Author Archives: Holli Duggan

CE Grants: Submit your application!

CE Grants Due 01/14/22. Submit your application: [link] nlc.nebraska.gov/grants/ce/

Applications for the Continuing Education & Training Grants are still open!

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. This year, the Nebraska Library Commission is offering grants for online learning courses, attending conferences (in-person or virtually), or for larger staff or board member training projects.

Applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. CST on January 14, 2022. We will inform applicants whether they have received a grant on or before February 4, 2022.

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 grant, or 2) a current board member of an accredited Nebraska public library at the time of application and for the duration of the grant.

More details about the grant and application requirements are available on the Continuing Education Grants page.

If you have any questions at all, please contact Holli Duggan, Continuing Education Coordinator.

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Basic Skills 2022 Course Schedule

The course schedule for Basic Skills 2022 is now posted! Registration for the January Communication class is now open until 12/29/21. If you would like to register after that date, please contact me. The class will start on January 3, 2022 and will be open until January 31st. In this class, we will cover general communications skills as well as some specialized forms of communications such as community relations, advocacy and marketing.

Registration for the February Customer Service class will open on January 3rd.

You can find the rest of schedule and registration dates below:

If you have any questions at all, please contact Holli Duggan, Continuing Education Coordinator.

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Continuing Education: New ALA eLearning Portal

The American Library Association (ALA) has recently launched “a new centralized web portal that brings together the most comprehensive digital collection of professional development for library and information professionals.”

Members can find a number of ALA learning resources, including webinars, courses, and other events. Not all resources in this catalog are free, but you can filter to see only those available at no cost to ALA members and/or non-members. You may also search events by library type, subject or topic, and ALA divisions (such as PLA or YALSA).

These resources are eligible for CE credit through the Nebraska Public Librarian Certification program and for Nebraska library board members.

The original press release can be found on ALA News with additional details.

For library directors and board members, this does not change how you access the United for Libraries webinars and other resources. You will continue to use the Nebraska access page to register for a new account or to login. Membership and access to United for Libraries, is separate from the ALA eLearning catalog and has been prepaid by the Nebraska Library Commission for Nebraska library directors and trustees.

If you would like to learn more about these United for Libraries resources and the statewide membership, the NCompass Live: United for Libraries recorded session is still available. Beth Nawalinski, Executive Director, and Peter Pearson, Past-President, discuss Nebraska libraries, the United for Libraries’ mission and vision, and how to make the most of these resources.

If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan, Continuing Education Coordinator.

Links:

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CE Grants: Applications Still Open!

Continuing Education and Training Grants. Applications due January 14, 2022

Applications for the Continuing Education & Training Grants are still open!

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. This year, the Nebraska Library Commission is offering grants for online learning courses, attending conferences (in-person or virtually), or for larger staff or board member training projects.

Applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. CST on January 14, 2022. We will inform applicants whether they have received a grant on or before February 4, 2022.

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 grant, or 2) a current board member of an accredited Nebraska public library at the time of application and for the duration of the grant.

More details about the grant and application requirements are available on the Continuing Education Grants page.

If you have any questions at all, please contact Holli Duggan, Continuing Education Coordinator.

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Continuing Education & Training Grants: Applications Open!

This year we are offering grants 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.

Continuing Education and Training Grants 2022:

Details and Applications

The purpose of these grants is to 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.

Applications and support forms are due January 14, 2022.

Recipients will be notified by February 4, 2022.

For more details about this and other NLC grants, the NCompass Live archived session “NLC Grants for 2022” is also available.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Holli Duggan

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Friday Reads: Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson

Our two (and a half) year old recently discovered the delightful melodies of “Baby Shark” as performed by the Australian group Bounce Patrol, in multiple versions and complete with choreography, of course. Along with the adorable new dance moves, she’s been much more interested in anything with “fishies,” including books.

Can I Give You a Squish by Emily Neilson is an incredibly cute book about a little merboy and his fish friends. Kai is an enthusiastic hugger who loves to give squishes to his mama and to all of his underwater friends. After meeting a new little puffer fish though, he realizes not everyone likes hugs as much as he thought. With help from an octopus, a dolphin, and a crab, they all learn new ways of showing affection (and asking first), like fin bumps and tentacle shakes. The friends are all very encouraging and supportive of the scared puffer fish, and it’s a great way to start teaching young kids about boundaries and consent.

