This makes Wednesday, March 4, the deadline to post your Form 470 to the USAC website, meet the 28-day posting requirement for the competitive bidding process, and submit a Form 471 by the filing window closing date.
However, we do not recommend waiting until the last day to submit your Form 470! If there are any issues that day, like the E-rate servers are slowed down because it is the last day to submit, or you can’t submit the form due to reasons on your end, such as illness, weather, power outage, etc., then you would miss the deadline and lose out on E-rate altogether.
So, if you haven’t already done so, and you are not exempt, get your E-rate Form 470 submitted as soon as possible!
IMPORTANT: Before you file your Form 471, check your Form 470 Receipt Notification for your Allowable Contract Date – the first date you are allowed to submit your 471. Do not submit your 471 before that date! Remember, after you submit your Form 470, you must wait 28 days to submit your Form 471. You can find your Notification within the EPC portal in your News feed.
Do you need help completing your forms? Do you have questions about E-rate? You’re in luck!
Today’s E-rate Special Edition News Brief has detailed tips and instructions, as well as information about upcoming online training opportunities from USAC.
And more recorded webinars, demos, and training materials are available on the NLC E-rate webpage.
If you have any questions or need any assistance with your E-rate forms, please contact the State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries in Nebraska, Christa Porter, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.
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.
The FCC Form 471 Application Filing Window for Funding Year 2026 will open on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at noon EST and close on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 11:59pm EDT. You can read the USAC announcement for full details.
Get your library’s piece of the E-rate pie!
To prepare for the window opening:
If you haven’t already done so, and you are not exempt, file your FCC Form 470 now! You do not have to wait for the Form 471 window to open.
You must wait 28 days after your FCC Form 470 is posted to the USAC website before you can close your competitive bidding process, select a service provider, sign a contract (if applicable), and submit your FCC Form 471. If you issue an RFP after the FCC Form 470 is posted, you must wait 28 days from the release of the RFP to submit your FCC Form 471.
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 is the deadline to post your FCC Form 470 to the USAC website, or issue an RFP, and still complete all of these actions before the Form 471 Application Filing Window closes.
Update Your EPC Profile During the EPC Administrative Window – by January 16, 2026.
Review your EPC profile and confirm all of your information is accurate including your organization’s name, address, and other details. Your profile is currently unlocked and available for you to insert any further updates, but will be locked again on January 16, 2026. Libraries should confirm their square footage, main branch, and public school district of the main branch information is correct and that any bookmobiles or kiosks are included. View the EPC Administrative Window webpage to learn more.
Please contact Christa Porter, Nebraska State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, if you have any questions or need any assistance submitting your E-rate forms.
The Nebraska Library Commission is offering a group discount to all Nebraska librarians who attend the Computers in Libraries 2026 conference. This year it will be held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA, from March 17 through March 19, 2026. Detailed information about the conference can be found on the conference web page as it becomes available.
This year the Gold Pass will be available for the group discount rate of $699 early-bird / $719 regular (non-discounted rates are $899 early-bird / $949 regular).
The Full 3-Day Pass will be available for the group discount rate of $399 early-bird / $429 regular (non-discounted rates are $599 early-bird / $649 regular).
Please note that group discount rates are not available for daily passes or the preconference workshops except as part of the Gold Pass.
Type priority code 26NLC in the Priority Code field at the top of the form, and click the “Activate Code” button. Discounted rates should appear on the registration form after you successfully activate the code.
Complete and submit the online form by the deadline.
Deadline: Online registrations can be made until February 13th to receive the discounted rates. Please Note: If the deadline is extended for regular registration, your deadline will also be extended. After this time, rates will go up by $20 (Gold Pass) and $30 (Full 3-Day Pass).
Conference registration questions can be sent to:
Joan Weiss Conference Registrar Information Today Phone: 609-654-6266, ext. 136| jweiss@infotoday.com
What is E-rate? How can my library benefit from E-rate? How do I apply for E-rate?
