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Author Archives: Christa Porter
NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: Screaming Frog SEO: A tool to keep websites neat and up to date
Learn how to use Screaming Frog SEO to keep your library website neat and up to date on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, July 31 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.
Many years ago I stumbled across a tool called Screaming Frog SEO. It’s a free/ low-cost tool to keep your website and resource documents up to date, Google keyword-friendly, and just all-around awesome. It is code-free and easy to learn with plenty of tutorials. In this session you will see how Screaming Frog can help you:
- Check for broken links on your web pages for easy repair.
- Make sure all images on your website are accessible.
- Spell check and grammar check your whole website.
- Find out when pages were last updated.
- Other helpful tips and tricks.
As a fun fact, I found this tool because frogs are my favorite animal and I just wanted to see which website tools were frog-friendly. Now this is one of my most-used tools to update website and resource listings!
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Aug. 7 – Learning New Technologies On-the-Fly: Vendorbrarian to Public Librarian
- Aug. 14 – Operating a Culture of Belonging: Personal Librarian 2.0
- Sept. 4 – Board Games & Computer Science in Libraries
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.
Posted in Education & Training, Pretty Sweet Tech, Technology
Tagged NCompLive, prettysweettech
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NCompass Live: E-rate 101: Just the Basics for 2025
What is E-rate? How can my library benefit from E-rate? How do I apply for E-rate? Find out on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, ‘E-rate 101: Just the Basics for 2025’ on Wednesday, July 24 at 10am CT.
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: off-premises use of Wi-Fi hotspots and wireless Internet services.
This session will be a general overview of the E-rate program. Full in-depth E-rate workshops will be held later in the year. It will be useful to libraries who have never applied for E-rate, libraries who are new to E-rate, and current E-rate libraries who just want a short refresher on what E-rate is all about.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The dates and rules in this session will be specific to E-rate Funding Year 2025.
Presenter: Christa Porter, Nebraska’s State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- July 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Screaming Frog SEO: A tool to keep websites neat and up to date
- Aug. 7 – Learning New Technologies On-the-Fly: Vendorbrarian to Public Librarian
- Aug. 14 – Operating a Culture of Belonging: Personal Librarian 2.0
- Sept. 4 – Board Games & Computer Science in Libraries
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.
NCompass Live: Think Outside the Box: Transformative Training with Breakout Challenges
‘Think Outside the Box’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, July 17 at 10am CT.
You have all likely heard of breakout boxes. Join me to learn and discuss creative ways this tool can help make learning fun. These can be used for children and for adults, and the possibilities are endless. I will share what ideas I have explored, and it will be exciting to hear of any suggestions others have to offer!
Presenter: Tammi Thiem, Director, Three Rivers Library System, Omaha, NE.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- July 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Aug. 7 – Learning New Technologies On-the-Fly: Vendorbrarian to Public Librarian
- Aug. 14 – Operating a Culture of Belonging: Personal Librarian 2.0
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.
NCompass Live: Helping Students Be Google Aware
Learn about ‘Helping Students Be Google Aware’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, July 3 at 10am CT.
Google has become the most common and dominant search engine in our culture. Students use it to find information about everything, including scholarly research. As teaching librarians, we have to ask: What do students use when not at school? More than likely than not, they will turn to Google to search. Because of this, we must teach them to become careful consumers of the information the Google algorithm produces. Relevance is a complex combination of advertising influence, proprietary interests, programmers’ language, and predictions (based off of prior search patterns). Schembri discusses how to recognize and report inaccuracies of marginalized groups, and how Google has worked to maintain a better, more neutral output for potentially inflammatory searches.
Presenter: Pamela Schembri, School Library Media Specialist, Horace Greeley High School Library, Chappaqua, NY.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- July 17 – Think Outside the Box: Transformative Training with Breakout Challenges
- July 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Aug. 14 – Operating a Culture of Belonging: Personal Librarian 2.0
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.
NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: Geocaching Summer Adventures: Librarians Gone Wild
Dig into the wonderful world of geocaching to send kids, teens and adults on treasure hunts on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, June 26 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.