The illustrations in this book are lovely and it’s just a sweet story.

(She’s also really enjoying the Narwhal and Jelly books by Ben Clanton, if you need another good fishy book.)

With this squish book, I’ve been looking for some other picture books to start teaching or talking about consent/personal space:

  • C is for Consent by Eleanor Morrison and Faye Orlove
  • Don’t Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller
  • Will Ladybug Hug? by Hilary Leung
  • Hands Off, Harry! by Rosemary Wells

Neilson, E. (2020) Can I Give You a Squish?

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Friday Reads: Cookbooks

It’s time for more cookbooks!

I couldn’t decide which one I wanted to share, so I thought I would include a few favorites from my last cookbook haul:

Perfectly Golden: Inspired Recipes from Goldenrod Pastries, the Nebraska Bakery that Specializes in Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Vegan Treats by Angela Garbacz

Goldenrod Pastries, located in Lincoln, is an amazing bakery with the best baked goods of all kinds. As much as I would love to just visit every day, having the cookbook now helps fill the gaps.

Gluten-free and vegan baking can be intimidating, but the recipes are clear and easy enough, even for beginning bakers. The photos are all bright and cheerful, and there are plenty of notes to help explain different parts of the recipes, like flours.

I started with the cinnamon rolls which turned out perfectly and may very well replace my usual recipe!

Aran: Recipes and Stories from a Bakery in the Heart of Scotland by Flora Shedden

One of the best parts of reading cookbooks, especially this last year, is looking at amazing pictures and reading stories of far-off places, and turning your kitchen into something like a small Scottish bakery. Flora Shedden’s (from the Great British Bake Off) book has become a favorite. Aran (meaning bread) is full of recipes arranged by the time of day in the bakery, starting with making bread before dawn, including a section for getting your sourdough starters just right. The recipes are simple and encouraging, with plenty of instructions for North American conversions. Some recipes, like croissants, are multi-day projects but well worth the extra time and effort (with lots of butter).

And now for something completely different!

Fuel Your Body: How to Cook and Eat for Peak Performance: 77 Simple, Nutritious, Whole-Food Recipes for Every Athlete by Angie Asche

This is already my new favorite everyday cookbook. The recipes are super simple and delicious, focusing on helping you reach your full athletic potential whether you’re just trying to get healthy, you’re a recreational runner, or a more serious athlete. The first section includes great information for athletes (or parents of athletes) on basic nutrition concepts and timing your meals around game time to give you the best boost, as well as several weekly meal plans (including a vegan/plant-based plan) and how to make the perfect smoothie. These recipes are quick and easy, perfect for weekly meals. The baked banana oatmeal has been great for breakfast meal prep through the week. The lentil tacos, almond flour cookies, and ginger-citrus smoothie are also new staples.

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Friday Reads: Pie Academy by Ken Haedrich

Pie, pie, me oh my.

Between the historic snowfall last week and the upcoming arctic blast, it’s the perfect time to stay in a warm kitchen baking all the wonderfully lovely pies. Pie Academy: Master the Perfect Crust and 255 Amazing Fillings with Fruits, Nuts, Creams, Custards, Ice Cream, and More by Ken Haedrich is a great resource for home bakers at any skill level. “All you need is fat, flour, salt, and sometimes sugar” (p. 13).

The book starts with the basics of making pie – the tools, the ingredients, and the dough. Pie doesn’t require anything fancy to get started, just practice. His step-by-step instructions for making the perfect piecrust has been extremely helpful. This mini class on crust is followed by an entire chapter of twenty-five different crust recipes, including crusts with butter, shortening, lard, crumb-style, graham crackers, and gluten-free versions.

The book then has chapters with recipes for berry, apple, fall fruit, pecan, custard, cream, hand pies, icebox pies, freezer pies, and other “oddball” pies. Classic pumpkin pie, sour cream raisin pies, brownie pies, watermelon rind pie, strawberry-rhubarb crumb pie, Ritz mock apple pie, polenta pie, nectarine and blueberry-lime pie…there are so many detailed recipes with gorgeous pictures. Included in the recipes, there are “Recipe for Success” sections that offer additional tips and tricks from Haedrich. Throughout the book, there are extra pie trivia or history bites, as well as other lessons, such as how to mail a pie or the differences between apple types. Lastly, there’s a trouble-shooting guide in the back where Haedrich answers some common issues like cracked dough or runny filling.

