Search the Blog
Categories
- Books & Reading
- Broadband Buzz
- Census
- Education & Training
- General
- Grants
- Information Resources
- Library Management
- Nebraska Center for the Book
- Nebraska Memories
- Now hiring @ your library
- Preservation
- Pretty Sweet Tech
- Programming
- Public Library Boards of Trustees
- Public Relations
- Talking Book & Braille Service (TBBS)
- Technology
- Uncategorized
- What's Up Doc / Govdocs
- Youth Services
Archives
Subscribe
Category Archives: General
Tips for Nebraska Libraries on the Web: Create a New Menu
Quick Tip #1: Create a new menu
The menu at the top of your WordPress site allows your visitors to easily find particular pages, but occasionally you might want to change it up (perhaps during summer reading). With WordPress, it’s easy to create multiple menus and swap them out at will. On your Dashboard, go to Appearance, then click on Menus. Your default menu will probably display on the screen, but you can click Create a New Menu and add selected pages and resources to it. Once you name it and save it, the menu will be available in the Customizer on your site (Appearance -> Customize). You can then swap out your default menu for the new menu with one click.
Learn more about Nebraska Libraries on the Web in our previous Blog posts or contact Craig Lefteroff, or by phone at (402) 471-3106. For more information on the service or to view our current sites, please visit http://libraries.ne.gov/projectblog/.
Posted in Education & Training, General, Technology
Tagged Appearance, Create a new menu, free, Library website, technology, website design, WordPress
Leave a comment
Get Your Library Ready for the Total Solar Eclipse — August 21, 2017
Are you ready for the celestial event of the century? In just over a year from now (August 21, 2017), the shadow of the moon will sweep across the United States from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean in a spectacle that hasn’t occurred in 99 years! The National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL) at the Space Science Institute has recently been awarded a grant for its NASA@ My Library program. Partners include NASA, ALA, The Girl Scouts, SETI, and many other organizations. The STAR Library Education Network (STAR_Net) is managed by NCIL. The STAR_Net team wants to work with your library and thousands of others to participate in this national event. Some fortunate libraries will be able to experience a total solar eclipse though every library in the country will observe at least a partial eclipse.
So jump on the eclipse train!
Go to: Eclipse Registration to register your library.
We will, in turn, let you know how to access the following valuable resources:
· Vetted Multimedia for Programming/Promotion (Images, Video, Animations, Artwork)
· Media Template Package (Press Release, PSA, Community Letter, Media Alert)
· Private Eclipse Forum (registered libraries)
· Inclusion in Special Eclipse Promotions (Social Media, Blogs, Newsletters, etc.)
· Enrollment in STAR_Net’s Eclipse Newsletter
When your eclipse event is planned, you can share your press release, flyer, website link, or like material with us to receive 50 free Solar Shades for your patrons to watch along with us! (shades are available on a first come, first serve basis).
The STAR Library Education Network (STAR_Net) is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation and other funders. STAR stands for Science-Technology Activities and Resources. This ground-breaking program includes a traveling STEM exhibition program, the development of STEM activities for public libraries, a comprehensive training program that includes in-person workshops and webinars, the development of the STAR_Net Online Community, and a research and evaluation program. STAR_Net is led by the Space Science Institute’s National Center for Interactive Learning. Partners include the American Library Association, Lunar and Planetary Institute, and the Afterschool Alliance along with many other organizations.
Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training, General, Information Resources, Library Management, Programming, Uncategorized, What's Up Doc / Govdocs
Tagged 2017 Solar Eclipse Library Programing, free, Library Programing, Nebraska, public Library, Solar Eclipse, Total Eclipse 2017
Leave a comment
Throwback Thursday: Nebraska State Penitentiary
Picture postcard of the exterior of the Nebraska State Penitentiary. Written on the postcard is Dinner Hour at the Nebraska Penitentiary. Approximate date is early 1900’s.
