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
Friday Reads: Stubby the War Dog by Ann Bausum
I have been reading books for preschool through high school ages preparing for next year’s summer reading program “Every Hero Has a Story.” Among my favorites so far is a nonfiction title: Stubby the War Dog by Ann Bausum, written for grades 4-7. Stubby was a stray who connected with J. Robert Conroy, an enlisted man among many who were training on Yale’s athletic grounds in 1917. When the time came to ship out, Stubby was smuggled on board and soon was considered by all to be a part of the unit.
He brought companionship and relieved tedium, but also helped his fellow soldiers by killing rats in the trenches, warning them of imminent gas attacks, and even captured a German soldier on his own.
Period photographs of Stubby and of the countryside at that time help to bring his story to life. And just so you know, Stubby made it back home, and so did his best buddy Conroy.
Youth Grants for Excellence Applications due 10/1/14
The Nebraska Library Commission announces that grants are available to accredited public libraries and state-run institutional libraries for special projects in the area of children’s and young adult services. These grants are awarded to encourage innovation and expansion of public library services for youth and their parents or caregivers. Applications will be accepted for projects in listed areas of service to youth. (See the “Introduction” link below.)
The Youth Grants for Excellence require a 25% match of the amount requested (grant amount), of which at least 10% must be a cash match. The minimum amount that will be awarded per grant is now $250. The $250 minimum grant amount plus the required 25% local match ($63) combine for $313 as the lowest total project amount for a Youth Grant for Excellence.
There are two different application forms. For projects requesting $250 – $1,000 in grant funds use the abbreviated, or short form. Applications requesting more than $1,000 must use the long form. Please be sure to use the correct form for your project. Please go to the “Introduction” page for links to the forms (at the bottom of the page).
Please note: AWE work stations, or similar stations of other companies, are allowed this year (2014) and next year (2015) and then will no longer be eligible beginning in 2016.
You may also be interested in viewing the NCompass Live session from 8/20/14:
You are welcome to call or email Sally Snyder with questions or to ask for more information.
Posted in General, Youth Services
Leave a comment
NEH Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections Grants – applications due Dec. 3, 2014
National Endowment for the Humanities Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections helps cultural institutions meet the complex challenge of preserving large and diverse holdings of humanities materials for future generations by supporting sustainable conservation measures that mitigate deterioration and prolong the useful life of collections.
Libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations across the country face an enormous challenge: to preserve collections that facilitate research, strengthen teaching, and provide opportunities for life-long learning in the humanities. Ensuring the preservation of books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, art, and historical objects requires institutions to implement measures that slow deterioration and prevent catastrophic loss. This work is best accomplished through preventive conservation, which encompasses 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.
As museums, libraries, archives, and other collecting institutions strive to be effective stewards of humanities collections, they must find ways to implement preventive conservation measures that are sustainable. This program therefore helps cultural repositories plan and implement preservation strategies that pragmatically balance effectiveness, cost, and environmental impact. Sustainable approaches to preservation can contribute to an institution’s financial health, reduce its use of fossil fuels, and benefit its green initiatives, while ensuring that collections are well cared for and available for use in humanities programming, education, and research.
Closing date for applications: December 3, 2014
For more information, visit http://www.neh.gov/grants/preservation/sustaining-cultural-heritage-collections.
Throwback Thursday: Interior photo of Beatrice Public Library, circa1939
Interior photo of the Beatrice Carnegie Public Library, circa 1939.
Posted in General
Leave a comment
Free Resources to Help Nebraska Libraries Engage Community
The American Library Association (ALA) is offering free materials to help libraries improve their community engagement and facilitation techniques. The materials — conversation guides, questionnaires, worksheets and webinars — are designed to help libraries strengthen their roles as core community leaders and work with residents to bring positive change to their communities.
The resources were developed by The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, whose “turning outward” approach emphasizes changing the orientation of institutions and individuals from internal (organization-facing) to external (community-facing). This process entails taking steps to better understand communities; changing processes and thinking to make conversations more community-focused; being proactive about community issues; and developing shared aspirations.
