Author Archives: Holli Duggan

Continuing Education: Weekly Resources (1/12-1/16)

Posted on January 12, 2026 by Holli Duggan

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 WebJunction: Free Training

To submit CE hours for the NLC certification programs:

Questions about CE hours or the certification programs, please contact: Holli Duggan

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Basic Skills 2026 Schedule

Posted on December 23, 2025 by Holli Duggan

The 2026 Basic Skills course schedule is now posted!

The classes are also posted on the NLC Training and Events Calendar (on the course start date).

  • These Basic Skills courses are all online and free to any Nebraska resident or anyone employed in a Nebraska library.
  • The courses are each open for about two weeks at a time. You do not need to be logged in at any specific meeting times – just complete the work when it’s best for your schedule.
  • The “Communication” class is available to take at any time!
  • Registration for “Customer Service” class is open until January 23rd. The class will start on February 2nd.
  • For more information: Public Librarian Certification Program

If you have any questions at all, please let me know!

Questions about CE hours or the certification programs, please contact: Holli Duggan

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Friday Reads: “Era of the Eclipse” by Tim Pratt

Posted on December 5, 2025 by Holli Duggan

What happens in the days following a great cosmic event?

An event in which memories and history are lost to mortals across the galaxy?

Chaos. Power struggles. Starfinder’s greatest mystery — the Gap.

“Era of the Eclipse” follows two timelines, told through alternating perspectives. Dae and Chk Chk, both novice Starfinders, discover notes related to the Gap and the lost world of Golarion. This discovery sets them off on an adventure to unravel the truth. (But of course, there’s danger and a mysterious figure following every step.)

The memoir/notes follow Tyrcell, the android, on Absalom Station as they seek answers, survival, and party members during the earliest days following the Gap. The undead reality show host Zo! and the Hellknights work to extend their own power and control of information during this time as well, taking advantage of the confusion.

I’m not terribly familiar with the Starfinder roleplaying universe. This seemed like a pretty good place to start, as it explores not only the Gap, but also the founding of both the Starfinder Society and the Order of the Eclipse of Hellknights. The characters and setting are interesting and well written enough that I don’t feel like I’m missing anything beforehand (though I’m sure there are plenty of “easter eggs” for experienced players). The audiobook is narrated by Mike Dent who is great with the narration and the characters’ voices.

Pratt, Tim. Era of the Eclipse. Paizo Inc., 2025.

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Continuing Education: Weekly Resources (11-17/11-21)

Posted on November 17, 2025 by Holli Duggan

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 WebJunction: Free Training

To submit CE hours for the NLC certification programs:

Questions about CE hours or the certification programs, please contact: Holli Duggan

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Continuing Education: Weekly Resources (10/6 – 10/10)

Posted on October 7, 2025 by Holli Duggan

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 WebJunction: Free Training

To submit CE hours for the NLC certification programs:

Questions about CE hours or the certification programs, please contact: Holli Duggan

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Continuing Education: Weekly Resources (9/29 – 10/3)

Posted on September 29, 2025 by Holli Duggan

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 WebJunction: Free Training

To submit CE hours for the NLC certification programs:

Questions about CE hours or the certification programs, please contact: Holli Duggan

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Fern V. Heim Trustee Scholarship for Public Library Board Members: Applications due next week!

Posted on September 25, 2025 by Holli Duggan

Apply for an individual scholarship to attend the NLA 2025 Conference in York on October 22nd-23rd!

**This scholarship is open only to 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 board members with preference to members of the Nebraska Library Association Public Library and Trustee Section (PLTS) for attendance to the Nebraska Library Association Conference or the Association for Rural and Small Libraries Conference.

Applications due by Friday, October 3, 2025!

For more details and application:

Please submit all grant application forms and questions to:
Holli Duggan

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Continuing Education: Weekly Resources (9/22 – 9/27)

Posted on September 22, 2025 by Holli Duggan

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 WebJunction: Free Training

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 , , , , | Leave a comment

Continuing Education: Weekly Resources (9/8 – 9/12)

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Holli Duggan

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 WebJunction: Free Training

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 , , , , | Leave a comment

Continuing Education: Weekly Resources (9/2 – 9/5)

Posted on September 2, 2025 by Holli Duggan

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 WebJunction: Free Training

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 , , , , , | Leave a comment

Continuing Education: Weekly Resources (8/25 – 8/29)

Posted on August 25, 2025 by Holli Duggan

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 WebJunction: Free Training

To submit CE hours for the NLC certification programs:

Questions about CE hours or the certification programs, please contact: Holli Duggan

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Friday Reads: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

Posted on August 15, 2025 by Holli Duggan

Sometimes you just need a cozy and comforting book with magic and low stakes. I’ve been listening to The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, narrated by Caitlin Davies, which is a lovely sort of fairy tale about found family and first love.

