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Author Archives: Mary Sauers
SBA Has a New Online Tool To Match Lenders To Entrepreneurs
The Small Business Administration is launching a first-of-its-kind tool on their website that will allow entrepreneurs looking for a small business loan to get matched with a SBA lender. This new tool, called LINC (Leveraging Information and Networks to access Capital) will have small business owners fill out a simple online form of 20 questions and connect them with lenders within 48 hours. By directly connecting with prospective borrowers, the agency will be able to provide more guidance and ensure more capital is reaching our nation’s entrepreneurs.
“LINC will bring entrepreneurs and SBA lenders together. There’s a hunger among entrepreneurs to find financing to get their business off the ground or take the next big step in their expansion plan. The SBA stands there ready to help them, now with a few simple clicks,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “Across the country, thousands of small business owners pound the pavement every day looking for term loans, equipment financing, lines of credit, invoice financing, and real estate loans to help them hire and grow. If you have a bankable business idea backed by good credit and sound financial planning, the SBA wants to streamline the process for you to get the capital you need.”
After filling out the form, a borrower’s answers will be sent to every lender in that borrower’s county, as well as to other lenders with a regional or national reach. Once lenders have reviewed the information that matters most to them, they’ll respond within 48 hours, all this for no fees or commitment. This option will untether entrepreneurs from the one neighborhood bank, using technology to get their foot in the door at any number of institutions and improve their access to capital.
LINC will roll out in waves. It will begin by connecting small business owners with nonprofit lenders that offer free financial advice and specialize in micro lending, loans in our Community Advantage program, and real estate financing. In the longer-term, SBA will look to add more traditional banks that offer an even wider array of financial products.
As of the launch of LINC, 124 lenders across SBA’s lending programs are participating in the outreach effort, operating in all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico. Since 2009, these borrowers have made more than 42,000 SBA loans, totaling more than $17 billion. Prospective borrowers may immediately go to https://www.sba.gov/tools/linc.
New Government Publications Received at the Library Commission
New state government publications ranging from Administrative Services to University of Nebraska Press, received in January 2015.
http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/archives/WhatsUpDoc/WUDJan2015.pdf
Friday Reads: The Homesman–A novel about Nebraska, by Glendon Swarthout
From Amazon:
“The Homesman is a devastating story of early pioneers in 1850s Nebraska. It celebrates the ones we hear nothing of: the brave women whose hearts and minds were broken by a life of bitter hardship. A “homesman” must be found to escort a handful of them back East to a sanitarium. When none of the county’s men steps up, the job falls to Mary Bee Cuddy—ex-teacher, spinster, indomitable and resourceful. Brave as she is, Mary Bee knows she cannot succeed alone. The only companion she can find is the low-life claim jumper George Briggs. Thus begins a trek east, against the tide of colonization, against hardship, Indian attacks, ice storms, and loneliness—a timeless classic told in a series of tough, fast-paced adventures.
Glendon Swarthout’s novel from 1988 won both the Western Writers of America’s Spur Award and the Western Heritage Wrangler Award. A new afterword by the author’s son Miles Swarthout tells of his parents Glendon and Kathryn’s discovery of and research into the lives of the oft-forgotten frontier women who make The Homesman as moving and believable as it is unforgettable.”
Having seen a trailer for the recent movie of the same title, starring Hillary Swank and Tommy Lee Jones, I picked up a copy of the book at the airport while my husband and I were traveling this past Christmas. The minute I started reading it, I was completely pulled in ; it was riveting and shocking, all at the same time. I highly recommend this book (and movie) about frontier Nebraska.
New Government Publications Received at the Library Commission
New state government publications ranging from Agriculture to University of Nebraska Press, received November and December, 2014.
http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/archives/WhatsUpDoc/WUDNovDec2014.pdf
A Balloon School in Nebraska?
While I was in Rochester, New York this past Christmas visiting my husband’s family, my father-in-law showed me some letters from a World War I 2nd Lieutenant from Spencerport, NY, who had a Nebraska connection. Based on the letters and some further research, I found out that this young man was stationed at Fort Omaha, Nebraska for Balloon School.
Fort Omaha (the Nebraska Memories picture to the left), located at 5730 North 30th Street, in Omaha, Nebraska, was opened in 1868 as an Indian War-era United States Army supply depot for various forts along the Platte River. This is also where Ponca Chief Standing Bear and 29 fellow Ponca were held prior to the landmark 1879 trial of Standing Bear v. Crook. Judge Elmer Dundy determined that American Indians were persons within the meaning of the law and that the Ponca were illegally detained after leaving Indian Territory in January 1879. 
