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Author Archives: Tessa Timperley
Celebrate with Nebraska’s 2016 Book Award Winners at October 29 Festival
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
September 20, 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Celebrate with Nebraska’s 2016 Book Award Winners at October 29 Festival
Author readings and an awards presentation ceremony will highlight the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Celebration of Nebraska Books on October 29 at the Nebraska State Historical Society’s Nebraska History Museum at 131 Centennial Mall North, in downtown Lincoln. Winners of the 2016 Nebraska Book Awards will be honored and the celebration will include readings by some of the winning authors, designers and illustrators of books with a Nebraska connection published in 2016. And the winners are:
Anthology: A Sandhills Reader: Thirty Years of Great Writing from the Great Plains by Mark Sanders. Publisher: Stephen F. Austin State University Press
Chapbook: Hard Times by Lin Brummels. Publisher: Finishing Line Press
Children/Young Adult: This Strange Wilderness: The Life and Art of John James Audubon by Nancy Plain. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Cover/Design/Illustration: Rodeo Nebraska by Mark Harris. Design by N. Putens. Publisher: Nebraska State Historical Society
Illustration Honor: The Fishes of Nebraska by Robert A. Hrabik, Steven C. Schainost, Richard H. Stasiak, Edward J. Peters. Illustrated by Justin T. Sipiorski. Design by Jim L. Friesen. Publisher: Conservation and Survey Division of University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Creative Nonfiction: The Ordinary Spaceman: from Boyhood Dreams to Astronaut by Clayton C. Anderson. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Fiction: The Fishermen: A Novel by Chigozie Obioma. Publisher: Back Bay Books
Fiction Short Story Honor: A Man in Trouble: Stories by Lon Otto. Publisher: Brighthorse Books
Nonfiction Current Biography: Nebrasketball: Coach Tim Miles and a Big Ten Team on the Rise by Scott Winter. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Nonfiction Historical Biography: A Sister’s Memories: The Life and Work of Grace Abbott from the Writings of Her Sister, Edith Abbott by Edith Abbott and John Sorensen. Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Nonfiction Nebraska as Place: New Prairie Kitchen: Stories and Seasonal Recipes from Chefs, Farmers, and Artisans of the Great Plains by Summer Miller. Publisher: Midway
Nonfiction Reference: The Fishes of Nebraska by Robert A. Hrabik, Steven C. Schainost, Richard H. Stasiak, Edward J. Peters. Illustrated by Justin T. Sipiorski. Design by Jim L. Friesen. Publisher: Conservation and Survey Division of University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Nonfiction True Crime: In Cold Storage: Sex and Murder on the Plains by James W. Hewitt. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Nonfiction Wildlife: A Chorus of Cranes: The Cranes of North America and the World by Paul A. Johnsgard and Thomas D. Mangelsen. Publisher: University Press of Colorado
Nonfiction Wildlife Honor: Hunting for Food: Guide to Harvesting, Field Dressing and Cooking Wild Game by Jenny Nguyen and Rick Wheatley. Publisher: Living Ready
Poetry: Breezes on Their Way to Being Winds by Charles Peek. Publisher: Finishing Line Press.
Poetry Honor: Quiet City by Susan Aizenberg. Publisher: BkMk Press
The celebration, free and open to the public, will also honor winners of the 2016 Jane Geske and Mildred Bennett awards. The Mildred Bennett Award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to fostering the literary tradition in Nebraska, reminding us of the literary and intellectual heritage that enriches our lives and molds our world. The Jane Geske Award is presented to Nebraska organizations for exceptional contribution to literacy, books, reading, libraries, or literature in Nebraska. It commemorates Geske’s passion for books, and was established in recognition of her contributions to the well-being of the libraries of Nebraska.
The 2016 One Book One Nebraska selection, The Meaning of Names (Red Hen Press) by Karen Gettert Shoemaker, will be featured in a presentation by Shoemaker about this Nebraska-set novel with a World War I backdrop, keynoting the Celebration at 2:45 p.m.
The Nebraska Center for the Book Annual Meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m.—just prior to the 2:30-6:30 p.m. Celebration. An awards reception honoring the winning authors, book signings, and the announcement of the 2017 One Book One Nebraska book choice will conclude the festivities.