E-rate is a federal program that provides discounts to schools and public libraries on the cost of their Internet Access and Connections to make these services more affordable. This includes Broadband, Fiber, and Wi-Fi Internet access as well as Internal Connections, such as wiring, routers, switches, and other network equipment.
The E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) is your online portal for all E-rate interactions. With your organizational account you can use EPC to file forms, track your application status, communicate with USAC, and more.
In this workshop, Christa Porter, Nebraska’s State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, will explain the E-rate program and show you how to access and use your account in EPC to submit your Funding Year 2026 E-rate application.
If you have any questions or need any assistance with your E-rate forms, visit the NLC E-rate webpage or contact Christa Porter, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.
Highlights from Internet Librarian 2025 will be shared on this week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 26 at 10am CT.
Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.
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.
Laptops make a great Staff PC! You can easily connect a full-size keyboard, mouse, and second monitor to them for use at a desk. Their portability lets them be used throughout the library for doing inventory and programs. Their built in battery keeps them working during power outages.
If the library wants new, larger 27” monitors for the desktop PCs:
This monitor comes with a HDMI video cable too! If the library wants to save some money and continue using their older monitors with new PCs, you will likely need to order new video cables. If you send me a picture of the video ports on the old monitor, I can help you select the correct video cable.
I am happy to assist with the configuration and installation of new PCs purchased by the library. If you will want my assistance, please contact me prior to ordering them. Depending on the quantity the library is ordering, I may request that they be shipped directly to me. This allows me to get the PCs almost fully configured in the lab which saves me hours of time when I am onsite at the library to finish their installation.
The NLC has exhausted the Medica grant funds that were available for the purchase of Faronics DeepFreeze reboot/restore software. Reboot/restore software should be installed on all Patron/Public PCs to protect the PCs from malware and the privacy of the patrons who use them. The library will need to budget $50/PC for DeepFreeze Standard. Reboot/restore software is not necessary on Staff PCs.
Andrew “Sherm” Sherman Library Technology Support Specialist Nebraska Library Commission andrew.sherman@nebraska.gov 402-471-4559
This is a good time of year to remind Nebraska librarians that they can save money on a subscription to WebDewey by participating in the Nebraska WebDewey Group Purchase! Enjoy web-based access to an electronic version of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) database through WebDewey. It is a full representation of all published numbers, plus other mappings and new terms that have been approved by the Dewey Editorial Policy Committee (EPC).
WebDewey also includes:
Searching or browsing DDC numbers, Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) and mapped MeSH headings.
Adding your own notes and displaying them in context.
An easy-to-navigate, simple user interface that is suitable for the novice as well as the power user.
Our next WebDewey Group annual subscription will begin on January 1, 2026 and run through December 31, 2026. Libraries may join the group at any time. Mid-term subscriptions will be prorated. If your library is interested in subscribing to WebDewey you’ll find pricing information on our online WebDewey Group Order Form. OCLC Membership is NOT required to purchase WebDewey.
The EPC (E-rate Productivity Center) Administrative Window opened today, October 15, 2025.
The EPC Administrative Window is the period during which E-rate applicants can make updates to their organizational profile information in EPC to prepare for the upcoming FY2026 FCC Form 471 Application Filing Window. This includes library square footage, as well as the individuals associated with your entity.
The Administrative Window opened today and will close shortly before the Application Filing Window opens in early 2026. After this time, applicant profiles will be locked and you will not be able to make changes to your profile information.
FY2026 will be the first year of the FY2026-2030 Category Two (C2) budget cycle, so applicants should update their student counts or library square footage if needed. The information in your EPC profile will be used to calculate a forecasted C2 budget for the FY2026-2030 cycle.
We’ll be ‘Discovering New Grants for Your Library’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, October 15 at 10am CT..
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.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) – Region 4’s Science Kits for Public Libraries (SKPL) Grant program is offering up to $2,000 in funding to public libraries to establish a circulating science kits collection. Libraries must be located within the IEEE Region 4 – this includes central and eastern portions of Nebraska – see the green-shaded area of this map: IEEE Regions in the USA
The Application deadline is January 15, 2026. Those libraries which have previously applied for the grant but did not receive funding are invited to submit again.