The Nebraska Memories picture of the fort to the right, was taken about that same time period.
Fort Omaha today is primarily occupied by Metropolitan Community College, but continues to house Navy, Marine and Army Reserve units. The fort is located in the present-day Miller Park neighborhood of North Omaha. The Fort Omaha Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district includes the 1879 General Crook House Museum, as well as the 1879 Quartermaster’s office, 1878 commissary, 1884 guardhouse, 1883 ordnance magazine and 1887 mule stables.
In 1907 the Army built a large steel hangar at Fort Omaha for use in experiments with dirigibles, a program that was abandoned in 1909. This program and its successor, the military use of hot air balloons for reconnaissance missions, were part of the American Expeditionary Forces. A balloon house was built in 1908, and in 1909 the first balloon flight took place. Here is a picture from Nebraska Memories of the Balloon House at Fort Omaha, taken sometime between 1908 and 1910:
Shortly after the United States entered World War I, 800 men enlisted in the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corp, one of whom was William Spencer Barker, from Spencerport, NY. They were immediately sent to the Balloon School at Fort Omaha for training. More than 16,000 airmen went through the Balloon Schools at Fort Omaha and other locations around the U.S., between 1908 and the close of the program in 1919.
Balloonists were trained in map reading and charting troop movements. This information was communicated through an extensive switchboard system to artillery troops on the ground. The balloons were “captive” stationary balloons, utilized tail fins for stabilization, and had cables to tether the balloon to the ground.
In 1917, 2nd Lieutenant Baker was part of the 5th Squadron, Balloon Division, and did see military action with balloon squadrons in France from 1918-1919.
Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images of digitized from photographs, negatives, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books and other materials.
Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information, or contact Beth Goble, Historical Services Librarian, or Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.
2015 Nebraska Travel Guide
The new 2015 Nebraska Travel Guide is now available free from the Nebraska Travel Commission.
Copies are available individually and in quantities.
To request copies of the 2015 Nebraska Travel Guide please contact Kaitlyn Watermeier at ntc.tourism2@nebraska.gov or call Kaitlyn at 402-471-3744.
January webinar: Pathways to Guide Health Education at Your Library
Registration is now open for our January webinar: Pathways to Guide Health Education at Your Library:
Monday, January 26th
2:00 PM Eastern/11:00 AM Pacific
Access to reliable consumer health information is an essential component of individual and community well-being. Because of their unique role and reputation for being open and available to all, public libraries bring valuable assets to supporting local community health efforts. In this WebJunction webinar, participants will explore essential pathways for libraries to address meaningful health information and services. Participants will be introduced to foundational considerations for ensuring ethics and privacy in patron interactions, maintaining health collections at the public library, addressing community health literacy, and supporting healthy communities through partnerships. Participants will also be introduced to resources to advance these topics in their community, and leave the session prepared to join the strong network of public libraries advancing health education nationwide.
Learn more and register here: http://webjunction.org/events/webjunction/pathways-guide-health-education.html
IMLS and Dept. of Ed. hosts free digital strategy webinar
Tomorrow, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) at the U.S. Department of Education will host “Reboot your Digital Strategy,” a webinar that will explore national initiatives, resources, and tools that public and school librarians can use to enhance their digital literacy programming and services.
IMLS and OCTAE are working together to encourage effective collaborations between libraries and federally funded adult education programs. The issue is of national importance. The Survey of Adult Skills estimates that one in six adults, or about 36 million Americans, have low literacy. The goal of this joint effort is to enhance skills, employability, and quality of life for youths and adults with low literacy and digital literacy skills.
The “Reboot your Digital Strategy” webinar supports state and local level efforts to cross-train staff on digital literacy and builds awareness about national and regional Internet access expansion efforts. We encourage librarians to invite local partners, or potential partners, to participate in the webinar.
Webinar Details
Date: December 18, 2014
Time: 1:00–2:30 p.m. ET
Register for the Webinar
Presenters:
- Susan H. Hildreth, Director, Institute of Museum and Library Services
- Heidi Silver-Pacuilla, Team Leader, Applied Innovation and Improvement Division of Adult Education and Literacy, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education
- Sandra Toro, Senior Library Program Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services
- Amber Petty, Program Associate, Everyone On
Librarians interested in more information about digital literacy resources can visit the Department of Education website.
