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Author Archives: Christa Porter
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.
Posted in Broadband Buzz, General, Library Management, Technology
Tagged e-rate, erate
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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.
Posted in Broadband Buzz, Education & Training, Library Management, Technology
Tagged e-rate, erate
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NCompass Live: Winning Grants for Your Library Programming
While every library is unique, they all seem to share one thing in common: they could use more money! Get tips for ‘Winning Grants for Your Library Programming’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, March 13, at 10am CT.
Grant funding might be the just thing to help buy technology for STEM programming, get a new service initiative off the ground, or complete a renovation. But applying for grants can be overwhelming – and that’s assuming you can even find one for which you qualify. This session aims to introduce you to the tools to make the grant application process more easily navigable. In this session, Kathryn will provide tips for putting your best foot forward when it comes time to submit your proposal. Handouts include a roadmap to success and descriptions of various sections of the application.
Presenter: Kathryn Brockmeier, Grant Consultant.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- March 20 – No More Summertime Blues: Shaking Up SRP to Make It Work for YOU!
- March 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2024 Highlights & Trends
- 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.
Friday Reads: Tasting History by Max Miller
In February 2020, Max Miller posted his first Tasting History video to YouTube. A week later COVID-19 hit, and he was furloughed from his job. As the world entered the beginning of the pandemic lockdown, people went online, looking for entertainment, distraction, and connections. Tasting History was there. And the rest is, well, history.
Now, his viral video series has become a cookbook, Tasting History, Explore the Past through 4,000 Years of Recipes. Full disclosure: I haven’t cooked anything from this cookbook yet, I’ve just been enjoying reading through it so far.
We have been watching the Tasting History videos almost from the beginning, so when Max announced there would be a cookbook coming out, I knew we had to have it. And I was not disappointed.
The videos are a combination of recipe demo and history lesson, and that format has been carried over into the cookbook.
The book is arranged by geographic area: The Ancient World, The British Isles, Continental Europe, The Near & Far East, and The New World. Within each section the recipes are from oldest to newest. The oldest being Stew of Lamb, from Babylon, c. 1740 BC. The most recent recipes are both from 1914: Simnel Cake from England and Pecan Pie from Texas. Each recipe includes a few paragraphs about the history of the dish and the area of the world it originates from.
Since many old recipes do not provide precise measurements, or ingredients that we may recognize or have access to today, Max has re-created them as best as he can, based on his own cooking and historical knowledge. If you watch his videos, he does taste each dish, and he doesn’t always like them. But, that’s part of the fun and experimentation.
I think Tasting History, both the cookbook and the video series, is perfect for foodies, history buffs, or foodie history buffs. Max is still making videos, and I look forward to watching the new ones every week. A fun tip: he is a big Pokemon fan, and there is always a figure or plush in the background of each video that relates to the dish he is making. See if you can find them all!
Big Talk From Small Libraries Presentation Rescheduled
Good News! We have a new date for the Big Talk From Small Libraries 2024 presentation that was canceled at the last minute, “No More Summertime Blues: Shaking Up SRP to Make It Work For YOU!”.
Chelsea Price has graciously agreed to do their presentation on March 20 on NCompass Live from 10-11am Central Time. This is the Nebraska Library Commission’s weekly webinar series. The presentation will be recorded if you are unable to watch it at the scheduled time.
This was one of the 10 minute Lightning Round sessions for the conference, but will be expanded to fit the longer, hour-long, NCompass Live format.
You can register for this new date at No More Summertime Blues: Shaking Up SRP to Make It Work For YOU!.
NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: Evolve Project: Shaping the Libraries of the Future
Brian Pichman of the Evolve Project will be Amanda’s guest on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, February 28, 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.
Brian Pichman of the Evolve Project is the man behind the scenes, transforming how libraries engage with technology. Here at the Commission, he helped a lot with the Tech Kits Through the Mail. If you’ve gotten a kit from us, it’s because he tracks tech trends, works with tech gadget startups, and helps build solid strategies to connect communities with transformative technology.
Honestly, he’s helped me a lot over the years. But I can’t be selfish. I decided to share his expertise with you all! Turns out Brian does way more than I ever knew possible.
In this session we will get Brian talking about all the cool things he has going on:
- Explore how his pilot programs of new games & gadgets are shaping the future of libraries through makerspaces, innovation spaces, and leading edge programming
- Learn how Brian helps libraries embrace AI, VR and AR to revolutionize library services and enhance accessibility and engagement for all.
- Discover his passion for open-source solutions to drive positive change, and his recent endeavors with ByWater Solutions, a leading provider of open-source library software.
- Dig into his work with libchalk, a web hosting platform designed specifically to help libraries host digital content, websites, courses, and online resource libraries.
The real question is, what doesn’t he do? He can help your library too. Find out how.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- March 13 – Winning Grants for Your Library Programming
- March 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- April 3 – Improving the Quality of Childcare Through STREAM
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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Big Talk From Small Libraries 2024 is tomorrow!
Small libraries! Awesome ideas! FREE!
Join us tomorrow for the 2024 Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference. Registration is still open, so head over to the Registration page and sign up!
We have a full agenda for the day, with speakers from academic and public libraries presenting on a wide variety of topics: fundraising, Memory Cafes, summer reading, accessibility audits, afterschool meals programs, DEIB: diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and much more.
