Join us for next week’s NCompass Live webinar, where you will ‘Meet the NLC’, on Wednesday, January 10 at 10am CT.
To kick off 2024, we will introduce you to the people and departments of the Nebraska Library Commission.
In Part 2, you will meet Christa Porter, Library Development Director; Tessa Terry, Communications Coordinator; Gabe Kramer, Talking Book & Braille Service Director; and Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
Jan. 31, 2024 – Pretty Sweet Tech
Feb. 14, 2024 – ConnectEd Nebraska: Bridging the Digital Divide through Innovative eduroam Expansion
Feb. 21, 2024 – 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.
Join us for the first NCompass Live webinar of 2024, where you will ‘Meet the NLC’, on Wednesday, January 3 at 10am CT.
To kick off 2024, we will introduce you to the people and departments of the Nebraska Library Commission.
In Part 1, you will meet Rod Wagner, Library Commission Director; Vern Buis, Computer Services Director; Lisa Kelly, Information Services Director; and Mary Sauers, Government Information Services Librarian.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Jan. 10, 2024 – Meet the NLC, Part 2
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
Jan. 31, 2024 – Pretty Sweet Tech
Feb. 14, 2024 – ConnectEd Nebraska: Bridging the Digital Divide through Innovative eduroam Expansion
Feb. 21, 2024 – 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.
That’s right, you heard it here first, the Tech Kits Through the Mail service has some new tech kits available! Learn all about them on next week’s ‘Pretty Sweet Tech’ NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, December 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.
For anyone new to the Tech Kits, the Nebraska Library Commission circulates drones, robotics, circuit kits, virtual reality headsets, and more! The kits are designed to introduce communities to the Industry 4.0 technologies that are changing the way we all live, work and interact with one another. Attend this session to:
Learn about the newly added kits.
Explore updated resources & activities.
Learn how the service works.
Explore practical ways Industry 4.0 tech is being used to solve real problems.
I hope to see you there as you follow the tech kit saga! If you’re not in Nebraska, you can still access the supplementary resources, and gather ideas for which tech kits you want in your own library!
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Jan. 3, 2024 – Meet the NLC, Part 1
Jan. 10, 2024 – Meet the NLC, Part 2
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
Jan. 31, 2024 – Pretty Sweet Tech
Feb. 14, 2024 – ConnectEd Nebraska: Bridging the Digital Divide through Innovative eduroam Expansion
Feb. 21, 2024 – 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.
American Library Association’s Games and Gaming Round TableNational Gaming Survey
To improve relationships between libraries and vendors, gain donations and sponsorships for ALA Play and International Games Day, and grow collaborations with industry partners, the executive board of the Games and Gaming Round Table (GameRT) has created a short survey to collect data related to games in libraries:
This short (10 question) survey will not only help with publisher relationships but will help GameRT understand the evolving nature of games in libraries. If your library does not collect or use games, we still ask that you take the survey to help us gain a better understanding of the field. Contact information will only be used to follow up for clarifications. Non-anonymized data will be kept separate and retained for a maximum of one year.
If you have any questions before or after taking this survey, please contact the GameRT executive board at gamert@ala.org
The FCC Form 471 Application Filing Window for Funding Year 2024 will open on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at noon EST and close on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 11:59:59 EDT. You can read the USAC announcement for full details.
To prepare for the window opening:
If you haven’t already done so, 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 28, 2024 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 12, 2024, 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 webinar slides 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.
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.
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 2024 E-rate application.
If you have any questions or need any assistance with your E-rate forms, visit the NLC E-rate webpage or please contact Christa Porter, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.
Applications for the 2024 Association for Rural & Small Libraries/Penguin Random House Grants for Rural & Small Libraries are open!
Through the generosity of Penguin Random House, ARSL is pleased to announce this grant opportunity for small, rural libraries nationwide! This grant is available to libraries that meet both the IMLS definition for small libraries (a service population of 25,000 or fewer) and the definition for rural libraries (libraries located 5 or more miles from the nearest town of 25k or more).
Applicants may request:
One (1) monetary grant in support of a community-oriented project for up to $1,000. or An in-kind grant donation of up to $1,000 in equivalent value to support a circulating collection in your library.
Deadline for applications is December 15, 2023.