Posted in General, Nebraska Memories
2 Comments
Moodle Course on Refugee Health — “From Beyond Our Borders: Providing Multilingual and Multicultural Health Information”
The (NN/LM), Middle Atlantic Region (MAR) invites you to this 3 week self-paced, asynchronous introduction to cultural competency, the unique health information needs of refugees and immigrants, and relevant health information resources:
From Beyond Our Borders: Providing Multilingual and Multicultural Health Information
August 15th, 2016 – September 6th, 2016
This class is designed to assist librarians and others who work with diverse populations in locating health information. The resources presented are selected for their emphasis on providing culturally relevant information in the preferred language of the population. Background information on refugees and immigrants in the U.S. and their unique health issues will be presented. Participants will have the opportunity to become familiar with the features and scope of several Internet resources. The class will be taught via Moodle and includes short readings, videos, and activities.
This class has been approved for 4 hours of continuing education credits by the Medical Library Association for each part and is eligible for MLA Level I and Level II CHIS.
Register: https://nnlm.gov/ntc/classes/class_details.html?class_id=485
Course Contact: Kate Flewelling, NN/LM MAR
Regional Contact: Annette Parde-Maass, NN/LM MCR
Annette Parde-Maass
Education and Outreach Coordinator
National Network of Libraries of Medicine MidContinental Region
Creighton University Health Sciences Library
AnnetteParde-Maass@creighton.edu
402.280.4156
Check out the Bringing Health Information to the Community (BHIC) Blog, http://nnlm.gov/bhic/
Nebraska Libraries on the Web
Imagine that a new resident has just arrived in your town. She’s eager to read the new Ruth Ware novel, but isn’t familiar with your library, so she hits the Internet to search for you. What does she find? What would you like for her to find?
Nebraska Libraries on the Web is a free service open to any public library in Nebraska. We use the WordPress platform to create robust and user-friendly library websites. Our sites are controlled by “themes” that modify the display of your site, meaning that your content will be presented in an appealing fashion automatically. You don’t have to worry about coding, just add text and images that tell the world about your library. For those who wish to alter aspects of their site’s theme, controls are available that allow you to tweak your font, colors, and more. You can even change your entire theme with one click to give your site a brand new appearance.
Because WordPress is so widely used, it’s not surprising that it works well with the biggest names on the Internet. Your site will arrive ready to connect to Facebook, Pinterest, and more. Any content that you add to your website can be automatically posted to your social networks, too. If you use Google Calendar, you can incorporate that directly into your new site, or use add-on tools called plugins to create a new calendar that displays your library’s events. Plugins also allow you to create surveys, contact forms, and forums, and host them all on your site. There’s probably a plugin for anything that you’d like to do with your site and Commission staff are available to assist you in tracking down the right tools. We also take care of software updates and security concerns, so you never have to worry about maintenance.
If this sounds like an approach that might work for your library, please contact Craig Lefteroff, or by phone at (402) 471-3106. For more information on the service or to view our current sites, please visit http://libraries.ne.gov/projectblog/.
Register Now for LIS Classes at Central Community College
Library 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
Holly Woldt: Library Technology Support Specialist at Nebraska Library Commission
Meet Holly Woldt whose job title is Library Technology Support Specialist.
Holly began working at the Library Commission in 2010 in a temporary grant position and proved invaluable so we hired her as a permanent employee. Holly is one of the very few Commission employees who is a non-Nebraska native. She was born in Bad Hersfeld, Germany and adopted by an American family living in Paris, France while her father was serving as an aide-de-camp to the General in charge of NATO. She became a naturalized citizen at the age of 3. As the daughter of a career Air Force officer in the intelligence field, Holly lived in Annandale, Virginia; Oahu, Hawaii, and Ramstein, Germany. She graduated from High School in Hawaii and as her parents had Iowa nativity (which allowed in-state tuition for dependent children), she attended the University of Iowa where she received degrees in both Computer Science and Political Science. Her first job was as Systems Analyst at UNL. She met her husband Wayne at the Zoo Bar in Lincoln although unbeknownst to both of them, his father had worked for her father in Vietnam and both swam competitively at some of the same competitions in Hawaii. Together Wayne and Holly have three children: Weston age 26; Dylan age 24; and Cara age 22; and live on an acreage north of Lincoln. Wayne is a professor of Biosystems Engineering at UNL. He told their children they could major in anything as long as it was engineering because they’d always be able to find a job with that degree.
