March 4 – 10 is Teen Tech Week brought to you by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of ALA.  Take a look here  to find Toolkits and to register before Monday, February 13. You can glean ideas from the “Photos” on the main page. Under Toolkits, look for “25 Easy Tips for Teens” – you do not have to register or be a member to access this list of ideas for your teens.  Hope you have a great week!

I recently finished The Lost Stories by John Flanagan.  Fans not ready to say good-by to Will, Halt and others of the “Ranger’s Apprentice” series have this one last chance to read more about them.  Set up as an archeological discovery in 1896, these final ten stories are the verification that the Ranger Corp did once actually exist.  Bravery, loyalty, and humor are again hallmarks of this popular and incredible series.

(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.)

Every five years the Nebraska Library Commission is required to conduct an evaluation of its implementation of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) “Grants to States” program. The LSTA Grants to States Program is a federal program that provides funding to each state based on a population-driven formula.

This survey is a crucial component of the evaluation process, so we are counting on our clients to assist us with our report by answering the survey (link below) by March 5, 2012.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SCNS276

Thank you so much for your support!

Survey of Use of RFID in Libraries, from Primary Research Group, Inc.

Teens, Libraries, and Social Networking; What Librarians Need to Know, ed. by Denise E. Agosto and Junde Abbas

Ready-Made Book Displays, by Nancy M. Henkel

Read on…Horror Fiction, by June Michelle Pulliam and Anthony J. Fonseca

The Customer-Focused Library; Re-Inventing the Public Library from the Outside-In, by Joseph R. Mathews

• 2/22: Library P.I.: Process Improvement Library-Style (Infopeople)
• 2/27: The Legislative Process and You: How it Works and How to Make a Difference (ALA)
• 2/28: Getting Started: An Introduction to Convening Forums @ your library (ALA)
• 2/28: Strategic Downsizing (Infopeople)

The Nebraska Library Commission now has over 250 book club kits to check out and share with you as well. Please contact us to inquire or check out any of our kits or fill out our new and improved request form to reserve a kit.

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South Sioux City Library Evaluation

Every five years the Nebraska Library Commission, along with the state library agencies in every other state, is required to conduct an evaluation of its implementation of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) “Grants to States” program. The LSTA Grants to States Program is a federal program that provides funding to each state based on a population-driven formula. Decisions regarding how these funds are spent are made at the state level; however, expenditures must be consistent with the purposes and priorities that are established nationally.

As part of our evaluation, we will be asking those we serve to answer a short survey designed to gather information about the impact that our LSTA-funded programs and services have had on individuals and libraries in Nebraska. Please watch for the release of this survey and take a few minutes to help us with this important evaluation.

I’m so excited to announce this new project! As the ultimate compliment to Library Day in the Life we bring you This is What a Librarian Looks Like!

What: a site to go beyond the bun and challenge old, outdated librarian stereotypes with photos of real librarians in their real lives doing real stuff

Who: YOU! The site is up and running and ready for submissions. So find a picture that you think best represents you to the world and submit it! Please don’t submit photos of others and be tasteful! This is a fun, light-hearted project, please approach it in that spirit!

Where: This is What a Librarian Looks Like!

When: NOW! Go submit something already!

Your editors are Bobbi Newman and Erin Downey Howerton and we’ll be approving submissions as fast as we can!

I just entered “shoestring” in our catalog in the “Search” blank, with the button set to “Anywhere”, and discovered an interesting selection of titles. Here’s a sample:

• The Frugal Librarian; Thriving in Tough Economic Times,  ed. by Carol Smallwood, Z683.2.U6 F73 2011
• The Shoestring Library, by Sheryl Kindle Fullner, Z683.2.U6 F85 2010
• The Small Public Library Survival Guide : Thriving on Less, by Herbert B. Landau, Z678.6 .L36 2008

Here are some new titles we’ve received you might find helpful:

• Cost Control for Nonprofits in Crisis, by G. Stevenson Smith, Z683.2.U6 S655 2011
• Lean Library Management: Eleven Strategies for Reducing Costs & Improving Services, by John J. Huber, Z678 .H84 2011

I found this DVD by searching library finance with the button set to “Anywhere”, and “Sorted” by copyright date:  NLC DVD Library futures. Staying ahead of the curve. Making the best of a shrinking budget : creative practices in a new economy, recorded from a College of DuPage Teleconference broadcast.

As always,–please contact the Information Services Team if you’d like to check out any of these titles. Thanks.

Abstract: Instead of focusing on the future of our communities we all too often seem to chase them through technology hoping to find new relevance for our collections and buildings. In such a world every new tool is a potential threat, any perceived encroachment into documents or services an enemy to be rationalized and dismissed. This must stop. We must first identify Grand Challenges facing our communities and then evaluate our mission in light of these challenges. Only then can we refine, adapt, and create tools to improve society.

Thanks, Barbara.

This free one-day online conference is aimed at librarians from small libraries; the smaller the better. Each of our speakers is from a small library or directly works with small libraries.

Topics range from technology (new tech and old tech) to programming to partnering with your community. This eight-hour event means eight topics with ten speakers. Come for the programs on what you’re dealing with now or maybe try something new.

