The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is currently accepting grant applications for programs aimed at enhancing Adult, Family, and Summer Reading Literacy programs. The Foundation will also accept applications for its Youth Literacy grant program starting on March 6, 2025.
The application deadline for Adult, Family, and Summer Reading Literacy Grant applications is February 6, 2025. Interested applicants may find eligibility information and apply by visiting the Dollar General Literacy Foundation Grant Programs website.
To be eligible for a grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, your organization must be a nonprofit organization as determined by the IRS, a public library, school or college providing direct literacy services within a state that Dollar General Corporation operates in and is within 15 miles of a Dollar General store. Other eligibility requirements are specific to each grant type and can be found within the grants themselves.
For the Adult and Family literacy grant programs, the maximum grant amount is up to $10,000. The Summer Reading maximum is $3,000 and the Youth Literacy grant is $4,000. Applying for a grant does not guarantee that amount due to the large volume of requests we receive.
Adult Literacy Grants (Grant Application deadline: February 6, 2025) Funding is awarded to organizations that provide direct services to adults in need of literacy assistance in one of the following areas:
Adult basic education
GED or high school equivalency preparation
English language acquisition
Family Literacy Grants (Grant Application deadline: February 6, 2025) Funding is awarded to nonprofit organizations who support the whole family in literacy, providing:
Adult education instruction
Children’s education
Parent and Child Together Time (PACT)
Summer Reading Grants (Grant Application deadline: February 6, 2025) Local nonprofit organizations, schools, and libraries can receive funding to support the creation or expansion of summer reading programs that meet the following criteria:
Target pre-K to 12th grade students who are new readers
Target below grade level readers
Assist readers with learning disabilities
Youth Literacy Grants (Grant Applications will be available on March 6, 2025. Application deadline: April 3, 2025) Schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations who help students that are below grade level or having trouble reading may apply with funding provided to assist in the following areas:
Implementing new or expanding existing literacy programs
Purchasing new technology or equipment to support literacy initiatives
Purchasing books, materials or software for literacy programs
Celebrate the 2025 One Book One Nebraska selection, The Long March Home, with us on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, January 22 at 10am CT.
The One Book One Nebraska reading program is entering its twenty-first year. 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 excited to talk about the 2025 selection The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee (Revell, 2023).
Join authors Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee, Nebraska Center for the Book President Pat Leach, Nebraska Center for the Book Board Member Becky Faber, and Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner to:
Hear from the authors about this year’s selected book and ask questions.
Learn about how to create a successful local reading promotion using Nebraska’s year-long, statewide celebration featuring The Long March Home.
Brainstorm strategies to read and discuss The Long March Home.
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.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Jan. 29 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Tech Kits for STEM Career Exploration
Feb. 5 – Fostering Healthy Communication in Your Library
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, 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 GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
The American Library Association (ALA) invites library workers to apply for the Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant, an annual award supporting innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts in libraries.
Applications will be accepted between December 2, 2024, and February 3, 2025. View the full award guidelines and apply online at www.ala.org/LTCEG.
The Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant recognizes, promotes and supports innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts in libraries. It will provide two grants of $2,000 for a school, public, academic, tribal or special library to expand its community engagement efforts.
Libraries are invited to apply by designing and outlining activities for a library-led community engagement project. Community engagement is the process of working collaboratively with community members – be they library patrons, residents, faculty, students, or local organizations – to address issues for the betterment of the community.
Each year, the grant will focus on supporting a community engagement project with a specific theme. For the 2024–2025 cycle, libraries are invited to submit applications for a community engagement project that focuses on building neighborhood connections. Libraries should work collaboratively with community members and at least one partner organization to develop a project that addresses a local issue and builds upon community assets.
Some examples of proposals could include a project that brings people together to discuss community tools such as “how to start a block party,” a program that collaborates with a local partner to host heritage or multicultural events, or a project that develops community identity by exploring local history through archives.