Reprinted by District Dispatch–the ALA Washington Office Newsletter, December 11, 2014.
Doc Spot: Senate Report on CIA Detension and Interrogation now available online
The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) has made available the official and authentic digital and print versions of the Report of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Detention and Interrogation Program, together with a forward by Chairman Feinstein and Additional and Minority Views (Senate Report 113-288).
This document comprises the declassified Executive Summary and Findings and Conclusions, including declassified additional and minority views. The full classified report will be maintained by the Committee and has been provided to the Executive Branch for dissemination to all relevant agencies.
The digital version is available on GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDsys).
The print version is available for purchase at GPO’s retail and online bookstore for $29.
Enroll in a health insurance plan TODAY for coverage starting January 1
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Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
President Barack Obama signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. More information and resources are available from the U.S. Department of Labor.
In addition, the American Library Association (ALA) has released a list of resources and tools that provide more information about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as it relates to libraries. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act allows public libraries to be considered additional One-Stop partners, prohibits federal supervision or control over selection of library resources and authorizes adult education and literacy activities provided by public libraries as an allowable statewide employment and training activity.
- Have additional questions about WIOA? Access additional WIOA resources (pdf)
- Watch the archived WIOA webinar now (Note: You must download the WebEx media player to view the video)
- Download PowerPoint slides from the webinar (ppt)
Reprinted from District Dispatch: The Official ALA Washington Office Blog, November 25, 2014.
Free webinar: The latest on Ebola
As the Ebola outbreak continues, the public must sort through all of the information being disseminated via the news media and social media. In this rapidly evolving environment, librarians are providing valuable services to their communities as they assist their users in finding credible information sources on Ebola, as well as other infectious diseases.
On Tuesday, December 12, 2014, library leaders from the U.S. National Library of Medicine will host the free webinar “Ebola and Other Infectious Diseases: The Latest Information from the National Library of Medicine.” As a follow-up to the webinar they presented in October, librarians from the U.S. National Library of Medicine will be discussing how to provide effective services in this environment, as well as providing an update on information sources that can be of assistance to librarians.
Speakers
- Siobhan Champ-Blackwell is a librarian with the U.S. National Library of Medicine Disaster Information Management Research Center. Champ-Blackwell selects material to be added to the NLM disaster medicine grey literature data base and is responsible for the Center’s social media efforts. Champ-Blackwell has over 10 years of experience in providing training on NLM products and resources.
- Elizabeth Norton is a librarian with the U.S. National Library of Medicine Disaster Information Management Research Center where she has been working to improve online access to disaster health information for the disaster medicine and public health workforce. Norton has presented on this topic at national and international association meetings and has provided training on disaster health information resources to first responders, educators, and librarians working with the disaster response and public health preparedness communities.
Date: December 12, 2014
Time: 2:00 PM–3:00 PM Eastern
Register for the free event
If you cannot attend this live session, a recorded archive will be available to view at your convenience. To view past webinars also done in collaboration with iPAC, please visit Lib2Gov.org.
Reprinted from District Dispatch: The Official ALA Washington Office Blog, November 21, 2014.
Immigration Information
In light of President Obama’s immigration speech last night, libraries may be receiving more questions about contacting Immigration Services.
Please take a moment to make note of, bookmark, or post these sources for information:
USCIS Nebraska Field Office: Omaha (Website)
USCIS
1717 Avenue H
Omaha, NE 68110
402-633-4000
USCIS National Customer Service Center (Website)
1 (800) 375-5283
1 (800) 767-1833 (TTY)
Only Two More Days Until Health Insurance Open Enrollment: November 15th-February 15, 2015
A one-page guide to the Health Insurance Marketplace
Here’s a quick rundown on the most important things to know about the Health Insurance Marketplace, sometimes known as the health insurance “exchange.” Follow the links for more information on each topic.
Important. 2014 Marketplace Open Enrollment ended March 31. You can still buy a Marketplace health plan only if you qualify for a special enrollment period. You can apply for Medicaid and CHIP any time. Find out if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period or Medicaid and CHIP. Open Enrollment for 2015 coverage starts November 15, 2014.
