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Author Archives: Holli Duggan
Continuing Education: Weekly Resources (12/2 – 12/6)
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week and some recently recorded webinars! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
(Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.)
For more information, please visit NLC: Free Webinars or WebJunction: Free Training
- NCompass Live
- Nebraska Events & Meetings
- Assessment / Planning
- Careers
- Digital Resources
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
- Legal
- Management
- Outreach & Partners
- Programming
- Readers’ Advisory
- Reference
- School Libraries
- Dec 2: Setting AI Expectations: Creating Clarity in Classrooms (edWeb)
- Dec 3: Empowering Learning: Leading Whole-School Initiatives from the Library (Follett)
- Dec 4: Literacy in Context: Honoring the Strengths of Black and Brown Readers (edWeb)
- Dec 5: Teaching Resilience and Responsibility in the Classroom: Up to the Challenge (edWeb)
- In Case You Missed It – Recorded Webinars
To submit CE hours for the NLC certification programs:
Questions about CE hours or the certification programs, please contact: Holli Duggan
Posted in Education & Training
Tagged certification, Continuing Education, free resources, NCompass Live, Webinars, WebJunction
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Continuing Education: Weekly Resources
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week and some recently recorded webinars! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
(Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.)
For more information, please visit NLC: Free Webinars or WebJunction: Free Training
- NCompass Live
- NLC: Library Training & Events
- Upcoming Webinars
- In Case You Missed It – Recorded Webinars
- Banned Books 101: What Library Boards and Trustees Need to Know (United for Libraries)
- Canva Reimagined: A Deep Dive into the New UI and Animation Capabilities (Training Magazine Network)
- Crafting and Maintaining Effective Patron Policies for Community Success (WebJunction)
- ¡Leamos! Spanish Language & Bilingual Titles for Young Readers (Booklist)
- LibraryCon Live! 2024 (Library Journal & School Library Journal)
- Media Literacy Education for Adult Audiences: Navigating Data Security and Privacy (Programming Librarian)
- NCompass Live Archives (NLC)
- Public Libraries Supporting African American Writers (PLA)
- Reimagining Library Spaces: Design Strategies for Modernization, Sustainability, and Community Engagement (Library Journal)
- Supercharging Summer Reading: Connecting with Your Community and Beyond (All4Ed)
- Sustaining Ecosystems for Climate Learning and Action (WebJunction)
- Unlocking Your Board’s Leadership Skills for Better Governance (TechSoup)
- United for Libraries Virtual Conference: Trustees, Friends, Foundations
- Yoga and Mindfulness Techniques for Calm Kids (and Librarians!) (PLA)
To submit CE hours for the NLC certification programs:
Questions about CE hours or the certification programs, please contact: Holli Duggan
Posted in Education & Training, General
Tagged certification, Continuing Education, free resources, Webinars, WebJunction
Leave a comment
Continuing Education: Weekly Resources
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
(Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.)
For more information, please visit NLC: Free Webinars or WebJunction: Free Training
- NCompass Live
- Nebraska Events & Meetings
- Online Conferences (Recorded Sessions)
- Advocacy
- Boards
- Careers
- Collection Development
- Data & Research
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
- Fundraising
- Outreach and Partners
- Readers’ Advisory
- Reference
- School Libraries
- Technology
- Nov 19: The Geopolitics of the Internet and Its Implications for the Governance of AI (Proquest)
- Nov 19: Impactful Visual Storytelling in PowerPoint to Banish Bullet Points (Training Magazine Network)
- Nov 20: 4th Annual App Smash (All4Ed)
- Nov 20: Media Literacy Education for Adult Audiences: Navigating the Attention Economy (Programming Librarian)
To submit CE hours for the NLC certification programs:
Questions about CE hours or the certification programs, please contact: Holli Duggan
Continuing Education: Weekly Resources
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction. (Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.)