ALA announced the creation of the Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant in 2019, an initiative made possible by a matching grant and ongoing support from former ALA president and longtime generous supporter Nancy Kranich.
Last year’s grant was won by the Hoboken (NJ) Public Library and Independence (KS) Public Library to support the libraries’ efforts in community empowerment. Their initiatives aim to promote food security and address homelessness within their communities.
The 2023 grant was won by the Carlsbad (N.M.) Public Library and Lexington (Neb.) Public Library to support the libraries’ efforts in adult literacy and early childhood education.
The Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant is part of Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC), ALA’s community engagement initiative. Since 2014, LTC has reimagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types, from across the country, have utilized the free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a safe space for residents to come together to discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.
LTC is administered by ALA’s Public Programs Office. To stay informed about future grants and awards offered by ALA’s Public Programs Office, sign up for the Programming Librarian e-newsletter.
Applications now open for Penguin Random House and United for Libraries Grants for Friends Groups. Grants of $500 and $1,000, along with book donations and free virtual training, will be awarded to small and rural libraries; applications close Feb. 18.
United for Libraries and Penguin Random House have partnered for a new grant opportunity for Friends of Libraries in small and rural communities across the U.S. Grants of $500 and $1,000 (totaling $25,000), will be awarded to support libraries in need.
These funds will assist Friends of Library groups with priority projects. In-kind book donation grants of $500 will also be awarded to 20 libraries to purchase Penguin Random House titles.
Each grant recipient will also receive complimentary eLearning from United for Libraries. This includes a year of access to United for Libraries Learning Live monthly webinars, which present in-depth training to library Trustees/Board Members, Friends, Foundations, advocates, and those who work with them, and training on how to leverage the grant funds to build support for the library and the Friends group.
Eligibility requirements
To be eligible for a cash or in-kind grant, Friends groups must support a rural/small U.S. library in the 50 states, District of Columbia, or U.S. territories (Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) with a legal service area population of 25,000 or less, and in any area 5+ miles outside of a U.S. Census defined urban area (as defined by the Institute of Museum and Library Services IMLS). A library that meets the same eligibility and is able to demonstrate it has started the process of forming a Friends group will also be eligible.
How to apply
The grant application is open now through February 18, 2025.
The application is hosted on the ALA Apply platform.
Download a PDF of the application questions. Please note that (1) this contains all questions, you will only answer those applicable to the specific grant for which you are applying ($500, $1,000, or $500 in-kind), and (2) all applications must be submitted online.
You will need to create an account on the ALA Apply platform if you do not have one already. This account is different than your ALA website or membership account.
You can save the application and return later to complete. Be sure to submit the application once you have finalized all information.
Refer to the Dec. 18 information session Frequently Asked Questions for details about the grants, eligibility, and more. If you need additional assistance, please email united@ala.org or call (312) 280-2161.
Grants will be administered by United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, whose mission is to support those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for all types of libraries. Grant funding is provided by Penguin Random House.
The E-rate Form 471 application filing window for Funding Year 2025 opened today at noon EST and will close on Wednesday, March 26 at 11:59 pm EDT. You may now log on to the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and file your FCC Form 471 for FY2025.
This makes Wednesday, February 26, the deadline to post your Form 470 to the USAC website, meet the 28-day posting requirement for the competitive bidding process, and submit a Form 471 by the filing window closing date.
However, we do not recommend waiting until the last day to submit your Form 470! If there are any issues that day, like the E-rate servers are slowed down because it is the last day to submit, or you can’t submit the form due to reasons on your end, such as illness, weather, power outage, etc., then you would miss the deadline and lose out on E-rate altogether. So, get your E-rate Form 470 submitted as soon as possible!
IMPORTANT: Before you file your Form 471, check your Form 470 Receipt Notification for your Allowable Contract Date – the first date you are allowed to submit your 471. 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. You can find your Notification within the EPC portal in your News feed.
Do you need help completing your forms? Do you have questions about E-rate? You’re in luck!
And more 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 the State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries in Nebraska, Christa Porter, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.
