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Author Archives: Mary Jo Ryan
2011 Nebraska Book Festival Set for May 21, 2011
Save the Date!
The Nebraska Center for the Book has set the 2011 Nebraska Book Festival for May 21, 2011, from 1:00 to 6:30 p.m. at Nebraska State Historical Society’s Nebraska History Museum, 131 Centennial Mall North, Lincoln. The festival will again be dedicated to honoring Nebraska writers and will focus on the rich literary offerings of Nebraska. Nebraska authors with books published in 2010 have been invited to read from their work and Writers’ Workshops, led by Timothy Schaffert and Jim Reese, will be made available free of charge (courtesy a grant from the Nebraska Arts Council).
Confirmed Nebraska writers who will read from their ©2010 work include:
•Ted Kooser, Bag in the Wind,
•James Solheim, Born Yesterday,
•Greg Kosmicki, New Route in the Dream,
•Sue Bauman, (writing as Laura Landon) Shattered Dreams and When love is Enough
•Jim Reese, Ghost on 3rd, and
•Others to be announced.
Plans for additional readings and other activities are in the works. This event promises to be another great day that motivates Nebraska readers, writers, teachers, and learners to come together to hear about and talk about the most recent work of a variety of Nebraska writers. We invite you to save the date: May 21, 2011.
NOTE: Keep up with the Festival on Facebook.com, search on Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Book Festival, and/or One Book One Nebraska.
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Public Relations
2 Comments
Donate Copies of “Local Wonders” to Nebraska Libraries
Call for books for library Book Club Kits: “Local Wonders” by Ted Kooser was selected as the 2011 One Book One Nebraska statewide read (announced at the Celebration of Nebraska Books on Nov. 6 in Lincoln). If you would like to donate copies of the book, to be used for library book club kits, please drop them off at the Nebraska Library Commission, 1200 N Street, Suite 120, Lincoln NE, M-F, 8-5. Thanks, mjr
Podcasts for Consumer Health Available
Are you always on the go? Now your health information can go with you – anywhere, anytime. On average, we spend over 100 hours a year commuting to and from work. Add to that time spent waiting in line, airport delays, and inclement weather and the hours of your day dwindle. Don’t fret! These time vacuums provide a great opportunity to learn about health topics by listening to a podcast.
Podcasting is a method of accessing audio programs over the Internet. They can be played on your computer, or downloaded to a portable device such as an MP3 player or iPhone. There are numerous quality podcasting sites for health information: from medical topics, to fitness, to nutrition. Podcasts are a great way to conveniently catch up on current health news, get motivated in your exercise program, or learn a new recipe. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
*The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has a new series titled Healthcare 411. This weekly podcast – in English and Spanish – focuses on evidence-based information, and features consumer-friendly health news. http://healthcare411.ahrq.gov/subscribe.aspx.
*Duke University Medical Center Library has compiled consumer/patient health information related podcasts – including National Public Radio’s NPR: Your Health Podcast. http://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/content.php?pid=8784&sid=56867.
*The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute offers podcasts on heart disease, insomnia, obesity, high blood pressure, and more! http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/pods/podcasts.html.
*The National Institutes of Health sponsors NIH Radio, a 24-hour audio news service broadcasting the latest in health research and news in English and Spanish. http://www.nih.gov/news/radio/index.htm.
*The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HHS HealthBeat podcasts provides health promotion and disease prevention tips five days a week. http://www.hhs.gov/news/healthbeat/.
*The United States Department of Agriculture offers one minute MyPyramid audio podcasts to help you make better food choices throughout the day. http://www.mypyramid.gov/audiopoddcasts/index.html
Visit USA.gov (www.usa.gov) for other health podcasts from the U.S. Government.
For more information, contact:
Marty Magee
National Network/Libraries of Medicine
Education and Nebraska Liaison
McGoogan Library of Medicine
Univ. of Nebraska Medical Center
986706 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha NE 68198-6706
402-559-7076
800-338-7657
mmagee@unmc.edu
Positions Now Open for Library Broadband Builds Nebraska Communities Project
Positions responsible for the implementation of the Nebraska Library Commission statewide library public computer center project (Library Broadband Builds Nebraska Communities) are now open.