Everyone is welcome to register and attend, regardless of how big or small their library is, but if your library serves a few thousand people, or a few hundred, this is the day for you.

Big Talk From Small Libraries will be broadcast online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. GoToWebinar login instructions will be e-mailed to registered attendees the day before the conference. Please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements and firewall configuration. GoToWebinar works on PCs, Macs and iPads.

This conference was organized and is hosted by Michael Sauers and Laura Johnson of the Nebraska Library Commission and is co-sponsored by the Association for Rural & Small Libraries and Library Renewal.

Big Talk From Small Libraries
February 28, 2012
8:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (CT)

9:00     Helping Your Patrons E-Read, Karen Mier
10:00   Community Partnerships, Diane Althoff & Karla Bieber
11:00   The FFL Fabulous Laboratory: Developing a Read/Write Culture in Your Library, Lauren Smedley
12:00   Combo School/Public Libraries, Lindsey Hansen & Linda Holmberg
1:00     Magic Tricks and Maintenance: Helping the Public Learn Technology, Jessamyn West
2:00     Working in the Cloud, Jezymnne Dene
3:00     Gaming and Game collection development, Diane Trinkle
4:00     Closing Keynote: The Best Small Library in America 2012, Julie Hildebrand

E-rate Application Filing Window Dates:

The Form 471 application filing window for Funding Year 2012 opened at noon EST on Monday, January 9, 2012 and will close at 11:59 pm EDT on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. The filing window will be open for 72 days. This makes February 21, 2012 the last POSSIBLE date to post a Form 470 on USAC’s website, meet the 28-day posting requirement for the competitive bidding process, and submit a Form 471 by the filing window closing date.

So, do you need help completing your forms? Do you have questions about E-rate? You’re in luck! The recording of December’s “E-rate: Basic Training” online session is now available.

Description: 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 assist schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access. Christa Burns, State E-rate Coordinator for Libraries, will cover the basics of E-rate and any changes that have been made to the program this year. This session 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 refresher on what E-rate is all about.

If you have any questions or need any assistance with your E-rate forms, please contact Christa Burns, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.

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The Top 10 Children’s Libraries
1. ImaginOn – Charlotte, NC
2. Tulsa City County Library – Tulsa, OK
3. Vancouver Community Library – Vancouver, WA
4. Lied Scottsbluff Public Library – Scottsbluff, NE
5. Iowa City Public Library – Iowa City, IA
6. El Paso Public Library – El Paso, TX
7. Laramie County Library – Cheyenne, WY
8. Brentwood Public Library – Brentwood, TN
9. Birmingham Public Library – Birmingham, AL
10. The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County – Cincinnati, OH

To see more information about Scottsbluff’s wonderful children’s area on Livability.com, go here.

YALSA is requesting suggestions for audiobooks published in 2011 or 2012 that you believe are outstanding.  If you listen to audio books, or if your teens are enthusiastic about a title or titles, go here to complete the suggestion form.  The committee is asking for librarians to submit more suggestions for this annual list.  Any title included on the most recent list, found here, is not eligible for next year’s list.

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld will be a good picture book choice for the upcoming summer reading program.  It is a poetic look at various machinery working at a construction site.  Four pages each tell of a particular machine and its work on the building, then that it is time for sleep.  Clever illustrations show a cement truck with a blanket only covering a part of his drum, and a bulldozer snuggling into the piles of dirt that look like a bed.  Sure to be a hit at story time!

(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.)

The digital revolution of the last decade has unleashed creativity and talent in an unprecedented way, with unlimited opportunities.

But does democratized culture mean better art or is true talent instead drowned out? This is the question addressed by PressPausePlay, a documentary film containing interviews with some of the world’s most influential creators of the digital era. presspauseplay.com @presspauseplay Facebook: on.fb.me/y4gEK1

If you like the film you can support us by rating it on IMDB – imdb.to/jUqhFn. Thanks!

• World Almanac Online provides students and researchers access to authoritative, essential statistics on hundreds of topics in a searchable online format. Learn more!

• World Almanac for Kids Online expands on the contents of the World Almanac for Kids print edition, along with other award-winning reference books from World Almanac, Chelsea House, and Facts on File. A natural complement to the curriculum, each subject area provides resources for homework, reports, and projects. Kids can explore grade-appropriate topics while developing online research skills with a trusted content source. Learn more!

 Trial URL: http://online.infobaselearning.com/Direct.aspx?aid=105792&pid=WE00

Trial Dates: February 2, 2012 through March 2, 2012

Trial Access Instructions: The trial username and password were distributed via a February 3, 2012 message to the TRIAL mailing list. Nebraska librarians who didn’t receive this information or would like to have it sent to them again may contact Susan Knisely.

Description: Access Video On Demand is a streaming video service for public libraries. It offers thousands of exclusive educational videos from top producers with unlimited, simultaneous usage, 24/7. Access Video On Demand features nine streaming collections, which can be purchased individually or as a bundle. Learn more online!

Trial URL: http://online.infobaselearning.com/Direct.aspx?aid=105791&pid=WE00

Trial Access Instructions: The trial username and password were distributed via a February 3 message to the TRIAL mailing list. Nebraska librarians who didn’t receive this information or would like to have it sent to them again may contact Susan Knisely.