What makes Holly the right person for this job is that she has a love for technology and a passion for teaching how computers can be useful. Holly has been to many of your libraries to help unpack boxes and install computers and adaptive technology. During this time, many of you have become friends and Holly has learned about your libraries and your communities. She’s heard stories of how these computers have made a difference to your library customers as she continues to be a source of help with these services. Holly is in awe of librarians and their tenacity in serving the needs of their community. As Holly thinks about retirement in San Antonio, she would like to teach water aerobics to her neighbors in her 55+ Community. We’re grateful Holly is part of our library community
What’s Up Doc? New State Agency Publications Received at the Library Commission
New state agency publications have been received at the Nebraska Library Commission for July 2016. Included are titles from the Nebraska Fire Marshal, the Nebraska Department of Labor, The Nebraska State Board of Geologists, and the Juvenile Justice system, to name a few.
Sometimes it is more than just a Nebraska Memories Blog Post
This week I had planned to write a short blog post highlighting some of the photos in Nebraska Memories taken 100 years ago in 1916. While I hadn’t actually typed a single character, mentally I had a great start on the post. That was until I did a quick web search on Spirella. That search started a chain of events that led to a bit of work and me deciding to revise the post I’d been mentally composing.
Here is the picture from 1916 that started my search. As you can see this image shows a room full of women sewing what looks like wide strips of fabric.
Spirella Company
The Spirella Company was located at 211-215 S. 11th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. The Library Commission’s office is located between 12th and 13th streets so this building would have been located about a block west. Unfortunately, the building was torn down but we do have a picture of the outside of the building taken in 1918.
Don’t worry if you don’t recognize the name Spirella. Before starting this blog post, all I knew was that the Spirella Company made corsets and that in 1918 Ira B. Saunders was the General Manager of the plant.
A quick web search led me to the article in Wikipedia about Spirella. It provided me with a lot more information about Spirella and the twisted and flattened coils of wire used in the corsets. The Wikipedia article however was missing what I considered to be an important piece of information. There was no reference of the factory in Lincoln. How could that be, I was just looking at a picture of the factory.
This is where the extra bit of work started. I knew I had to add the Lincoln location to the article but before I did, I wanted to do a bit of research to see if I could find any more information. The first thing I found that clearly confirmed that Spirella had a location in Lincoln was a one-page ad in the March 1917 issue of The Ladies’ Home Journal. The ad contained an image of the plant and stated, “At Lincoln, Nebraska, a plant was located to care for our clients west of the Mississippi.” The full ad is available online but I have included the image of the Lincoln building that was used in the ad. Did you notice that the top decorative triangle is missing? The curvy line to the top and left of the building is an image of the springs used in the corsets.
In the 1917 issue of The American Federationist another ad mentions the Lincoln location. In the add it states “Spirella Corsets Are Made in Spirella’s Daylight Factories under Safe, Sanitary, Convenient, Working Conditions by well paid, contented, skilled works who find joy in their work.”
While I had more than enough information to update the Wikipedia article I was still curious, so I did a quick search across the historic collection of newspapers available on the Library of Congresses’ Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers website. While I didn’t find any information about the factory itself, I did learn a bit more about the corsets and the local corsetiere.