Kiela is a junior librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, living a rather quiet life taking care of the empire’s collection. When a revolution erupts in the capital, the library catches fire; Kiela flees with as many precious spellbooks as she can carry, along with her anxiety-prone assistant, a sentient/talking spider plant named Caz. Hoping to wait out the fighting while protecting the books, she returns to her childhood home on a remote island which is filled with magical creatures and nosy neighbors. She quickly realizes that the island needs help, due to the neglect of the empire’s sorcerers. Though illegal for a non-sorcerer to use magic, Kiela decides to set up a secret spell shop, disguised as a jam shop / bakery, offering “remedies” to her new friends and community.

The Enchanted Greenhouse is the second (standalone) novel set in this world and was just released in July. Another book, Sea of Charms is scheduled for next year.

Durst, Sarah Beth. The Spellshop. Bramble, 2024.

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Fern V. Heim Trustee Scholarship for Public Library Board Members

Posted on August 11, 2025 by Holli Duggan

Apply for an individual $500 scholarship to attend either the NLA 2025 Conference in York on October 22nd-24th or to the ARSL 2025 Conference in Albuquerque, NM on September 17th-20th!

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.

**This scholarship is open only to current Nebraska Public Library Board Members!**

The Fern V. Heim Scholarship Award was established to provide assistance to current public library board members with preference to members of the Nebraska Library Association Public Library and Trustee Section (PLTS) for attendance to the Nebraska Library Association Conference or the Association for Rural and Small Libraries Conference.

Applications now due by October 3, 2025!

For more details and application:

Please submit all grant application forms and questions to:
Holli Duggan

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United for Libraries 2025 – Recordings Available!

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Holli Duggan

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 access to all recorded sessions for the United for Libraries 2025 Virtual Conference.

The recordings, slides, and handouts (if applicable) are now available in the 2025 United for Libraries Virtual – Full Conference on the ALA eLearning website. All sessions are eligible for CE credits for both librarians and board members!

  • Statewide Access – Nebraska
    • Click “Register” first, if you don’t have an account.
    • Click “Access” to login to ALA eLearning.
  • Once you’re logged in, on the left-hand side menu, click on “Nebraska Statewide Training for Trustees, Friends, and Foundations”
  • Scroll down slightly until you see “FREE Registration for 2025 United for Libraries Virtual: Trustees, Friends, and Foundations” and click on the link to access the course (screenshot below).
  • Once you’re in the conference/course, you should be able to see the sessions for each day, as well as tabs for the different events and resources, such as the Author Talks, Author Tea, and Book Buzzes.

If you have any questions, trouble logging in and/or accessing the course, or need further assistance please reach out to United for Libraries at united@ala.org or call (312) 280-2161.

If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan.

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Fern V. Heim Trustee Scholarship: Due Friday, August 1st!

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Holli Duggan

Apply for an individual $500 scholarship to attend either the NLA 2025 Conference in York on October 22nd-24th or to the ARSL 2025 Conference in Albuquerque, NM on September 17th-20th!

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.

**This scholarship is open only to current Nebraska Public Library Board Members!**

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 to the Nebraska Library Association Conference or the Association for Rural and Small Libraries Conference.

Applications due by August 1, 2025!

For more details and application:

Please submit all grant application forms and questions to:
Holli Duggan

Posted in Education & Training, Grants, Public Library Boards of Trustees | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Continuing Education: Weekly Resources (7/21 – 7/25)

Posted on July 21, 2025 by Holli Duggan

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 WebJunction: Free Training

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 , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fern V. Heim Trustee Scholarship: Still Time to Apply!

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Holli Duggan

Apply for an individual $500 scholarship to attend either the NLA 2025 Conference in York on October 22nd-24th or to the ARSL 2025 Conference in Albuquerque, NM on September 17th-20th!

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.

**This scholarship is open only to current Nebraska Public Library Board Members!**

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 to the Nebraska Library Association Conference or the Association for Rural and Small Libraries Conference.