Even if you’re not a newbie pie baker (like me), there are so many fillings, crust variations, and decorations included for more experienced bakers to find something new.

Haedrich, K. Pie Academy: Master the Perfect Crust and 255 Amazing Fillings, with Fruits, Nuts, Creams, Custards, Ice Cream, and More. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2020. Print.

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CE Grants: Still Time to Apply!

There’s still time to apply for a Continuing Education and Training Grant! The application due date is next Friday, January 15, 2021. We will inform applicants whether they have received a grant on or before January 22, 2021.

Continuing Education Grants Extended! Submit applications by 01/15/21

This year, the Nebraska Library Commission is offering grants for online learning courses, attending conferences (in-person or virtually), and for larger staff or board member training projects.

Applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. CST on January 15, 2021. Faxes and U.S. mail will not be accepted. 

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 grant, or 2) a current board member of an accredited Nebraska public library at the time of application and for the duration of the grant.

More details about the grant and application requirements are available on the Continuing Education Grants page. If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan, Continuing Education Coordinator.

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CE Grants: Application Date Extended

There’s still time to apply for a Continuing Education and Training Grant! The application due date has been extended to January 15, 2021. We will inform applicants whether they have received a grant on or before January 22, 2021.

Continuing Education Grants Extended! Submit applications by 01/15/21

This year, the Nebraska Library Commission is offering grants for online learning courses, attending conferences (in-person or virtually), and for larger staff or board member training projects.

Applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. CST on January 15, 2021. Faxes and U.S. mail will not be accepted. 

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 grant, or 2) a current board member of an accredited Nebraska public library at the time of application and for the duration of the grant.

More details about the grant and application requirements are available on the Continuing Education Grants page. If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan, Continuing Education Coordinator.

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Applications Still Open! CE & Training Grants 2021

Applications are still open for the 2021 Continuing Education and Training Grants!

Continuing Education Grants. Due 12/09/20. Web address: nlc.nebraska.gov/grants/ce/

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. This year, the Nebraska Library Commission is offering grants for online learning courses, attending conferences (in-person or virtually), and for larger staff or board member training projects.

Applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. CST on December 9, 2020. Faxes and U.S. mail will not be accepted. We will inform applicants whether they have received a grant on or before January 6, 2021.

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 grant, or 2) a current board member of an accredited Nebraska public library at the time of application and for the duration of the grant.

More details about the grant and application requirements are available on the Continuing Education Grants page. If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan, Continuing Education Coordinator.

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Friday Reads: Half Baked Harvest by Tieghan Gerard

Book cover with title "Half Baked Harvest Super Simple More than 125 recipes for instant, overnight, meal-prepped, and easy comfort foods" on top. Author Tieghan Gerard on bottom. Image in center of oval serving dish with chicken, lemon slices, and cherry tomatoes.

As we seem to be jumping right into winter weather this week, it’s the best time for soups, comfort foods in general, and so much baking.

Tieghan Gerard’s Half Baked Harvest Super Simple is my current favorite cookbook with “more than 125 recipes for instant, overnight, meal-prepped, and easy comfort foods.” Recipes like browned sage-butter chicken pot pie” (p. 172) or broccoli cheddar soup (p. 94) are perfect for cold, rainy/snowy weeknights.

The recipes are divided into: basics, breakfast and brunch, appetizers and sides, salad and soup, pizza and pasta, vegetarian, poultry and pork, beef and lamb, seafood and fish, and dessert. Each recipe fits on a single page with a short personal note from Tieghan (such as growing up in the Ohio and her love of Top ramen which has now become a more “grown-up” version with garlic-butter noodles). She includes different instructions for cooking on a stovetop, pressure cooker, or slow cooker, as well as ingredient alternatives. The recipes are intended to be fairly easy to make without a long list of ingredients. Some recipes include premade or store-bought items, like her Blondie Brownie Bars (p. 274) which includes a boxed brownie mix or the Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup (p. 91) which includes a box of mini potato gnocchi. But some days, there’s just not time to make everything from scratch and the recipes make them super delicious. (She also has a five ingredient hazelnut brownie recipe or cinnamon rolls with chai frosting which are both incredibly easy and wonderful.)

