Huyen-Yen Hoang, La Vista Library Board President At 16 Years Old

Huyen-Yen-1Teen librarian Lindsey Tomsu has some amazing kids involved with her teen advisory board. One young lady stepped up to the challenge when a spot opened up on the La Vista Public Library board in Nebraska. Huyen-Yen Hoang put in her application, and before she knew it, the board was naming her as the president.

How did you first become involved with La Vista (NE) Public Library?

I first got involved with the La Vista Public Library in the summer of 2005. My first grade teacher had given all her students calendars of things we should do so that we wouldn’t get bored. One day, it said, “Register for the Summer Reading Program,” and so upon doing so, I was so intrigued, I came back every year. Although, I didn’t actively help out until the summer of 2010 when I discovered the newly developed teen program and joined the TAB (teen advisory board).

Read the full article @ School Library Journal.

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Free webinar “New Additions: The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications & Related Service Enhancements” now open for registration

FDLPRegister today for the live training webinar “New Additions: The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications & Related Service Enhancements” which will be offered on Thursday, April 10, 2014.

  • Start Time: 1:00 p.m. Central Time/Noon, Mountain Time
  • Duration: 60 minutes
  • Summary: Attendees will be guided through a tour of the latest additions and enhancements to the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications. The New Titles feature, FDLP eBooks, and GPO’s MetaLib will all be explored.

Registration is required. Space is limited on a first-come, first-served basis. Upon registering, an e-mail confirmation of registration will include instructions for joining the Webinar.

Registration confirmations for the Webinar will be sent from <sqldba@ icohere.com>. To ensure delivery of registration confirmations, registrants should configure junk mail or spam filter(s) to permit messages from that email address

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CountryWatch Database Trials

CountryWatch Inc. is offering Nebraska libraries trial access to the following databases through May 15, 2014:

  • CountryWatch Premium Online
  • CountryWatch Youth Edition
  • CountryWatch Forecasts (Macro, Energy, Metals & Agriculture)
  • CountryWatch Election Central
  • CountryWatch Political Intelligence Briefing
  • Country Profile Video Series


Trial URL: http://www.countrywatch.com/login.aspx

Trial access instructions were distributed via a March 20, 2014 message to the TRIAL mailing list. If you did not receive this information and would like to have it sent to you, please email Susan Knisely

Discounted pricing and ordering instructions for these databases are available online.

Want to receive email notification of future database trials and discounted pricing? Make sure you are signed up for the Nebraska Library Commission’s TRIAL mailing list. You can learn more about mailing lists maintained by the Nebraska Library Commission, including how to subscribe, on our Nebraska Library Commission Mailing Lists page.

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E-rate: Form 471 Deadline and Online Training Resources

Just a reminder…March 26th is the deadline to submit the second form in the E-rate process, Form 471, for the upcoming 2014 Funding Year.

The Form 471 application filing window for Funding Year 2014 opened at noon EST on Thursday, January 9, 2014 and will close at 11:59 pm EDT on Wednesday, March 26, 2014.

IMPORTANT: Before you file your Form 471, check your Form 470 Receipt Notification Letter for your Allowable Contract Date. 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. Your Form 470 Receipt Notification Letter tells you the first date you are allowed to submit your 471 – that is your Allowable Contract Date. Note: This Letter was mailed to you and is on blue paper for the 2014 Funding Year.

So, do you need help completing your forms? Do you have questions about E-rate?

You’re in luck! 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 Christa Burns, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.

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New Government E-Books Available

fdlp_logoNew government e-books are available on the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications website.  While you’re there, be sure to check out other government titles available online.

 

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Featuring the Film: How Book Adaptations Get Patrons Reading

BookFilm“For many readers, news that their favorite book will be adapted to film can be thrilling. Films bring the words to life, create new worlds and transform beloved characters into living, breathing flesh and blood. Films make us see these books in new ways, especially when artistic license is taken in condensing and enlivening long books into neat, two-hour packages.

And yet… how often have we heard friends lament, or complain ourselves: the book was better! Sure, films are great, but they don’t offer the same inclusion of the book. Watching a film, the viewer is merely an observer, and doesn’t feel everything the character feels, as you would when reading the book. There are no limits, no restrictions, no computer-generated-images trying to suspend your disbelief.

