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Category Archives: Programming
ALA Games & Gaming Round Table 2026 Game On! Grant
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
The Games and Gaming Round Table of the American Library Association is proud to announce its annual grant program, the Game On! Grant, to enable libraries to develop gaming programs or collections for their public.
Applications are due March 15, 2026.
Through the Game On! Grant, $2,000.00 will be available to be awarded either as one grant of $2,000 or two of $1,000 each to assist a library (or libraries) in developing gaming programs or collections for their communities.
GameRT members in good standing currently employed at a public, school, academic, or special library in the United States or Canada are eligible to apply. GameRT membership requires ALA membership.
Libraries will need to illustrate a plan for a sustainable gaming program or collection created with the funds as well as financial need and institutional support for the proposed project. Previous winners have received support for chess tournaments materials, a circulating multilingual board game collection, video games for after school clubs, and more.
GameRT currently provides $1000 of annual grant funds for the Game On! Grant. The rest of the annual grant funds are provided by gracious donors.
Cards Against Humanity (CAH) has provided a grant donation to fund $1000 toward the Game On! Grant for 5 consecutive years. Award years 2025-2029 will include this amount. Read more about why CAH supports libraries in this blog interview.
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Big Talk From Small Libraries 2026 Schedule Now Available
The schedule for the 15th annual Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference is now available!
You will find all the details on the Schedule page. Information about our presenters is available on the Speakers page.
If you haven’t registered yet, now is the time to jump over to the Registration page and sign up – the conference is free and open to anyone in the world to attend! Please be aware that all times are listed in US Central Time – UTC-6.
You are welcome to watch as an individual or to host a group viewing of the conference. If several staff members from the same library want to attend, you can just register for one seat and have staff members view/listen together via one workstation.
You can also host a viewing party this same way and invite staff from other libraries. For any group viewings, if you know who will be there, you can list your Additional Attendees on your one registration or you can send us a list after the event. Be sure to take all necessary health and safety precautions into account when planning group viewings.
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2026 will be held on Friday, February 27, 2026 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoTo Webinar online meeting service.
Posted in Education & Training, Library Management, Programming, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged BTSL2026
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NEA 2027 Grant Opportunities Now Available
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is pleased to announce that grant guidelines and application materials are now available for 2027 Grants for Arts Projects. These grants to organizations support specific projects in any part of the nation’s 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. jurisdictions.
Application deadlines are February 12, 2026, and July 9, 2026, for projects taking place beginning in 2027.
Activities funded through Grants for Arts Projects enable Americans throughout the nation to experience the arts, foster and celebrate America’s artistic heritage and cultural legacy, and benefit from arts education at all stages of life. We also support arts and health programs, including creative arts therapies, that advance the well-being of people and communities.
The NEA welcomes applications from first-time and returning applicants; from organizations serving rural, urban, suburban, and tribal communities of all sizes; and from organizations with a range of operating budgets.
To simplify the application intake and review process, Our Town and Challenge America applicants will apply within the Grants for Arts Projects program and choose the “Design & Our Town” or “Challenge America” discipline. Other disciplines include Arts Education, Dance, Folk & Traditional Arts, Literary Arts, Local Arts Agencies, Museums, Music, Opera, Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works, Theater & Musical Theater, and Visual & Media Arts.
Eligible applicants include nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) U.S. organizations, units of state or local government, and federally recognized tribal communities or tribes. Applicants may be arts organizations, local arts agencies, arts service organizations, local education agencies (school districts), and other organizations that can help advance the NEA’s goals.
Cost share/matching grants range from $10,000 to $100,000. Designated local arts agencies that are eligible to subgrant may request from $30,000 to $150,000 for subgranting projects. A minimum cost share/match equal to the grant amount is required.
See the Grants for Arts Projects Program Guidelines for additional details, including agency funding priorities for FY 2027 and a series of short videos about the guidelines available for applicants.
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Apply Now: Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
The American Library Association (ALA) invites library workers to apply for the Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant, an annual award supporting innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts in libraries.Applications due February 2, 2026. View the full award guidelines and apply online at www.ala.org/LTCEG.
Now in its seventh year, the Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant recognizes, promotes and supports innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts in libraries. It will provide two $2,000 grants to expand the community engagement efforts of a school, public, academic, tribal, or special library.