For more information, please visit NLC: Free Webinars or WebJunction: Free Training
- NCompass Live
- Nebraska Events & Meetings
- NLC Basic Skills
- Nov 4: Leadership 2024
- Advocacy
- Assessment and Planning
- Nov 7: Preparing Your Nonprofit’s Finances for 2025: A Roadmap to Success (CharityVillage)
- Nov 7: Six Steps for Impact Report Success: Enhancing Retention and Stewardships (Blackbaud)
- Nov 7: Strategy, Planning, and Outcomes: Bridging Your Strategy Work with Ground Level Impacts (PropelNonprofits)
- Nov 7: Visual Storytelling and AI Insights using Data Commons (TechSoup)
- Children and Teens
- Collection Development
- Communication
- Fundraising
- Programming
- Readers’ Advisory
- Reference
- School Libraries
- Technology
To submit CE hours for the NLC certification programs:
Questions about CE hours or the certification programs, please contact: Holli Duggan
United for Libraries Learning Live: Building Effective Library Director & Board Relationships
All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.
Tuesday, October 8th, 1:00 PM (CST)
“A strong director-board relationship is essential to the success of the library. Find out how the best practices on the director and board working together on advocacy, community outreach, planning, succession, and more. Find out how to prevent and solve conflicts, and how to unite to advance the library’s mission.”
Statewide Group Members receive FREE registration for the live webinars and on-demand access for the duration of the active statewide group membership. These “Learning Live” sessions are recorded and can be accessed through the United for Libraries eLearning course.
For more information about previous sessions, please visit: Previous “Learning Live” Sessions
Friday Reads: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
With the last few days of heat warnings, a story about endless winter nights and frost-demons seemed like a good choice.
Told much like a fairy tale, the story centers on Vasilisa, who lives with her father, nurse, and siblings in a small village at the edge of a great frozen wilderness. The village exists somewhere between the influences of the “modern” religion and the “old” faith which honors the spirits of the house and surrounding forest, who have always offered protection. Most nights are spent around the hearth listening to stories, especially the one about the evil frost-demon lurking in the woods.
Vasilisa has always been a strong, rebellious child with dreams of adventure and no desire to marry or settle down. When her father decides it’s finally time to remarry (and hopefully find a positive role model), he brings home her new stepmother, Anna, from the city.
Fiercely devout and fighting against a terrifying curse, Anna forbids all practices related to the old spirits. A young priest follows shortly after, determined to prove himself by “saving” the village and returning to the city as a hero. As evil creatures grow closer and the village suffers, Vasilisa becomes a target due to her own strange gifts.
Defying those she loves most, she has to find the true cause and battle against the darkness to save them all.
The Winternight Trilogy:
- 1. The Bear and the Nightingale
- 2. The Girl in the Tower
- 3. The Winter of the Witch
Arden, Katherine. (2017). The Bear and the Nightingale. Del Rey.
Fern V. Heim Trustee Scholarship: Applications Extended!
Apply for an individual scholarship to attend either the NLA 2024 Conference in Kearney on October 9th-11th or to virtually attend the ARSL 2024 Conference on September 11th-14th!
**These scholarships are open only for current Nebraska Public Library Board Members!**
The Fern V. Heim Scholarship for Trustees was established by her friend, Mary Louise Dutcher, to honor Fern’s dedication to small public libraries and their trustees. Although Fern’s library career began in special libraries (Head of the UNL Chemistry Department Library, Serials and Circulation Departments of UNL Love Library, and then Director of the Research Library at Goodrich Tire and Rubber in Akron, Ohio), her work at the Nebraska Library Commission was devoted to public libraries. Recognizing that few small library budgets could provide support for librarians, let alone their volunteer trustees, to attend professional meetings, she encouraged them to go whenever possible (at their own expense) if only for a portion of the meeting. As her legacy, it is fitting to assist those trustees through this scholarship program.
The Fern V. Heim Scholarship Award was established to provide assistance to current public library trustees with preference to members of the Nebraska Library Association Public Library and Trustee Section (PLTS) for attendance at the Nebraska Library Association Conference or the Association for Rural and Small Libraries Conference.
Applications due by Friday, September 6, 2024!
For more details and application:
- Fern V. Heim Library Trustee Scholarship
- Grant Application
- NLA Conference Website
- ARSL Conference Website (Virtual Registration)
Please submit all grant application forms and questions to: Holli Duggan
Fern V. Heim Trustee Scholarship: Applications Due Friday!
Apply for an individual $500 scholarship to attend either the NLA 2024 Conference in Kearney on October 9th-11th or to the ARSL 2024 Conference in Springfield, MA on September 11th-14th!