Public Libraries have a long tradition of building stronger communities by providing life-long learning opportunities for children and teens. The SKPL Team is honored to have the opportunity to enrich the services that public libraries offer. SKPL enables children, parents, and teachers the chance to borrow library kits for hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning at home or in classroom.
Region 4, Science Kits for Public Libraries (SKPL) organization is a volunteer-based organization affiliated with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). SKPL believes all children – regardless of race, gender, financial condition, or home environment – should have access to high-quality, hands-on STEM learning experiences. By making catalyst grants available to public libraries, we empower them to start their own science kit collections that are free and accessible to the public.
‘E-rate: What’s New for 2026?’ workshops are now open for registration! All workshops will be held online only, via GoTo Webinar.
NOTE: This online workshop is being offered on several days and at varied times, to give participants multiple opportunities to find a convenient time to attend. The same information will be provided at each workshop, so you only need to attend one session. A recorded version will also be made available after all of the live sessions have been held.
What is E-rate? How can my library benefit from E-rate? How do I apply for E-rate?
E-rate is a federal program that provides discounts to schools and public libraries on the cost of their Internet Access and Connections to make these services more affordable. This includes Broadband, Fiber, and Wi-Fi Internet access as well as Internal Connections, such as wiring, routers, switches, and other network equipment.
The E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) is your online portal for all E-rate interactions. With your organizational account you can use EPC to file forms, track your application status, communicate with USAC, and more.
In this workshop, Christa Porter, Nebraska’s State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, will explain the E-rate program and show you how to access and use your account in EPC to submit your Funding Year 2026 E-rate application.
Dates and times:
November 7 – 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
November 13 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain
November 17 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain
November 18 – 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
To register for any of these sessions, go to the Nebraska Library Commission’s Training & Events Calendar and search for ‘e-rate 2026’.
What is a data center? Find out on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, ‘Data Center 101 for Librarians’, on Wednesday, September 24 at 10am CT.
Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.
Data centers are cropping up in the headlines alongside AI, but how many people really know how data centers work? This session will help your library field questions about data centers, especially if there are plans to build a data center in or near your community. Here’s what we’ll cover:
What is a data center?
Job creation & training
Impact on infrastructure & environment
Trends & Innovations
Common Questions
I’ll put everything in a handy slide deck with helpful talking points and links so your library is prepared to share good information and ask the right questions if a data center is coming to town.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Oct. 1 – Letters About Literature 2025
Oct. 8 – The Do’s and Don’ts of D&D
Oct. 22 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK – ENJOY NLA!
Nov. 19 – Summer Reading Program 2026: Unearth a Story
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.
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.
September is the last month you can get early bird pricing for the 2025 Nebraska Makerspace Conference! If you register for the event before October 1st, you can receive a discounted rate on both days. Thanks to our sponsors, the Nebraska Library Commission is able to bring you this conference at an affordable price. Sign up for the 2-day conference or join us for a single day. You can find out how to register for the event here!
Both Days: Early Bird Price — $90 ($120 after October 1)
Day One ONLY: Early Bird Price — $60 ($80 after October 1)
Day Two ONLY: Early Bird Price — $40 ($50 after October 1)
The 2025 Nebraska Makerspace Conference that will be held November 4-5 at the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. You can learn more about the conference on the 2025 Nebraska Makerspace Conference webpage, along with the event flyer which includes important information such as room blocks available at two local hotels, “how to register” tips, campus parking, and the excellent line up of sessions.
When registering online, be prepared to select the activities/sessions you plan to attend. This pre-selection allows easier scheduling of sessions to rooms that fit the size of the group and helps us prepare an accurate meal count. Some of the making and demonstration sessions have limited seats so participants who attend those sessions can be up-close to the action and/or get a hands-on experience. If you are interested in any of these sessions, don’t wait too long to register.