Libraries are encouraged to download, copy and share the materials, free of charge, at ala.org/LTC. The resources are offered as part of ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative.
Available materials include tools such as:
- Aspirations/Aspirations Facilitator’s Guide (PDF) help libraries focus on their community’s aspirations, identify next steps for creating change, and create an aspirations-based narrative for their community as a starting point for library action.
- Turn Outward (PDF) helps libraries assess the focus of their efforts in the community as they shift their orientation from internal to external.
- Sustaining Yourself (PDF) helps library professionals map the components that fuel their motivation and commitment for community work.
- Community Conversation Workbook (PDF) explains how to convene engaging community conversations that will elicit substantial, actionable feedback from residents. The guide is accompanied by a webinar.
- Theming and Using Public Knowledge Workbook (PDF) demonstrates how to organize and understand the information collected during community conversations and how to share what you have learned with others. The guide is accompanied by a webinar.
For a full list of resources, as well as a 90-day guide for getting started with the “turning outward” approach, visit ala.org/LTC.
About Libraries Transforming Communities
Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) is an ALA initiative that seeks to strengthen libraries’ roles as core community leaders and change-agents. LTC addresses a critical need within the library field by developing and distributing new tools, resources and support for libraries to engage with their communities in new ways. As a result, ALA believes libraries will become more reflective of and connected to their communities and build stronger partnerships with local civic agencies, nonprofits, funders and corporations. The initiative is made possible through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Throwback Thursday: 1902 NLC Biennial Report
http://nlcblogs.nebraska.gov/nlcblog/files/2014/08/A001-1902.pdf
1902 Nebraska Library Commission Biennial Report
First Nebraska-Produced Talking Book Now Downloadable
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 19, 2014
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
When the Nebraska Library Commission Talking Book and Braille Service (TBBS) recorded I Am a Man: Chief Standing Bear’s Journey for Justice, it enabled Nebraskans with a print-related disability to participate in the 2012 One Book One Nebraska statewide reading program. Now Nebraska’s recording is available for direct download to any qualifying U.S. resident through the Library of Congress’ Braille and Audio Reading Download service (BARD).
Written by Nebraska author Joe Starita and narrated by Alice Timm, this book is the first Nebraska Library Commission studio production to be offered through BARD online downloading. The book chronicles what happened when Chief Standing Bear undertook a 600-mile trek to return the body of his only son to their ancestral burial ground.
In recognition of Nebraska’s efforts, Library of Congress National Library Service Director Karen Keninger offered her congratulations, “Thank you for participating in the network-produced audiobooks on BARD pilot. I am pleased to inform you that your book . . . is now available on BARD. The posting of your book to BARD marks an important milestone in our efforts to increase the quantity of materials available on BARD.”
Launched in 2009 by the Library of Congress, BARD allows qualifying U.S. residents to download encrypted files of audio books and magazines, Braille, and music instruction materials. Materials can be accessed through home computers or through a mobile app for use with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch device. Currently 354 Nebraskans participate in BARD—9% of TBBS borrowers—many more could be eligible (see application instructions at https://nlsbard.loc.gov/NLS/ApplicationInstructions.html). For more information see https://nlsbard.loc.gov/login/NE1A or contact nlc.talkingbook@nebraska.gov, 402-471-4038, 800-742-7691.
As Nebraska’s state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services-“bringing together people and information.”
###
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.
Dining Out
Did you run out and pick up lunch today? Do you plan to eat out tonight? Are you out on the road and need a place to eat?
People have had a variety of choices for cafes, restaurants, steak houses, etc. in Nebraska over the years. Options included formal and informal. Al fresco dining outside this restaurant was offered in the early 1900s. The photograph to the left captures a crowd at a restaurant offering an outside lunch counter option (Nebraska State Historical Society Collection). Photographer John Nelson took many pictures in the area surrounding Wheeler County where he lived.