Libraries are invited to apply by designing and outlining activities for a library-led community engagement project. Community engagement is the process of working collaboratively with community members – be they library patrons, residents, faculty, students, or local organizations – to address issues for the betterment of the community.
Each year, the grant supports community engagement projects with a specific theme. For the 2025–2026 cycle, libraries are invited to submit applications for a community engagement project that focuses on the concept of “Libraries as a Lifeline: Building Belonging for All.” Libraries should work collaboratively with community members and at least one partner organization to develop a project that addresses a local issue and builds upon community assets.
Some example proposals could include (but are not limited to): a project that establishes a Community Care Corner with outreach materials, hygiene kits, and local resource guides; a program that collaborates with a local partner to offer micro-skill sessions on subjects like budgeting, digital literacy or navigating healthcare; projects that develop community connection by hosting neighbor gatherings over meals or creative activities to celebrate diversity; a program that hosts moderated community conversations on local issues by partnering with schools, non-profits or civic groups.
Visit the grant guidelines for more information.
Last year, the Mountain Top Library (N.Y.) and Pottsboro (Texas) Library won grants for projects concentrated on building neighborhood connections. The winning libraries used LTCEG funds to create a collaborative, modern town map and launch a local civic engagement series.
ALA announced the creation of the Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant in 2019, an initiative made possible by a matching grant and ongoing support from former ALA president and longtime generous supporter Nancy Kranich.
The Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant is part of Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC), ALA’s community engagement initiative. Since 2014, LTC has reimagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types, from across the country, have utilized the free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a safe space for residents to come together to discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.
LTC is administered by ALA’s Public Programs Office. To stay informed about future grants and awards offered by ALA’s Public Programs Office, sign up for the Programming Librarian e-newsletter.
Posted in Grants, Library Management, Programming, Public Relations
Tagged librariestransform
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2026 Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
Applications for the 2026 Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries are now open! These grants recognize libraries for their growth of graphic literature and award funds for graphic novel collection development and programming.The application deadline is January 11, 2026.
The objective of the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries is to facilitate library-generated programs and services that will promote graphic novels to library patrons and to the local community.
Two Will Eisner Graphic Novel grants will be awarded in 2026: one Graphic Novel Growth Grant, to a library that would like to expand their existing graphic novel services and programs; and one Graphic Novel Innovation Grant, to a library for the initiation of a new graphic novel service or program.
Each winning library will receive a $4,000 programming and collection development grant, which includes $1,000 to attend the ALA Annual Conference to receive their grant money. In addition, the wining libraries will also receive a collection of Will Eisner’s works and biographies, as well as a selection of the winning titles from the current year’s Will Eisner Awards at Comic-Con International, valued at approximately $3,000.
All applicants must be current personal or organizational members of ALA in good standing at the time of application. The institution can be a school, public, academic, or special library and must be located in North America – Canada, United States, or Mexico.
Visit the Eisner Grants page for the application form and grant details. Be sure to also check out the Eisner Grant FAQ page for new updates and additional information, including samples of some of the previous winning grant applications.
For any questions, contact ALA Graphic Novels & Comics in Libraries Round Table Staff Liaison, Tina Coleman, at ccoleman@ala.org.
Will Eisner (1917-2005) was an acclaimed American comics writer, artist, teacher, and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of sequential art (a term he coined) and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential comic series, The Spirit; for his use of comics as an instructional medium; for his leading role in establishing the graphic novel as a form of literature with his 1978 groundbreaking graphic novel, A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories; for his 20 years of teaching at the School of Visual Arts, leading to his three textbooks. In a career that spanned nearly seven decades – from the dawn of the comic book to the advent of digital comics – Will Eisner was truly the “Father of the Graphic Novel.”
Posted in Books & Reading, Grants, Programming, Youth Services
Tagged #eisnergrant, #GNCRT, #graphicnovels, #willeisner
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Apply for Programming Support with the ALA Peggy Barber Tribute Grant
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
The American Library Association (ALA) invites library workers to apply for the annual Peggy Barber Tribute Grant, to help ease library budget challenges by awarding three libraries $2,500 to support a proposed program, program series, or programming effort.
The Peggy Barber Tribute Grant is an annual grant that recognizes, promotes, and supports meaningful programs in libraries that have limited and/or no access to budgetary support for programming.
Applications for the 2025-2026 cycle are now open through February 2, 2026. Read the grant guidelines and apply online.