The Fern V. Heim Scholarship for Trustees was established by her friend, Mary Louise Dutcher, to honor Fern’s dedication to small public libraries and their trustees. Although Fern’s library career began in special libraries (Head of the UNL Chemistry Department Library, Serials and Circulation Departments of UNL Love Library, and then Director of the Research Library at Goodrich Tire and Rubber in Akron, Ohio), her work at the Nebraska Library Commission was devoted to public libraries. Recognizing that few small library budgets could provide support for librarians, let alone their volunteer trustees, to attend professional meetings, she encouraged them to go whenever possible (at their own expense) if only for a portion of the meeting. As her legacy, it is fitting to assist those trustees through this scholarship program.
The Fern V. Heim Scholarship Award was established to provide assistance to current public library trustees with preference to members of the Nebraska Library Association Public Library and Trustee Section (PLTS) for attendance at the Nebraska Library Association Conference or the Association for Rural and Small Libraries Conference.
Applications due by August 16, 2024!
For more details and application:
- Fern V. Heim Library Trustee Scholarship
- Grant Application
- NLA Conference Website
- ARSL Conference Website
Please submit all grant application forms and questions to:
Holli Duggan
Posted in Education & Training, Grants, Public Library Boards of Trustees
Tagged ARSL2024, conference, Fern Heim Scholarship, Grant, NLA, Trustees
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United for Libraries Virtual 2024: Statewide Registration
2024 United for Libraries Virtual: Trustees, Friends, Foundations
Tuesday July 30 – Thursday, August 1
There’s still time to register for the 2024 United for Libraries Virtual Conference! All Nebraska library directors/staff, Trustees/board members, and Friends of the Library and Foundation representatives receive FREE live registration – a value of $149 per person.
Registration includes live attendance and on-demand access to three full days of programming, keynote featuring author Eric Klinenberg, and the virtual Gala Author Tea. Individuals may attend any/all sessions live and/or watch on-demand.
This interactive three-day virtual event will feature expert speakers on current topics facing library Trustees, Friends, Foundations, and staff who work with them.
- Participate in live Q&A sessions with presenters
- Enjoy exclusive access to keynote speakers and authors
- Receive a certificate of attendance (for live participation or on-demand viewing)
Programming runs from 10:00 am CST to approximately 3:00 pm CST daily with scheduled breaks. Registrants may participate in some or all program sessions live, and/or watch recordings on-demand. (Sessions are also eligible for certification CE hours!)
Sessions include:
Tuesday, July 30th – Trustee Day
- “Rising to the Challenge: The Trustee’s Role in the ‘Culture Wars’”
- “Securing Tomorrow: Effective Succession Strategies for Library Boards”
- “Valuing Your Library: Beyond Cost-Benefit Analysis”
Wednesday, July 31st – Foundations & Fundraising Day
- “Donor Engagement: Acquiring and Inspiring Committed and Faithful Supporters”
- “Enhancing the Story – Developing a Smaller-Scale Capital Projects Fundraising Campaign”
- “Fundraising Tips and Tricks: Some Novel Ideas”
- “Marketing is the Future: How to Build a More Sustainable Library Foundation Model by Integrating Marketing in the Organizational Culture, Strategy, and Practice”
Thursday, August 1st – Friends Day
- “An Extravaganza of Literary Events for Your Library”
- “Championing Library Freedom: How Friends Groups Can Fight Back When Our Library is Under Attack”
- “Libraries are Better with Friends: How to Foster a Strong Group of Advocates”
- “Smooth Sailing with Library Trustees and Staff”
Registration Options
Choose *one* of the following options below to register for the virtual conference:
- Statewide Free Registration Form
- Submit the Statewide Free Registration Form
- Allow one business day for registration.
- Email United for Libraries
- Email united@ala.org
- Include your full name, email address, library, and primary library role
- Allow one business day for registration
- Bulk Registration
- Library Directors may email united@ala.org
- Include full names, email addresses, and primary library roles for each individual to register
- Allow two business days for registration.
If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan.
Free Learning Resource: Verizon Skill Forward / edX
“The Verizon Skill Forward program is a collaboration between edX and Verizon aimed at providing career-enhancing online courses focused on high-demand skills to facilitate long-term career growth. The Skill Forward effort is part of Citizen Verizon, Verizon’s responsible business plan to prepare 500,000 individuals for in-demand jobs by 2030.”