The Health Insurance Marketplace helps uninsured people find health coverage. Fill out a Marketplace application and we’ll tell you if you qualify for:
- Private health insurance. Plans cover essential health benefits, pre-existing conditions, and preventive care. Some plans include dental coverage. In other cases, free-standing dental plans are available.
- Lower costs based on your household size and income. You can preview plans available in your area right now, with prices based on your income and household size. Most people who apply will qualify for lower costs.
- Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These programs cover millions of families with limited income. If it looks like you qualify, we’ll share information with your state agency and they’ll contact you. Many but not all states are expanding Medicaid to cover more people. Find out what Medicaid expansion means for you.
Most people are eligible to use the Marketplace. Learn more about immigration status and eligibility.
Most people must have health coverage or pay a penalty. If you don’t have coverage in 2014, you’ll pay a fee of either 1% of your income, or $95 per adult ($47.50 per child), whichever is higher. You’ll pay the fee on your 2015 income taxes.
Some people qualify for an exemption from the fee, based on income or other factors.
You’re considered covered if you have Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, any job-based plan, any plan you bought yourself, COBRA, retiree coverage, TRICARE, VA health coverage, or some other kinds of health coverage.
You can also buy a plan outside the Marketplace and still be considered covered. If you buy outside the Marketplace, you won’t be eligible for premium tax credits or lower out-of-pocket costs based on your income.
If you’re eligible for job-based insurance, you can consider switching to a Marketplace plan. But you won’t qualify for lower costs based on your income unless the job-based insurance isn’t considered affordable or doesn’t meet minimum requirements.
If you have Medicare, you’re considered covered and don’t have to make any changes. If you have Medicare, you can’t use the Marketplace to buy a supplemental plan or dental plan.
Learn how to apply through the Marketplace—online, by phone, or with a paper application..
Questions? Call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325)
New Government Publications Received at the Library Commission
New state government publications ranging from Administrative Services to Nebraska Press, received September and October, 2014.
http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/archives/WhatsUpDoc/WUDSeptOct2014.pdf
Remembering Nebraska Veterans
Veterans Day is an official United States holiday that honors people who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is a federal holiday (originally known as Armistice Day) that is observed on November 11 ; that date being chosen because major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice went into effect. In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks from Birmingham, Alabama, had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who died in World War I. Congress officially changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day on June 1, 1954.
In honor of our Nebraska veterans, I would like to mention a few of the photographs that can be found in Nebraska Memories. The picture above is of the Veteran’s Memorial in Bruno, Nebraska. The picture to the right is of Orin W. Boston, of David City, Nebraska, wearing his father’s Union Civil War uniform. The picture below is of Clyde Zeilinger, who first served on the Mexican border, then was a medic and a prisoner of war during World War I.
The next photograph is of Evelyn Powell of David City, Nebraska, who served in the US Naval Reserve (Women’s Reserve) during World War II.
Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images digitized from photographs, negatives, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books and other materials.
Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information, or contact Beth Goble, Historical Projects Librarian, or Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.
UPDATE: IRS Tax Form Program for Libraries
On Tuesday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that the agency will continue to deliver 1040 EZ forms to public libraries that are participating in the Tax Forms Outlet Program (TFOP). TFOP offers tax products to the American public primarily through participating libraries and post offices. The IRS will distribute new order forms to participating libraries in the next two to three weeks.
The IRS released the following statement on November 4, 2014:
Based on the concerns expressed by many of our TFOP partners, we are now adding the Form 1040 EZ, Income Tax Return for Single and Joint Filers with No Dependents, to the list of forms that can be ordered. We will send a supplemental order form to you in two to three weeks. We strongly recommend you keep your orders to a manageable level primarily due to the growing decline in demand for the form and our print budget. Taxpayers will be able to file Form 1040 EZ and report that they had health insurance coverage, claim an exemption from coverage or make a shared responsibility payment. However, those who purchased health coverage from the Health Insurance Marketplace must use the Form 1040 or 1040A.Your help communicating this to your patrons within your normal work parameters would be greatly appreciated.
We also heard and understood your concerns of our decision to limit the number of Publication 17 we plan to distribute. Because of the growing cost to produce and distribute Pub 17, we are mailing to each of our TFOP partners, including branches, one copy for use as a reference. We believe that the majority of local demand for a copy of or information from Publication 17 can be met with a visit to our website at www.irs.gov/formspubs or by ordering it through the Government Printing Office. We value and appreciate the important work you do providing IRS tax products to the public and apologize for any inconvenience this service change may cause.