This event is a great opportunity to learn about the innovative things your colleagues are doing in their small libraries.
And, Nebraska library staff and board members can earn 1 hour of CE Credit for each hour of the conference you attend! A special Big Talk From Small Libraries CE Report form has been made available for you to submit your C.E. credits.
So, come join us for a day of big ideas from small libraries!
NCompass Live: Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
On next week’s NCompass Live, Justin Hoenke shares his experiences moving from the super creative world of youth services in libraries to the still creative but not the same kind of creative world of leading a library.
Sign up to join us for ‘Using Creativity to Grow & Develop’ on Wednesday, February 21, at 10am CT.
Justin discusses the pros and cons of moving into leadership and managing teams and how to use your creativity to engage your team and community.
About the Presenter: Justin Hoenke is a human being and a librarian. He’s worked in public libraries in the USA and New Zealand, and is currently looking for his next work-related adventure in life. His professional interests include creativity, youth services, public libraries as community centers, and content creation. He offers library consultancy services for public libraries and can be contacted at https://justinthelibrarian.com/
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Feb. 28 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Evolve Project: Shaping the Libraries of the Future
- March 13 – Winning Grants for Your Library Programming
- March 27 – 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.
Only One Week Until Big Talk From Small Libraries 2024!
Small libraries! Awesome ideas! FREE Online Conference!
There’s only one week until Big Talk From Small Libraries 2024!
Check out the full schedule and register to join us next Friday, February 23.
Sponsored by the Nebraska Library Commission and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL), this free one-day online conference is tailored for staff from small libraries – the smaller the better! Each of our speakers is from a small library serving fewer than 10,000 people. This event is a great opportunity to learn about the innovative things your colleagues are doing in their small libraries.
Everyone is welcome to register and attend, regardless of how big or small your library. But, if your library serves a few hundred to a few thousand people, this is the day for you!
Posted in Education & Training, Library Management, Programming, Public Relations, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged ARSL, BTSL2024
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NCompass Live: WiFi in the Library
Do you have WiFi questions? Sherm has the answers! Join him to learn all about ‘WiFi in the Library’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, February 7, at 10am CT.
On this episode on NCompass Live, the Nebraska Library Commission’s Library Technology Support Specialist, Andrew ‘Sherm’ Sherman, will cover:
- The current standards of WiFi technology
- What WiFi standards and equipment libraries should be utilizing
- The pros and cons of the different WiFi configurations in a library environment
- The assistance Sherm can provide to libraries with their WiFi and other technology needs
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Feb. 14 – ConnectEd Nebraska: Bridging the Digital Divide through Innovative eduroam Expansion
- Feb. 21 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
- Feb. 28 – 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.
2024 Big Talk From Small Libraries Schedule Now Available
The full schedule for the 2024 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!
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 2024 will be held on Friday, February 23, 2024 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoTo Webinar online meeting service.
Posted in Education & Training, Library Management, Programming, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged BTSL2024
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NCompass Live: Best New Teen Reads of 2023
Hear about the ‘Best New Teen Reads of 2023’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, January 24, at 10am 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 and Dana Fontaine, Librarian, Fremont High School.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Jan. 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech: WordPress Website Refresh
- Feb. 7 – WiFi in the Library
- Feb. 14 – ConnectEd Nebraska: Bridging the Digital Divide through Innovative eduroam Expansion
- Feb. 21 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
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.
E-rate Form 471 Application Filing Window Opens Today
The E-rate Form 471 application filing window for Funding Year 2024 opened today at noon EST and will close on Wednesday, March 27 at 11:59 pm EDT. You may now log on to the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and file your FCC Form 471 for FY2024.
This makes Wednesday, February 28, 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!
Today’s E-rate Special Edition News Brief has detailed tips and instructions, as well as information about upcoming online training opportunities from USAC. To keep up on E-rate news, subscribe to the USAC E-rate News Brief.
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.
Posted in Broadband Buzz, Education & Training, Library Management, Technology
Tagged e-rate, erate
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NCompass Live: Auditing Library Websites
Have you wondered if your library’s website needs some work? How do you decide that, without being subjective? How do you know what to measure, or how to measure it?
Learn about ‘Auditing Library Websites’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, January 17 at 10am CT.
There are many current standards for content, images, navigation, usability, and more that can be readily applied to your website, allowing for a more objective analysis of what you currently have. A website audit can provide a valuable framework, especially before beginning a full or even partial redesign of your library’s site. Learn about data-based principles that can guide your future work and discover some tools that can provide concrete specifics for elements that may need attention.
Presenter: Laura Solomon, MCIW, MLS is the Library Services Manager for the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN). She has been doing web development and design for more than twenty years, in both public libraries and as an independent consultant. She specializes in developing with Drupal. She is a 2010 Library Journal Mover & Shaker. She’s written three books about social media and content marketing, specifically for libraries, and speaks nationally on both these and technology-related topics. As a former children’s librarian, she enjoys bringing the “fun of technology” to audiences and in giving libraries the tools they need to better serve the virtual customer.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Jan. 24 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
- Jan. 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech: WordPress Website Refresh
- Feb. 7 – WiFi in the Library
- Feb. 14 – ConnectEd Nebraska: Bridging the Digital Divide through Innovative eduroam Expansion
- Feb. 21 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
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.
