archives to read the interviews he has already included, they are fun to read and give you a heads-up on future titles.
Silent Star: The Story of Deaf Major Leaguer William Hoy by Bill Wise, a picture book biography for younger elementary school age children, tells of one of the first major league baseball players who was deaf. Born in 1862 he lost his hearing to meningitis when he was three. This tells of his education, his shoemaking business, and his baseball career. A unique event happened on May 16, 1902, Hoy batted against a deaf pitcher, Luther Taylor; for the first time in major league history a deaf player was at bat facing a deaf pitcher.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
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