However, what most people don’t understand is that the standoff between books and film is like trying to decide if chocolate bars or chocolate ice cream is better. They are two completely different mediums, and should be experienced differently, with different expectations. Once we settle on the fact that there is no reason to qualify one over the other, films can become a terrific resource for programs intent on the celebration of reading!

Film screening tie-ins are a wonderful addition to any community or all campus reads programming. Indeed, being introduced to the film first often encourages readers to pick up the book, enriches book discussions, and motivates reluctant readers to turn out. ”  (Reprinted from Books in Common–http://www.booksincommon.org)

To get you started with some book-to-film ideas, here are a few titles available from the Book Club Kits at the Nebraska Library Commission:

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What about “Beer, Yeast and Louis Pasteur?”

NIH logoThere is an answer…Aren’t you curious about the why?  Learn about historical topics, such as the Garfield assassination or “Beer, Yeast, and Louis Pasteur” , or Super Heroes with a Serious Message (produced in cooperation with Marvel Comics) through a new National Library of Medicine website called “Circulating Now.”  It’s available at:  http://circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov.   This interesting new website seeks to choose those gems from the library and focus some attention on them by presenting an applicable picture and short commentary.  You can subscribe to receive updates via e-mail, or through RSS.   Sign up today!

This is a guest post by Marty Magee of the National Network/Libraries of Medicine.

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Let’s Dance!

May Pole DanceSince prehistoric times people have danced.  Whether celebrating at special occasions, preserving their cultural heritage, or  just having a good time, Nebraskans like to dance. In Nebraska Memories  you can find some great examples.

Dance class Folk dancing was popular at the Nebraska State Normal Schools in Kearney and Wayne. In the photo above from the University of Nebraska Kearney collection young women are participating in a May Pole Dance. In this picture from the Wayne State College collection a Folk Dancing Class is performing. When these women graduated and began teaching, they probably taught their students to folk dance.

Soukup & Petrzilka TavernSpeaking of having a good time, by the early 20th century, establishments like the Soukup and Petrzilka Tavern in Brainard had sprung up in many Nebraska towns. The white building attached to the back of the tavern in this pre-1911 photo from the Boston Studio collection was a dance hall. Can’t you imagine the patrons dancing to a Czech polka band and enjoying the Storz beer advertised on the outside wall of the tavern?

Ballroom at Klug ParkThe Durham Museum Collection includes the two photos below. The 1939 picture on the left makes me wonder if the folks watching the band at the ballroom at Klug Park were there to jitterbug. They certainly are packed into the room, which must have been pretty hot on that July day! Dance at HotelThe couple on the right at a 1938 dance at the Logan Hotel are more formally dressed at what was probably a private party.

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 Services Librarian, or Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.

Posted in General, Information Resources, Nebraska Memories, Technology | 2 Comments

National Archives to release more Clinton records

The National Archives plans to make public another 4,000 pages of documents from the Clinton White House on Friday, including previously unreleased records related to Vice President Al Gore’s 2000 presidential campaign and the 2000 recount in Florida.

The Clinton Presidential Library intends to make a second batch of records available to the public, part of about 30,000 pages of documents expected to be released from Bill Clinton’s administration in the coming weeks. The records have been highly anticipated as former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton considers a 2016 presidential campaign.

The National Archives said Friday’s installment will include a variety of topics, including the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, papers from health care adviser Ira Magaziner, the transition to the presidency of George W. Bush and records related to terrorism, including the Khobar Towers bombing in 1996.

The archives said other topics would include British Prime Minister Tony Blair, disability rights and documents from several presidential speechwriters.

The former secretary of state’s potential White House campaign has sparked interest in memos and records from her husband’s administration during the 1990s along with her work in public service. Clinton, a former New York senator, is the leading Democratic contender to succeed President Barack Obama should she seek the presidency again.

A first wave of documents released in February provided insight into the Clinton administration’s concern over the failed health care overhaul plan, which Hillary Clinton helped lead, and showed how advisers to the first lady tried to shape her public image. Magaziner was a top Clinton adviser during the health care effort so the new documents could offer more insights into that period.

