This grant can reimburse successful applicants for up to $500 of conference registration and related expenses, as described on our website here. More information is at that link, including a link to apply. Applications are due September 16, 2026 but apply now so you can plan accordingly.
**Only current Board Members from an accredited Nebraska Public Library can apply**
The 2026 NLA and MPLA Conference in La Vista on October 14-16 is going to be even bigger than usual. MPLA (Mountain Plains Library Association) joins NLA (Nebraska Library Association) this year, which means a regional-level conference will be right here in Nebraska! It will be 12 years before MPLA joins the NLA Conference again. Don’t miss this opportunity!
The 2026 ARSL (Association for Rural and Small Libraries) Conference in Montgomery, Alabama on September 16-19 is a great match for so many libraries in our state. This is a national conference focused on rural and small libraries, full of information designed to fit those rural and small libraries. As ARSL says, “no scaling down required” for what you will learn here.
The Fern V. Heim Scholarship Award was established to provide assistance to current public library board members with preference to members of the Nebraska Library Association Public Library and Trustee Section (PLTS) for attendance at the Nebraska Library Association Conference or the Association for Rural and Small Libraries Conference.
The purpose of these grants is to assist Nebraska libraries in improving the library services provided to their communities through continuing education and training for their library trustees. Funding is provided by private funds, through the Lincoln Community Foundation.
If you have questions about the application, the requirements, or anything related to the application process, please reach out to our CE Coordinator.