Mrs. Magnolia Duke was a corsetiere in the North Platte area. There were numerous ads for her services in The North Platte semi-weekly tribune along with articles that mention her work. To the right is an example of one of those ads. This is from The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) May 23, 1911, Image 8
In August of 1911, Magnolia traveled to Pennsylvania to attend the National Training School of Spirella Corsetieres. You can read about her trip in the article titled Home from Training School that appeared in the Sept. 1 edition of The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (The article is at the top of the page, just to the right of the owls.)
Another corsetiere in the state was Mrs. J. R. McCleary of Falls City. Here is her ad for corsets that appeared in the June 28, 1907 issue of The Falls City Tribune.
After gathering this information, I was able to update the Wikipedia article to include the factory in Lincoln. I also passed the information on to my colleague who added additional information to the photo in Nebraska Memories. As you can see, what I thought was going to be a simple blog post turned out to be a chance for me to correct wrong information and provided additional information to enhance our metadata in Nebraska Memories.
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, contact Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.
Posted in General, Information Resources, Nebraska Memories, Technology
1 Comment
Throwback Thursday: Nebraska Governor’s Mansion
Postcard of the Nebraska Governor’s Mansion located on 15th and H Streets in Lincoln, Nebraska. Approximate date is early 1900’s.
Posted in General, Nebraska Memories
Leave a comment
Free Webinar–Beyond the Job Description: Ten Practical Tips for the New Rural Library Director
This webinar, presented in collaboration with ARSL, explores practical skills for new library directors serving a small or rural community.
Date: August 11th, 2016
Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Eastern Time, 2:00-3:00 Central Time
On paper, your job description as a library director may not cover some of the unique challenges and opportunities that come with serving a small or rural community. Juggling the nuances of a new position can be overwhelming, but equipped with a tool belt of everyday skills ranging from assessment to communication and outreach to time-management, you can move through your new role with confidence. This session will be useful for anyone interested in strengthening their role in the library, even if you aren’t a director. Come learn from a successful new director, 10 fresh tips for working with staff, boards, and the community to create a strong and vibrant library. Join us and bring your tips and ideas to help new directors succeed!
This webinar is hosted in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries.
Presenter: Jennifer Pearson, Director, Marshall County Memorial Library (TN) and current board member, ARSL
Throwback Thursday: U.S. Courthouse and Post Office
Postcard of the U.S. Courthouse and Post Office located in Lincoln, Nebraska from approximately the early 1900’s.
Posted in General, Nebraska Memories
Leave a comment
Federal Trade Commission Raises Awareness About Scams
As part of their ongoing effort to raise awareness about scams targeting the Latino community, the Federal Trade Commission has developed a series of “fotonovelas” in Spanish. The stories are based on complaints to the FTC from Spanish speakers throughout the nation and offer practical tips to help detect and stop common scams. You can order copies of the Spanish-language fotonovelas — for free — and distribute them in your community. Here are some examples:
Fotonovelas
Maria and Rafael Learn the Signs of a Debt Relief Scam
This fotonovela alerts readers to the common signs of a debt relief scam and tells them where they can find legitimate credit counseling help.
Car-Buying Trouble
This fotonovela tells how to avoid trouble when you finance a new or used car through the dealership and where to report problems with dealer financing.
Notario scams
This fotonovela tells readers the warning signs of a notario scam, where to find help with the immigration process, and how to report scams to the Federal Trade Commission.
Debt Collectors
In this fotonovela, Juan learns his rights when dealing with debt collectors, where to go for information, and how to file a complaint.
Income Scam
This fotonovela alerts Latino consumers to the signs of an income scam, and provides advice to avoid falling for a scam.
Government Imposters
This fotonovela tells readers how to identity a government imposter and warns of the dangers of sending money to a stranger.
For more information, visit Fotonovelas at the Federal Trade Commission.