Each year, the grant will focus on supporting a specific type of library programming. For the 2025-2026 cycle, libraries are invited to submit applications to support programming related to strengthening community ties through libraries as third spaces.
As one of the few remaining “third spaces” – public spaces where individuals can gather outside their homes or workplaces – libraries are uniquely positioned to bring people together and strengthen communities. Example proposals could include (but are not limited to): an intergenerational gardening program, a program series engaging adults in play-based programming, or a visual arts performance at the library in partnership with a local theater group. Proposed programs should include how it will bring people in your community together, how the program will foster connection amongst participants, and how the program can help folks share space with other people in the community.
All library types – including public, academic, K-12, tribal, and special libraries – in the U.S. or U.S. territories are eligible. Applicants must have a personal or institutional membership with either the American Library Association OR the Association for Rural & Small Libraries.
Last year’s grant was for programming related to combatting isolation for older adults. The 2025 grant was awarded to:
- Falls City Library & Arts Center in Nebraska to start offering weekly special offerings to older adults called ‘Senior Socials’, to create a space for seniors to gather and socialize consistently. The library will implement weekly senior programs, such as continuing its existing craft program and adding events like chair yoga, classic movie showings, and special speakers.
- Hartford Public Library in Michigan aims to create more senior events focusing on keeping older adults physically and socially active, such as Tai Chi, chair yoga, and cardio drumming. The library will also start incorporating prizes such as non-perishable food and household and personal care products at senior bingo events.
- Pottsboro Library in Texas will promote community bonding and celebrate older adults as knowledge contributors with ‘Share & Learn’, a community-driven program where seniors take on the role of presenter by sharing valuable skills and life experiences with others to help preserve knowledge and boost self-confidence.
Margaret “Peggy” Barber was a transformative leader in ALA and the library field who was behind the creation of National Library Week and the Celebrity READ series. Read Library Journal’s tribute.
The Peggy Barber Tribute Grant was created with donations from Barber’s friends and colleagues. To support the grant, make a contribution to the Peggy Barber tribute fund within ALA’s Cultural Communities Fund.
To stay informed about future grants and awards offered by ALA’s Public Programs Office, sign up for the Programming Librarian e-newsletter.
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NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2025 Highlights
Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.
Just in case you miss it, this Pretty Sweet Tech will offer some highlights from Internet Librarian 2025 that was held virtually from October 28-30. It’s where all the cool kids go to learn about library technology topics.
I’ll include my usual disclaimer that I couldn’t make it to every session, but I did my best to dig around and catch the cool, helpful, or off the beaten path sessions that caught my eye.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Dec. 3 – Social Media Show & Tell!
- Dec. 10 – Return of the Canvaholic
- Dec. 17 – Best New Children’s Books of 2025
- Dec. 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Jan. 7 , 2026 – Best New Teen Reads of 2025
- Jan. 14, 2026 – Navigating New Building Projects
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
NCompass Live: Summer Reading Program 2026: Unearth a Story
Kids will be clamoring for both fiction and nonfiction titles as they read all about dinosaurs, archaeology, and paleontology, the topic for the 2026 Summer Reading Program.
Presenter: Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Nov. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2025 Highlights
- Dec. 3 – Social Media Show & Tell!
- Dec. 10 – Return of the Canvaholic
- Dec. 17 – Best New Children’s Books of 2025
- Dec. 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Jan. 7 , 2026 – Best New Teen Reads of 2025
- Jan. 14, 2026 – Navigating New Building Projects
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training, Programming, Youth Services
Tagged cslpreads, NCompLive, unearthastory
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NCompass Live: There’s Always Something Happening at the Library: Becoming a Daily Destination for Your Community
In many of our communities, the library serves not only as a traditional library but also as a gathering place and community center. Our goal was to turn our library into a true destination for our patrons by building connections and increasing the fun!
Learn how our library re-energized its programming efforts in 2024, ultimately doubling the number of programs offered and increasing our total patron count by nearly 20% in one year. You will leave with practical examples of inexpensive drop-in and passive programming that can lead to more visits and turn your library into a daily destination for your community.
Presenter: Melanie Weigel, Director, Forsyth (IL) Public Library.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Nov. 19 – Summer Reading Program 2026: Unearth a Story
- Nov. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2025 Highlights
- Dec. 3 – Social Media Show & Tell!