Individuals interested in the following positions:
*[obsolete link removed] Project and Program Coordinator (Information Technology Infrastructure Support Analyst/Senior) #034-60001
*[obsolete link removed] Information Technology Infrastructure Support Analyst/Sr (IT Support Coordinator) #034-60002 *[obsolete link removed] Federal Aid Administrator II (Grant Compliance Officer) #034-60003
should visit the website: statejobs.nebraska.gov to apply online on or before 10/1/10, OR visit a NE Workforce Development office, and/or call 402-471-2075.
For more information about Library Broadband Builds Nebraska Communities, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/lbbnc/.
Sherry Crow of Kearney Appointed to Nebraska Library Commission
Gov. Dave Heineman recently appointed Sherry R. Crow, of Kearney, to a three-year term on the Nebraska Library Commission. When notified of her appointment, she said, “Libraries are my passion! I look forward to ‘rolling up my sleeves’ with the other commissioners and the staff members as we support Nebraska libraries in their mission to serve the people of this great state.”
Dr. Crow is Assistant Professor of School Library Science and Educational Media at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) and has served as a member of the Meridian Library System Board of Directors. She has worked in both public and school library settings and speaks statewide, nationally, and internationally on various library topics—especially the importance of fostering the love of reading and information-seeking in young people. In 2002 she was granted the Harold Hill Leadership Award by the Colorado Association of Libraries and in 2004 was named Colorado Librarian of the Year. Crow began her career at UNK in 2006 as an adjunct professor and was appointed to her current position in 2008. She received her Ph.D. in Library and Information Management from Emporia State University in 2008.
Posted in General
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Get out and REACH! Outreach Projects and Health Information Recording Now Available
A SPECIAL EDITION of NCompass Live: Get out and REACH! Outreach Projects and Health Information led with an Outreach Panel of health information professionals featuring
Nick Butler – Health Literacy Missouri; Anne Heimann – Library Director at Lincoln Bryan LGH; Josie Rodriguez – Consumer Outreach Coordinator for Nebraska Attorney General’s Office; and Gary A. Wasdin – Director, Omaha Public Library. I’m attending this session to get general (and specific) ideas that I can share with librarians about planning outreach to specific community populations. Gary Wasdin just shared a great idea of using a simple flip camera to record stories on-the-spot when library customers tell us what a difference the library makes for their families. Check out his presentation on the recording.
This is proving to be a great opportunity to hear from people who have successfully run outreach projects. People from public libraries, school libraries, public health departments, community and faith based organizations are getting ideas for projects and partnerships. Ideas for discussion/funding/potential projects are shared at http://outreachcamp.pbworks.com/.
A recording of the panel discussion is available via the Libary Commission Training & Events Calendar.
There is no cost to view this session.
Get out and REACH! Outreach Projects and Health Information was presented by: Marty Magee & Siobhan Champ-Blackwell – National Network of Libraries of Medicine, MidContinental Region.
Letters about Literature Contest Now Open
Young readers in grades 4 – 12 are invited to write a personal letter to an author for Letters About Literature (LAL), a national reading and writing promotion program. The letter can be to any author (living or dead) from any genre—fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic—explaining how that author’s work changed the student’s view of the world. The reading and writing promotion is sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, in partnership with Target. In Nebraska, Letters About Literature is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission, with support from Houchen Bindery Ltd.
LAL awards prizes on both the state and national levels. The Nebraska Center for the Book has its own panel of judges who select the top letter writers in the state. Nebraska winners are honored in a proclamation-signing ceremony at the state capitol during National Library Week. State Winners will receive $50 Target Gift Cards and additional prizes, and then advance to the National Level Judging.
A panel of national judges for the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress will select six National Winners and twelve National Honorable Mention Winners. The National Winners will receive a $500 Target GiftCard, plus each will secure a $10,000 LAL Reading Promotion Grant in their name for his or her community or school library so that others can experience personal relationships with authors and the stories they tell. The National Honorable Mention Winners will each receive a $100 Target GiftCard, plus each will secure a $1,000 LAL Reading Promotion Grant in their name for his or her community or school library. The community or school library selected for the National Winners and National Honorable Mention Winners is at the Sponsor’s sole discretion.
