Nebraska Library Commission Blog

Are You Signed Up For the TRIAL Mailing List?

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Susan Knisely

Are you signed up for the Nebraska Library Commission’s TRIAL mailing list? If so, then you know I just sent out a mailing list message with instructions on how to log in to Infobase Learning’s open trial of over 20 of their popular online databases, including Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center, Issues & Controversies, and World News Digest.

If you’re not signed up for the Nebraska Library Commission’s TRIAL mailing list, then you missed this juicy announcement, along with at least three others in the last two weeks announcing free trial access to McGraw-Hill’s AccessScience and AccessEngineering databases, the new ProQuest Research Companion information literacy solution, and six CountryWatch databases.

To make sure you don’t miss future trial announcements go to the Nebraska Library Commission Mailing Lists page and subscribe today! To request copies of recent trial announcements you might have missed, contact Susan Knisely.

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Register for LIS classes at Central Community College

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Michael Sauers

Registration opens on April 11, 2014 for classes in Library and Information Services at Central Community College.

Classes include:

Foundations of Library and Information Services
Reference Services
The Library and Information Services Capstone Practicum

For more information see: http://www.cccneb.edu/degreesonline or contact Dee Johnson at CCC, djohnson@cccneb.edu or 402-562-1418 or 877-222-0780, extension 1418.

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Young Nebraskans Win Writing Competition

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Jennifer Wrampe

Young Nebraska writers will receive Letters about Literature award certificates from Gov. Dave Heineman on April 9, 2014 at a proclamation-signing ceremony celebrating National Library Week, April 13-19, 2014. Letters about Literature is a national reading and writing promotion program. Nearly 50,000 adolescent and young readers nationwide in grades 4 through 12 participated in this year’s Letters about Literature program, more than 400 of them from Nebraska. The competition encourages young people to read, be inspired, and write back to the author (living or dead) who had an impact on their lives.

This annual contest is sponsored nationally by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The Center for the Book was established in 1977 as a public-private partnership to use the resources of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books and reading. The Nebraska competition is coordinated and sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, and Houchen Bindery Ltd.

Young Nebraska writers to be honored are:

Winners

Brianna Wilson, Big Springs, for a letter to Charles Bukowski about You Get So Alone at Times That It Just Makes Sense
Sydney Kohl, Lincoln, for a letter to Gary Soto about A Fire in My Hand
Christopher Penas-Hull, Lincoln, for a letter to Jules Verne about 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Alternate Winners

Thomas D’Aquila, Elkhorn, for a letter to Art Spiegelman about Maus
Wyatt Liewer, O’Neill, for a letter to Gary Paulsen about Brian’s Hunt
Madeline Walker, Lincoln, for a letter to Sharon Draper about Out of My Mind

The students wrote personal letters to authors explaining how his or her work changed their view of themselves or the world. They selected authors from any genre, fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic. Winners were chosen from three competition levels: upper elementary, middle, and secondary school.

The Nebraska winners will be honored at a luncheon and receive cash prizes and gift certificates. Their winning letters will be placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. They will advance to the national competition, with a chance to win a trip to Washington, D.C. for themselves and their parents. For more information see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html.

The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission. As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.

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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.

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Map Exhibit

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Allana Novotny

Did you know there are over 5,500 items in Nebraska Memories? Having that many items is wonderful and I’m always wanting to add more however unless you make a conscious effort to look at everything you may not see each of these 5,500+ items.

One addition we made as part of the roll out of the New Memories was to add the map exhibit on the home page. This new exhibit provides us with a way to highlight some of the items included in Nebraska Memories. Periodically we will change the images to highlight different collections, items and topics. To learn more about the highlighted items click anyplace on the map to display the map exhibit page. Here you will find a list of the items currently being highlighted and links to the full records for each item that includes additional information and a larger version of the item.

The current exhibit of 13 items highlights some of the snow and winter scenes found in Nebraska Memories. While you may be thinking it’s time to update the images and get rid of snow I want to point out the photo titled Crawford business area, blizzard of 1927. Someone has written the date April 18-’27 on the front of it. Because the snow piles are so high I was curious to know how much snow Crawford received around this time period so I did a few quick searches and located the digitized version of the book Climatological data Nebraska Section, Volumes 24-32 by the National Climatic Center, National Climatic Data Center (U.S.). The climatological date for the month of April 1927 starts on page 15 of this document. While I did not find the total snowfall for Crawford I did find this: “The average for the Northwest Division of the State was 21 inches, which is the greatest April fall in that Division during the 38 years of record.” Going back to page 13 of the same document it shows that the Northwest Division had already received an average of 16.2 inches of snow in March. These numbers could explain the large piles of snow visible in the picture.

For those of you who have had enough snow don’t worry we are working on a new map exhibit to go up in April. This new exhibit will be snow free. It will include a picture of Grandpa using his “Waterloo” to plow a field, a group of folks celebrating National Air Mail Week and more than one graduating class. When you see the new exhibit don’t forget all you need to do to learn more about any of the featured photos is to click on the map.

Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images digitized from photographs, negatives, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books and other materials.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information, or contact Beth Goble, Historical Projects Librarian, or Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.

Posted in General, Information Resources, Nebraska Memories, Technology | Leave a comment

Nominate Books Now for the 2014 Nebraska Book Awards

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Jennifer Wrampe

The 2014 Nebraska Book Awards program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book (NCB) and Nebraska Library Commission will recognize and honor books that are written by Nebraska authors, published by Nebraska publishers, set in Nebraska, or relate to Nebraska.

Books published in 2013, as indicated by the copyright date, are eligible for nomination. They must be professionally published, have an International Standard Book Number (ISBN), and be bound. Books may be entered in one or more of the following categories: Nonfiction, Fiction, Children/Young Adult, Cover/Design/Illustration, Anthology, and Poetry. Certificates will be awarded to the winners in each category. Award winners will be presented at the Fall 2014 Nebraska Center for the Book’s Book Awards Celebration and Annual Meeting in Lincoln.

The entry fee is $40 per book and per category entered. Deadline for entries is June 30, 2014. For more information, including entry forms, see http://www.centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards/nebookawards.html or contact Mary Jo Ryan, maryjo.ryan@nebraska.gov, 402-471-2045, 800-307-2665, for print information. Enter by sending the entry form (http://www.centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/docs/BookAwardsEntry.pdf), three copies of the book, and the entry fee to NCB Book Awards Competition, Nebraska Library Commission, The Atrium, 1200 N Street, Suite 120, Lincoln, NE 68508-2023.

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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases

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There Are 65 Entries on the April Free Webinars List

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Laura Johnson

See the chronological list of Webinars and a subject guide on the Free Webinars page. By the way, the lists from previous months are available. So if you want to find a program from a previous month that you just didn’t have time to watch, you can. Just add the 6 digits of yyyymm to the URL for the current list. For example, the address for the December 2013 list is http://nlc.nebraska.gov/CE/webinars201312.aspx.

Posted in Education & Training | Leave a comment

Kreutz Bennett Grants to 8 Public Libraries

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Richard Miller

The Nebraska Community Foundation recently issued a press release announcing the eight Nebraska public libraries that received Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund grants for 2014. Reggie Carlson, Communications Director of the Foundation, sent the following information to most newspapers in Nebraska. The recipients are:

Auld Public Library in Red Cloud received $20,000 in matching funds to construct an addition to the existing library, add an elevator and restrooms that are ADA compliant, and complete a number of renovation and repair projects, including the installation of new plumbing and HVAC system.

Culbertson Public Library was awarded $20,000 to construct and furnish a new 3,000-square-foot library. The community has already raised more than $300,000 for the project.

The Deshler Public Library Foundation has launched a $1 million challenge grant fundraising campaign for the construction of a new library. The Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund is assisting with a grant of $20,000.

The Elgin Public Library will use $3,275 in matching funds to purchase microfilm of The Elgin Review newspaper from 2005 through 2012, and to digitize 50 reels of microfilm and purchase a searchable external hard drive.

Exeter Public Library is using its Kreutz-Bennett grant of $2,545 to create and furnish a “Tech Lounge” to increase accessibility to the Internet, computers and other electronic devices for library patrons.

Hruska Memorial Public Library in David City will use its grant of $6,335 to increase accessibility by installing automatic swings with push plates and push/pull handles for the library’s main entry doors and three interior doors. The project will also replace three exterior doors to prevent moisture damage and unauthorized entry.

Jensen Memorial Library in Minden will use its $7,000 grant to install new shelving and a dual book drop. The current utility shelving is not designed for books.

Walthill Public Library will use its planning grant of $2,500 for salary support to extend library hours of operation, as required by accreditation guidelines, and to support the library director’s efforts toward achieving accreditation.

The Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund grants are decided upon by the nieces and nephews of the late Shirley Kreutz Bennett who left a legacy in support of public libraries in Nebraska towns with 3,000 or fewer residents. Grant monies of about $70,000 to $80,000 are distributed each year in three grant areas:

Planning grants leading to accreditation
Enhancement grants to improve library services
Facilities grants for new construction or the renovation, restoration or rehabilitation of current libraries

The Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF). For more information contact:

Reggie Carlson, NCF Communications Director, (402) 323-7331, or rcarlson@nebcommfound.org

or go to the NCF website article on the Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund for information on the 2015 grant cycle.

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NCompass Live: Fizz, Boom, Read! : Summer Reading Program 2014

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Christa Porter

NCompass live small

Join us for the next NCompass Live: “Fizz, Boom, Read! : Summer Reading Program 2014”, on Wednesday, April 2, 10:00-11:00 am Central Time.

Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services at the Nebraska Library Commission, will give brief book talks of new titles pertaining to the 2014 Summer Reading Program themes: Fizz, Boom, Read! (children’s theme) and Spark a Reaction! (teen theme).