This session will help you dig into the wonderful world of geocaching to send kids, teens and adults on treasure hunts! You don’t even have to hide the things yourself because the Geocaching community has already hidden little trinkets and treasures all over the world. Though you can add more stuff to the shared treasure map if you’re so inclined.
Learn how to leverage existing resources to get a geocaching adventure up and running for free or low cost using geocaching.com and the associated app on your smartphone, with the option to go all out and build a custom, themed geocaching adventure for your community. By the end of this session you will have:
- Guide to set up geocaching adventures for all ages
- Complementary summer reading, STEM & STEAM activities for kids
- Complementary material displays, STEM & STEAM activities for teens & adults
- Known geocaching trails across Nebraska & beyond
While the examples are from Nebraska, geocaching adventures are for everyone, everywhere!
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- July 3 – Helping Students Be Google Aware
- July 17 – Think Outside the Box: Transformative Training with Breakout Challenges
- Aug. 14 – Operating a Culture of Belonging: Personal Librarian 2.0
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.
Posted in Education & Training, Pretty Sweet Tech, Programming
Tagged NCompLive, prettysweettech
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Friday Reads: ‘Bookshops & Bonedust’ by Travis Baldree
High fantasy, first loves, and secondhand books.
Bookshops & Bonedust is a prequel to Legends & Lattes, which was a previous NLC Friday Reads.
Both of these cozy, fantasy novels follow Viv, an orc barbarian, as she has not your typical barbarian adventures. Although, her barbarian skills do play a part, just in more unusual ways.
In this novel, Viv’s leg has been injured too badly to continue questing with her group of mercenaries, so she must take a break to heal up and recuperate. She is left behind in Murk, a quaint ocean town. At first, she is understandably angry and frustrated about her situation.
But, Murk isn’t as sleepy and boring as she assumes. Viv befriends the owner of a bookshop, helping her revive her struggling business, and falls in love with reading in the process. Perhaps this plants the seeds of what happens when Viv decides to retire from adventuring in Legends & Lattes?
But it’s not just a relaxing break for Viv. There’s the mystery of a necromancer, skeletons popping up everywhere, and a summer romance. Readers of Legends & Lattes will enjoy learning more about the history of Viv’s sword and her future friendships.
If you enjoyed Legends & Lattes, as I did, you will definitely feel the same about Bookshops & Bonedust. I hope the author has more stories about Viv to tell. I’d love to learn more about her past adventuring days or her life after settling down.
Public Library Accreditation 2024 Workshop Recording now available
The recording of the Nebraska Library Commission’s ‘Public Library Accreditation 2024’ online workshop is now available on the Accreditation webpage.
The purpose of Nebraska Public Library Accreditation is to encourage excellent library service in Nebraska communities. The guidelines used to evaluate libraries and their services are community-based, so libraries need to know their communities’ needs in order to provide appropriate library services that meet those unique needs. That’s where Community Needs Response Planning comes in!
In this workshop, Christa Porter, NLC’s Library Development Director, will answer all of your accreditation questions, such as:
- What is Nebraska Public Library Accreditation?
- What are the benefits of accreditation?
- How does my library become accredited?
- What’s a Community Needs Response Plan? And why does my library need one?
Public Library Directors, Staff, and Library Board Members are encouraged to attend.
If you have any questions or need any assistance with your Accreditation or Community Needs Planning, please contact Christa Porter, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.
Is Your Public Library the ‘Best Small Library in America’?
Calling all libraries serving communities of 25,000 or less!
Library Journal is now accepting applications for the Best Small Library in America Award, made possible by Ingram. Library Journal‘s annual award for the Best Small Library in America was founded in 2005 to encourage and showcase the exemplary work of these libraries. It honors the U.S. public library that most profoundly demonstrates outstanding service to populations of 25,000 or less.
The deadline to nominate your library is June 26, 2024.
This is an amazing opportunity to show off your great rural or small library. Anyone can nominate a library – the library administration itself, patrons, members of the community, library peers, etc.
Judges want to hear about how, in the last two years, you have raised the profile of the library in your community, reached out to new users and remote users, impacted literacy in the community, and used technology to support and grow patron access to materials and information. Share your innovative approaches to traditional problems, including seemingly small fixes that work, and specific innovations that can be readily adopted by other libraries of all sizes.