Students compete in three grade levels: Level 1 for grades 4 – 6; Level 2 for grades 7 – 8; and Level 3 for grades 9 – 12. Teachers, librarians, and parents can download free teaching materials on reader response and reflective writing at www.lettersaboutliterature.org. Submissions must be postmarked by December 10, 2010. State winners will be notified in March 2011 and national winners by mid-April. Nebraska-specific information (including letters from Nebraska winners of past contests) is available at centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html . For more information contact Mary Jo Ryan, email, 402-471-3434 or 800-307-2665.
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Public Relations, Youth Services
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Free Big Read Discussion Packets for Nebraska Librarians
The Nebraska Library Commission has a limited number of Big Read discussion packets to help bring Nebraska communities together to read, discuss, and celebrate some of the greatest stories in United States and world literature.
Big Read book discussion packets are available to schools and libraries to keep as part of their library collections. Student guides can be distributed to participants for them to keep. Just complete an order form (Big Read Order Form) and the packets will be ready to be picked up at the NLA/NEMA Annual Conference in Grand Island, October 14-15, or arrangements can be made to pick up the packets at the Nebraska Library Commission in Lincoln. An example of what the packets offer can be seen at http://www.neabigread.org/books/myantonia. To learn more about the Big Read discussion packets, join Mary Jo Ryan on NCompass Live on Wednesday, October 6 at 10:00 a.m. CT for a discussion of how these materials can be used and a sampling of the materials. For more information, to register for upcoming NCompass Live events, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the Library Commission Training and Events Calendar. Print the attached order form and circle the titles that you would like to order. Specify the number of reader guides, audio guides, and teacher guides that you want. Mail, fax, or e-mail the form to the Nebraska Library Commission (1200 N Street, Lincoln NE, 68508-2023, E-mail: email, Fax: 402-471-2083), and the packets will be available at the Annual Conference.
September 25-October 2, 2010 is Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read
Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted banning of books across the United States.
Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.
The books featured during Banned Books Week have been targets of attempted banning. Fortunately, while some books were banned or restricted, in a majority of cases the books were not banned, all thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, booksellers, and members of the community to retain the books in the library collections. Imagine how many more books might be challenged—and possibly banned or restricted—if librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country did not use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society.
Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; American Library Association; American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers ; and National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
For more information on getting involved with Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read, please see Calendar of Events and Ideas and Resources. You can also contact the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom at 800-545-2433, ext. 4220, or E-mail: bbw@ala.org.
Celebration of Nebraska Books Planned for November 6, 2010
The Nebraska Center for the Book is planning a Celebration of Nebraska Books on November 6, 2010 at the Nebraska State Historical Society’s Nebraska History Museum. The celebration is open to the public and will include a program highlighting the 2010 One Book One Nebraska selection, The Home Place, by Wright Morris.
The celebration will feature the winners of the 2010 Nebraska Book Awards with an Awards Ceremony honoring the winning authors and publishers. Featured winning authors will read from their work and sign copies of their books.
The 2010 Jane Geske Award will also be presented. The Nebraska Center for the Book annually presents the Jane Geske Award to an organization, business, library, school, association, or other group that has made an exceptional contribution to literacy, books, reading, libraries, or Nebraska literature. The Jane Geske Award commemorates Geske’s passion for books, and was established in recognition of her contributions to the well-being of the libraries of Nebraska. Jane Geske was a founding member of the Nebraska Center for the Book and a long-time leader in many Nebraska library and literary activities.
The Nebraska Center for the Book will also announce the 2011 One Book One Nebraska book selection at the Nebraska Center for the Book Celebration of Nebraska Books on November 6, 2010.
The Nebraska Center for the Book Annual Meeting will also be held at the November 6 Celebration.
As additional information about the Celebration of Nebraska Books becomes available, it will be shared via Facebook, as well as the Nebraska Humanities Council and Nebraska Center for the Book websites.