Public library leaders will have the opportunity to discuss the management and effectiveness of the Tax Forms Outlet Program with leaders from the IRS during the 2015 American Library Association Midwinter Meeting session “Tell the IRS: Tax Forms in the Library.” The session takes place on Sunday, February 1, 2015.
Reprinted from District Dispatch, November 4, 2014.
“Grantseeking Basics” and “Introduction to Finding Funders” training October 28
The Love Library at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln will host a free workshop on grantseeking for nonprofit organizations on Tuesday, October 28th from 10:00am to 12:00pm in Love Library, Room 110. The sessions will be led by Kief Schladweiler, Funding Information Network Services Specialist with the Foundation Center (http://foundationcenter.org). Mr. Schladweiler will highlight the electronic and print resources available for your free use at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln’s Love Library, a Funding Information Network partner of the Foundation Center.
Grantseeking Basics
Gain an introduction to the world of foundation fundraising. Are you a representative of a nonprofit organization? New to fundraising? Do you want to learn how the funding research process works, and what tools and resources are available? Learn how to become a better grantseeker! We will cover: what you need to have in place before you seek a grant; the world of grantmakers; the grantseeking process; and available tools and resources.
Introduction to Finding Funders
This session provides an introduction to the Foundation Center’s comprehensive online database, Foundation Directory Online Professional. Learn how to create customized searches to develop targeted lists of foundations that will match your organization’s funding needs. We will spend time exploring Power Search, which allows you to search across nine Foundation Center databases – grantmakers, grants, companies, 990s, news, jobs, RFPs, nonprofit literature, and IssueLab reports.
Save a Place for Yourself
Please come if you can, and bring friends and associates.
To guarantee a seat, please contact Bob Bolin at the UNL Libraries at:
(402) 489-4926 or rbolin2@unl.edu
Kief Schladweiler has been the Foundation Center’s Funding Information Network Services Specialist since 2005. Prior to that he served as the Center’s online librarian for several years. He joined the Foundation Center in 1999 after working as a reference librarian for The New York Public Library. He received his M.A. in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Health Happens in Libraries…Continues
WebJunction, in partnership with ZeroDivide and with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, will expand the focus of their Health Happens in Libraries program to magnify the role of public libraries as key contributors to community health. They will partner with public libraries and health information experts to develop health competency pathways that library staff can use to advance services in common community health topics. They’ll also work with 3 – 5 public libraries and their local health partners to co-create community engagement models, and share those models broadly. And finally, a range of communications resources will be developed to help library staff advocate with members of local communities about how libraries help in health and wellness, and these resources will be freely available for use by any library. You can read the full post “Connecting for Care in Your Community” about their recent and upcoming work at WebJunction.org.
Resource Review
- The full archive is now available for the September 2014 WebJunction webinar: Health Happens in Libraries: Looking Ahead to 2015 Open Enrollment. Presenters from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of Minority Health, and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh shared strategies and resources to connect with partners and support patrons who may have information needs regarding the health insurance marketplace, and how to understand and utilize their new coverage.
- Enroll America is hosting a free webinar series regarding Effective Strategies for the Second Open Enrollment Period, including a focus on Health Insurance Literacy in a Monday, 10/20 session at 2 PM ET. Library staff or partners interested in community outreach on health topics may benefit from the information in this series. Archived recordings of sessions will also be made available.
- October is Health Literacy Month! Great resources to help your organizations, partners, and community members understand what health literacy is, why it matters, and how to strengthen it are available from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and MedlinePlus.
Friday Reads: Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
There is something that has always fascinated me about the idea of time travel. I’m not sure if it’s a desire to change the past, or a desire to just experience a different time period, whether past or future. Either way, when the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon was first published, I was immediately caught up in the adventures of English nurse Claire Beauchamp Randall and her journey back in time to 18th century Scotland. I’ve enjoyed this series so much I’ve read it twice, and at the moment, I’m listening to it in audio format. Here’s a little more detail about the story, from Amazon:
“In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon–when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of our Lord…1743.
Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire’s destiny is soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie and the forbidden Castle Leoch. She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life …and shatter her heart. For here, James “Jamie” Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire…and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.”
The books are so well written, rich in history and characters that you’ll remember long after you’ve finished the books, that it now has eight+ titles, and is in its’ first season on the Starz TV network. Enjoy!