Nebraska DMV Announces Launch of Online Change-of-Address Service
The Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has launched a significant enhancement to an existing online service making it easier for Nebraskans to do business with the state of Nebraska. Holders of Nebraska driver’s licenses and IDs can now update their address online from their computer, tablet, or phone. In two weeks, 1,100 drivers have already used the application, reflecting unprecedented success.
Launched on June 28, 2016, Nebraskans can comply with the statutory requirement to update their address within 60 days of moving. Using the new enhancement, they can provide the documents necessary to prove their address and circumvent the necessity to make a trip to a driver’s license office.
“We realize many of our customers want and need to do business with us outside of traditional business hours. We respect their time and were able remove this barrier to the online driver license renewal/replacement process,” stated DMV Director Rhonda Lahm. “This is one more way we can assist Nebraskans to interact with the DMV services they need in the most convenient manner possible.”
The Driver License Renewal/Replacement online application with the Change of Address capability can be found by going to http://www.clickDMV.nebraska.gov. Two types of documentation are required to prove an address; 14 different options exist. After documents are submitted, they are reviewed for approval by DMV driver licensing staff to approve valid documentation.
“This service will allow our customers who need a relatively simple transaction to get their business completed at a time which is convenient to them,” says Sara O’Rourke, Driver License Administrator for the DMV. “This accommodates the largest number of persons possible and promotes efficient use of our DMV services for our citizens.”
The online application was developed by Nebraska Interactive, LLC. “We are excited to add a new enhancement which saves constituents time and creates more effective and efficient government services,” stated Brent Hoffman, President of Nebraska Interactive.
Users can go to Nebraska.gov to find out more about online Government services in Nebraska.
Free Webinar : Health Information Resources for Seniors
Health Information Resources for Seniors
July 27, 2016 1pm Mountain/ 2pm Central
https://webmeeting.nih.gov/mcr2
Presenter: Annette Parde-Maass, Education Coordinator, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, MidContinental Region
As America’s 65-and-over population potentially doubles in the next 35-years, knowing where to find reliable information about senior health will be crucial. This webinar will demonstrate senior health resources from the National Library of Medicine and other centers that address needs at various ages and levels of health. Participants will learn about the sites, how to navigate them, and ways to promote and teach them to senior populations and caregivers.
For more information, visit https://nnlm.gov/mcr/education/discover. Registration is not required. We offer 1 Medical Library Association Continuing Education credit per session (details are provided at the end of each session).
Christian Minter, christian.minter@unmc.edu
Annette Parde-Maass, AnnetteParde-Maass@creighton.edu
Education and Outreach Coordinators
National Network of Libraries of Medicine
Check out the Bringing Health Information to the Community (BHIC) Blog, http://nnlm.gov/bhic/
Throwback Thursday: Nebraska State Capitol Building
Postcard of the Nebraska State Capitol Building, 1910.
This postcard was donated to the Library Commission for inclusion in Nebraska Memories. If you have old photos or postcards you would like to donate, please contact us at 402-471-2045 or 800-307-2665.
Posted in General, Nebraska Memories
Leave a comment
New State Agency Publications Received at the Library Commission
New state agency publications have been received at the Nebraska Library Commission for June 2016. Included are titles from the Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts, Nebraska Public Power District, The Nebraska State Board of Health, and the Nebraska Department of Veteran’s Affairs, to name a few.
Nebraska 150 Books : July 2016 Featured Titles
Summer in Nebraska provides a rich environment for authors to reflect on the agriculture and natural phenomena of the Great Plains. The featured books for July highlight the magestic aspects of Nebraska’s land and climate: thunderstorms, endless corn fields, big sky, and all of the creatures that are native to this land.
Fiction: Haven’s Wake, by Ladette Randolph. Early July, and the corn in eastern Nebraska stands ten feet tall; after a near-decade of drought, it seems too good to be true, and everyone is watching the sky for trouble. For the Grebels, whose plots of organic crops trace a modest patchwork among the vast fields of soybeans and corn, trouble arrives from a different quarter in the form of Elsa’s voice on her estranged son’s answering machine: “Your father’s dead. You’ll probably want to come home.”