Notifications of funding decision will be sent to applicants by March 8, 2024. Funded projects must be completed by December 31, 2024. Project reports must be submitted by February 1, 2025.
The program will award grants to libraries that demonstrate a true need. Monetary grants are not limited to literacy and may be used for everything from library programming and books to resources like hotspots that help community members access important information. Library seeking support for digital collections should request a monetary grant.
I am a gamer, and I have had cats as pets for almost my entire life. So, obviously, I had to read this book.
Cat + Gamer is the first volume of the English translation of the Japanese manga, written and illustrated by Wataru Nadatani. Dark Horse Comics is releasing the collected volumes in North America. So far three volumes are available, with five more to come.
The manga tells the story of Riko, an incredibly efficient office worker. She always goes above and beyond when it comes to her job, and leaves work promptly at 5pm every day. Her co-workers try to invite her to join them for after work hours socializing, but she’s never available. Some of them think she’s anti-social, others say she’s just a very private person.
But, they are all curious – what is her secret life? Well, Riko has a passion for video games! All of her free time is spent playing video games, researching all of the side quests and boss fights, making sure she doesn’t miss a thing. As far as she’s concerned, it’s the most fun and rewarding thing to do.
Until one day her life changes forever. A stray kitten is found in the parking lot of her office building, and for reasons she doesn’t understand, she agrees to take it home.
The book alternates between her viewpoint and the cat’s viewpoint, as they both learn about each other. Riko uses her gaming skills to raise the kitten, ‘leveling up’ the tiny animal, vowing to ‘max out this cat!’.
Cat + Gamer is a story that will obviously appeal to gamers and cat owners. But, anyone looking for a fun, quirky read will appreciate it, too. And don’t worry, the gaming parts of the book are described in a way that I think anyone can understand.
I’ve only read the first volume so far, but I enjoyed it so much, I’m definitely going to be picking up the others.
Highlights from Internet Librarian 2023 will be shared on next week’s Pretty Sweet TechNCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, November 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.
Just in case you missed it, this Pretty Sweet Tech will offer some highlights from Internet Librarian 2023 that ran from October 17-19. Internet Librarian is a great big tech conference for librarians. If you’ve attended one of these recaps before, you know that I love to choose some major themes and pluck out the sessions that really stood out to me for various reasons. Here are this year’s themes, as chosen by me, not the conference coordinators:
AI, XR & Emerging Tech: Explore how emerging tech is shaping our world, and how the library can not only keep up, but set the stage for the future of tech in our communities
Digital Presence: Tips and tricks for improving digital materials, going all digital, or connecting with your community online. This trend is here to stay.
Handling Change: The world is just going to keep moving faster, so these sessions covered some tips and techniques to help both individuals and libraries adapt and thrive.
Tech Tools, Resources & Gadgets: As always there were a motley assortment of helpful tools, services, resources & gadgets. I will share my highlights here.
As always, I couldn’t make it to every session, but these are the ones I caught or heard about after the fact. There’s only so much time in the day, so I did my best!
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
Dec. 13 – Canvaholic
Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
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.
Hear about the ‘Best New Children’s Books of 2023’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 22, 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:
Nov. 29 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2023 Highlights
Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
Dec. 13 – Canvaholic
Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
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.
‘Redesigning a Library Website’ can be a tricky process. Learn how one library is doing it on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 15, at 10am CT.
Developing a website that meets branding guidelines, prioritizes student-focused user needs, and caters to library professional user quirks can be tricky and, at times, downright impossible. This session explores redesigning a library homepage, including planning, building, implementing, and assessing a new library website. A robust resource list is provided to help start the redesign process, along with guidance on developing a unique website schema and layout. Conflict between university branding guidelines and EDU platforms is discussed. Attendees with zero coding experience, those with little to low budget for web redesign, and those from small libraries are all encouraged to attend.
Nov. 29 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2023 Highlights
Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
Dec. 13 – Canvaholic
Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
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.
Learn how to help your patrons improve their search and online information literacy on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 8, at 10am CT.
Many library users believe that when they use a search engine, they are always getting factual, unbiased, and objective results. But search engines and the algorithms that power them are not neutral. This session explores some of the racial and gender biases found in search and looks at how these biases impact search results. By examining the idea of search neutrality, we can gain a better understanding of how human beings influence, for better or worse, the creation and ongoing maintenance of search algorithms. Through examining bias in search, we can help our patrons improve their search and online information literacy.