For information about One Book One Nebraska, including current and previous book selections, see http://www.onebookonenebraska.org or join us on Facebook. For more information contact Mary Jo Ryan, 402-471-3434 or 800-307-2665.
Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training, Public Relations
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Free Online Advocacy Training, Turning the Page, Offered by PLA
Turning the Page: Building Your Library Community online training is now available free of charge. In June 2007, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded PLA a $7.7 million grant to develop and provide a national advocacy training program.
The program, branded Turning the Page: Building Your Library Community is designed to equip librarians and library supporters with the skills, confidence, and resources they need to create community partnerships, build alliances with local and regional decision makers, and ultimately increase funding for their libraries. This training was specifically developed for library systems participating in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Opportunity Online hardware grants program. Participating Nebraska libraries attended this training in 2009. Through the generosity of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Turning the Page online is now available to all ALA members absolutely free of charge!
September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month for Public Libraries
The American Library Association (ALA) urges Nebraska libraries, along with libraries all across the country, to celebrate the value of getting a library card. Lately, there has been a huge growth in the number of people who rely on our public libraries for everything from finding a job to unlocking The Da Vinci Code. Others have found our libraries as a place they can surf the Internet, access the latest DVD releases, or perhaps just sit and relax and read a book or newspaper.
Nebraska libraries are urged to tell your local version of these stories and to remind parents and children that a library card is the most important school supply of all. Resources to help with promotion are available at the Campaign for America’s Libraries.
Click on Comments below to share your creative ideas to promote September 2010: Library Card Sign-up Month.
Posted in Public Relations
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Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration to offer two webinars regarding collaboration with libraries
The Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration will soon offer
two webinars related to collaboration with libraries as part of its new
partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS):
July 19: This webinar will highlight promising state and local examples of
workforce-library collaboration. Details to be announced on the Workforce3One
website. (Registration is required to access site content.)
http://www.workforce3one.org/
August 11: This webinar on WebJunction will present an introduction to the
workforce system and the electronic tools most helpful to library staff. Free
registration is open now.
http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=1661.
This programming partnership has tremendous potential to help the job seekers in our Nebraska communities. Click on Comment below to share information about how you are helping job seekers in your library.
Libraries and the National Broadband Plan
Last week, I attended a session at the ALA Conference about Broadband Adoption and the Role of the Public Library. One speaker stressed these reasons why libraries need broadband internet access to help their customers:
•Permit e-mail with large attachments (customers need this to submit job applications, resumes, etc.)
•Skype conversations inside and outside the country (for many customers, libraries are providing a lifeline for family members to communicate with overseas military)
•Reference/education resource access which can include video, large data files, etc. (as educational opportunities move increasingly online and more bandwidth intensive, libraries are helping to bridge the education gap)
The speakers made the point that investment in national telecommunications infrastructure is designed to move us beyond the centuries-old telephone system and is seen as the key to developing the new connective tissue for our economic recovery. They stressed that libraries are key players in the effort to use broadband to help foster national purposes, including civic participation and community development.
The National Broadband Plan was characterized as still a work in progress.
Goals…Every American will have affordable access to robust broadband service, skills to use the service to the fullest, and that every community’s anchor institutions (Note from MJR: “especially libraries”) have access to extend to their customers.
Congress will be asked to fund the plan to develop and support a National Digital Literacy Program::
•Libraries are critical, but lack the resources, to teach the skills that people of all ages need
•Establish Digital Literacy Corps…trainers to promote digital literacy with age-appropriate training in the citizen’s owm language
•Create an online digital literacy portal—with online/offline lessons, to be distributed by libraries and other community anchor institutions
•Provide funding to libraries for training and capacity-building
•E-government services should take into account the role of public libraries as the access point for many citizens
Reform Universal Service Program
Since it is believed that the current E-rate program may now deter applicants from applying, there is current consideration of ways to fast-track applicants and allow dark fiber usage and allow tribal libraries to receive funding.
NOTE: Although comments on e-rate changes are due July 9, reply comments are not due until July 26. The speakers suggested that a good way to comment is to reply to the comments submitted by ALA, Gates Foundation, and others).