The papers may also reveal details on the twilight of the Clinton administration, as Gore sought the presidency but ultimately lost to Bush despite winning the popular vote. The records could provide a behind-the-scenes look at how the White House viewed the recount saga in Florida and the abbreviated transition that took place before Bush’s inauguration.

Another topic of interest will involve records related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Congress passed the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, which established an assassination records review board during the Clinton administration to carry out release of records.

About 5 million pages of documents from the Kennedy assassination have been released thus far and all records are to be released by 2017, with some exceptions.

The Clinton records were previously withheld by the National Archives because they were exempt from disclosure under restrictions related to appointments to federal office and confidential advice among the president and his advisers.

Once the restrictions expired in January 2013, the National Archives notified Obama and Clinton’s offices that they intended to release the records so both offices could decide whether to invoke executive privilege on some records. Both offices recently signed off on the release of the documents.

For this story and much more, visit The National Archives.

Reprinted from The AP/Washington Post .

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NCompass Live: Book Club Kit Reviews

NCompass live small

Join us for the next NCompass Live: “Book Club Kit Reviews”, on Wednesday, March 19, 10:00-11:00 am Central Time.

Beth Goble, Devra Dragos, and Lisa Kelly, from the Nebraska Library Commission, will review and discuss titles to consider selecting for your book group. These titles are all available as book club kits for check out from the Nebraska Library Commission – now with over 700 titles to choose from!

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • March 26 – Tech Talk with Michael Sauers: How Big is Your Digital Footprint? How to Manage Your Online Presence
  • April 2 – Fizz, Boom, Read! : Summer Reading Program 2014
  • April 9 – Paws to Read at Kearney Public Library
  • April 16 – Killing Dewey
  • April 23 – Tech Talk with Michael Sauers
  • April 30 – Smart Investing: Reference Strategies and Resources

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, 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 GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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Preview of IMLS Public Library Statistics FY 2011

IMLS LogoYes, it is 2014 now, but it takes a while to compile and verify all of the statistics from the 8,956 public libraries in the U.S., so the official 2010-2011 data has just been released. It’s worth a look, though, because there is more than just dry data in this report. There is a Fast Facts sheet that summarizes the data, there are profiles for each state (Nebraska’s is here), and there are five supplementary tables that examine select characteristics and show how the states rank in various categories. (Note: Yes, Nebraska has more than 216 libraries as shown in the profile, but we didn’t receive data from all of them.)

You will discover that U.S. public libraries served 299.9 million people in FY 2011, which is 95.3% of the population. These people made over 1.5 billion visits to public libraries,  attended 3.81 million programs, and borrowed 2.44 billions items. Read it! It’s a feel-good story for all people who work in public libraries!

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New Pew Study on Libraries

Yesterday, Pew Research Center released “From Distant Admirers to Library Lovers–and beyond,” a study that concentrates on how people feel about and interact with public libraries.   The report creates a typology which “describes nine groups of Americans that reflect different patterns of public library engagement” from Library Lovers, about 10% of the population, and Information Omnivores, 20% of Americans, to Off the Grid, 4%.

The “Summary of Findings” offers a quick look at the typologies and some conclusions about broader trends, such as:

  • most Americans do not feel overwhelmed by information,
  • that library use is often tied to life stage or circumstance, and
  • that many people need and want trusted helpers in finding information.

This report is the third in a trilogy of studies on libraries.  The first report, “The Rise of e-reading” was released in April 2012, the second, on library services, came out in January 2013.

 

 

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Small Business Administration Grants Available

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that it will award grants to state and local economic development agencies, business development centers, colleges and universities to support programs for innovative, technology-driven small businesses under SBA’s Federal and State Technology (FAST) partnership program.  Applications for the grants are open now through April 11.

The FAST Program is designed to stimulate economic development among small, high technology businesses through federally-funded innovation and research and development programs like the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR).  The project and budget periods are for a 12-month period.

FAST may provide up to $100,000 per award to pay for outreach and technical assistance to science and technology-driven small businesses.  The program places particular emphasis on helping socially and economically disadvantaged firms compete in the SBA’s SBIR and STTR programs.