Presenter: Marcella Fredriksson, Web & Discovery Services Librarian, University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). She received her BA from Boston University in 2002 and her MSLS from Catholic University in 2006. She has been at UNCW since 2016. Her research interests include improving the usability of library websites and the library search experience.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Nov. 15 – Redesigning a Library Website
Nov. 22 – Best New Children’s Books of 2023
Nov. 29 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2023 Highlights
Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
Dec. 13 – Canvaholic
Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
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.
Learn all about Nebraska’s Children’s Choice Award, the Golden Sower, on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 1, at 10am CT.
The Nebraska Golden Sower Award is Nebraska’s Children’s Choice Literary Award, sponsored by the Nebraska Library Association. Since 1982, the Golden Sower Award has sought to sow seeds which stimulate children’s thinking, introduce different types of literature, encourage independent reading, increase library skills, and foster an appreciation for excellence in writing and illustrating. This presentation will address the nature of the award, describe the award process, provide updates on changes to the award and committee structure, and share how to get involved.
Presenter: Anne Price, Nebraska Golden Sower Award Committee Member; Children’s Librarian, North Platte Public Library.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Nov. 8 – Racial & Gender Bias in Search
Nov. 15 – Redesigning a Library Website
Nov. 22 – Best New Children’s Books of 2023
Nov. 29 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2023 Highlights
Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
Dec. 13 – Canvaholic
Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
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: What’s New for 2024?’ workshops are now open for registration! All workshops will be held online only, via GoTo Webinar.
NOTE: This online workshop is being offered on multiple days and at varied times. The same information will be provided at each workshop, so you only need to attend one session. A recorded version will also be made available after all of the live sessions have been held.
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.
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 2024 E-rate application. Dates and times:
November 20 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain
November 21 – 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
November 28 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain
November 30 – 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
To register for any of these sessions, go to the Nebraska Library Commission’s Training & Events Calendar and search for ‘e-rate 2024’.
Explore how Living Popups transforms classic and original books into interactive experiences on next week’s Pretty Sweet TechNCompass Live webinar, ‘How Augmented Reality Can Create Optimal Literacy Experiences’, on Wednesday, October 25, 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.
LP Bookspace engages all readers and keeps them coming back for more! LP Bookspace brings to your library augmented reality experiences where characters literally jump off the page and help build comprehension and confidence.
The goal of this session is to explore how easy it is to create an optimal literacy experience within your library environment by applying innovative technology. You will discover the LB Bookspace tools to help you create an exciting Story Time, track students’ progress in the Dashboard, implement Book Clubs for older children and have families returning to your library again and again. You will learn about the Meet the Makers series introducing patrons of all ages to how the books are produced and the potential careers in the future all around great literature.
Join us to see how LP Bookspace could provide you with creative ways to deliver innovative programming to your community.
Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
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.
Come on a tour of WebJunction and learn how to build your library-specific knowledge, skills, and confidence on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, October 18, at 10am CT.
WebJunction provides a range of library-specific, online, and on-demand courses and webinars to help meet your continuing education needs. Whether you are looking to pick up a new skill, or to find inspiration for a new idea, these resources can help you take the first, or next step. With the support of the Nebraska Library Commission, all of the content, webinars and courses are free, and you’ll find topics ranging from customer service to organizational management to space planning. Join this session for a tour of WebJunction and to hear about these flexible and dynamic learning opportunities!
Presenter: Kendra Morgan, Program Director, WebJunction.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Oct 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech: How Augmented Reality Can Create Optimal Literacy Experiences
Nov. 8 – Racial & Gender Bias in Search
Nov. 22 – Best New Children’s Books of 2023
Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
Dec. 13 – Canvaholic
Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
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.
Learn about Nebraska’s state reading and writing contest for youth, Letters About Literature, on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, October 11, at 10am CT.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is a statewide organization dedicated to the promotion of reading in all its forms. Its annual Nebraska Letters About Literature contest allows students in 4th through 12th grade to write to authors (living or deceased) about their favorite book or poem about how his or her book affected their lives. This session will provide helpful information for teachers and librarians interested in the competition. It will also cover the submission process and be an excellent opportunity to ask questions about the entire competition process. Teachers will be interested in this program that will help enhance and extend their classroom instruction.
