Tag Archives: libraries

#BookFaceFriday “Finlay Donovan is Killing It” by Elle Cosimano

Posted on September 9, 2022 by Tessa Timperley

We’re knocking ’em dead with this week’s #BookFaceFriday!

Your book club may just die … of laughter with this week’s #BookFaceFriday pick, “Finlay Donovan is Killing It: A Novel” by Elle Cosimano (Minotaur Books, 2021)! Looking for a good “whodunit” for your reading group?

We have several mysteries in our Book Club Kit collection; browse them by selecting “Mystery” in the Genre drop-down menu. You can find this title and all the titles available on our Book Club Kits page. It is also available as an e-book and audiobook on Nebraska Overdrive Libraries, where we also have the second book in the series “Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead“.

“Part comedy of errors, part genuine thriller… Deftly balancing genre conventions with sly, tongue-in-cheek comments on motherhood and femininity, Cosimano crafts a deliciously twisted tale.”

– Booklist

Book Club Kits Rules for Use

  1. These kits can be checked out by the librarians of Nebraska libraries and media centers.
  2. Circulation times are flexible and will be based upon availability. There is no standard check-out time for book club kits.
  3. Please search the collection to select items you wish to borrow and use the REQUEST THIS KIT icon to borrow items.
  4. Contact the Information Desk at the Library Commission if you have any questions: by phone: 800/307-2665, or by email: Information Services Team

Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!

 
 

Posted in Books & Reading, General | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

#BookFaceFriday “Touch” by Olaf Olafsson

Posted on September 2, 2022 by Tessa Timperley

You can’t touch this #BookFaceFriday!

We’re leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when we’ll be back again… er well at least we won’t be back in time for #BookFaceFriday! We’re taking a trip with “Touch: A Novel” by Olaf Olafsson (Ecco, 2022.) This Icelandic mystery starts in Reykjavik, but the unreliable narrator will take readers around the world as he searches for a long lost love. This title is available as both an eBook and an Audiobook in Nebraska OverDrive Libraries.

“Olafsson’s treatment of the vast cultural chasm between Icelander Kristófer, and Miko…brings suspense and heartache to the reader.”

– Library Journal

Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive! Libraries participating in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Group currently have access to a shared and growing collection of digital downloadable audiobooks and eBooks. 188 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 21,696 audiobooks, 35,200 eBooks, and 3,964 magazines. As an added bonus it includes 130 podcasts that are always available with simultaneous use (SU), as well as SU ebooks and audiobook titles that publishers have made available for a limited time. If you’re a part of it, let your users know about this great title, and if you’re not a member yet, find more information about participating in Nebraska Overdrive Libraries!

Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!

 
 

Posted in Books & Reading, General | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

#BookFaceFriday “The Forgotten Home Child” by Genevieve Graham

Posted on August 26, 2022 by Aimee Owen

Who could forget #BookFaceFriday?

This week’s #BookFaceFriday is the unforgettable “The Forgotten Home Child” by Genevieve Graham (Simon & Schuster, 2020). Based on the true story of the British Home Children, this historical novel will surely leave your book club group with much to discuss. Didn’t remember to put in your request before this popular title was reserved by another group? Check out these similar titles on our read-alike suggestion page. We’ve taken the work out of finding other books to tide you over until your first choice is available, or just to help you find that next great selection. All titles on this page are in the Book Club Kit collection and suggestions were compiled with the help of the NoveList database from NebraskAccess.

You can find this title and all of the historical fiction available on our Book Club Kits page; just look in the Search Options section and select the Historical Fiction in the Genre drop-down list.

“The Forgotten Home Child is a poignant, edgy, and skillfully written portrayal of a Home Child’s experience that typified so many. The absence of any sugar coating makes this story come to life and brings a level of reality that is often lacking—an emotional journey well worth reading.”

— LORI OSCHEFSKI, CEO of the British Home Children Advocacy and Research Association

Book Club Kits Rules for Use

  1. These kits can be checked out by the librarians of Nebraska libraries and media centers.
  2. Circulation times are flexible and will be based upon availability. There is no standard check-out time for book club kits.
  3. Please search the collection to select items you wish to borrow and use the REQUEST THIS KIT icon to borrow items.
  4. Contact the Information Desk at the Library Commission if you have any questions: by phone: 800/307-2665, or by email: Information Services Team

Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!