Along with the recipes, the photography in this book is gorgeous. The book is well worth checking out just to look at the pretty pictures of delicious food.

Gerard, T. Half baked harvest super simple. Clarkson Potter. 2019.

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Flash CE Grant!

We are opening applications for just one week to cover registration costs to attend the Iowa Library Association’s virtual conference on October 15th!

ILA has extended a special $50 registration rate for Nebraska Library Association (NLA) members. Non-members can register for $80 or Trustees for only $20.

More information about the conference can be found at the links below:

CE Grant Details:

  • The applicant must be either 1) employed in an accredited Nebraska public library or a state-run institutional library at the time of application, or 2) a current board member of an accredited Nebraska public library. You do not need to be a member of NLA to apply.
  • These are for individuals only (no group applications).
  • Applications are due by 11:59 pm (CST) on Wednesday, October 7th.
  • You will also need to submit a separate indication of support form.
  • Applicants will be notified on Thursday, October 8th.
  • You must register for the conference by Monday, October 12th.

Apply Now!

Note: This mini-round of CE grants is separate from our 2021 Continuing Education grants which will be available for applications starting on Monday, October 5th and will be open for online learning, other out-of-state conferences, and larger CE projects. For more information on those grant opportunities, please see our main CE Grants Information page.

If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan.

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Basic Skills Update: Postponed Classes

Blue background with a pink circle. Text reads "basic skills classes updated schedule 2020"

The three Basic Skills classes that were postponed earlier this year will be offered again!

There will be more classes added and an updated 2021 schedule, so if you are unable to attend these dates, there will be more options coming up. These classes will hopefully help if you need to finish up your Basic Skills certification requirements.

Please note that Finance and Intellectual Freedom do fall over holidays, but they are scheduled to allow for extra time, if needed. These classes, like the other Basic Skills classes, do not require you to be logged in at any specific times.

If you have any questions at all about these or any of the Basic Skills classes, please contact Holli Duggan, CE Coordinator.

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Reminder: Submit your CE grant applications!

Just a few days left to apply for a Continuing Education (CE) grant to attend the ARSL 2020 virtual conference!

ARSL logo: airplane in front of SOAR with libraries, Sharing Our Amazing Resources

You can now see the detailed program schedule, as well as the session descriptions on the conference website. Keynote speakers include William Ottens, Cassandra Campbell, and Nancy Pearl. Sessions will also be recorded and available to registrants after the conference, so you won’t have to worry about missing anything!

Nebraska public librarians, library board members, and library students have a terrific opportunity with this virtual professional conference. Each grant recipient will be reimbursed for the costs of attendance, including conference registration and mileage (if traveling to a host library). Librarians, board members, and students may apply for an individual grant. Since ARSL is offering a group registration rate this year, library directors may apply for a group grant.

More details about the grant and the application forms are all available on the Continuing Education and Training Grants 2020 page.

If you have any questions at all, please contact Holli Duggan, CE Coordinator.

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Apply for a Continuing Education Grant!

There’s still plenty of time to apply for a Continuing Education (CE) grant to attend the ARSL 2020 virtual conference!

ARSL logo: airplane in front of SOAR with libraries, Sharing Our Amazing Resources

You can now see the detailed program schedule, as well as the session descriptions on the conference website. Keynote speakers include William Ottens, Cassandra Campbell, and Nancy Pearl. Sessions will also be recorded and available to registrants after the conference, so you won’t have to worry about missing anything!

Nebraska public librarians, library board members, and library students have a terrific opportunity with this virtual professional conference. Each grant recipient will be reimbursed for the costs of attendance, including conference registration and mileage (if traveling to a host library). Librarians, board members, and students may apply for an individual grant. Since ARSL is offering a group registration rate, library directors may apply for a group grant.

More details and the application forms are all available now on the Continuing Education and Training Grants 2020 page.

If you have any questions at all, please contact Holli Duggan, CE Coordinator.

Important Dates:

  • Aug. 31: CE Grant Application Due Date
  • Sept. 4: Recipients Announced
  • Sept. 28 – Oct. 2: ARSL Conference
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ARSL Conference and CE Grants

Registration for the 2020 ARSL virtual conference is opening today! 

Registration will open today at 4:00 p.m. (CST). The updated schedule and speakers can be viewed on the ARSL Conference website.