Presenter: Tessa Terry – Communications Coordinator, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
Oct 18 – Learning Opportunities and Resources from WebJunction
Oct 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech: How Augmented Reality Can Create Optimal Literacy Experiences
Nov. 8 – Racial & Gender Bias in Search
Nov. 22 – Best New Children’s Books of 2023
Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
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.
Are you a new public library director? Join us as we talk about what you really need in order to excel at your job on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, ‘APPLE in Kansas – Training for New Library Directors’ on Wednesday, October 4, at 10am CT.
Robin will discuss the year long intensive training program that is available for new directors in KS – APPLE, Applied Public Library Education. She’s been with the program since its first year and will talk about how it came about, how it has evolved to its current form and how it will be changing in the future. She’ll cover topics that are presented to new directors as well as the “intangibles” of the training – such as the network of peer support that every new director who goes through the program has access to. Join us as we talk about what new library directors really need (supported by 10 years of surveys and feedback forms) in order to excel at their jobs.
Oct 18 – Learning Opportunities and Resources from WebJunction
Oct 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech: How Augmented Reality Can Create Optimal Literacy Experiences
Nov. 8 – Racial & Gender Bias in Search
Nov. 22 – Best New Children’s Books of 2023
Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
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.
Nebraska Public Libraries and State-run Institutions! Do you have an idea for a program or project you would like to see funded?
The Nebraska Library Commission has made funding available for four grants for 2024: Continuing Education & Training, Internship, Library Improvement, and Youth Grants for Excellence.
Applications are being accepted for all NLC grants right now! Don’t let your library miss out on these opportunities!
Grant applications for all 2024 NLC grants are due November 17, 2023.
For more information about these grants, register for the September 20 NCompass Live webinar, NLC Grants for 2024.
Continuing Education & Training grants help assist Nebraska libraries to improve the library services provided to their communities through continuing education and training for their library personnel and supporters. Successful applications will show how the continuing education and/or training proposed will support the library’s mission. There will be two rounds of CE Grants. The first fall grants will open in September and applications will be accepted for events/projects/classes that must be completed before July 1, 2024. The second spring round will open in March and applications will be accepted for events/projects/classes that begin after July 1, 2024.
Internship grants work to introduce high school and college students to the varied and exciting work of Nebraska libraries. The internships are intended to function as a recruitment tool, helping the student to view the library as a viable career opportunity while providing the public library with the finances to provide stipends to the student interns.
Library Improvement grants facilitate growth and development of library programs and services in Nebraska public and institutional libraries, by supplementing local funding with federal funds designated for these purposes.
Youth Grants for Excellence are available specifically for innovative projects for children and young adults in your community. The program encourages creative thinking, risk-taking, and new approaches to enable youth librarians to begin needed programs and try projects which they have been unable to undertake, and to offer an opportunity to expand youth service capabilities in new and different directions.
Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities will offer more than $7 million in grants to small and rural libraries to increase the accessibility of facilities, services, and programs to better serve people with disabilities. ALA is now accepting applications for grants ranging from $10,000 to $20,000.
The opportunity is open to any type of library in the U.S. and U.S. territories that serves a small and rural community – to be eligible, a library must have a legal service area population of 25,000 or less and be located at least five miles from an urbanized area (town/city with a population of 25,000 or greater).
Participating libraries will first conduct community input-gathering sessions to assure that their work aligns with local needs. Libraries will be required to identify the primary audience they are hoping to reach (e.g., homebound seniors, children with autism, Deaf community members) and facilitate a community conversation with the impacted populations in order to guide improvement of the library’s services. Grantees would then use the funds to create services or improve their facilities based on the needs identified by their audience.
Selected libraries will receive $10,000 or $20,000 to support costs related to their community engagement project; virtual training to assist project directors in developing their community engagement, facilitation, and disability service skills; a suite of online resources developed to support local programs; and technical and project support from the ALA Public Programs Office throughout the grant term.
Questions? Contact the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office staff at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5045, or publicprograms@ala.org
Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities is part of ALA’s longtime commitment to preparing library workers for the expanding role of libraries. The initiative is offered in partnership with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL). It is supported by a private donor.
