Author Archives: Holli Duggan

Eliminating library fines has been getting more and more attention lately.

Chicago recently eliminated late fees and “[t]he number of book returns has since increased 240%” (Forbes, 2019). Denver also announced back in January that they were going fine free and “zeroing out most customers’ existing overdue balances so they can start fresh” (Denver Library, 2019) citing their belief in “free and equal access for all.” Some libraries, like Lincoln City Libraries, are eliminating late fees for youth materials which are “an unnecessary barrier for children who often lack the autonomy or ability to return library materials on time, and for families who cannot afford to pay them” (Lincoln City Libraries, 2019). The idea behind eliminating fines really goes back to increasing access and breaking down barriers for library users. But is this the right move for every library? How do you decide or implement this kind of initiative?

There are many arguments for and against eliminating library fines, but if you’ve been having this discussion in your library or are interested in finding out more, the resources and webinars below should help start your search.

Resources:

• Library Late Fines as Social Inequity: Librarians Consider Ditching Due-Date Fees (NET News)
• Social Library, Fines Edition (WebJunction)
• Fine Free Library Map (endlibraryfines.info)
• 2019 ALA Resolution on Monetary Library Fines as a Form of Social Inequity (ALA)
• An Overdue Discussion: Two takes on the library-fine debate (American Libraries)
• Not So Fine with Library Fines? A Look at the Overdue Debate (EBSCO)
• Doing Fine(s)?: Fines & Fees (Library Journal)
• Eliminating Fines – Resources (Colorado Virtual Library)
  • Eliminating Fines FAQs

Webinars:

• Upcoming Nov. 20th – “Eliminating Fines: A win-win for your library and community” (Infopeople)
  • “You will hear how eliminating fines can lead to an increase in library use and circulation, with no negative effects.”
• Recorded – “NCompass Live: Eliminating Late Fines is a Win-Win for Your Library and Community” (NLC)
  • “In this session, Beth [Crist] and Meg [DePriest] will review the research and results from the growing number of libraries across the country that have ditched late fines and coaxed new and former users to their doors. They will share talking points, tips, and an advocacy tool you can use to build a case to eliminate fines in your library.”
• Recorded – “Fine-Free Future” (RIPL)
  • “This webinar brings together three experienced library directors who have recently eliminated some or all overdue fines at their libraries to discuss the strategies they used in their communities, the arguments for and against the elimination of fines, their plans to measure impact and success, and how they communicate the issue of overdue fines as critical to any library’s mission of equal access and social equity.”
• Recorded – “Planning and Implementing a Fine-Free Policy” (Florida Library Webinars)
  • “Libraries are ready for a change! Our academic library went fine free in 2016, and we’re not alone. In this informative and interactive program, we will share why and how we managed to eliminate most overdue fines, aligning our circulation policies with the needs of our most frequent users…Policies and methods from public libraries will also be included!”

For webinars and CE: If you would like to earn continuing education (CE) credit and are enrolled in the Nebraska Public Librarian Certification program, please submit a “CE Activity Report Form” after each webinar.

If you have any questions about continuing education, please contact Holli Duggan.

This week we’re focusing CE for all those wonderful library board members!

Below is a list of resources with helpful reference information for new and current library board members (or for anyone curious what library boards do), followed by several upcoming or recorded webinars.

Resources:

• Nebraska Library Board Manual – NLC
• Public Library Board Certification and Continuing Education -NLC
• Friends, Trustees & Volunteers – WebJunction
• United for Libraries* – ALA

Webinars:

• Working Effectively with Your Library Trustees – United for Libraries*
  • “[L]earn tips and strategies for working effectively with your Trustees. Topics include orientation for new Trustees, understanding roles, meetings, emergencies, and effective communication.”
• Equity, Diversity, Inclusion: What Library Trustees Need to Know – United for Libraries*
  • “This workshop will help trustees and library directors understand how to incorporate EDI into policy development, strategic planning, funding initiatives, board development, and more.”
• Troubled Library Boards: Prevention & Survival – United for Libraries*
  • “What essential practices can prevent or minimize board problems? When a board does become dysfunctional, how can those involved survive and create change?”
• Library Accessibility – What Public Library Trustees Need to Know (RAILS)
  • “In this webinar…Renee Grassi will equip Library Trustees with the information and tools they need to be more effective accessibility advocates for their library communities.”
• Build a Culture of Learning with Library Boards – WebJunction & ARSL
  • “Trustees can and should play a key role in fostering a culture of learning at their libraries – beginning with themselves. When library boards embrace a learning culture, they become more receptive to supporting continuing education, in policy, planning and budgeting.”
• The Rural Library Trustee: Roles, Responsibilities, and Relationships – WebJunction & ARSL
  • “will provided you with practical ideas and tactical strategies to support and advocate for your library organization as a trustee, or library director in a small or rural community.”
• Toward Tech Savvy Trustees – WebJunction & ARSL
  • “The more that trustees are dialed into a personal use of technology, the better advocates they will be for the library’s technology needs. Learn some fun and practical ways to inspire greater tech savviness in your trustees.”