The winner will be presented at the 2024 Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) Conference, September 11-14, 2024 in Springfield, MA, and will have the opportunity to speak there.
The winning library will receive a $5,000 cash award, and two finalist libraries will receive $1,000 each. All three will be featured in the September 2024 issue of Library Journal and online.
Nominate your favorite Nebraska library today! Learn more about the guidelines and submit your nomination on the Best Small Library in America Award website.
Posted in General, Library Management, Public Relations
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ARSL 2024 Early Bird Conference Registration is NOW OPEN!
Registration for both in-person and virtual attendance at the 2024 Association for Rural & Small Libraries Conference is open!
The in-person 2024 ARSL Conference will be held at the MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts, from September 11-14, 2024.
This year’s conference theme is “Libraries are (r)Evolutionary.” Our conference provides an opportunity to explore the transformative power of rural and small libraries in our communities. Like chrysalises of change, these libraries nurture revolutionary ideas and evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of our patrons. Let’s embrace the (r)Evolutionary spirit of libraries and inspire each other.
Early Bird pricing for in-person attendance will be available through July 16.
For more information about the conference and to register, visit the 2024 Conference Homepage.
ARSL Member Rates
- Base Conference Attendance
Early Bird – $295
Regular – $380
On-site – $380 + $25 admin fee - Preconference Workshops**
3-Hour Workshops – $60
4-Hour Workshops – $75
7-Hour Workshop – $160 - Virtual Attendance
$55
Student, Advocate & Retiree Rates*
- Base Conference Attendance
Early Bird – $250
Regular – $290
On-site – $290 + $25 admin fee - Preconference Workshops**
3-Hour Workshops – $60
4-Hour Workshops – $75
7-Hour Workshop – $160 - Virtual Attendance
$30
Nonmember Rates
- Base Conference Attendance
Early Bird – $390
Regular – $460
On-site – $460 + $25 admin fee - Preconference Workshops**
3-Hour Workshops – $85
4-Hour Workshops – $100
7-Hour Workshop – $205 - Virtual Attendance
$80
*Must be an ARSL Advocate, Student, or Retiree member. **Preconference Workshop fees are charged in addition to Base Conference Registration and are available for in-person conference attendees only.
NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: Responsive WordPress Layouts in Elementor
Do you have some WordPress layouts that work really well on desktop but squish into unrecognizable chaos on smaller screens? Learn how to set up responsive layouts using Elementor on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, May 29 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.
In this session I will show you how to set up responsive layouts that display one way on larger screens and another way on smaller screens. This can be difficult with the built-in Gutenberg editor, so we’re going to use Elementor. Here’s what I’ll cover:
- Responsive website best practices
- Elementor settings for responsive layouts
- Layout examples:
- Displaying or hiding different images based on screen size
- Gallery views on different screen sizes
- Tips for saving images that display well on all screen sizes
- Displaying calendar view vs. list view based on screen size
I will also open it up to requests if there are specific things you’re running into. It’s time to get responsive!
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- June 19 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE
- June 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- July 3 – Helping Students Be Google Aware
- July 17 – Think Outside the Box: Transformative Training with Breakout Challenges
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.
NCompass Live: Fostering Nature’s Love: Collaborating with Local Author for Community Engagement
Join us on this week’s NCompass Live on Wednesday, May 22 at 10am CT, for ‘Fostering Nature’s Love: Collaborating with Local Author for Community Engagement’.
Friends of the Verde River has introduced its first children’s book, “On the Verde River,” authored by Arizona native Phoebe Fox and illustrated by Jim Fox. This book aims to inspire a love for nature among children aged 2 to 10. As part of our nonprofit’s efforts for Arizona Gives Day, we partnered with Verde Valley First Books to distribute copies of the book to children in need across the Verde Valley. Verde Valley First Books is another nonprofit that is dedicated to providing age-appropriate books to 3 and 4-year-olds living in poverty, currently serving 554 children monthly.
Our outreach includes collaborations with local libraries, participating in story times with activities like making paper otters, and featuring the book in Sunset Park’s StoryWalk in Sedona. Additionally, “On the Verde River” has been recognized by the Library of Congress’ Center for the Book, being listed among “Great Reads from Great Places” and will be showcased at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. on August 24, 2024. This recognition enhances the book’s reach and impact, promoting nature appreciation among young readers.