Monitor the progress on the Plan at www.broadband.gov
NM State Library: Fast Forward New Mexico
The New Mexico State Library Received a Round 1 Broadband Technology Opportunities Programs (BTOP) grant to:
•Build Digital Literacy (Internet training in 16 communities and build and test a training model that can be replicated in other communities)
•Preliminary visit for needs assessment
•Develop awareness events to kick-off training (8 courses—64 hours—run 2x in each community)…very specific course outlines
•Train the Trainer sessions for library staff and volunteers
•Promote broadband adoption and utilization of broadband services, document barriers, and organize statewide conference to raise awareness
•Specific messages developed for specific target populations
•Aligned with state mapping project (partner in grant—working on statewide conference together)
•Support anchor institutions and create a community level networks of local internet access points…asset mapping the resources that exist to help citizens
•Create advocacy resources to support the role of public libraries as anchor institutions—training library staff and supporters as more effective advocats
The Social Sciences Research Council (SSRC) has developed an independent study to find out why only 63% of Americans have broadband access in their homes, Broadband Adoption in Low Income Communities, see http://webarchive.ssrc.org/pdfs/Broadband_Adoption_v1.1.pdf. Dharma Daily indicated that they have been seeking information about:
•Availability…They have numerous photos of lines of customers outside libraries—waiting for the library to open so they can use the high-speed internet access.
•Value…Only one individual in study said they are absolutely not interested in the internet.
•Urgent drivers of adoption..Jobs, education, government services—Broadband service is increasingly a prerequisite of social and economic inclusion in US (and low income communities know it). However, people prioritized their cell phones over internet access.
•Affordability…Price is only one factor but it is #1.
•Usability…People report needing digital literacy skill building, not just read/write literacy skill building. It is quite evident that different age groups interact with the technology in very different ways.
How does this information compare to your experiences in your library? Click on Comment below to share your thoughts…Thanks, Mary Jo
Jane Geske Award Nominations Due July 15, 2010
Nominations are sought for the Nebraska Center for the Book’s 2010 Jane Geske Award. Established in recognition of Geske’s contributions to the well-being of the libraries of Nebraska, the award recognizes a Nebraska association, organization, business, library, school, academic institution, or other group that has made an exceptional long-term contribution to the Nebraska Community of the Book in regard to literacy, books, reading, libraries, bookselling, and/or writing in Nebraska. Geske, former Nebraska Library Commission Director, was a founding member of the Nebraska Center for the Book and a long-time, active participant in many Nebraska library and literary activities.
The 2009 Jane Geske Award was presented to the Golden Sower Award Committee of the Nebraska Library Association’s School, Children’s, and Young People’s Section. The Golden Sower Award is Nebraska’s children’s choice award for literature. Thousands of Nebraska students participate in the Golden Sower Award program each year, with 66,648 children voting for their favorite reads this year.
Nominations and supporting letters must be received by July 15 at Nebraska Center for the Book Jane Geske Award, c/o Rod Wagner, Nebraska Library Commission Director, 1200 N Street, Suite 120, Lincoln NE 68508- 2023, 402-471-4001, 800-307-2665, fax: 402-471-2083.
The 2010 Jane Geske Award will be presented at the Nebraska Center for the Book Celebration of Nebraska Books on November 6, 2010 in Lincoln. The celebration is open to the public and will include a program highlighting the 2010 One Book One Nebraska selection, The Home Place, by Wright Morris. The celebration will feature the winners of the Nebraska Book Awards, with an Awards Ceremony honoring the winning authors and publishers. Featured winning authors will read from their work. The Nebraska Center for the Book Annual Meeting will also be held on November 6.
As additional information about the Celebration of Nebraska Books becomes available, it will be shared via our Facebook page. What organization do you think should be honored this year?
Public Librarians Help Citizens Access Their Government for Services and Information
I attended a great session at the ALA Conference on E-Government from a librarian’s perspective, stressing the role of public librarians in helping citizens to access government information and services that are increasingly being migrated online. The point was made that libraries are positioned to expand their traditional role of providing Information and Referral (I & R) to proactive assistance for customers accessing services online. Since federal and state agencies are reducing traditional services, citizens are increasingly seeking help in libraries to interact with their government.