The American Library Association (ALA) invites library workers to apply for the fifth annual Peggy Barber Tribute Grant, a programming grant named after the transformative ALA leader responsible for the creation of National Library Week and the Celebrity READ series.
The Peggy Barber Tribute Grant is an annual grant that recognizes, promotes, and supports meaningful programs in libraries that have limited and/or no access to budgetary support for programming. This grant aims to help ease budget challenges by annually awarding three libraries $2,500 to support a proposed program, program series, or programming effort.
Each year, the grant will focus on supporting a specific type of library programming. For the 2024–2025 cycle, libraries are invited to submit applications for a grant combatting isolation for older adults. Remember: your proposal should be focused on a program that combats isolation for older adults, such as a technology training club to teach seniors how to use technology so that they can stay connected online or a social club to bring adults together around an activity like crafting, gardening, etc.
All library types — including public, academic, K-12, tribal and special libraries — in the U.S. or U.S. territories are eligible. Applicants must have a personal or institutional membership with either the American Library Association OR the Association for Rural & Small Libraries.
Peggy Barber served as ALA’s associate executive director of communications from 1970 to 2000. In that role, she established ALA’s Public Information Office, Public Programs Office and the ALA Graphics department. After leaving ALA, she was a principal consultant with Library Communication Strategies and served as co-president of Friends of Libraries USA, now known as United for Libraries. She passed away in August 2019.
The Peggy Barber Tribute Grant was created with donations from Barber’s friends and colleagues. To support the grant, make a contribution to the Peggy Barber tribute fund within ALA’s Cultural Communities Fund.
To stay informed about future grants and awards offered by ALA’s Public Programs Office, sign up for the Programming Librarian e-newsletter.
The full schedule for the 2025 Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference is now available!
You will find all the details on the Schedule page. Information about our presenters is available on the Speakers page.
If you haven’t registered yet, now is the time to jump over to the Registration page and sign up – the conference is free and open to anyone in the world to attend! However, please be aware that all times are listed in US Central Time – UTC-6.
You are welcome to watch as an
individual or to host a group viewing of the conference. If several staff
members from the same library want to attend, you can just register for one
seat and have staff members view/listen together via one workstation.
You can also host a viewing party this same way and invite staff from other libraries. For any group viewings, if you know who will be there, you can list your Additional Attendees on your one registration or you can send us a list after the event. Be sure to take all necessary health and safety precautions into account when planning group viewings.
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2025 will be held on Friday, February 28, 2025 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoTo Webinar online meeting service.
Join us for the first NCompass Live webinar of 2025, where you will hear about the ‘Best New Teen Reads of 2024’, on Wednesday, January 8 at 10am CT.
Sally Snyder, the Nebraska Library Commission’s Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, will give 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.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Jan. 15 – Talking Book and Braille Service: Improving Accessibility to Books
Jan. 22 – 2025 One Book One Nebraska: ‘The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific’
Jan. 29 – Pretty Sweet Tech
Feb. 5 – Fostering Healthy Communication in Your Library
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, 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 GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
The FCC Form 471 Application Filing Window for Funding Year 2025 will open on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at noon EST and close on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 11:59pm EDT. You can read the USAC announcement for full details.
To prepare for the window opening:
If you haven’t already done so, and you are not exempt, file your FCC Form 470 now! You do not have to wait for the Form 471 window to open.
To file your FCC Form 470, log into the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC). You must wait 28 days after your FCC Form 470 is posted to the USAC website before you can close your competitive bidding process, select a service provider, sign a contract (if applicable), and submit an FCC Form 471. If you issue an RFP after the FCC Form 470 is posted, you must wait 28 days from the release of the RFP to select a service provider.
Wednesday, February 26, 2025 is the deadline to post your FCC Form 470 to the USAC website or issue an RFP and still complete all of these actions before the window closes.