Contact JoAnn McManus with any questions about the event or registration.
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.
USAC has announced Fall 2025 E-rate Training dates for applicants to learn more about the program and how to participate.
Both in-person training and online webinars are available, and registration for each session is now available on the Learn E-rate page. You can also click the links below for each session to register for that specific training.
The sessions are for E-Rate program participants at all levels and will include a question-and-answer session.
In-Person training:
Denver: September 9, 2025, at the Lowry Conference Center located in the Community College of Aurora – Lowry Campus, 1061 Akron Way, Denver, Colorado.
Washington, DC: September 16, 2025, at the Federal Communication Commission headquarters, 45 L Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. NOTE: There will be an option to watch a livestream of this training.
This webinar will provide an overview of the E-Rate application process and explain basic program concepts. We will also highlight the recent FCC Form 470 updates and managing your Category Two budget.
USAC will discuss the E-Rate Pre-Commitment process. This includes how to get started, competitive bidding, applying for funding, and Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) review.
Other webinars may be announced – sign up for the E-Rate News Brief to receive webinar announcements via e-mail.
The NLC will also be holding our regular fall E-rate online workshops. Those dates will be announced soon.
If you have any questions or need any assistance with your public library’s E-rate forms, visit the NLC E-rate webpage or contact Christa Porter, State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.
What is E-rate? How can my library benefit from E-rate? How do I apply for E-rate? Find out on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, ‘E-rate 101: Just the Basics for 2026’ on Wednesday, September 3 at 10am CT.
E-rate is a federal program that provides discounts to schools and public libraries on the cost of their Internet Access and Connections to make these services more affordable. This includes Broadband, Fiber, and Wi-Fi Internet access as well as Internal Connections, such as wiring, routers, switches, and other network equipment.
This session will be a general overview of the E-rate program. Full in-depth E-rate workshops will be held later in the year. It will be useful to libraries who have never applied for E-rate, libraries who are new to E-rate, and current E-rate libraries who just want a short refresher on what E-rate is all about.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The dates and rules in this session will be specific to E-rate Funding Year 2026.
Presenter: Christa Porter, Nebraska’s State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Sept. 10 – NLC Grants for 2026
Sept. 24 – Pretty Sweet Tech
Oct. 1 – Letters About Literature 2025
Oct. 22 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK – ENJOY NLA!
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.
Learn about ‘Upcoming Changes to the Nebraska Libraries on the Web Service’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, August 27 at 10am CT.
Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.
Due to software and budgetary issues, the Nebraska Library Commission can no longer offer free WordPress web hosting. We apologize for any inconvenience. This service has been around for a long time and it’s unfortunate that we were not able to maintain the service.
To make the transition easier for libraries, we are offering free basic website hosting through the NLC, and reduced rate web hosting through LibChalk. The current service will be supported through September 30, 2026 to give you time to budget and decide on next steps.
Attend this session to learn more details about how the free hosting works, and explore hosting options through LibChalk.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Sept. 3 – E-rate 101: Just the Basics for 2026
Sept. 10 – NLC Grants for 2026
Sept. 24 – 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.
The Nebraska Library Commission is excited to bring to you (with the help of sponsors and about 50 presenters) the 2025 Nebraska Makerspace Conference that will be held November 4-5 at the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.
You can learn more about the conference and find the link to register on the 2025 Nebraska Makerspace Conference webpage, along with the event flyer which includes important information such as room blocks available at two local hotels, “how to register” tips, registration prices for one or both days (early bird pricing through the end of September), campus parking, and the excellent line up of sessions.
When registering online, be prepared to select the activities/sessions you plan to attend. This pre-selection allows easier scheduling of sessions to rooms that fit the size of the group and helps us prepare an accurate meal count. Some of the making and demonstration sessions have limited seats so participants who attend those sessions can be up-close to the action and/or get a hands-on experience. If you are interested in any of these sessions, don’t wait too long to register.
Contact JoAnn McManus with any questions about the event or registration.