This program offers a one-year free account to anyone in the United States (must be over 18). Accounts are free to register for and do not require any banking or credit card information.
These online self-paced courses and programs include high-demand topics such as Artificial Intelligence, Coding, Cybersecurity, Project Management, and Leadership. Spanish-language courses are also available.
For more information about the courses or to enroll:
Posted in Education & Training, General, Technology
Tagged Continuing Education, Learning, online learning
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Fern V. Heim Trustee Scholarship: Applications Open!
Apply for an individual $500 scholarship to attend either the NLA 2024 Conference in Kearney on October 9th-11th or to the ARSL 2024 Conference in Springfield, MA on September 11th-14th!
The Fern V. Heim Scholarship for Trustees was established by her friend, Mary Louise Dutcher, to honor Fern’s dedication to small public libraries and their trustees. Although Fern’s library career began in special libraries (Head of the UNL Chemistry Department Library, Serials and Circulation Departments of UNL Love Library, and then Director of the Research Library at Goodrich Tire and Rubber in Akron, Ohio), her work at the Nebraska Library Commission was devoted to public libraries. Recognizing that few small library budgets could provide support for librarians, let alone their volunteer trustees, to attend professional meetings, she encouraged them to go whenever possible (at their own expense) if only for a portion of the meeting. As her legacy, it is fitting to assist those trustees through this scholarship program.
The Fern V. Heim Scholarship Award was established to provide assistance to current public library trustees with preference to members of the Nebraska Library Association Public Library and Trustee Section (PLTS) for attendance at the Nebraska Library Association Conference or the Association for Rural and Small Libraries Conference.
Applications due by August 16, 2024!
For more details and application:
- Fern V. Heim Library Trustee Scholarship
- Grant Application
- NLA Conference Website
- ARSL Conference Website
Please submit all grant application forms and questions to:
Holli Duggan
Posted in Education & Training, Grants
Tagged ARSL, ARSL2024, CEgrants, Continuing Education, Grant, grant opportunity, Library Boards, NLA, Trustees
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United for Libraries Virtual 2024: Statewide Registration
2024 United for Libraries Virtual: Trustees, Friends, Foundations
Tuesday July 30 – Thursday, August 1
Congratulations! The Nebraska Library Commission has purchased statewide registration! All library directors/staff, Trustees/board members, and Friends of the Library and Foundation representatives receive FREE live registration and/or on-demand viewing – a value of $149 per person.
Registration includes live attendance and on-demand access to three full days of programming, keynote featuring author Eric Klinenberg, and the virtual Gala Author Tea. Individuals may attend any/all sessions live and/or watch on-demand.
This interactive three-day virtual event will feature expert speakers on current topics facing library Trustees, Friends, Foundations, and staff who work with them.
- Participate in live Q&A sessions with presenters
- Enjoy exclusive access to keynote speakers and authors
- Receive a certificate of attendance (for live participation or on-demand viewing)
Programming runs from 10:00 am CST to approximately 3:00 pm CST daily with scheduled breaks. Registrants may participate in some or all program sessions live, and/or watch recordings on-demand.
Sessions include:
Tuesday, July 30th – Trustee Day
- “Rising to the Challenge: The Trustee’s Role in the ‘Culture Wars'”
- “Securing Tomorrow: Effective Succession Strategies for Library Boards”
- “Valuing Your Library: Beyond Cost-Benefit Analysis”
Wednesday, July 31st – Foundations & Fundraising Day
- “Donor Engagement: Acquiring and Inspiring Committed and Faithful Supporters”
- “Enhancing the Story – Developing a Smaller-Scale Capital Projects Fundraising Campaign”
- “Fundraising Tips and Tricks: Some Novel Ideas”
- “Marketing is the Future: How to Build a More Sustainable Library Foundation Model by Integrating Marketing in the Organizational Culture, Strategy, and Practice”
Thursday, August 1st – Friends Day
- “An Extravaganza of Literary Events for Your Library”
- “Championing Library Freedom: How Friends Groups Can Fight Back When Our Library is Under Attack”
- “Libraries are Better with Friends: How to Foster a Strong Group of Advocates”
- “Smooth Sailing with Library Trustees and Staff”
Registration Options
Choose *one* of the following options below to register for the virtual conference:
- ALA eLearning Website
- Nebraska Statewide Group Membership Course
- You will be prompted to login, if not already logged in.