The current administration is in the process of rebranding e-government through the Open Government Initiative (Usa.gov) to encompass participation, interaction, and engagement, including:
•Commenting on a regulation or policy
•“Voting” on new regulation, policy or direction (not really voting, but weighing in)
•Idea banks (Asking the question, “How would you like your government to do this?”)
•Contests
•Data sharing (data.gov is a central portal for all government data)
Resources for public librarians who are helping citizens access their government include:
•Webinars (including some offered by Webjunction and the ALA Washington office)
•E-government tools (including Florida’s Best Practices Toolkit)
•Other resources (including those offered by Techsoup and the E-gov subcommittee of the ALA Washington Office)
•Social media tools
•Go.usa.gov shortens government URLs into short, trackable links
How do you think that Nebraska libraries can help our citizens engage with this new government environment and how can we help prepare librarians to expand their traditional I & R role? Click on Comment below to share your thoughts…Thanks, Mary Jo
U.S. Dept. of Labor (DOL) Endorses Partnership with Libraries
I attended a session at the ALA Conference on June 25, at which the U.S. Dept. of Labor (DOL) endorsed libraries as critical intermediaries in achieving DOL goals with their customers. Linda Strong, JobLink Manager NC Commission on Workforce Development, described how the North Carolina partnership with the local Onestop Workforce Development Center and the library system provides another portal to workforce service delivery. They stress that library hours allow customers to access better and more technology than what is available at the DOL Onestop center (which also may not be as close to their home as the library).
This partnership is extremely timely, given the increased number of job hunters that are visiting our libraries due to the downturn in the economy. Library partners are empowered to direct folks to services, help them access online resources, and refer to the closest Onestop center and Joblink resources. Local workforce area and onestop staff have embraced their library colleagues as extension of Onesotp and Joblink system. What is happening in your library? Are you seeing an increase in job hunting customers? What are your challenges in helping them? Have you tried partnering with and referring to your area Department of Labor colleagues?
Click on Comment below to share your thoughts…Thanks, Mary Jo
Opportunity Online Partner Meeting
Devra and I are attending the Opportunity Online Partner Meeting, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Foundation staff are sharing information about the existing/last round of hardware programs (by the end of 2011, 2,500 libraries in 32 states will have leveraged $11.5 M in local matching funds and installed more than 17, 500 computers) and about the Foundation’s next set of investments to support public access to technology (moving toward supporting local efforts to manage, advocate for, and invest in public access to technology).
They pointed out that advocacy training, Turning the Page, was presented to 3600 library leaders from 32 states with participants reporting 85% confidence in ability to build public support for the library (vs. 44% prior to the training). What are those of you who attended the Nebraska training doing right now to raise your local matching funds for your Opportunity Online Hardware grants?
One topic that is getting everyone’s attention is the answer to the question, “What will the Foundation do next?” They seem to be clearly saying, “Our investments have changed with the evolution of adoption of Public Access technology. Our next investments will focus on cementing the gains the field has made in providing and sustaining technology.” The focus for 2010-2014 is Anchor Access—Capacity Building and Advocacy. Tools the Foundation will be helping us develop:
•Public Access technology benchmarks that make sense to local stakeholders
•Sustainable professional development program to help library leaders improve Public Access technology using benchmarks
•Incentivize broad adoption of Public Access technology benchmarks and evolve the standards via providing funding for leading innovators—innovation grants for high performers
•Research on the value of public libraries and dissemination of findings to decision-makers
•Additional investments to leverage existing advocacy efforts
What do you think about this approach? Do you think benchmarks could help Nebraska libraries to motivate re-investment in public access technology?