*The Nebraska Library Commission has prepaid for all Nebraska public library directors, members of Friends organizations, Foundation boards, and trustees to participate free of charge in online training and access to education resources offered by the American Library Association’s United for Libraries. Please contact Holli Duggan or Linda Babcock for login information.

For webinars and CE: If you would like to earn continuing education (CE) credit and are enrolled in the Nebraska Public Librarian Certification program, please submit a “CE Activity Report Form” after each webinar.

If you have any questions about continuing education, please contact Holli Duggan.

What does it mean to have an accessible website? Why is it important?

“Web accessibility means that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them. More specifically, people can: perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the web” – W3C

This is important to ensure equal access to information and equal ability to interact with websites and resources by eliminating barriers. For example, providing closed captioning/subtitles on videos for those who aren’t able to hear or including alternate text to describe an image helps those using screen readers.

Below are just a few introductory resources to start looking through and several webinars (upcoming and recorded) that may be useful.

Resources:

• Prioritizing Accessibility and Disability Inclusion at Your Library (WebJunction)
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview (W3C Initiative)
• WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) (WebAIM – University of Utah)
• Web Accessibility Guidelines (American Library Association)
• Libraries and Accessibility: Accessible Websites LibGuide (CT State Library)
• ARL Web Accessibility Toolkit (Association of Research Libraries)

Webinars:

• Oct. 23rd – Introduction to Website Accessibility (Infopeople)
  • “In this one-hour webinar, you’ll gain an understanding of which guidelines are used to measure website accessibility in the United States, and how to being to evaluate your own library’s site for potential issues.”
• Archived – NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech – Building a Clean, User-Friendly Library Website (Nebraska Library Commission)
  • “Websites are often the first thing people see when interacting with a business. With so many things vying for people’s attention, the library website should be a call to action for people to use library services. This session will act as a guide to building a library website that makes a good impression on library customers.”
• Archived – Evaluating Websites for Accessibility (Great Lakes ADA Center/ADA National Network)
  • “This introductory webinar will cover online barriers to accessibility and explain how to check that web content is accessible to all visitors”

For webinars and CE: If you would like to earn continuing education (CE) credit and are enrolled in the Nebraska Public Librarian Certification program, please submit a “CE Activity Report Form” after each webinar.

If you have any questions about continuing education, please contact Holli Duggan.

It’s Digital Citizenship Week!

Digital citizens positively and safely use technology tools to participate in society (for example, social media). Topics include cyberbullying, online safety and privacy, verifying information, and creating content. Digital literacy plays a very important role as it focuses on the skills necessary to effectively access and interact with various technologies and digital information, such as how to use a web browser or how to critically analyze information found on a website.

The links and webinars listed below are just a few resources to get started thinking about digital citizenship and digital literacy as you work with students and/or public library patrons.

Resources:

• Digital Literacy – Public Library Association
• Digital Literacy Professional Tools – Public Library Association
• 20 Examples of Digital Citizenship – EdTech Update
  • List of some specific examples to help better understand what good digital citizenship skills include
• Digital Citizenship Curriculum – Common Sense Education
  • K-12 digital citizenship skills lesson plans
• Resources for Digital Citizenship Week – Ask a Tech Teacher
• Virtual Privacy Lab – San José Public Library
• Mozilla Web Literacy: The WebLit Core Curriculum – Mozilla
• Bridging the Digital Divide by Building Digital Literacy Skills – WebJunction

Webinars:

• Let’s Celebrate Digital Citizenship Week: Something for Everyone – edWeb
  • “Increase awareness and get students, faculty, and families inspired to learn about media balance, cyberbullying, privacy, and much, much, more!”
• Digital Citizenship – Niche Academy
  • “In this free one-hour webinar, Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, founder of Digital Respons-Ability, discusses digital citizenship, the ethical and responsible use of technology. This digital citizenship primer will discuss online safety, digital law and digital health.”
• Digital Citizenship: New Lessons for a Changing World – Common Sense Education
  • “This award-winning, comprehensive Digital Citizenship Curriculum covers a range of topics from media balance to cyberbullying to privacy. It prepares students to think critically and use technology responsibly to learn, create, and participate. This edWebinar is designed for all K-12 teachers, librarians, and tech coordinators.”
• Digital Citizenship: New Roles and Responsibilities in the Digital Age – WebJunction
  • “A webinar defining ‘digital citizenship’ and exploring ways for public libraries to support services and programming to help grow safe, responsible, and respectful digital environments.”
• Privacy Literacy at Your Library – WebJunction
  • Learn about San José Public Library’s Virtual Privacy Lab. “The modules guide users through topics such as social media and security, and provide personalized tips, links and resources that enable them [library patrons] to feel safe and confident online.”
• Is That Real? A Crash Course in Verifying Online Content – WebJunction
  • “Dive into the tools and skills that you and your patrons need to verify the authenticity of user-generated content, and learn how to create engaging fact-checking investigations that will empower learners to detect and debunk misinformation online.”
• Digital Literacy Training Tutorials for Libraries – WebJunction
  • Learn about GCFLearnFree.org and DigitalLearn.org which “are two resources that provide free digital literacy and technology training tutorials.”
• Using DigitalLearn in Your Library – PLA
  • “Understand how to integrate DigitalLearn.org into the library’s digital literacy training efforts.”
• Teaching Patrons to Use Technology: Skills for One-on-One Tech Instruction – Florida Library Webinars
  • “In this webinar, learn practical training skills that will help boost your ability to help library patrons with technology questions.”

For webinars and CE: If you would like to earn continuing education (CE) credit and are enrolled in the Nebraska Public Librarian Certification program, please submit a “CE Activity Report Form” after each webinar.

If you have any questions about continuing education, please contact Holli Duggan.

Halloween is creeping closer with scary story marathons and late-night horror binges.

But what if you’re not a super fan of horror and don’t know where to start when someone asks for a recommendation? Or maybe you’re looking for something new? Below are just a few resources and webinars to help get in the spirit of readers’ advisory.

Resources:

• The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror (Second Edition) – Becky Siegel Spratford (2012)
• Paperbacks from Hell: A History of Horror Fiction from the ’70s and ’80s – Grady Hendrix (2017)
• RA For All: Horror – Becky Spratford
  • Blog posts every day in October with all sorts of resources, links, and lists
• Librarian’s Page – Horror Writers Association
• Horror Starter Pack (list of five titles) – NoveList
• Zombies and Skeletons and Vampires, Oh My! 10 Picks for Elementary Readers – School Library Journal
• Teen Screams: YA Horror for Every Kind of Reader – School Library Journal
• Summer Scares Program Inaugural Reading List – Partnership between Horror Writers Association, United for Libraries, Book Riot and School Library Journal

Webinars:

• Crash Course in Horror – NoveList (archived)
  • “Why horror is so popular and how libraries can ramp up the thrills and chills in their collection, how horror developed…subgenres and trends…search strategy tips and learn where to access genre-related information in NoveList”
• The Haunt They Want: Why Student Readers are Entranced by Horror & Suspense – Junior Library Guild (archived)
  • “Young readers are after the heart-pounding, nail-biting shivers that these novels deliver – and children’s and young-adult authors are making sure they’re adequately spooked. Join us for this book talk with JLG’s Mystery/Horror/Suspense category editor Maria Wang as she discusses how spooky and scary tales entrance student readers of all ages.”
• Spine-Chilling Ideas for Halloween at Your Library – Florida Library Webinars (archived)
  • “Halloween will be here before we know it and this interactive and informative webinar is for you if you are looking for fresh spooktacular ideas!”
• Exploring New Horizons in SF/Fantasy & Horror – Booklist (archived)

For webinars and CE: If you would like to earn continuing education (CE) credit and are enrolled in the Nebraska Public Librarian Certification program, please submit a “CE Activity Report Form” after each webinar.

If you have any questions about continuing education, please contact Holli Duggan.