 
 

Posted in Books & Reading, General | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

#BookFaceFriday “Not Here to Be Liked” by Michelle Quach

Posted on August 19, 2022 by Tessa Timperley

We’re not taking this #BookFaceFriday lying down!

Just another relaxing #BookFaceFriday at the library commission! We hope you’ll like “Not Here to Be Liked” by Michelle Quach (HarperCollins, 2021), it’s available as an eBook in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries collection.

Get your teen or tween back into reading this school year with all the great Young Adult reads available for check out. We have an entire site dedicated to young readers looking for eBooks and Audiobooks called Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Kids & Teens. It has everything from picture books to YA, fiction, literature, and nonfiction!

“An interesting meditation on what it means to be a Gen Z feminist. Eliza is a compelling character. This mettle-bearing romcom is ideal for any teenager interested in not just feminist philosophy but also what it means to carry that philosophy into the real world.”

– Booklist

Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive! Libraries participating in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Group currently have access to a shared and growing collection of digital downloadable audiobooks and eBooks. 189 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 22,552 audiobooks, 34,599 eBooks, and 4,138 magazines. As an added bonus it includes 130 podcasts that are always available with simultaneous use (SU), as well as SU ebooks and audiobook titles that publishers have made available for a limited time. If you’re a part of it, let your users know about this great title, and if you’re not a member yet, find more information about participating in Nebraska Overdrive Libraries!

Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!

 
 

Posted in Books & Reading, General | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

#BookFaceFriday “The Reading List” by Sara Nisha Adams

Posted on August 12, 2022 by Tessa Timperley

#BookFaceFriday‘s TBR list has never been longer!

Maybe a little on the nose for a Book Club read but who cares, it was too good not to use for this week’s #BookFaceFriday. We have gotten several new titles in our Book Club Kit collection, just one being “The Reading List: A Novel” by Sara Nisha Adams (William Morrow Paperbacks, 2022.) You can find this title and all the new books available on our Book Club Kits page; just look in the Browse Options section and select the Browse New Additions link for our latest reads. It is also available as an e-book and audiobook on Nebraska Overdrive Libraries.

“This moving debut demonstrates the power of novels to provide comfort in the face of devastating loss and loneliness, with relatable characters and a heartwarming tone throughout. Readers who enjoyed Gabrielle Zevin’s The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry and Nina George’s The Little Paris Bookshop will find themselves drawn in by this book.”

– Booklist

Book Club Kits Rules for Use

  1. These kits can be checked out by the librarians of Nebraska libraries and media centers.
  2. Circulation times are flexible and will be based upon availability. There is no standard check-out time for book club kits.
  3. Please search the collection to select items you wish to borrow and use the REQUEST THIS KIT icon to borrow items.
  4. Contact the Information Desk at the Library Commission if you have any questions: by phone: 800/307-2665, or by email: Information Services Team

Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!

 
 

Posted in Books & Reading, General | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

#BookFaceFriday “Beauty Queens” by Libba Bray

Posted on July 29, 2022 by Tessa Timperley

Miss Congeniality has nothing on #BookFaceFriday!

There she is, Miss America.. er I mean #BookFaceFriday! Don’t be a pageant mom with this week’s #BookFace, “Beauty Queens” by Libba Bray (Scholastic Inc., 2017.) 

You can find it as an Audiobook in Nebraska OverDrive Libraries. As an added perk, Libba Bray voices all her audiobooks!
Bray is a New York Times bestselling author, you can find eight other Bray titles in our OverDrive collection, including, “A Great and Terrible Beauty,” “Going Bovine,” and “The Diviners.” We also have Bray’s “Going Bovine” available to readers in our Book Club Kit collection as well!

“Whip-smart social commentary, surreal plot elements, and feminist themes come together in this bizarre and brilliant story… The empowering theme of self-acceptance and the affirming message that women should not underestimate themselves or others makes this novel a potentially life-changing book for budding feminists.”

– School Library Journal (starred review)

Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive! Libraries participating in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Group currently have access to a shared and growing collection of digital downloadable audiobooks and eBooks. 188 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 21,696 audiobooks, 35,200 eBooks, and 3,964 magazines. As an added bonus it includes 130 podcasts that are always available with simultaneous use (SU), as well as SU ebooks and audiobook titles that publishers have made available for a limited time. If you’re a part of it, let your users know about this great title, and if you’re not a member yet, find more information about participating in Nebraska Overdrive Libraries!