Click on Comment below to share your thoughts…Thanks, Mary Jo
Posted in General, Library Management, Public Relations, Technology
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Handouts from 2010 NETA Conference
From: Steve Batty [mailto:sbatty@mccooknet.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2010 12:22 PM
Subject: NETA 2010 free sites-software
Below are handout materials gathered at the 2010 Nebraska Educational Technology Association Annual Conference, “Creative Journeys to Learning,” held April 28-30 in La Vista:
20 Free or low-cost Neat Software Applications
1. Audacity – http://audacity.sourceforge.net – PC/Mac – Free audio recording and editing software
2. Seashore – http://seashore.sourceforge.net/ – Mac – Free graphic design software
*Sumo Paint – http://seashore.sourceforge.net/ – PC Option
*Tux Paint – http://www.tuxpaint.org/ – PC/Mac – Free drawing program for students ages 3 -12
3. Skype – http://www.skype.com/ – PC/Mac – Free phone calls and video conferencing software
4. Stellarium – http://www.stellarium.org/ – PC/Mac – Free planetarium software for your computer
5. Celestia – http://www.shatters.net/celestia – PC/Mac – Free space simulation software that lets you explore our universe in three dimensions.
6. Google Earth – http://earth.google.com/ – PC/Mac – Free software for maps and satellite images
7. Google Docs – http://docs.google.com/ – Web browser Online word processor, spreadsheet, forms, and presentation software
8. Google Sketchup – http://sketchup.google.com/ – PC/Mac – Free 3D modeling drawing app. *http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/ example
9. Little Geometry – http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/ – Mac only – Free basic math tool set
10. KompoZer – http://kompozer.net/ – PC/Mac – Free web page authoring software
11. Jing – http://www.jingproject.com/ PC/Mac – Free Create 5 min. swf video tutorials using your computer screen/voice. Purchase Jing Pro for longer videos.
*http://www.eltima.com/products/swf-flvplayer/ – PC player
*http://mac.eltima.com/freeflashplayer.html – Mac player
12. Geogebra – http://www.geogebra.org – PC/Mac – Free geometry package (software or online) providing for graphical and algebraic input
13. cMapTools – http://cmap.ihmc.us/conceptmap.html – PC/Mac – Free concept mapping software
*Webspiration – http://www.mywebspiration.com/home – Free online beta concept mapping software
14. Comic Life – http://plasq.com/comiclife – Mac – Uses your own photos to create comics.
*http://plasq.com/comiclife-win – PC – Uses Your own pnotos to create comics and comic strips
*Bitstrips – http://www.bitstrips.com – Make your online funny pages
15. iTunes – http://www.apple.com/itunes – PC/Mac – Free educational content through iTunes
16. Wikimindmap – http://wikimindmap.com/index.htm – Tool to easily and efficiently browse wiki content
17. Mini $ (Mini-Money) – http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/25726 – PC/Mac – Free budget/money management
18. NROC – http://www.montereyinstitute.org/nroc/ – The National Repository of Online Courses (NROC) is a growing library of high quality online course content
*TED – http://www.ted.com/ – The best talks and performances from Technology, Entertainment, and Design
19. Readability – http://lab.arc90.com/experiments/readability – A simple tool that makes reading on the Web more enjoyable by removing the clutter
*Cue Prompter – http://www.cueprompter.com – A free web browser teleprompter
20. Desktop Curtain – http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/26396 – Mac – Free software that hides desktop clutter for presentations or screen shots
*Fences http://www.stardock.com/products/fences/ – PC – Free software that hides desktop clutter for presentations or screen shots.
Ten Free On-Line Resources Every Teacher Should Know (Version 2010)
http://fur.ly/ – Shorten multiple URLs into one.
http://prezi.com – Develop on-line presentations.
http://photopeach.com/ – Make a rich slideshow in seconds.
http://cacoo.com – A cool multi-featured on-line whiteboard.
http://www.wallwisher.com/ – Wallwisher – A collaborative notice board maker that can be used for brainstorming or categorizing.
http://www.plagium.com/ – Track plagiarism by pasting your original text.
http://wetoku.com – Record web interviews and post the file.
http://awesomehighlighter.com – An awesome highlighter lets you highlight text on web pages and then gives you a small link to the highlighted page.
http://davidrumsey.com – A database of historical maps that can be used with Google Earth.
http://aviary.com – Photo-editing, logos, web templates, filters, color palettes, screen captures, and more.