More formal dining at about the same time was in order at the Vineyard in Omaha’s Rome Hotel at 16th and Jackson Streets, shown in the postcard far left. The wait staff there may have been as numerous as that of the Calumet Restaurant (1411-1413 Douglas Street, Omaha) shown in the postcard bottom left. Tolf Hanson, after selling the Calumet to his brother-in-law, opened Hanson’
s Cafe in 1908, a tony restaurant that didn’t quite catch on despite extensive, expensive interior renovations. The building now houses the Omaha’s oldest Chinese restaurant at 315 S. 16th Street. (Omaha Public Library Collection)
Steak houses have also been big in Nebraska for a number of years. 
The Denver Chop House at 1518 Dodge Street, used cutting edge advertising in 1894, to promote their 15 Cent Restaurant on the postcard at the top left (Omaha 
Public Library Collection). Opening somewhat later, Gorat’s Steakhouse, 4917 Center Street, Omaha, was and is a popular dining establishment. Cooks in the basement kitchen of Gorat’s Steak House cut generous portions of steak in the 1949 photograph at the left. 
While upstairs in the photograph to the right, patrons could enjoy a drink at the sleek bar before eating. (The Durham Museum Collection)
In Lincoln, businessmen could eat formally in the Commercial Club dining room on an upper floor of 1110 P Street as they do in the photograph to the left. Or someone in a hurry could grab a bite at the Jenquenz Sanitary Lunch Car a few blocks away at 222 S. 11th Street shown in the photograph to the right. (Townsend Studio Collection)
Locals and teenagers had their own favorite hangouts. Mrs. Tony’s Cafe in Fairmont with its pinball machine was popular with young people in town shown at left. (Fairmont Public Library Collection) Marchio’s Italian Cafe was part of the neighborhood at 13th and J Streets in Omaha, photograph to the right. (The Durham Museum Collection) 
And anyone wanting something from the soda fountain had many choices in Lincoln, including Joe Gatto’s Store, to the left. (Townsend Studio Collection)
So, where are we going and what’s for dinner?
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
Leave a comment
Throwback Thursday: NLC at the State Capitol, circa 1901-1906
NLC at the State Capitol building, in the background is Edna Bullock, first secretary of the Nebraska Library Commission.
Posted in General
Leave a comment
Librarians Urged to Celebrate Nebraska Archaeology Month in September
As you read this, archeologists are out in the field somewhere in Nebraska, uncovering evidence of human occupation ranging from relatively recent times back to Paleo-Indian cultures that lived here millennia ago. Want to learn more? The Nebraska Association of Professional Archeologists (NAPA) is planning statewide events for Celebrate Nebraska Archaeology Month in September. Events will include public lectures, a “Sunday with a Scientist” at Morrill Hall in Lincoln, events at Hudson-Meng Bison Bonebed near Crawford, an Omaha event, and others. Nebraska librarians are invited to participate by highlighting archaeology-themed books in your libraries with displays and activities.
For more information see the news release below or search for “Celebrate Nebraska Archaeology Month” on Facebook for updates on September events.
September to be Celebrate Nebraska Archaeology Month 2014
LINCOLN – The Nebraska Association of Professional Archaeologists (NAPA) announces “Celebrate Nebraska Archaeology Month” this September. “September is an exciting opportunity for all archaeology-lovers, from amateur to the professional,” said NAPA President Cynthia Wiley. “We will celebrate the rich history of archaeology in this state and how it has contributed to our knowledge of the past in Nebraska and beyond.”
The Nebraska 2014 Archaeology Month poster will be unveiled at the Nebraska Artifact Show at the Seward County Fairgrounds in Seward on Saturday, August 16, 2014 following the presentation at 1:30pm by Jeffrey J. Richner. This year’s poster focuses on using new technologies to explore historical travel and settlement in Nebraska.
Archaeology will be the topic of the University of Nebraska State Museum’s “Sunday with a Scientist” on September 21, 2014, 1:30-4:30pm in Lincoln and a guided hike series at Hudson-Meng Education and Research Center near Crawford. Speaker presentations and other events are scheduled at museums and locales throughout Nebraska during the month. Many events are free to the public.