- Statewide Free Registration Form
- Submit the Statewide Free Registration Form
- Allow one business day for registration.
- Email United for Libraries
- Email united@ala.org
- Include your full name, email address, library, and primary library role
- Allow one business day for registration
- Bulk Registration
- Library Directors may email united@ala.org
- Include full names, email addresses, and primary library roles for each individual to register
- Allow two business days for registration.
If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan.
Friday Reads: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
“After a certain age, you can pretty much do whatever takes your fancy. No one tells you off, except for your doctors and your children.”
Cooper’s Chase is a lovely upscale retirement village in Kent. Elizabeth (spy), Joyce (nurse), Ibrahim (psychiatrist), and Ron (union boss) meet every Thursday to discuss cold/unsolved murders – taken from their friend Penny’s old case files.
Told through Joyce’s journal entries, the club finds renewed purpose as two “new” murders basically fall on their doorstep. These septuagenarian detectives must use their past experiences and connection to (unofficially) help PC Donna discover the truth – this is her first murder investigation after all. Who is the killer and how are these murders connected to Cooper’s Chase?
A cozy mystery – the story focuses on our quirky cast of characters, their relationships and life lessons without being too gory or violent with the murders. The writing is warm-hearted and humorous with plenty of suspense, twists, and gossip.
Series:
- The Thursday Murder Club #1
- The Man Who Died Twice #2
- The Bullet That Missed #3
- The Last Devil to Die #4
Osman, R. The Thursday Murder Club. Penguin. 2020.
Continuing Education & Training Grants: Applications Open!
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.
For this second round of CE Grants, we are accepting applications in three different areas: taking an online course, attending an out-of-state professional conference, and other larger continuing education projects for library staff or library board members. These courses/events/projects must be after July 1st.
Continuing Education and Training Grants 2024
Applications and support forms are due May 10, 2024.
For more details about this and other NLC grants, the NCompass Live archived session “NLC Grants for 2024” is also available.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Holli Duggan
United for Libraries Learning Live: A Practical Guide to Evaluating Your Library Director
All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.
A Practical Guide to Evaluating Your Library Director
Tuesday, April 9th, 1:00 PM (CST)
“Part of a Trustee’s responsibility is to evaluate the library director, yet many organizations do not have an annual review procedure in place. During this Learning Live, library Trustees will acquire the tools needed to conduct an annual evaluation. This session is designed with the understanding that many Trustees do not have HR experience. We’ll offer practical strategies and tools to effectively assess the performance of library directors, with insight from a variety of library stakeholders. Trustees will gain the knowledge and confidence they need to conduct meaningful evaluations of their library directors. Especially when things are going well!”
Statewide Group Members receive FREE registration for the live webinars and on-demand access for the duration of the active statewide group membership. These “Learning Live” sessions are recorded and can be accessed through the United for Libraries eLearning course.
For more information about previous sessions, please visit: Previous “Learning Live” Sessions
United for Libraries Learning Live: Media and Crisis Communications for Trustees & Friends
All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.
United for Libraries Learning Live: Media and Crisis Communications for Trustees & Friends
Tuesday, March 12, 1:00 PM (CST)
“Is your library’s Board of Trustees and/or Friends of the Library group prepared for a crisis? How can you support your library’s communications policies and procedures? This session, presented by longtime senior communications and marketing executive Kathleen McEvoy, will go over how to develop a solid communication plan, what to know about working with the media, tips on communicating the library’s value, how to respond to inquiries about book bans/censorship, and more. This program will offer tips for board members and Friends, as well as those who work with them.”
Statewide Group Members receive FREE registration for the live webinars and on-demand access for the duration of the active statewide group membership. These “Learning Live” sessions are recorded and can be accessed through the United for Libraries eLearning course.
For more information about previous sessions, please visit: Previous “Learning Live” Sessions
United for Libraries Learning Live: Ask the Experts: Boards of Trustees, Friends Groups, and Foundations
All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.
Tues., Feb. 13, 1:00 PM (CST)
“A panel of experts will address common issues that arise among library Boards, Friends groups, and Foundations, and how to solve them. Featured panelists will be Brenda Langstraat Bui, President & CEO, Chicago Public Library Foundation; Nicolle Davies, Colorado State Librarian, and Dr. Andrew Smith, Associate Professor, School of Library and Information Management at Emporia State University in Kansas, and past chair of the Emporia Public Library. Each panelist will present an in-depth scenario and provide tips and best practices. During a “lightning round” session, speakers will field questions from attendees.”