- Dec. 10 – Return of the Canvaholic
- Dec. 17 – Best New Children’s Books of 2025
- Dec. 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Jan. 7 , 2026 – Best New Teen Reads of 2025
- Jan. 14, 2026 – Navigating New Building Projects
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Education & Training, General, Library Management, Programming
Tagged NCompLive
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NCompass Live: From Rotary to the Local Bar: Unexpected Allies in Library Outreach
In small and rural communities, libraries are much more than book lenders – they are lifelines for connection, education, and services. Yet with limited staffing, funding, and resources, small libraries often struggle to meet growing community needs alone.
This session explores how meaningful partnerships with schools, health providers, local businesses, and civic organizations can dramatically expand a library’s reach and impact – without overextending staff or budgets. Participants will hear real-world examples of successful collaborations: from hosting community health clinics with local providers, to co-creating arts programming with nonprofits, to launching book clubs in local bars that bring in new audiences. We’ll also highlight the power of working with Rotary Clubs and other civic groups to co-sponsor events, fundraise, and build awareness. Whether your library has one staff member or ten, smart partnerships can help you amplify your mission.
Presenter: Tara Filiatreau, Assistant Director, Nelson County Public Library, Bardstown, KY.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Nov. 12 – There’s Always Something Happening at the Library: Becoming a Daily Destination for Your Community
- Nov. 19 – Summer Reading Program 2026: Unearth a Story
- Nov. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2025 Highlights
- Dec. 3 – Social Media Show & Tell!
- Dec. 17 – Best New Children’s Books of 2025
- Dec. 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Jan. 7 , 2026 – Best New Teen Reads of 2025
- Jan. 14, 2026 – Navigating New Building Projects
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Education & Training, General, Library Management, Programming
Tagged NCompLive
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Applications Now Open for 2026-27 NEA Big Read Grants
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
Applications are now open for the 2026-27 cycle of the NEA Big Read, a national program that offers matching grants of up to $20,000 to support community-wide reading programs. This year’s NEA Big Read will center around the theme America250, honoring the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, marking America’s Semiquincentennial.”The Intent to Apply deadline is January 15, 2026. Final Application due: January 29, 2026. Visit Arts Midwest’s website for complete grant guidelines and to apply.
The 24 NEA Big Read books available for programming this cycle celebrate America’s culture, history, and resilience through the eyes of its people. Using a book selection as inspiration, applicants will facilitate discussions, writing workshops, and creative programming activities that explore this theme and celebrate the unique aspects of their communities.
NEA Big Read At-A-Glance
- What is it? The NEA Big Read is a reading program that brings communities together around the central theme America250 using one of 24 available books as inspiration. It offers matching grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000.
- Who can apply? Nonprofit arts organizations, universities, libraries, service organizations, museums, school districts, and tribal governments are all encouraged to apply.
- Where? Your organization must be located and operate within the United States or the Native Nations that share this geography.
- When to apply? A mandatory Intent to Apply is due January 15, 2026, with final applications due January 29, 2026. Funded programs will take place between September 2026 and June 2027.
The NEA Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with Arts Midwest.
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NCompass Live: Discovering New Grants for Your Library: Think Outside the Box
Due to insufficient budgets, libraries often struggle to provide the services, materials, engaging programming, and professional development that library staff need. Luckily, there are other funding opportunities available, if you just know where to look.
You may know about many library specific grants, but libraries are also eligible for other grants that might not be so obvious. In this session, we will learn how to find grants for your library in unexpected places.
Presenter: Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Oct. 22 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK – ENJOY NLA!
- Oct. 29 – Nebraska Celebration of Books 2025
- Nov. 5 – From Rotary to the Local Bar: Unexpected Allies in Library Outreach
- Nov. 12 – There’s Always Something Happening at the Library: Becoming a Daily Destination for Your Community
- Nov. 19 – Summer Reading Program 2026: Unearth a Story
- Nov. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2025 Highlights
- Dec. 3 – Social Media Show & Tell!
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Education & Training, General, Grants, Library Management, Programming, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged NCompLive
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NCompass Live: The Do’s & Don’ts of D&D
Want to know more about Dungeons & Dragons and TTRPGs in general? Want to know of ways to integrate it into your library – and other ways of playing the game? Tune in and settle down for a sesh with Liz the Librarian to learn more!