Events are still in the planning stages and communities across the state are encouraged to get involved. See www.nebraskaarchaeologymonth.blogspot.com for a calendar of events near you.
Celebrate Nebraska Archaeology is a month-long exploration of Nebraska’s archaeological past. It engages professional archaeologists and the citizens of Nebraska in activities showing the archaeological richness of our State in order to encourage a new generation of archaeologists and give citizens a greater appreciation of archaeological site stewardship.
For more information, contact nebraskaarchaeologymonth@gmail.com or visit the website at http://www.nebraskaarchaeologymonth.blogspot.com/.
Posted in General, Programming
Leave a comment
Throwback Thursday: Omaha Biscuit Factory, circa 1900-1920
Library in the Omaha Biscuit Factory, 1900-1920.
Posted in General
Leave a comment
Plum Creek Children’s Literacy Festival Scheduled for Sept. 25-27, 2014
Nebraska library staff are invited to attend the Plum Creek Children’s Literacy Festival. Originating in 1996 at Concordia University in Seward, NE, the festival is a three-day literacy event for school age children and adults. Participants are provided with an opportunity to interact with nationally acclaimed authors and illustrators. The festival has grown from a one-day, one-author event to a three-day nine-author event. Over 10,000 school-age children and their teachers attend two Children’s Days of the festival at no charge. An adult conference is held the third day, with nine authors and seven literacy experts speaking to approximately 600 attendees. For a short video about the festival and registration links, see www.cune.edu/plumcreek.
2014 Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest Now Open
Librarians across Nebraska are encouraged to share the information below with the youth of Nebraska and to inspire them to enter the 2014 Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest. Each year Nebraskans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30-day period. Please consider setting up a materials display in your library and/or other promotional activities to help you engage with your community.
2014 Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest
For our theme, we have chosen quotes from two influential Hispanic leaders: Jaime Escalante and Frida Kahlo. Please choose one of the quotes below and tell us what their words mean to you:
Jaime Escalante: Educator – “One of the greatest things you have in life is that no one has the authority to tell you what you want to be. You’re the one who’ll decide what you want to be. Respect yourself and respect the integrity of others as well. The greatest thing you have is your self-image, a positive opinion of yourself. You must never let anyone take it from you.”
Frida Kahlo: Artist – “I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.”
PRINT FRIENDLY COPY OF THE GUIDELINES
ESSAY: When writing your essay, please answer one or more of these questions: Both quotes deal with self-reflection. How does your heritage and culture reflect who you are as a person? How has society or current events impacted your self-image as an ethnically diverse individual? What do Frida’s or Jaime’s words mean to you and have they influenced your opinion of Hispanic Heritage Month?
ELIGIBILITY: The contest is open to Nebraska students of all ethnicities and backgrounds currently enrolled in a Nebraska public, private or magnet school (grades 6 – 12). Entries are welcome in English or Spanish and must be submitted with an entry form (see attachment)
RULES: Essay content must be original, typed or legibly handwritten, and double spaced. The word length is 250 – 400 words for middle school students and 500 – 700 words for high school students. The Hispanic Heritage Month State Planning Committee reserves the right to disqualify submitted essays that contain offensive language, political messages, and derogatory statements. A blind jury will judge the essays based on writing style, grammar, content and cohesion to the theme.
AWARDS: Cash prizes, certificates, Kindle Nooks, and McDonald’s gift cards will be given to six winners. Winning students will be recognized at the Hispanic Heritage Month State Commemoration, scheduled for October 10, 2014 at the Nebraska State Capitol Building in Lincoln. First place winners will be asked to read their essay at the Commemoration and McDonald’s will publish first place winning essays on their tray liners. The Commission reserves the right to edit essays for fitting purposes.
SUBMISSION: All essays due by Thursday, September 18, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. Essays and entry forms may be submitted by email, preferably as a PDF, to Jasel.Cantu@nebraska.gov, via fax at 402-471-4381 or mailed to:
Nebraska Latino American Commission
Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest
P.O. Box 94965
Lincoln, NE 68509-4965
EDUCATORS/LIBRARIANS: For background information and teaching tools on Hispanic Heritage Month, Jaime Escalante and Frida Kahlo, visit the links below:
Hispanic Heritage Month: For teaching materials on Hispanic Heritage Month with links to the Smithsonian, Library of Congress, and more, click here.