FAST funding awardees must demonstrate in their proposals how they will help support areas such as:

  • small business research and development assistance,
  • technology transfer from universities to small businesses,
  • technological diffusion of innovation benefiting small businesses,
  • proposal development and mentoring for small businesses applying for SBIR grants; and,
  • commercializing technology developed through SBIR grants.

Proposals will be considered from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.  Only one proposal per state may be submitted.  Proposals must be submitted to http://www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m on April 11.

Proposals will be evaluated by a panel of SBIR program managers. The SBA, the Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation will jointly review the panel’s recommendations and make awards based on proposal merit. The grant requires varying levels of matching funds from each participating state and territory.

Companies supported by the SBIR and STTR programs often generate some of the most important breakthroughs each year in the U.S. For example, about 25 percent of R&D Magazine’s Top 100 Innovations come from SBIR-funded small businesses.

For more information about the SBIR and STTR programs, visit SBA’s website at: http://www.sba.gov/about-sba-services/7050.

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A follow-up on The Quantified Self

On the last Tech Talk episode of NCompass Live I spoke with Gary Wolf one of the co-founders of The Quantified Self. For those interested in hearing a little more, and a bit of a counter-argument to the concept, take a listen to this episode of the CBC Spark podcast. The whole episode is very interesting but the QS stories don’t start until 25:30.

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Junior First LEGO League Grant for Public Libraries — Application Due April 4

The STAR (Science-Technology Activities and Resources for Libraries) Library Education Network (STAR_Net), in partnership with Junior FIRST® LEGO® League (Jr.FLL®), is proud to announce a grant program aimed at building participation in Jr.FLL in public libraries nationwide. For more information about Jr.FLL, visit  http://www.juniorfirstlegoleague.org.

This solicitation is open to all public libraries in the United States. Preference may be given to libraries in the following regions where Jr.FLL Affiliate Partners are already established, but other locations are welcome and encouraged to apply: Delaware, New Mexico, Southern California, Rhode Island, Utah, Missouri, Ohio, Central Texas, Virginia, South Carolina, and Illinois.

Libraries chosen to participate in this program will receive approximately $2,500 in LEGO materials, participation fees and other support.

The deadline is April 4, 2014. To apply, visit http://community.starnetlibraries.org/grant-opportunities/. If you have difficulty accessing or sending the application, please contact Anne Holland as soon as the issue arises (aholland@spacescience.org or 720-974-5876).

This pilot program will include a strong research and evaluation component, so libraries should be willing and able to participate in online, in-person and phone surveys related to the project. This pilot program will provide mandatory training, materials and miscellaneous expense reimbursement (such as program fees) to 17 libraries. Libraries not chosen for the program are still encouraged to participate in Jr.FLL.

All applying libraries should join the STAR_Net Online Community at community.starnetlibraries.org to participate in discussions about the program, and gain access to materials developed in support of the program.

In addition to participation in research and evaluation, libraries will be responsible (with help from regional partners as allowed) for recruiting 5 teams (of 2-6 children) and 5 coaches (1 coach per team, all “lead” coaches must be 18+, assistant coaches can be younger).

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Government Printing Office Offers Free Ebooks

The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) is expanding its ebook program to allow free public access to titles in the GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP), a finding tool for federal historical and current publications. About 100 ebooks are now available for download, with new additions each month.

Through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), the GPO distributes certain government documents freely to 1,200 U.S. libraries. The GPO’s expanded ebook program meets the growing needs of the FDLP.

The CGP provides the option to find nearby Federal depository libraries that have specific publications as part of the FDLP and also offers direct links to publications that are online. Topics include the military, agriculture, science, health, and national security.

“Expanding eBooks is another example of GPO’s commitment to serving as the digital information platform for the Federal Government,” says Davita E. Vance-Cooks, public printer of the United States and the GPO’s CEO. “GPO and the library community will continue to work together to provide the public with greater access to Government information in multiple formats.”