Presenter: Liz Hittle, Librarian & Dungeon Master.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Oct. 22 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK – ENJOY NLA!
- Oct. 29 – Nebraska Celebration of Books 2025
- Nov. 5 – From Rotary to the Local Bar: Unexpected Allies in Library Outreach
- Nov. 19 – Summer Reading Program 2026: Unearth a Story
- Nov. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
2026 NLC Grants are Open for Applications!
Nebraska Accredited Public Libraries and State-run Institutions! Do you have an idea for a program or project you would like to see funded? Apply for an NLC Grant!
Applications are now open for NLC Grants for 2026. Don’t let your library miss out on these opportunities!
The Nebraska Library Commission has made funding available for four grants for 2026: Continuing Education & Training, Internship, Library Improvement, and Youth Grants for Excellence.
Grant applications for these 2026 NLC grants are due November 14, 2025.
For more information about these grants, watch the recording of the NCompass Live webinar, NLC Grants for 2026.
Continuing Education & Training to assist Nebraska libraries in improving the library services provided to their communities through continuing education and training for their library personnel and supporters. Successful applications will show how the continuing education and/or training proposed will support the library’s mission. For this round of CE and training grants, applications should be for events happening before June 2026.
Internship grants work to introduce high school and college students to the varied and exciting work of Nebraska libraries. The internships are intended to function as a recruitment tool, helping the student to view the library as a viable career opportunity while providing the public library with the finances to provide stipends to the student interns.
Library Improvement grants facilitate growth and development of library programs and services in Nebraska public and institutional libraries, by supplementing local funding with state funds designated for these purposes.
Youth Grants for Excellence are available specifically for innovative projects for children and young adults in your community. The program encourages creative thinking, risk-taking, and new approaches to enable youth librarians to begin needed programs and try projects which they have been unable to undertake, and to offer an opportunity to expand youth service capabilities in new and different directions.
Apply now for the Final Round of ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities Grant: Accessible Small and Rural Communities
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
The American Library Association invites applications from small and rural libraries for the final application period of the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant.
Applications will be accepted through December 11, 2025 at ala.org/LTCAccess.
The opportunity is open to any type of library in the U.S. and U.S. territories that serves a small and rural community – to be eligible, a library must have a legal service area population of 25,000 or less and be located at least five miles from an urbanized area (town/city with a population of 25,000 or greater).
Participating libraries will first conduct community input-gathering sessions to assure that their work aligns with local needs. Libraries will be required to identify the primary audience they are hoping to reach (e.g., homebound seniors, children with autism, Deaf community members) and facilitate a community conversation with the impacted populations in order to guide improvement of the library’s services. Grantees would then use the funds to create services or improve their facilities based on the needs identified by their audience.
Selected libraries will receive $10,000 or $20,000 to support costs related to their community engagement project; virtual training to assist project directors in developing their community engagement, facilitation, and disability service skills; a suite of online resources developed to support local programs; and technical and project support from the ALA Public Programs Office throughout the grant term.
For a review of the LTC Access initiative and application process, register for the Pre-Application Webinar on October 1, 2025, and take a look at the Reviewer Rubric that will be used to evaluate your application.
Questions? Contact the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office staff at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5045, or publicprograms@ala.org
Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities is part of ALA’s longtime commitment to preparing library workers for the expanding role of libraries. The initiative is offered in partnership with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL).
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Call for Speakers: Big Talk From Small Libraries 2026
The Call for Speakers for Big Talk From Small Libraries 2026 is now open!
Submit your proposal by Friday, December 12, 2025.
This free one-day online conference is tailored for staff from small libraries; the smaller the better!
Small libraries of all types – public, academic, school, museum, special, etc. – are encouraged to submit a proposal.
We’re looking for seven 50-minute presentations and four 10-minute “lightning round” presentations.
Do you offer a service or program at your small library that other librarians might like to hear about? Have you implemented a new (or old) technology, hosted an event, partnered with others in your community, or just done something really cool? The Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference gives you the opportunity to share what you’ve done, while learning what your colleagues in other small libraries are doing.
Here are some possible topics to get you thinking:
- Unique Libraries
- Special Collections
- New buildings
- Fundraising
- Improved Workflows
- Staff Development
- Advocacy Efforts
- Community Partnerships
- That great thing you’re doing at your library!