Book Club Kits Rules for Use

  1. These kits can be checked out by the librarians of Nebraska libraries and media centers.
  2. Circulation times are flexible and will be based upon availability. There is no standard check-out time for book club kits.
  3. Please search the collection to select items you wish to borrow and use the REQUEST THIS KIT icon to borrow items.
  4. Contact the Information Desk at the Library Commission if you have any questions: by phone: 800/307-2665, or by email: Information Services Team

Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!

 
 

Posted in Books & Reading, General | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

#BookFaceFriday “My Ocean is Blue” by Darren Lebeuf

Posted on June 3, 2022 by Tessa Timperley

It’s an ocean of possibilities with #BookFaceFriday!

School is out, and that means Summer Reading Programs all over the state are gearing up. So we’re diving in with this #BookFace, “My Ocean is Blue” written by Darren Lebeuf and illustrated by Ashley Barron (‎Kids Can Press, 2020.) It’s a part of the”Oceans of Possibilities” collection in Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Kids & Teens, a list of titles specially curated for the 2022 Summer Reading Program. It’s available for check out as an eBook, along with the 285 other titles in the collection. “My Ocean is Blue” is also on the Nebraska Library Commission 2022 SRP Book List, created by Sally Snyder, our Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services.

“My Ocean is Blue … strikes just the right note as Lebeuf and Barron share a day at the seaside through a poetic text that is beautifully mirrored by exquisite watercolour, pencil crayon and collage illustrations.”

– The Globe and Mail

Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive! Libraries participating in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Group currently have access to a shared and growing collection of digital downloadable audiobooks and eBooks. 188 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 21,696 audiobooks, 35,200 eBooks, and 3,964 magazines. As an added bonus it includes 130 podcasts that are always available with simultaneous use (SU), as well as SU ebooks and audiobook titles that publishers have made available for a limited time. If you’re a part of it, let your users know about this great title, and if you’re not a member yet, find more information about participating in Nebraska Overdrive Libraries!

Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!

 
 

Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

#BookFaceFriday “Daisy Jones & the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Tessa Timperley

It’s all happening with #BookFaceFriday!

Rattan furniture, curtain bangs, there’s no denying it, the 70s are making a comeback. So we’re diving into the era’s music scene with this #BookFaceFriday! “Daisy Jones & the Six: A Novel” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (‎Random House Publishing Group, 2020) is available for check out in our Book Club Kit Collection. You can also find it as an eBook and an Audiobook in Nebraska OverDrive Libraries. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a New York Times bestselling author, you can find four other Reid titles in our OverDrive collection, including, “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” “Malibu Rising,” and “Maybe in Another Life.”

“Reid’s novel so resembles a memoir of a real band and conjures such true-to-life images of the seventies music scene that readers will think they’re listening to Fleetwood Mac or Led Zeppelin. Reid is unsurpassed in her ability to create complex characters working through emotions that will make your toes curl.”

– Booklist (starred review)

Book Club Kits Rules for Use

  1. These kits can be checked out by the librarians of Nebraska libraries and media centers.
  2. Circulation times are flexible and will be based upon availability. There is no standard check-out time for book club kits.
  3. Please search the collection to select items you wish to borrow and use the REQUEST THIS KIT icon to borrow items.
  4. Contact the Information Desk at the Library Commission if you have any questions: by phone: 800/307-2665, or by email: Information Services Team

Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive! Libraries participating in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Group currently have access to a shared and growing collection of digital downloadable audiobooks and eBooks. 188 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 21,696 audiobooks, 35,200 eBooks, and 3,964 magazines. As an added bonus it includes 130 podcasts that are always available with simultaneous use (SU), as well as SU ebooks and audiobook titles that publishers have made available for a limited time. If you’re a part of it, let your users know about this great title, and if you’re not a member yet, find more information about participating in Nebraska Overdrive Libraries!

Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!

 
 

Posted in Books & Reading, General | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: The Healing Library: Responding to Trauma in Your Community Through Nontraditional Lending

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Christa Porter

‘The Healing Library: Responding to Trauma in Your Community Through Nontraditional Lending’ is the topic of next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, March 4 at 10am Central Time.