Lights, Camera, Engagement! , Meg Ormiston
http://www.flickr.com/ – Flickr
http://creativecommons.org/ – Creative Commons information
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/EDTEC470/sp09/5/images/Bloom%27sDigitalTaxonomymap3.gif – Blooms taxonomy recreated.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx – Photostory 3
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/moviemaker2.mspx – Windows Movie Maker
http://www.microsoft.com/education/teachers/guides/digital_storytelling.aspx – Digital Storytelling guide.
http://www.mediaconverter.org/ – Media converter
http://listentoyoutube.com/ – Convert songs off youtube.
http://www.soundboard.com/ – Soundboard
Multimedia in the Differentiated Classroom, Meg Ormiston
http://2differentiate.pbworks.com/ – A wiki filled with resources.
http://twitter.com/ – Twitter home page
http://www.wordle.net/ – Create a tag cloud
http://docs.google.com – Create and share your work online (much like MS Office programs)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6IHTEA – Google Document youtube.com movie
http://schooltown.net/ – School Town to organize your classroom.
http://www.flickr.com/ – Images on Flickr
http://sketchup.google.com/ – Google Sketchup
http://earth.google.com/ – Google Earth
http://www.googlelittrips.com/GoogleLit/Home.html – Google Literature – greatest road trip stories
http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en – Sign up for a gmail account for Calendar, email and Docs
http://www.xiberpix.net/SqirlzMorph.html – Create your own morph.
http://www.kff.org/entmedia/mh012010pkg.cfm – Generation M2 report
http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom’s+Digital+Taxonomy – Updated Bloom’s Taxonomy
http://twitter4teachers.pbworks.com/ – Twitter for teachers
http://jenuinetech.com/GTW/ – Guess the Wordle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw_ZW1NCQgY – Project Spectrum video.
http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/ – Cool Tools for School.
http://www.soundboard.com/ – Not sure how to explain this site. It’s neat.
http://creativecommons.org/ – Creative Commons information
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/EDTEC470/sp09/5/images/Bloom%27sDigitalTaxonomymap3.gif – Blooms taxonomy recreated.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx – Photostory 3
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/moviemaker2.mspx – Windows Movie Maker
http://www.microsoft.com/education/teachers/guides/digital_storytelling.aspx – Digital Storytelling guide.
http://www.mediaconverter.org/ – Media converter
http://listentoyoutube.com/ – Convert songs off youtube.
http://www.soundboard.com/ – Soundboard.com is a catalog of free sounds and soundboards for PCs.
Professional Learning Networks for Personal Professional Development, Meg Ormiston
http://techcamp.ning.com – Ning is the social platform for the world’s interests and passions online.
http://twitter.com – Twitter
http://www.skype.com – Skype
http://secondlife.com/?v=1.1 – Second Life, the Internet’s largest user-created, 3D virtual world community
http://docs.google.com – Google Documents
http://titanpad.com/ – Titan Pad to create your on-line chat.
The above information was submitted as a blog post by Steve Batty, of McCook. Please click on comment below to comment or share additional materials or links.
Luck: The Story of a Sandhill Crane chosen to be featured at the National Book Festival
Each year we feature a book for children/young adults at our Nebraska table at the National Book Festival. Sally Snyder, Nebraska Library Commission Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, and I selected the book, Luck: The Story of a Sandhill Crane, by Jean Craighead George to be featured, representing Nebraska, at the 2010 National Book Festival, September 25, 2010. The list of featured books from each state becomes a reading list for children and young adults that want to learn about all the states through literature. The book is a beauty and we think it will represent our state well.
I found this section of an interview with her very interesting, at;
http://www.harpercollins.com/author/authorExtra.aspx?authorID=12122&isbn13=9780060082017&displayType=bookinterview
Q: Last year you traveled to Nebraska to research crane migration for your book LUCK: The Story of a Sandhill Crane. What was that experience like?
A: It was unreal. Magnificent. We’d get up at 4 a.m. to go to the bird blinds along the Platte River. You could look down the river and as far as the eye could see, there were thousands of cranes just blanketing the landscape. Cranes are one of the oldest living bird species on earth, possibly the oldest, and it was just mystifying to watch this ancient ritual taking place before my eyes. The weather was terrible, but I love a rainy day.
What do the rest of you think about this selection. Please click on comment below.
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Public Relations, Youth Services
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