Update Your EPC Profile During the Administrative Window – Update your EPC profile by January 9, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST. Review your EPC profile and confirm all of your information is accurate including your organization’s name, address, and other details. Your profile is currently unlocked and available for you to insert any further updates, but will be locked again before the 471 Filing Window opens. Libraries should confirm their square footage, main branch, and public school district of the main branch information is correct and that any bookmobiles or kiosks are included. View the EPC Administrative Window webpage to learn more.
Please contact Christa Porter, Nebraska State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, if you have any questions or need any assistance submitting your E-rate forms.
Learn about ‘Fostering Healthy Communication in Your Library’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, December 18 at 10am CT.
Good communication skills are no accident. Quality communication takes sustained effort, an open mind, and a listening ear. Come learn about some different approaches for enhancing communication pathways and improving your communication skills. Better communication skills not only improve relationships with coworkers but help us serve our communities more effectively. Following a presentation on some different approaches for fostering healthy communication, there will be time to share what’s working well in your library and discussion about practical ways to implement new ideas.
Presenter: Jessica Chamberlain, Library Director, Norfolk (NE) Public Library.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Dec. 25 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK – HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Jan. 1, 2025 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK
Jan. 8, 2025 – Best New Teen Reads of 2024
Jan. 15, 2025 – Talking Book and Braille Service: Improving Accessibility to Books
Jan. 22, 2025 – 2025 One Book One Nebraska: ‘The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific’
Jan. 29, 2025 – Pretty Sweet Tech
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, 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 GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
What is E-rate? How can my library benefit from E-rate? How do I apply for E-rate?
E-rate is a federal program that provides discounts to schools and public libraries on the cost of their Internet Access and Connections to make these services more affordable. This includes Broadband, Fiber, and Wi-Fi Internet access as well as Internal Connections, such as wiring, routers, switches, and other network equipment. And new for 2025: Wi-Fi hotspots!
The E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) is your online portal for all E-rate interactions. With your organizational account you can use EPC to file forms, track your application status, communicate with USAC, and more.
In this workshop, Christa Porter, Nebraska’s State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, will explain the E-rate program and show you how to access and use your account in EPC to submit your Funding Year 2025 E-rate application.
If you have any questions or need any assistance with your E-rate forms, visit the NLC E-rate webpage or contact Christa Porter, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.
Hear about the ‘Best New Children’s Books of 2024’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, December 11, at 10am CT.
Sally Snyder, the Nebraska Library Commission’s Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, will give brief book talks on titles published in the last year that could be good additions to your library’s collection. Titles for pre-school through elementary school will be included.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Dec. 18 – Fostering Healthy Communication in Your Library
Dec. 25 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK – HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Jan. 1, 2025 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK
Jan. 8, 2025 – Best New Teen Reads of 2024
Jan. 22, 2025 – 2025 One Book One Nebraska: ‘The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific’
Jan. 29, 2025 – Pretty Sweet Tech
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, 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 GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Applications for the 2025 Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries are now open! These grants recognize libraries for their growth of graphic literature and award funds for graphic novel collection development and programming.
The application deadline is January 12, 2025, 12pm CT.
The objective of the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries is to facilitate library-generated programs and services that will promote graphic novels to library patrons and to the local community.
Two Will Eisner Graphic Novel grants will be awarded in 2025: one Will Eisner Graphic Novel Growth Grant, which provides support to libraries that would like to expand their existing graphic novel collection, services, and programs; and one Will Eisner Graphic Novel Innovation Grant, which provides support to a library or Friends Group for the initiation of a new graphic novel service or program.
All applicants must be current personal or organizational members of ALA in good standing at the time of application. The institution can be a school, public, academic, or special library and must be located in North America – Canada, United States, or Mexico.
Visit the Eisner Grants page for the application form and grant details. Be sure to also check out the Eisner Grant FAQ page for new updates and additional information, including samples of some of the previous winning grant applications.
Check out this recorded webinar for some tips and advice for your Will Eisner Grant application. For any questions, contact ALA Graphic Novels & Comics in Libraries Round Table Staff Liaison, Tina Coleman, at ccoleman@ala.org.