Statewide Group Members receive FREE registration for the live webinars and on-demand access for the duration of the active statewide group membership. These “Learning Live” sessions are recorded and can be accessed through the United for Libraries eLearning course.
For more information, please visit: Previous “Learning Live” Sessions
Friday Reads: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
A whimsical and sweet story about found family, belonging, and magic. Mika Moon has been alone all of her life, raised by a series of nannies and forced to live by strict rules to protect and hide her magic (as all witches must do). She begins posting short witchy videos online, assuming no one will actually believe the simple magic tricks are real – until she gets a message offering her a tutoring job for three young witches.
When she arrives to “Nowhere House,” she meets the two caretakers, along with a retired actor, a grumpy/broody librarian, and the three girls who are very much in need of some magical guidance. She also finds that the mysterious archeologist, Lillian, who owns the house, has been out of contact for months and people are starting to ask questions which all threatens the girls’ safety. Mika knows if the kids are discovered (by other witches), they’ll be taken and split up so their magic doesn’t draw attention. No one at the house wants to find out what will happen if they’re discovered by non-witches.
But will the girls learn to reign in their powers? Will James, the librarian, trust Mika enough to let her help? Does he really hate her or is there something more developing between them? Where is Lillian? How is this connected to Mika’s own past? Could this odd group be the home and family that Mika has always wanted?
Mandanna, Sangu. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. Berkley. 2022.
United for Libraries: January Learning Live
All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.
United for Libraries: Learning Live – Standards of Excellence for Library Friends and Foundations
January 9, 2024 : 1 p.m. (CST)
“Is your Friends of the Library group and/or library Foundation following nonprofit best practices? Join Amy Coates Madsen, Vice President of Programs at the Maryland Nonprofits and the Director of the Standards for Excellence Institute, who will present on legal, ethical, and other standards for nonprofits. Learn about best practices, how to have a clear mission, board development, public engagement, and more.”
Statewide Group Members receive FREE registration for the live webinars and on-demand access for the duration of the active statewide group membership. These “Learning Live” sessions are recorded and can be accessed through the United for Libraries eLearning course.
For more information, please visit: Previous “Learning Live” Sessions
Friday Reads: Chapter and Curse
With the cooler weather (and tonight’s freeze warning!), it seems like the sort of morning for another cozy mystery.
Chapter and Curse, by Elizabeth Penney, is the first book in the Cambridge Bookshop series. The third book will be published later this month. Lovely settings, interesting characters, good mysteries, plenty of literary references.
Molly Kimball and her mother, Nina, desperately could use a change in their lives. One day, they receive a letter from Nina’s Aunt Violet asking for help with the family’s struggling 400-year old bookshop in Cambridge, England. Molly (a part-time librarian) jumps at the chance to leave Vermont and help revitalize the family business, while Nina looks forward to reconnecting with family.
They arrive to find the “Thomas Marlowe Manuscripts and Folios” bookshop in rougher shape than expected, especially financially. With loans rapidly coming due, a cousin is threatening to sell the bookshop to a big-box store (which also threatens the other small shops along the same street). Molly decides that the bookshop will host a poetry reading, in coordination with the village’s book festival, to bring in new customers and raise some money.
The event appears to be a huge success until Molly finds one of the guests murdered (and evidence pointing directly towards her great-aunt). Was this driven by the bookshop’s recent money troubles? Blackmail of some kind? Or was it connected to the evening’s famous poet, who happens to be one of Violet’s oldest friends? What really happened with the rest of their friend group over fifty years ago? What other secrets does this charming little street hold?
Determined to clear her great-aunt’s name, Molly tackles these questions with the help of new friends, a possible romantic interest, a few odd family members, and a cat named Puck.
- Penney, Elizabeth. Chapter and Curse. Sept. 28, 2021. St. Martin’s Paperbacks.
- Penney, Elizabeth. A Treacherous Tale. August 23, 2022. St. Martin’s Paperbacks.
- Penney, Elizabeth. The Fatal Folio. October 24, 2023. St. Martin’s Paperbacks.