An overview of The Healing Library and our free downloadable resources which have been downloaded almost 3,000 times since our launch in 2017! We create nontraditional lending kits for families who have experienced trauma and provide free pdf’s for libraries to create their own kits or, in response to requests from smaller libraries, we now offer kits for purchase. All kits include the following: A Discussion Guide, Activities Guide, Acts of Kindness Guide, Community Helpers Guide, Curated Book Suggestions with Discussion Guides, and How to Use This Kit Guides – for both families and lending organizations.

Presenter: Megan Schadlich, Creator, The Healing Library.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • March 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Chatbot Demonstration Using Scratch
  • April 1 – Beta Testing for Social Wellbeing
  • April 15 – Amplified Advisory with Video Book Talks

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, Youth Services | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech – Which Coding Language Should I Learn?

Posted on February 24, 2020 by Christa Porter

Which Coding Language Should I Learn? Find out on this week’s Pretty Sweet Tech FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, February 26 at 10am Central Time.

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.

My brother is a software engineer. About four years ago, I asked him which coding language people should learn in the library. He looked at me blankly and asked “well, what do they want to do?”. Honestly, lots of things. Building websites, programming robots, learning the internet of things, building video games, designing virtual reality, learning the basics of artificial intelligence. You know. Coding.

I thought his head was going to explode, there were just so many variables and approaches to each one of these concepts. I had overloaded his processor! Over the past few years, I narrowed down this question of “which coding language should we learn?” and approached everything from an absolute beginner level perspective. I organized the information into buckets based on what people want to learn.

This session is all about where to get started with the most popular technology skills in industry right now. Want to learn websites? Easy: HTML, CSS and Javascript will get you started. Want to learn robotics? Try Python, then work your way into C++. Augmented and Virtual Reality? Start with HTML, CSS and Javacript, or launch right into C#. What about artificial intelligence? Start with Python in Tensorflow. This session will be jam-packed with tools and resources to ease learners into complex technology from an absolute beginner’s standpoint. Some of these tools can be used in library programming, while others are geared towards the self-directed learner who wants to know how to take the next steps on their own.

Who is this session geared towards? Makerspace librarians, children’s and teens librarians, and anyone interested in connecting library patrons with resources to learn technology concepts.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • March 4 – The Healing Library: Responding to Trauma in Your Community Through Nontraditional Lending
  • April 1 – Beta Testing for Social Wellbeing
  • April 15 – Amplified Advisory with Video Book Talks

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 Education & Training, Pretty Sweet Tech, Technology | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: 2020 One Book One Nebraska: ‘All the Gallant Men’

Posted on February 14, 2020 by Christa Porter

Celebrate the 2020 One Book One Nebraska selection, All the Gallant Men, with us on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, February 19, 10:00am-11:00am CT.

In this sixteenth year of One Book One Nebraska, Nebraska libraries and other literary and cultural organizations continue to plan activities and events to encourage all Nebraskans to read and discuss the same book. Join us to hear more about this state reading promotion activity, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and the Nebraska Library Commission.

We are very pleased to announce that our 2020 selection is, All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor’s Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor (William Morrow, 2016) by Donald Stratton, with Ken Gire.

Join Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner, Nebraska Library Commission Communication Coordinator Tessa Terry, Nebraska Center for the Book President Christine Walsh, and Nebraska Center for the Book Board Member Becky Faber to:

  • Learn about how to create a successful local reading promotion using Nebraska’s year-long, statewide celebration featuring All the Gallant Men, by Donald Stratton.
  • Brainstorm strategies to read and discuss All the Gallant Men.
  • Find tools to help engage your community in local activities to encourage them to come together through literature to explore this work in community-wide reading programs.
  • Learn about the 2020 Celebration of Nebraska Books, which will celebrate this book, along with the winners of the 2020 Nebraska Book Awards.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • Feb. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Which Coding Language Should I Learn?
  • March 4 – The Healing Library: Responding to Trauma in Your Community Through Nontraditional Lending
  • March 11- Holiday Break at the Library!

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, Nebraska Center for the Book | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

NCompass Live: Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians

Posted on February 7, 2020 by Christa Porter

Learn how to serve your patrons with legal questions on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar, ‘Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians’, on Wednesday, February 12, 10:00am-11:00am CT.

We will cover three subjects that will help non-law librarians serve patrons with legal questions. First, we will describe resources available through the Schmid Law Library’s website that can help people research their own legal questions. Second, we will cover the Nebraska Online Legal Self-Help Center and other official resources available from the Administrative Office of the Courts. Finally, we will cover the Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) which is housed at the Schmid Law Library and is dedicated to helping inventors and business people explore patents and trademarks.