When a tractor accident fells the patriarch of this Mennonite family, the threads holding them together are suddenly drawn taut, singing with the tensions of a lifetime’s worth of love and faith, betrayal and shame. Through the competing voices of those gathered for Haven Grebel’s funeral, acts of loyalty and failures, long-suppressed resentments and a tragic secret are brought to light, expressing a larger, complex truth. University of Nebraska Press, and 2014 Nebraska Book Award for Fiction.
Non-Fiction: Keith County Journal, by John Janovy, Jr. To learn from nature, not about nature, was the imperative that took John Janovy Jr. and his students into the sandhills, marshes, grasslands, canyons, lakes, and streams of Keith County in western Nebraska. The biologist explores the web of interrelationships among land, animals, and human beings. Even termites, snails, and barn swallows earn respect and assume significance in the overall scheme of things. Janovy, reminiscent of Henry David Thoreau in his acute powers of observation and search for wisdom, has written a new foreword for this Bison Books/University of Nebraska Press edition.
Children’s Literature: Night of the Twisters, by Ivy Ruckman. When a tornado watch is issued one Tuesday evening in June, twelve-year-old Dan Hatch and his best friend, Arthur, don’t think much of it. After all, tornado warnings are a way of life during the summer in Grand Island, Nebraska. But soon enough, the wind begins to howl, and the lights and telephone stop working. Then the emergency siren starts to wail. Dan, his baby brother, and Arthur have only seconds to get to the basement before the monstrous twister is on top of them. Little do they know that even if they do survive the storm, their ordeal will have only just begun. . . .
Poetry: Nebraska : This Place, These People, by former Nebraska State Poet William (Bill) Kloefkorn. This 128-page poetry collection is filled with more than 80 of Kloefkorn’s superbly-crafted accounts of prairie and city life. This is the only book in Kloefkorn’s distinguished writing career devoted entirely to Nebraska. It’s infused with beautiful hand-drawn illustrations, plus excerpts from other great Nebraska writers such as Willa Cather and John Neihardt, offering insight into Kloefkorn’s vision, inspiration and adoration of our amazing state.
NLC Staff: Meet Allison Badger
Allison Badger started t
he year 2016 as the new cataloger for the Library Commission.
Allison is a fifth generation Montanan and comes to us with what she describes as a homestead work ethic: hardworking, rarely sedentary, and not taking modern conveniences for granted. She worked at several Montana institutions including the Montana State Library and the Montana State Historical Society. She most recently worked at the Montana Office of Public Instruction doing cataloging, interlibrary loan, collection management, and reference assistance. She received her BA in History from Rocky Mountain College and an MA in History from the University of Montana Missoula. While working as a historian for a research firm, she encountered library catalogs that weren’t particularly helpful nor were they the most efficient pathfinders so she started thinking about becoming a cataloger which required an MLS. Her choice for this education was the University of North Texas in Denton which could be achieved mostly online with a few in person classes.
When Allison is not at work, she is quite happy at home sitting on her deck, reading, watching television, or taking a walk. She also enjoys cooking and baking. One of her signature items is butter brickle bars for which all of the ingredients are always on hand. Which books have influenced Allison the most? Two titles come to mind – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen because of Jane’s ability to see inside the human character and Isabelle Allende’s House of the Spirits. She read it the first time in high school and with each subsequent reading gleans something new. Allison feels books are like old friends worth reading again and again. When I asked Allison how she describes her workplace she said she feels like she’s always worked at the Library Commission and that it is a natural fit with the staff. There is an ease and respect amongst her colleagues. We are pleased to have Allison in Nebraska and at our library.
Posted in General
Tagged Allison Badger, Cataloger, Nebraska Library Commission Staff, New Faces, NLC Staff, Staff
Leave a comment