Each winning library will receive a grant award of $4,000 to support initiatives that align with the objective of the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries. The grant award will consist of the following:
$2,000 grant in collection development funds to purchase graphic novels,
$1,000 grant to host a graphic novel-themed event at a library or another community location, and
$1,000 grant to attend the ALA Annual Conference to receive their grant money. This grant can be used towards any of the following: conference registration, transportation, lodging and food.
In addition, from the book publishers and the Eisner Foundation, the winning libraries will also receive the following graphic novels, valued at approximately $3,000:
The Will Eisner Library: A graphic novel collection of Will Eisner’s work and biographies about Will Eisner* (comprising approximately 40 books)
A selection of the winning titles from the current year’s Will Eisner Awards* at Comic-Con International (comprising approximately 40 books).
* Please note that some of the titles in these collections are of a mature nature.
Chosen Grant applicants must agree to take responsibility for organizing a recognition ceremony of their grant in their library.
Will Eisner (1917-2005) was an acclaimed American comics writer, artist, teacher, and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of sequential art (a term he coined) and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential comic series, The Spirit; for his use of comics as an instructional medium; for his leading role in establishing the graphic novel as a form of literature with his 1978 groundbreaking graphic novel, A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories; for his 20 years of teaching at the School of Visual Arts, leading to his three textbooks. In a career that spanned nearly seven decades—from the dawn of the comic book to the advent of digital comics—Will Eisner was truly the “Father of the Graphic Novel.”
What’s It Like Being a Corporate Librarian? Find out on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, ‘To Librarianship and Beyond’, on Wednesday, December 4 at 10am CT.
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a librarian in a corporate environment? Attend this session to hear Emily Nimsakont discuss her position as digital librarian for a software company. She will compare and contrast her job to more traditional library positions, discuss the pros and cons of working in the corporate world, and offer advice on breaking into this area of library work.
Presenter: Emily Nimsakont, Digital Librarian, Posit PBC.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Dec. 11 – Best New Children’s Books of 2024
Dec. 18 – Fostering Healthy Communication in Your Library
Dec. 25 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK – HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Jan. 1, 2025 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK
Jan. 8, 2025 – Best New Teen Reads of 2024
Jan. 29, 2025 – Pretty Sweet Tech
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, 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 GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Highlights from Internet Librarian 2024 will be shared on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 27 at 10am CT.
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.
Just in case you missed it, this Pretty Sweet Tech will offer some highlights from Internet Librarian 2024 that ran virtually from October 22-24. It’s where all the cool kids go to learn about library technology topics. Here are the themes I’ll be covering in the recap:
Training for an Unknown Future: Explore new ways to learn new skills, train staff, and brainstorm some skills you might want to focus on in the near future.
Libraries Solving Community Problems: Learn how some awesome libraries have built partnerships to tackle big community problems.
Hybrid Presence: Uncover new ways to update your web presence to engage with communities who need to come together in new ways to prepare for the same unknown future.
Just Plain Cool: Some projects are just plan cool. I want to share a few of my favorite highlights.
I’ll include my usual disclaimer that I couldn’t make it to every session, but I did my best to dig around and catch the cool, helpful, or off the beaten path sessions that caught my eye.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Dec. 4 – To Librarianship and Beyond: What’s It Like Being a Corporate Librarian?
Dec. 11 – Best New Children’s Books of 2024
Dec. 25 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK – HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Jan. 1, 2025 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK
Jan. 8, 2025 – Best New Teen Reads of 2024
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, 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 GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Join us to learn how libraries in Nebraska are using Reader Zone to engage readers of all ages in quality reading programs on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 20 at 10am CT.
Reader Zone helps schools and libraries host amazing reading programs using the three principles that drive success: Engage, Adapt, and Report. There is no limit to the size and type of organization that can use the service.
The Nebraska Library Commission has renewed the state-wide subscription to Reader Zone for all public, school, and academic libraries, continuing access through September 2025. Jake Ball, founder of Reader Zone, will give a live demo of Reader Zone and answer any questions you have about the program.