Presenters: Richard Leiter, Director, University of Nebraska – Schmid Law Library; Keelan Weber, Head of Cataloging and Resources Management, University of Nebraska College of Law, Schmid Law Library; Maureen Eck, Supreme Court Deputy Librarian, Nebraska State Law Library.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Feb. 19 – 2020 One Book One Nebraska: All the Gallant Men
  • Feb. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Which Coding Language Should I Learn?
  • March 4 – The Healing Library: Responding to Trauma in Your Community Through Nontraditional Lending
  • March 11- Holiday Break at the Library!

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 Education & Training, Information Resources | Tagged , | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: Best New Teen Reads of 2019

Posted on February 2, 2020 by Christa Porter

Discover the Best New Teen Reads of 2019 on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, February 5, 10:00am-11:00am CT.

Brief book talks and reviews of new titles recommended to school and public librarians, covering both middle and high school levels, that were published within the last year.

Presenter: Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Feb. 12 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians
  • Feb. 19 – 2020 One Book One Nebraska: All the Gallant Men
  • Feb. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Which Coding Language Should I Learn?
  • March 4 – The Healing Library: Responding to Trauma in Your Community Through Nontraditional Lending
  • March 11- Holiday Break at the Library!

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, Youth Services | Tagged , | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: Community Engagement: Straight Talk

Posted on January 24, 2020 by Christa Porter

Join the conversation with some Straight Talk about Community Engagement on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, January 29 at 10am Central Time.

Innovation encompasses far more than technology. One of the most exciting trends in 21st century libraries is the emphasis on restructuring and reinventing our roles in our communities. A huge part of this discussion revolves around the term “Community Engagement”. And while this sounds grand and fancy, things often get blurry when we are pressed to define it, implement it, and (the most daunting of all) measure it.

It’s time to cut through ambiguity and put concrete parameters around this evasive topic. This discussion will center around the following questions about community engagement: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and HOW?

Participants will leave with a clear definition of Community Engagement, along with the framework for how to build a Community Engagement plan. One size doesn’t fit all. Your library is uniquely special and to honor this fact, this interactive hour will include brainstorming about what’s right for your library and community. This discussion will be supported by concrete examples and case studies from libraries who have implemented successful community engagement plans.

This conversation is for everyone in the public library. The secret to effective community engagement involves the whole team; we all have an important part to play.

Presenter: Erica Rose, Library Science Faculty/Program Coordinator, University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Feb. 5 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019
  • Feb. 12 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians
  • Feb. 19 – 2020 One Book One Nebraska: All the Gallant Men
  • Feb. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech

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 Education & Training, Public Relations | Tagged , | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech – Technology Solving Real-World Problems

Posted on January 17, 2020 by Christa Porter

‘Technology Solving Real-World Problems’ is the Pretty Sweet Tech topic on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, January 22 at 10am Central Time.

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.

Technology guides everywhere have been saying we all need to use technology to solve ‘real-world problems’. What are these problems you speak of? In this session, we’re going to take a look at ways emerging technology has solved large-scale problems around the world. It’s time to think big.

We will look at tree-planting drones and robots, medicine-delivery tracking systems, artificial intelligence to stop deep fakes, smart transit systems, and a whole lot more. As we dive into technology, the focus will be on how to analyze this existing technology and pluck out the general concepts of how it all works. The real power of technology is adapting existing applications around the world to solve both local and global problems.

This session digs into how to bring real-world technology solutions to your community. You will walk away with a set of lesson plans and other resources you can adapt to suit your needs. Innovation starts with ideas. Do you know what exists? This is a start.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Jan. 29 – Community Engagement: Straight Talk
  • Feb. 5 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019
  • Feb. 12 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians
  • Feb. 19 – 2020 One Book One Nebraska: All the Gallant Men

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 Education & Training, Pretty Sweet Tech, Youth Services | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: Best New Children’s Books of 2019: Discovering New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart

Posted on January 10, 2020 by Christa Porter

Discover New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar, ‘Best New Children’s Books of 2019’, on Wednesday, January 15, 10:00am-11:00am CT.

Attendees will learn the best (we think) children’s books in the categories of: Picture Books (Story time faves), Non fiction, and Middle Grade fiction, that were published within the last year.