Jaime Escalante (1930-2010) was a high school math educator from Bolivia of Aymara ancestry. He achieved fame after introducing and teaching AP Calculus at Garfield High School in Los Angeles, CA in 1978. His students would go on to ace AP Calculus and helped build an exceptional Advanced Placement program in the school. At the height of his influence, Garfield High School graduates would go on to attend the University of Southern California in more numbers than all graduates from the working-class East Los Angeles area combined.
For library and classroom-friendly teaching material, educational videos with interviews, and background information on educator Jaime Escalante, click here. Recommended 1988 film “Stand and Deliver” on Jaime Escalante starring Edward James Olmos, family friendly, rated PG. View trailer.
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) was a Mexican artist of German and Indigenous ancestry from Mexico City. Her artwork was among the first to include Mexican and Indigenous culture, tradition, and religion. She is also known as the wife of painter Diego Rivera and was influential in his art as well. She is the first contemporary Mexican artist to have artwork displayed at the Louvre in Paris. Her artwork would come to influence modern art and bring attention to the culture and art of Mexico.
For classroom-friendly teaching material, lesson guides, suggested class activities, and background information, click here. Recommended PBS Documentary: “The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo” is also available for free viewing online. NOTE: It is recommended that librarians and educators view the film and observe Kahlo’s paintings first and decide which elements to present in class as a conflicting yet contiguous mix of politics, social unrest, and cross-cultural elements influenced her art and life. For recommended sections of the film with corresponding classroom lessons, click here. A Parent’s Guide and Teacher’s Guide are available for the film from NET and PBS.
Posted in General, Programming, Public Relations, Youth Services
Leave a comment
K-12 School Partnership Funding Call for Applications
The National Network of Libraries of Medicine, MidContinental Region (NN/LM MCR), under contract with the National Library of Medicine, announces the availability of K-12 School Partnership funding.
The MCR plans to fund four awards up to $1,500 in Option Year 3 (May 2014-April 2015):
- Deadline for submissions is September 30, 2014.
- Recipients will be notified by October 7, 2014.
- Projects must be completed by April 30, 2015.
Purpose:
The purpose of this award is to support new projects or enhance existing collaborative projects between a library (public, community college, or academic health sciences) and a K-12 school entity (school library, school nurse, health/science teacher) involving National Library of Medicine health and/or science information that can serve as a model for other partnerships.
Examples of projects include:
- Partnerships to provide access to health information to support health and/or science curriculum.
- Partnerships to conduct innovative health and/or science information outreach programs.
- Partnerships to benefit community access to health information.
- Partnerships to improve access to health information for underserved/vulnerable populations.
Eligibility:
Partners must be an NN/LM MCR Full or Affiliate member. Membership(s) may be confirmed by entering a zip code in the NN/LM Member Directory. Not a member, sign up today, it’s free.
Allocation of Funds:
Reimbursements will be made to project leader upon receipt of invoice(s). Indirects and overhead are not allowable.
Reports:
Quarterly and final reports are required.
Application:
Apply online.
Questions:
If you have questions regarding this award, contact Dana Abbey or Monica Rogers, MCR Health Information Literacy Coordinators.
Posted in General
Leave a comment
What’s Sally Reading?
Book Club for Kids…
If you have thought about starting a book club for kids, or want to rethink your current program design, take a look at this librarian’s approach outlined on her blog Thrive After Three. Lisa Shaia has found something that works well for her community. She shares her weekly time break down and also lists some titles that have worked well for middle grade readers and some titles for tweens/early teen readers. Hope you find something helpful.