Presenters: Katherine Sirimarco, Fundraising and Communications Coordinator, Friends of the Verde River and Phoebe Fox, Children’s Book Author.
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.
Public Library Accreditation 2024 Workshops Scheduled
‘Public Library Accreditation 2024’ workshops are now open for registration! All workshops will be held online only, via GoTo Webinar. To register for a session, go to the Nebraska Library Commission’s Training & Events Calendar and search for ‘accreditation 2024’.
NOTE: The online workshop is being offered on several days and at varied times, to give attendees multiple opportunities to find a convenient time to attend. The same information will be provided at each workshop, so you only need to register for one session. A recorded version will also be made available after all of the live sessions have been held.
The purpose of Nebraska Public Library Accreditation is to encourage excellent library service in Nebraska communities. The guidelines used to evaluate libraries and their services are community-based, so libraries need to know their communities’ needs in order to provide appropriate library services that meet those unique needs. That’s where Community Needs Response Planning comes in!
In this workshop, Christa Porter, NLC’s Library Development Director, will answer all of your accreditation questions, such as:
- What is Nebraska Public Library Accreditation?
- What are the benefits of accreditation?
- How does my library become accredited?
- What’s a Community Needs Response Plan? And why does my library need one?
Public Library Directors, Staff, and Library Board Members are encouraged to attend.
Dates and times:
- June 4 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain
- June 6 – 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
- June 11– 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
- June 12 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain
To register for a session, go to the Nebraska Library Commission’s Training & Events Calendar and search for ‘accreditation 2024’.
Over $6 Million in E-rate Funding Awarded to Nebraska Schools and Public Libraries
As of May 2, USAC has released two Waves of Funding Commitment Decision Letters (FCDLs) for E-rate Funding Year 2024. These Waves include $6,641,645.17 in funding commitments for 318 Nebraska school and public library applicants.
Congratulations to all Nebraska schools and public libraries who have been funded!
A list of public libraries who have received E-rate funding is on the NLC E-rate webpage. The 2024 list will be updated as new funding waves are announced.
If you haven’t received your FCDL yet, don’t panic! There are many more weekly Waves to come as USAC processes more applications. This is just the start of Funding Year 2024, more approvals are coming.
When your FCDL is ready, it will be attached as a printable PDF to the email notifying you that your FCDL has been issued. It will also be available in the Notifications section of your EPC account, but you are no longer required to log into your EPC account to view it.
IMPORTANT: As soon as you receive your FCDL, you should immediately go on to the next step in the E-rate process, filing your Form 486. This form is submitted in your EPC account. Information and instructions on how to do that can be found on the USAC website.
If you have any questions or need any assistance with your public library’s E-rate forms, visit the NLC E-rate webpage or contact Christa Porter, State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.
NCompass Live: The 2024 Public Library Accreditation Process
Get a head start on ‘The 2024 Public Library Accreditation Process’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, May 8 at 10am CT.
The 2024 Nebraska Public Library Accreditation process opens on July 1. If your library is up for re-accreditation this year, join us for a short refresher on the process. Or, if your library is not currently Accredited, attend this session to explore the possibility of becoming an Accredited Public Library. In this general overview, you will learn why Accreditation is important and what it can do for your library. We’ll also show you the Application Form, and explain how it relates to the required Community Needs Response Plan. Public Library Directors, Staff, and Library Board Members are encouraged to attend.
Presenter: Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission.
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.
NCompass Live: One Book for Nebraska Kids & Teens 2024
Wouldn’t it be great if kids all over Nebraska were talking about books? Hear about the Nebraska Library Commission & the Regional Library Systems’ program where kids can all read and discuss the same book on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, May 1 at 10am CT.
Join Sally Snyder, the NLC’s Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, and Aimee Owen, Information Services Librarian, to learn all about the One Book for Nebraska Kids and Teens program.
Our 2024 titles are: One Book For Nebraska Kids – Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang, and One Book For Nebraska Teens – Between the Lines by Nikki Grimes.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- May 8 – The 2024 Public Library Accreditation Process
- May 29 – 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.
NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2024 Highlights & Trends
Highlights and Trends from Computers in Libraries 2024 will be shared on next week’s ‘Pretty Sweet Tech’ NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, April 24 at 10am 1:30pm 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.
Computers in Libraries is the world’s leading technology and innovation conference for librarians! In this session I will cover come of the awesome ideas, tools, tips and tricks of the trade I picked up while in D.C. this year.
I hope to see you there! As a side note, if you’re looking for more emerging tech trends in the library, check out Computers in Libraries magazine.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- May 1 – One Book for Nebraska Kids & Teens 2024
- May 8 – The 2024 Public Library Accreditation Process
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
This week’s NCompass Live will be held from 1:30pm-2:30pm 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.
Posted in Education & Training, Pretty Sweet Tech, Technology
Tagged CILDC, NCompLive, prettysweettech
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NCompass Live: Program Planning with a Marketing Mindset
Learn how to do ‘Program Planning with a Marketing Mindset’ at your library on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, April 10 at 10am CT.
Libraries have been offering programming for decades, and in many cases the model has been, “Let’s plan a program, promote it, and see who shows up.” This approach hasn’t changed much, even with social and technological changes, not to mention the pandemic and streaming programs. Program planning with a marketing mindset starts with identifying your customer’s needs and wants, then developing programs and services to meet those needs and wants. We’ll discuss how to use research – quantitative and qualitative – to plan and market programs that will engage your customers. We’ll talk about “bundling” programs and services for different audience segments. We’ll also cover how this more strategic approach can save time and resources for your library.
Presenter: Cordelia Anderson, Library Marketing and Communications Consultant, Cordelia Anderson Consulting .
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- April 17 – 2024 One Book One Nebraska: Dancing with the Octopus
- April 24 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2024 Highlights & Trends
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.
Posted in Education & Training, Library Management, Programming, Public Relations
Tagged NCompLive
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NCompass Live: Improving the Quality of Childcare Through STREAM
Discover new and exciting ways to make learning fun with interactive S.T.R.E.A.M. program boxes on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, April 3 at 10am CT.
Joanne Neemann, Director, Beatrice (NE) Public Library is joining us to talk about the library’s S.T.R.E.A.M. program boxes. With each themed activity box, students will have the opportunity to engage their minds and creativity on a multi-faceted journey exploring the Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math of a chosen topic.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- April 10 – Program Planning with a Marketing Mindset
- April 17 – 2024 One Book One Nebraska: Dancing with the Octopus
- April 24 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2024 Highlights & Trends
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.
NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2024 Highlights & Trends
Highlights and Trends from Computers in Libraries 2024 will be shared on next week’s ‘Pretty Sweet Tech’ NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, March 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.
Computers in Libraries is the world’s leading technology and innovation conference for librarians! In this session I will cover come of the awesome ideas, tools, tips and tricks of the trade I picked up while in D.C. this year.
I hope to see you there! As a side note, if you’re looking for more emerging tech trends in the library, check out Computers in Libraries magazine.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- April 3 – Improving the Quality of Childcare Through STREAM
- April 10 – Program Planning with a Marketing Mindset
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.
Posted in Education & Training, Pretty Sweet Tech, Technology
Tagged CILDC, NCompLive, prettysweettech
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E-rate Form 471 Deadline: Two weeks left to file for FY 2024
The deadline to submit the second form in the E-rate process, Form 471, for Funding Year 2024 is Wednesday, March 27. The application filing window for Form 471 opened on January 17.
However, we do not recommend waiting until the last day to submit your Form 471! 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 could miss the deadline and lose out on E-rate altogether.
So, log into your E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) account and submit your Form 471 as soon as you are allowed!
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!
Today’s E-rate News Brief has last-minute tips and links to instructional videos. USAC also conducted a series of webinars focused on E-Rate topics related to FCC Forms 470 and 471 – you can watch the recordings on the USAC Webinars webpage. To keep up on E-rate news, subscribe to the USAC E-rate News Brief.
USAC has a series of video tutorials on the FCC Form 471 at: https://www.usac.org/e-rate/learn/videos/#FCC-Form-471
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.