Presenters: Dana Fontaine, Librarian, Fremont High School; Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Jan. 22 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Technology Solving Real-World Problems
  • Jan. 29 – Community Engagement: Straight Talk
  • Feb. 5 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019
  • Feb. 12 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians
  • Feb. 19 – 2020 One Book One Nebraska: All the Gallant Men

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 | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: Summer Reading Program 2020: Imagine Your Story

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Christa Porter

Join us online tomorrow as we get ready for the 2020 Summer Reading Program Imagine Your Story on NCompass Live with the NLC’s Children and YA Services Coordinator, Sally Snyder.

NOTE! This NCompass Live will be on Tuesday December 31, due to the New Year’s Day holiday. It will be at the usual time, from 10am – 11am Central Time.

Log in at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventshow.asp?ProgID=18875

Get ready for next summer by learning about quality books to consider for your library’s collection and start planning for Imagine Your Story. Kids will be clamoring for both fiction and nonfiction titles as they explore the worlds of fairy tales, myths, legends, and even their families’ own stories of their history. These are the topics for the 2020 Summer Reading Program.

Presenter: Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Jan. 8, 2020 – Rescheduled due to technical issues – United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries
  • Jan. 15, 2020 – Best New Children’s Books of 2019: Discovering New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart
  • Jan. 22, 2020 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • Jan. 29, 2020 – Community Engagement: Straight Talk
  • Feb. 5, 2020 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019
  • Feb. 12, 2020 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians

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 | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech – Watch Me Build a Virtual World Using A-Frame

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Christa Porter

‘Watch Me Build a Virtual World Using A-Frame’ is the Pretty Sweet Tech topic on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar.

NOTE! This NCompass Live will be on MONDAY DECEMBER 23, due to the Christmas Day holiday and the federal/state holiday on Tuesday, December 24. It will be at the usual time, from 10am – 11am Central Time.

New 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.

Sometimes it helps to see someone else do it. I’ve described this process a bunch of times, now you can watch me do it, live and in person! That’s right. Things might get a little messy.

Luckily, you will have the chance to follow along if you so choose. The tools are all free, and all you need is a bit of background with how HTML tags work. A bit of CSS never hurt anyone, but HTML is the important part at this stage. If you don’t have that background, feel free to watch anyway. It’s easy and fun to learn how to build a mini virtual world.

The Tools:

That’s it. Not too bad at all. It’s time to see VR get made.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Tuesday, Dec. 31 – Summer Reading Program 2020: Imagine Your Story
  • Jan. 8, 2020 – Rescheduled due to technical issues – United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries
  • Jan. 15, 2020 – Best New Children’s Books of 2019: Discovering New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart
  • Jan. 22, 2020 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • Jan. 29, 2020 – Community Engagement: Straight Talk
  • Feb. 5, 2020 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019
  • Feb. 12, 2020 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians

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 Education & Training, Youth Services | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: Librarian in Training – For Kids!

Posted on December 6, 2019 by Christa Porter

Learn how to inspire the next generation of library employees with ‘Librarian in Training – For Kids!’ on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, December 11, 10:00am-11:00am CT.

In this session we will describe our Librarian In Training program. LIT is a 14 week program that invites kids between the ages of 9-12 to discover how libraries work, culminating in a celebration of the children’s dedication and service. LIT participants spend two weeks in every department of the library from circulation to maintenance, first meeting staff and discovering how each department operates, then completing a related project or assisting with specific tasks. LIT takes children beyond traditional job shadowing and allows them to contribute in a meaningful way to our library’s work.

Presenter: Jennifer Johnson, School Age Program Coordinator, Johnson City (TN) Public Library.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Dec. 18 – Advocates of All Ages: Recruiting and Retaining Younger Generations as Trustees and Friends
  • Tuesday, Dec. 24 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Watch Me Build a Virtual World Using A-Frame
  • Tuesday, Dec. 31 – Summer Reading Program 2020: Imagine Your Story
  • Jan. 8, 2020 – Rescheduled due to technical issues – United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries
  • Jan. 15, 2020 – Best New Children’s Books of 2019: Discovering New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart
  • Jan. 22, 2020 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • Jan. 29, 2020 – Community Engagement: Straight Talk
  • Feb. 5, 2020 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019

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 Education & Training, Youth Services | Tagged , , | Leave a comment