The 2014 One Book for Nebraska Teens is Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransome Riggs. The Library Commission has a book club kit librarians can borrow. If it is out when you would like it, we have plenty of other book club kits of previous One Book for Nebraska Kids and One Book for Nebraska Teens. Take a look at the web page for book club kits, or this web page to look at previous One Book for Nebraska Kids or Teens titles.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransome Riggs:
(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
Leave a comment
Throwback Thursday: First NLC Commission Minutes, circa 1901
The first two minutes from the meetings of the Nebraska Traveling Library Commission (NLC), June 27, 1901 and July 15, 1901.
Donating to Nebraska Memories
Do you have some neat historical photos, postcards or documents at home that you think would be good additions to Nebraska Memories? Are you willing to donate them to the Library Commission? If yes, read on.
Most of the content in Nebraska Memories comes from non-profit organizations contributing images of materials that they retain ownership of. Did you know that now we also accept donations of pre-approved historical, Nebraska-related materials from individuals? These items may include photographs, negatives, postcards, maps, and documents such as letters, diaries, deeds, diplomas, and event programs.
We recently added a new collection to Nebraska Memories called Donated Materials which currently includes photographs, postcards, and autograph albums. Click on the Browse this Collection button and click on the thumbnail images to see what we have so far.
The three items shown here were donated by Vicki Witmer, who is credited in the image descriptions as the donor. Two are postcards of landmarks in the town of Havelock Nebraska, which was founded in 1893. The photos were taken in the 1920’s before Havelock was annexed by the city of Lincoln in 1930.
I am fascinated by the turntable in the Burlington Yards postcard., and imagine huge engines rotating on it while being worked on or turned around to begin a new journey in the other direction. 
I can also imagine children of railroad workers, most of whom probably lived in Havelock, walking to the nearby Public School while a parent (likely the father) walked to work at the yards. The school building looks rather forbidding, but many did in those days.
This Dole Studio, Lincoln portrait of Enid and Neil Holt was also taken in the 1920’s. Could they have lived in Havelock? I hope seeing these donated images whets your appetite for helping us tell Nebraska’s story. If you have Nebraska –related historical items that you would like to donate, follow this link for more information. http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/donations.aspx
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
1 Comment
Throwback Thursday: Grand Island Carnegie Library, circa 1900-1920
Exterior photo of the Carnegie Grand Island Public Library. Notice the dirt roads around the building.
Posted in General
Leave a comment
Small Libraries Urged to Apply for Grant from NE Community Foundation
The Summer 2014 issue of the NE Community Foundation newsletter, Connections, has a nice piece on the library projects funded through the Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund (see page 5: http://www.nebcommfound.org/media/docs/NCF_Newsletter_Summer_2014_Correct_Web.pdf).
This spring more than $80,000 was awarded to libraries in Culbertson, David City, Deshler, Elgin, Exeter, Minden, Red Cloud and Walthill. Recently, the Hildreth Public Library completed its yearlong renovation project which doubled the size of the library, improved the interior, and added an accessible restroom.
This newsletter article is a great reminder to Nebraska public libraries located in communities of fewer than 3,000 residents that now is a good time to begin thinking about appying for a grant for 2015. Grants will be made in three areas: Planning Grants (leading to accreditation); Enhancement Grants (leading to improvement of library services and/or programs); and Facilities Grants (contributing toward new facilities or the renovation, restoration or rehabilitation of current libraries). Community leadership must be exhibited in grant applications indicating the likelihood of sustainability of improvements.
Short applications received on or before October 1, 2014 will be considered for the grant cycle awarded in March 2015. If approved, the full application is due 5:00 p.m. on January 5, 2015.
More information is available at http://www.nebcommfound.org/media/docs/Grant_Guidelines_2015.pdf or contact Reggi Carlson, 402-323-7331 or rcarlson@nebcommfound.org.
Posted in General, Library Management
Leave a comment
Do you have 10 minutes to help us transcribe a handwritten inscription?
Recently we added two autograph albums to Nebraska Memories. The albums belonged to May Martin Ellis and her husband John Ellis. They contain many handwritten inscriptions with the majority of inscriptions dating from the late 1800’s. While it is fun to read the inscriptions it can also be a challenge to read some of the handwriting. We would like to remove this challenge by providing a typed transcription of each page. Typing the transcriptions is a bit of a daunting task however because there are about 150 pages between the two albums and each page was written by a different person. The quality of handwriting varies from page to page so some are easy to read while others take a bit more effort.