Speakers must be from small libraries or directly partnered with a small library and submitting a proposal to co-present with the library. Speakers from libraries serving fewer than 10,000 people will be preferred, but presentations from libraries with larger service populations will be considered.
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2026 will be held on Friday, February 27, 2026 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Speakers will present their programs from their own desktops. The schedule will accommodate speakers’ time-zones.
This conference is sponsored by the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) and the Nebraska Library Commission.
Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash
Books Unbanned Programming Funding Available
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
Books Unbanned is offering funding to libraries in the United States to launch programming for teens and young adults focused on the freedom to read.Selected libraries will receive up to $10,000 to develop teen and young adult programming focused on the freedom to read. BPL’s Books Unbanned team will work closely with awardees to develop educational programming that provides teens with the knowledge and skills to fight back against censorship in their communities and beyond.
Proposals are open to all types and sizes of libraries within the United States. In awarding funds, BPL will pay particular attention to libraries serving small and rural communities, and/or communities facing significant challenges with book censorship. The final selection of partners will be based on community need, programming goals and opportunities for teen engagement.
Applications are open through July 18, 2025.
Learn more and apply on the Books Unbanned Funding webpage.
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) founded Books Unbanned in 2022 to provide teens nationwide with unrestricted access to our entire digital collection, to support their right to read what they like, and to build a network of advocates nationwide to defend and expand the freedom to read.
NCompass Live: Creative Aging Outreach Opportunities for Libraries
Join us to learn about the Creative Aging Arts Program (CAAP), a program of the Nebraska Arts Council (NAC). Thanks to special funding for CAAP in libraries, grants are available for artist-led workshops during fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). These grants support sequential, interactive workshops that are led by NAC Roster teaching artists who’ve completed training to engage older adults.
Join NAC Program Specialist Anne Alston and NAC Program Coordinator Joshua Brown, as well as the Louisville Library Director, Michelle Daniels, who will share her experience with CAAP at her library. During this webinar, you will:
- Hear about how CAAP can help libraries address community outreach goals.
- Learn how CAAP addresses issues of loneliness and isolation among older adults.
- Find out about the steps involved with applying for a grant, hiring an artist, and hosting a series of artist-led workshops for older adults.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
- July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
NCompass Live: Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries
Imagine grocery shopping at a Dollar Store. That’s a reality for people living in rural food deserts. The Southern Adirondack Library System and the Comfort Food Community food pantry launched the Farm‐2‐Library initiative to reduce food waste by gleaning at local farms, distributing the produce through rural libraries where food scarcity, lack of food pantries, and transportation limit access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Since launching in 2017, we’ve shared more than 230,000 pounds of fresh produce, creating and deepening relationships with the community while fostering renewed interest in library services by previously reluctant users.
Presenters: Erica Freudenberger, Library Development Specialist, Division of Library Development, New York State Library and Jack Scott, Outreach and Technology Consultant, Southern Adirondack Library System.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
- June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
- June 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
NOTE:This episode of NCompass Live will be presented online using Zoom. Login instructions will be sent to registered attendees after registration has closed. The Registration End date is listed on each session page, but usually closes on the Monday night before the date of the session.
Posted in Education & Training, General, Library Management, Pretty Sweet Tech, Programming
Tagged NCompLive, prettysweettech
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NCompass Live: Libraries in Technology Innovation Ecosystems
Technology Innovation Ecosystems exist to funnel tech resources towards solving problems in existing organizations, and towards entrepreneurial ventures striving to create the solutions that do not yet exist. These ecosystems are relatively new and best practices are still taking shape. When libraries host code clubs and 3D printer trainings, we are unwittingly contributing to this evolving innovation ecosystem. However, libraries don’t always take the next step to help individuals progress and practically apply those skills. “Coding” has also come a long way since the early days of code clubs. It’s not just website development anymore.
This session will help you:
- Understand what a Technology Innovation Ecosystem is, and how they take shape.
- Track current trends in Nebraska’s Ecosystem, and nationwide.
- Brainstorm new library services to fill gaps within the Ecosystem.
The hope is that we will all start introducing technology with purpose, paired with tangible pathways to progress and practically apply skills in partnership with local businesses, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, universities, government agencies, and curious explorers within the community.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- June 4 – Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries
- June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
- June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
- June 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Education & Training, General, Library Management, Pretty Sweet Tech, Programming
Tagged NCompLive, prettysweettech
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