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Survey of Current Business to be published online only

The monthly Survey of Current Business is Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)’s definitive source of information about its economic accounts. Articles in the Survey present the latest national, international, regional, and industry estimates; describe the methodologies used to prepare the estimates; provide information about major revisions; discuss on-going innovations; and generally keep users up to date on relevant BEA issues and initiatives. Each issue includes numerous tables and charts of various economic estimates. Each issue also includes a message from BEA’s director.

Beginning with the February 2014 issue, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) will discontinue publishing paper copies of the Survey of Current Business. BEA will continue to publish the Survey as a free online publication on its Web site (www.bea.gov). In recent years, usage of the print publication has declined, and budgetary pressures have increased, resulting in the decision to maintain the online publication only.

Sign up for email notifications when each issue of the Survey is available is on www.bea.gov.

Paper copies of SCB issues through February 2014 will continue to be available from the Government Documents collection at the Nebraska Library Commission.

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Nebraska Librarians @ SXSW

3d printAUSTIN (February 5, 2014) – Representatives from the library industry’s leading organizations and associations are attending SXSW Interactive to raise awareness of the ways librarians are already supporting emerging entrepreneurs and tech businesses across the country. The goal is to get more entrepreneurs to recognize how librarians can help them scale their businesses. Through the support of Innovative, the leading provider of technology solutions and services to libraries, these organizations will be represented at the Innovative booth for libraries (#1036) during the SXSW Trade Show.

Librarians For Open Data and Civic Hacking

Rebecca Stavick, staff development specialist at Omaha Public Library, is one of the four founders of Open Nebraska, a citizen-led organization dedicated to pushing the open data movement in Nebraska. Open Nebraska’s mission is to solve community problems through civic application development, open data advocacy and tech education. The group organized Hack Omaha, a weekend hackathon they hosted in November 2013, which attracted around 30 participants. Stavick contends there are so many elements of civic hacking that are a direct reflection of librarianship. The library, she says, is one of the few places with the space and the Internet access that makes these types of events possible.

“Lack of access to local data is of direct concern to libraries. If libraries are supposed to provide open access to information, then any kind of public data would fall within that realm,” says Stavick. “Curating local information so that it’s more accessible to the public is a common goal of both librarians and civic hackers, with the intended result of informing citizens so they can make their own decisions.”

Open Nebraska is launching Hack Lincoln, the first-ever civic hackathon in Lincoln, Neb., this March and is aiming to plan another hackathon around National Civic Hacking Day in June.

Read the full article @ sxswLAM.

Posted in Technology | 1 Comment

Data Doodles: Ebook Statistics

I recently found some interesting data about eBooks from the “Internet Waves” column in the Jan/Feb issue of Information Today.

4,350: the number of ebook titles made available by the average public library 1

76.3%: the percentage of public libraries in the U.S. that lend ebooks (57% in Nebraska) 2

EbookPrice2163.2: the average number of ebooks purchased per month by library ebook patrons 3

$11.50: the average consumer price for an ebook 4

$63.00: the average price of an ebook purchased by a library 4

 

  1. http://www.economist.com/news/international/21573966-e-books-mean-plot-twist-public-libraries-and-publishers-folding-shelves
  2. Hoffman, Judy, John Carlo Bertot, and Denise M. Davis. Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2011-2012. Digital supplement of American Libraries magazine, June 2012. Available at http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/4673a369.
  3. http://www.overdrive.com/news/new-findings-reaffirm-library-borrowers-are-also-buyers/
  4. http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blog/year-ebook-price-comparisons-has-anything-changed
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Immigration and Citizenship Information and Resources

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) have recently entered into a partnership to provide immigration and citizenship information and resources to public libraries across the country.  This agreement is founded upon the recognition that libraries serve as a vital resource for immigrant communities.  Through the partnership, USCIS and IMLS seek to ensure that libraries have the necessary tools to refer their patrons to accurate and reliable sources of information on immigration-related topics.

For a general overview of the agreement and how libraries can get involved, I encourage you to visit the USCIS Citizenship Resource Center where you’ll find a section of the site dedicated to libraries (http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/organizations/libraries).  On this page, librarians can find information on upcoming USCIS webinars, download educational resources, register for email alerts, and identify contact information for local USCIS Community Relations Officers who can help facilitate opportunities for further engagement.

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