To help with the task of transcribing these albums we wanted to try using crowdsourcing. If you are not familiar with crowdsourcing in this context it is a way to divide up the labor of transcribing the text among a group of people who are willing to give a few minutes of their time to the project. This is not a new concept but it is the first time we are trying it and hope you will be willing to help us.
What do you get out of helping with this project? To start with you get the enjoyment of reading a page or two in the autograph books. While I haven’t read all of the pages yet here is one inscription that I found amusing. This is from page 42 of May’s album.
Dear Friend May:
Remember me and my best wishes
When far away washing dishes.
From your friend.
Eva Miller.
July 26th 1885.
Second, by helping to create a typed transcription we are making both the inscriptions and the name of the person who wrote them legible, searchable and findable. After the pages have been transcribed we will add the transcribed text to the corresponding album page in Nebraska Memories.
Third, if your relatives lived in Nebraska during the late 1800’s maybe you will find an inscription they wrote. Many of the inscriptions include both a date and place name. Some of the place names I’ve seen include: Alliance, Box Butte, Genoa, Hemingford, Osceola, and Grand Lake (According to information on the Nebraska State Historical Site’s webpage Grand Lake was located near Alliance.)
If you are up to the challenge here is how you can help. We have set up a Google form for each album so we can easily collect the transcribed text and then display the text in a corresponding spreadsheet. You do not need a Google account to help us. Everything you do is anonymous. We have no way of tracking who has helped us with this project. Here is what you need to get started.
Links That You Will Need – Please make sure you read the instructions below.
May Martin Ellis Album
UPDATE: Thanks to everyone’s help the May Martin Ellis Album is done.
Album: http://memories.nebraska.gov/cdm/ref/collection/donated/id/127
Spreadsheet: http://goo.gl/ZVFXwx
Form: http://goo.gl/ebYc52
John Ellis Album
UPDATE: Thanks to everyone’s help the John Ellis Album is done.
Album: http://memories.nebraska.gov/cdm/ref/collection/donated/id/178
Spreadsheet: http://goo.gl/TOvyi2
Form: http://goo.gl/D2rDfx
Instructions
- Open either May’s or John’s spreadsheet. On the spreadsheet you will see a column labeled Page. If a page number is listed in the spreadsheet that means the page has been transcribed. You will see the transcription in the corresponding column. Determine which page or pages need to be transcribed.
- Open the corresponding album and locate a page you want to transcribe.
- Open the corresponding form. Enter the number of the page you are transcribing and then type the text as it is written.
- Press the enter key at the end of each line.
- Do NOT correct misspellings, grammar errors, punctuation, odd capitalization or anything else we may consider wrong. I know this may be the hardest part for some folks but it is important that you type the text exactly as it was written. For example I’ve seen a couple of folks who have written the word tomorrow as two separate words. In May’s book on page 6 her Pa wrote it as “to Morrow”. That’s the way it needs to be typed.
If you cannot read a word, letter or are unsure of something please put a question mark in the transcription at the point you have the question. The question mark will be a signal to us that someone else will need to look at that text. For example if I was transcribing page 20 of John’s book there is a line where I would need to insert a question mark because I’m not sure what is written between the word in and albums. In the form I would enter: If scribbling in ? Albums:
Some folks wrote at all kinds of odd angles. You may need to rotate or zoom in on the text to make it easier to read. Use the buttons on the toolbar above the image to do this. Put the text in the order you think is most logical.- If you see a transcription in the spreadsheet with a questions mark in it and you want to try deciphering that page please go ahead and try. Multiple forms can be submitted for each page. We will be looking at all of the transcriptions before they are added to Nebraska Memories.
Now that you have spent five minutes reading this I hope you will be willing to spend 5 more minutes transcribing a page or two in the albums. You never know what funny saying you may transcribe.
Thank for your help. If you have any questions please leave a comment or send me an email.
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
1 Comment