Even better news — the CE grants are reopening! 

Starting Monday, July 20th, applications for CE grants will be available to submit online until August 31st.

What will be covered by grant funds?

  • Registration for the ARSL 2020 virtual conference
  • Mileage if traveling to a host library

Who is eligible to apply?

  • Librarians and staff members employed in an accredited Nebraska public library 
  • Board members of an accredited Nebraska public library
  • Nebraska students currently enrolled in a Library Science degree program (or will be enrolled in the fall) – will require proof of enrollment

Can library directors apply for a group CE grant?

  • Yes! ARSL is offering group registration rates this year. If libraries wish to take advantage of these group rates, the library director may apply for a CE grant for multiple staff members. Groups are not required to watch the conference together, though you may set up watch parties (following all safety guidelines).

Note: If you’ve already been awarded a CE grant for the ARSL conference, you do not need to reapply. I’ll be reaching out to you all individually.

If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan, CE Coordinator.

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Friday Reads: Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

During my recent morning walks, I’ve been trying out more audiobooks instead of the usual podcasts. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor was one that appeared on my recommended list (which then reminded me that I also have the hardback copy sitting on my to-read shelf for a while, oops) and is narrated by Yetide Badaki. I haven’t quite finished it yet, but it’s definitely hard to put down. The world-building and magic, rooted in mythology, is fantastic.

Twelve-year old Sunny feels like she just doesn’t belong anywhere, living between two worlds. She was born in New York City, but moved to Aba, Nigeria with her parents and brothers when she was nine. All Sunny wants to do is to go to school, play soccer (where she would excel on the field if given the chance), and laugh with friends. However, she’s constantly bullied by her classmates, her brothers, and even her father. The boys at school won’t let her play soccer with them. Even if they would, her albinism causes her skin to be far too sensitive to be out in the sun, as well as more bullying. But Sunny never backs down, she’s a strong and intelligent character.

One night, during a blackout, she sees a nightmarish vision in candlelight. Shortly after, she meets Orlu and Chichi, and her odd life starts to make a little more sense. She has strong magical abilities which she begins to study as a new member of the ancient Leopard People society. The wonderful magical world opens up to Sunny, as she learns to turn her weaknesses into her greatest strengths while keeping it all secret from the rest of her family. She and her new friends quickly learn how dangerous this world and their training can be as they’re set to stop a dangerous killer before Sunny’s vision can come true.

Okorafor, Nnedi. Akata Witch. Penguin Group, 2011.

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Niche Academy is Open!

NLC Niche Academy and Reopening Lives Tutorials. Online Learning.

Two new online learning resources are now available!

First, the Nebraska Library Commission Academy is available to librarians as a thirty-day trial through Niche Academy. Lessons include topics such as:

  • Code of Ethics for New Directors
  • 10 Strategies for Community Organizing in Libraries
  • 2020 United States Census
  • Virtual Programming: Working with Presenters and Performers
  • Research Essentials

Please check it out and let me know what you think! Each lesson is eligible for 1 CE credit for those enrolled in the Nebraska Public Librarian Certification program, just submit a CE Activity Report form when completed.

Second, the Reopening Lives Academy is a collaborative project between Niche Academy and librarians all over the United States to help answer patron questions as libraries work on reopening.

…many of us are anticipating a surge of patrons with questions about unemployment, taxes, and financial resources. We anticipate questions about public and personal health, and how the CARES act (and other legislation) will affect or help small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Niche Academy

These short tutorials are intended to help librarians and patrons answer these many different questions and provide quick resources with quality information on topics such as COVID-19, wearing masks, mental health, and writing resumes.

If you want to learn more about the collaborative project (or are interested in participating), there is more information posted on the Niche Academy blog.

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United for Libraries Login Update

Logo: United for Libraries Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations

The United for Libraries platform has been updated!

The new system should be easier to use with some shiny new features. More details about those features will be coming soon, but for now, the login information has changed. There will no longer be one general login for libraries and library boards. Members will register for their own individual logins through the United for Libraries website. This includes the Trustee Academy courses, the Short Takes for Trustees, and other United for Libraries resources.

Access to these resources has been provided for Library Trustees and Directors by the Nebraska Library Commission.

To request a login, please submit a United for Libraries Login Request form.

If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan.

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