Applications due by August 1, 2025!

For more details and application:

Please submit all grant application forms and questions to:
Holli Duggan

Posted in Education & Training, Grants, Public Library Boards of Trustees | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

United for Libraries Virtual 2025: Statewide Registration

Posted on July 16, 2025 by Holli Duggan

2025 United for Libraries Virtual: Trustees, Friends, Foundations

Tuesday, July 29th – Thursday, July 31st

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 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, expert speakers, microlearning sessions, and the “Virtual Gala Author Tea.” 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 29th – Trustee Day
    • Get Familiar with Freedom of Information Laws
    • Meetings That Matter: Driving Results, Not Just Discussions
    • Public Official Basics for Trustees: Introduction to Public Administration and Public Finance
    • Top 10 Things Library Board Members Should Know – But Often Don’t
    • Why Is It Always a Battle?: Concerns of Public Library Trustees in the United States
    • Keynote – Austin Channing Brown
  • Wednesday, July 30th – Foundation/Fundraising Day
    • Library Storytelling: How to Find Memorable Library Stories to Use for Marketing and Promotion
    • Let Your Impact Ring! Sharing Your Library’s Successes so Funders Will Listen
    • Overcoming the Barriers to Library Fundraising Success
    • Strengthening Library and Foundation Relationships: The Role of the Memorandum of Understanding and Relationship Committee
    • Virtual Gala Author Tea
  • Thursday, July 31st – Friends Day
    • Friends for Everyone: Inclusivity and Accessibility Best Practices
    • Get Strategic: Creating a Strategic Plan for Your Friends Group
    • Gnomes Need Homes: A Different Type of Silent Auction!
    • Lessons from a New Board President
    • Library Funding 101: Understanding How Things Get Paid

Special Events:

  • Keynote – Tuesday, July 29th (3:30 pm CST)
    • “Austin Channing Brown is an author and speaker providing inspired leadership on racial justice in America. She is the New York Times bestselling author of I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, a Reese’s Book Club pick. Her work has been featured by outlets such as On Being, Chicago Tribune, and WNYC. Her new book, Full of Myself, releases in August 2025.”
  • Virtual Gala Author Tea – Wednesday, July 30th (3:30 pm CST)
    • Join United for Libraries for our 2025 Virtual Gala Author Tea. Bring your beverage of choice and enjoy authors talking about their writing experience and latest books. Moderated by Donna Seaman, Editor of Adult Books, Booklist.
    • Invite your library staff and patrons! More details coming soon.

Registration Options – Choose one of the options below to register:

  • Statewide Free Registration Form
    • Allow one business day for registration.
  • ALA eLearning Website via the Nebraska Statewide Access Course
    • Must be enrolled in the Nebraska access course to register. You will be prompted to login, if not already logged in.
  • Email United for Libraries
    • Email united@ala.org
    • Include your full name, email address, library, and primary role on behalf of your library.
    • Allow one business day for registration.
  • Bulk Registration
    • Library directors may email united@ala.org
    • Include full name, email address, and primary role on behalf of the library for each individual to register.
    • Allow two business days to register.
  • For registration questions, contact United for Libraries staff by email at united@ala.org or by phone at (312) 280-2161.

If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan.

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CE Grants: Applications Open for ARSL & MPLA Conferences!

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Holli Duggan

Apply now for a $500 grant to attend the ARSL 2025 Annual Conference or the
MPLA-ND-SD 2025 Tri-Conference!

Application Deadline: Wednesday, July 9th, 2025

The purpose of these grants is to assist Nebraska libraries in improving the library services provided to their communities through continuing education and training for their library personnel and supporters. Successful applications will show how attending this conference will support the library’s mission.

Eligible costs include:

  • Registration
  • Travel
  • Meals
  • Lodging
  • Preconference fees (but does not include networking or social events)

The applicant must be either 1) employed in an accredited Nebraska public library or a state-run institutional library at the time of application and for the duration of the conference, or 2) a current board member of an accredited Nebraska public library at the time of application and for the duration of the conference.

For more information on the application process and application forms, please see:

***Library Board Members: The Fern V. Heim Library Trustee Scholarship is still open for applications until August 1st! ***

If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan.

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Continuing Education: Weekly Resources (6/23 – 6/27)

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Holli Duggan

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 WebJunction: Free Training

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 , , , , , | Leave a comment