Presenters: Jake Ball, Founder, Reader Zone and Denise Harders, Director, Central Plains Library System.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Nov. 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2024 Recap
Dec. 11 – Best New Children’s Books of 2024
Jan. 8, 2025 – Best New Teen Reads of 2024
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, 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 GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Join us for a 2024 Overview and Update on Nebraska’s Open Meetings Act on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 13 at 10am CT.
Public library boards for communities of all sizes in Nebraska are required to follow our state’s Open Meetings Act when holding their meetings. In this session, we’ll point out some of the major points of this state law for library boards, changes for 2024 and 2025, and some of the consequences of not following Open Meeting law. Note: This topic is very Nebraska specific. If you are attending from another state some of the things we discuss may not be applicable for your library boards.
Presenters: Scott Childers, Executive Director, Southeast Library System, Lincoln, NE; Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Nov. 20 – Building Cultures of Reading with Reader Zone
Nov. 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech
Dec. 11 – Best New Children’s Books of 2024
Jan. 8, 2025 – Best New Teen Reads of 2024
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, 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 GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Get ready for the 2025 Summer Reading Program, ‘Color Our World’, by learning about quality books for your library’s collection on this week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 6 at 10am CT.
Kids will be clamoring for both fiction and nonfiction titles as they read all about art and creativity at the library, the topic for the 2025 Collaboarative Summer Library Program.
Presenter: Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Nov. 13 – Nebraska Open Meetings Act: 2024 Overview and Update
Nov. 20 – Building Cultures of Reading with Reader Zone
Nov. 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech
Dec. 11 – Best New Children’s Books of 2024
Jan. 8, 2025 – Best New Teen Reads of 2024
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, 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 GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) – Region 4’s Science Kits for Public Libraries (SKPL) Grant program is offering up to $2,000 in funding to public libraries to establish a new circulating science kits collection. Open to public libraries that serve geographic areas inside or partially inside the IEEE-Region 4 – this includes portions of Nebraska – see the green-shaded area of this map: IEEE Regions in the USA
The Application deadline is January 16, 2025. Those libraries which have previously applied for the grant but did not receive funding are invited to submit again.
Public Libraries have a long tradition of building stronger communities by providing life-long learning opportunities for children and teens. The SKPL Team is honored to have the opportunity to enrich the services that public libraries offer. SKPL enables children, parents, and teachers the chance to borrow library kits for hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning at home or in classroom.
Region 4, Science Kits for Public Libraries (SKPL) organization is a volunteer-based organization affiliated with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). SKPL believes all children – regardless of race, gender, financial condition, or home environment – should have access to high-quality, hands-on STEM learning experiences. By making catalyst grants available to public libraries, we empower them to start their own science kit collections that are free and accessible to the public.
Applications are now open for the 2025-26 cycle of the NEA Big Read, a national program that offers matching grants of up to $20,000 to support community-wide reading programs around the theme of “Our Nature: How Our Physical Environment Can Lead Us to Seek Hope, Courage, and Connection.”
The Intent to Apply deadline is January 23, 2025.Final Application due: January 30, 2025. Visit Arts Midwest’s website for complete grant guidelines and to apply.
The 22 NEA Big Read books available for programming this cycle explore our relationship with the physical environment, from our cities and farms to our mountains and coastlines. Applicants will host book discussions, writing workshops, and other creative activities that examine how we shape our physical environment and how it shapes us.
The NEA Big Read welcomes applications from a variety of eligible organizations, including first-time applicants; organizations serving communities of all sizes, including rural and urban areas; and organizations with small, medium or large operating budgets. Eligible applicants include nonprofit arts organizations, universities/colleges, school districts, public libraries, tribal organizations, museums, and community service organizations located and operating within the United States, U.S. Territories, and the Native Nations that share this geography.
Potential applicants may sign up for a live informational webinar, being held on November 14, 2024 at 1pm CT, to learn more about the program. All registrants will be send a link to the recording, even if you cannot attend the live event.