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

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
May 7 – The Internship: A Win-Win Situation

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.

Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training, Programming, Youth Services | Leave a comment

Celebrate National Library Week April 13-19

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Jennifer Wrampe

Looking for ways to promote National Library Week, April 13–19? Librarians can encourage local celebrities, library staff, and library supporters to snap a selfie with the Lives change @ your library word balloon and share their story of how the library has changed their life. Camera-shy supporters can are also encouraged to tweet their change using the hashtags #liveschange and #nlw14. There are also free downloadable tools available on the NLW website. All participants will be entered into a grand-prize drawing for a Kindle Fire HDX.

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You can now follow us on Google+ and Tumblr

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Michael Sauers

If you’re a user of either Google+ or Tumblr, you can now follow the commission on those services. As a reminder, you can check out all of the Social services where you can find us on our Social Networking Links page.

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Bookopotamus Free App for Audio Lovers

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Laura Johnson

Bookopotamus

Audiobook trivia in an app! Now that we hear about it, you have to wonder, “why didn’t we think of that?” Findaway World, manufacturers of Playaways is offering a free game for both Apple and Android users. They say ““In each round of Bookopotamus trivia, the player is offered with an audible audiobook quote and is asked to guess, against the clock, which book the quote is from. The earlier the answer is provided, the higher the score for the game. As they play, users evolve from a curious little Bookworm into a Bookopotamus with an insatiable appetite for books.”

In addition to the fun of the game, through next Monday, Findaway World will donate Playaways to First Book.

Posted in Books & Reading | Tagged apps, fun | Leave a comment

Nebraska Librarians Invited to Free Webinar: The Copyright Conundrum

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Mary Jo Ryan

Tune in Thursday, April 10 at 1 p.m. Central, Noon, Mountain time for this free, streaming video broadcast that you can view from your home, library or on-the-go. Copyright issues pose many challenges for librarians. In an era when we rely increasingly on electronic materials while still making use of traditional resources, our picture of rights and responsibilities can get cloudy. In “Copyright Conundrum” a panel of experts will discuss the challenges we face and strategies you can use to help navigate copyright in this rapidly evolving area. Speakeers include:

Rebecca Butler, Professor in the Department of Educational Technology, Research, and Assessment, College of Education, at Northern Illinois University, author of Copyright for Teachers and Librarians in the 21st Century
Sandra Aya Enimil, Head of the Copyright Resources Center at The Ohio State University Library
Carrie Russell, Director, Program on Public Access to Information, Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) of the American Library Association
Laura Quilter, Copyright and Information Policy Librarian at the UMass Amherst Librarie

AL Live is an immediate and effective way to get to the heart of the real issues in libraries. With the help of real-time technology, it’s like having your own expert on-hand. We look forward to your joining us. To receive e-mail reminders, register at http://goo.gl/2G50AD, or go to www.americanlibrarieslive.org at the time of the event. If you’re unable to attend live, this event will be recorded and available at www.americanlibrarieslive.org shortly after it concludes. Please comment below to share a receint copyright question that you dealt with.

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NCompass Live: Tech Talk with Michael Sauers: How Big is Your Digital Footprint? How to Manage Your Online Presence

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Christa Porter

NCompass live small

Join us for the next NCompass Live: “Tech Talk with Michael Sauers: How Big is Your Digital Footprint? How to Manage Your Online Presence”, on Wednesday, March 26, 10:00-11:00 am Central Time.

Did you know that your online presence works for you 24/7? You’re “on” even if you aren’t online. The power of online presence is amazing: it can land you a job, promote your brand, or provide a channel to demonstrate one’s skills OR it can be an embarrassing reminder of what not to do. This presentation will discuss how to best manage online presence by creating a professional digital image as well as building boundaries between personal and professional profiles.

Presenter: Marcia Dority Baker: Assistant Professor of Law Library, Access Services Librarian; University of Nebraska College of Law; Schmid Law Library.

In this monthly feature of NCompass Live, the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Michael Sauers, will discuss the tech news of the month and share new and exciting tech for your library. There will also be plenty of time in each episode for you to ask your tech questions. So, bring your questions with you, or send them in ahead of time, and Michael will have your answers.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

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
May 7 – The Internship: A Win-Win Situation

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

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

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Michael Sauers

Teen 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

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Mary Sauers

Register 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

Posted in Education & Training, Information Resources, What's Up Doc / Govdocs | Leave a comment

CountryWatch Database Trials

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Susan Knisely

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

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Christa Porter

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

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Mary Sauers

New 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.

Posted in Books & Reading, Information Resources, What's Up Doc / Govdocs | Leave a comment

Featuring the Film: How Book Adaptations Get Patrons Reading

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Mary Sauers

“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:

Posted in Books & Reading, Information Resources, Youth Services | Leave a comment

What about “Beer, Yeast and Louis Pasteur?”

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Michael Sauers

There 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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