The Celebration of Nebraska Books is sponsored by Nebraska Center for the Book and Nebraska Library Commission, with support from the Friends of the University of Nebraska Press and Nebraska State Historical Society’s Nebraska History Museum. Humanities Nebraska provides support for One Book One Nebraska. The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the national Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
September 12, 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors
Young readers in grades 4-12 are invited to write a personal letter to an author for the Letters about Literature (LAL) contest, 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 24th annual writing contest for young readers is made possible by a generous grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, with additional support from gifts to the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, which promotes the contest through its affiliate Centers for the Book, state libraries and other organizations. This reading and writing promotion is sponsored in Nebraska by the Nebraska Center for the Book and Nebraska Library Commission, and supported by Houchen Bindery Ltd. and Chapters Books in Seward.
Prizes will be awarded on both the state and national levels. The Nebraska Center for the Book’s panel of judges will select the top letter writers in the state, to be honored in a proclamation-signing ceremony at the state capitol during National Library Week in April 2017. Their winning letters will be placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. Nebraska winners will receive state prizes, and then advance to the national judging.
A panel of national judges for the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress will select one National Winner per competition level (Level I for grades 4-6, Level II for grades 7-8, and Level III for grades 9-12) to receive a $1,000 cash award, to be announced in May 2017. The judges will also select one National Honor winner on each competition level to receive a $200 cash award.
Teachers, librarians, and parents can download free teaching materials on reader response and reflective writing, along with contest details and entry forms, at www.read.gov/letters. Nebraska-specific information (including lists of Nebraska winners of past competitions) is available at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html. Get inspired by listening to Nebraska winners, Ashley Xiques and Sydney Kohl, read and talk about and their winning letters to authors that meant something to them in their own lives, see NET Radio’s All About Books (http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/radio/all-about-books). Submissions from Grades 9-12 must be postmarked by December 2, 2016. Submissions from Grades 4-8 must be postmarked by January 9, 2017. For more information contact Mary Jo Ryan, MaryJo.Ryan@nebraska.com, 402-471-3434 or 800-307-2665.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
NLC Staff: Meet Craig Lefteroff
Meet Craig Lefteroff, who joined the Nebraska Library Commission as our Technology Innovation Librarian a year ago this month. Craig was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi and attended college at Delta State University, in Cleveland, Mississippi, graduating with a BA in English. After graduation, Craig taught English and speech for one year in a Mississippi Delta town with one store and a prison. This experience encouraged Craig to seek new employment, so he moved to Versailles (pronounced ver-say-elles), Kentucky, where he cleaned computers for Walmart. Next up was a job as an accountant for a Holiday Inn in Lexington, Kentucky. This job afforded him some flexibility so, affirming his love for books and literature, he enrolled in library school at the University of Kentucky.
Craig’s first professional library job was as a reference librarian at St. Tammany Parish Library north of Lake Pontchartrain after Hurricane Katrina. A tipping point occurred during this chapter of Craig’s life and it was time to try living closer if not north of the Mason-Dixon Line. To fill a job title of Reference and Electronics Librarian, Craig moved to West Virginia to work for the Kanawha City Public Library where he lived at the top of a hill. When Craig was selected by the Nebraska Library Commission, it was a priority to be able to walk to work as this was never a possibility in Elkview.
It is typical for librarians to have eclectic interests and Craig fits this description. He surrounds himself with a variety of people and enjoys movies, music, and reading. Some of Craig’s favorite authors are Thomas Hardy, George Elliot, Herman Melville, Cormac McCarthy, and Mary Roach. A book that Craig has read at least five times is Stoner by John Williams owing to the theme of a young man growing up in the south who falls in love with literature. If money were no issue, he would spend his time reading and traveling first to Italy. When asked what other profession he would like to practice, Craig would be a writer and when I asked him to comment on his associations about his workplace, he responded: food day.
We’re grateful Craig has made the Midwest his home and is willing to share his skills and interests with those of us in Nebraska libraries.
Tips #4 & #5 for Nebraska Libraries on the Web
Quick Tip #4: Save space by deleting unused images
Images and graphics can consume a lot of your storage space. WordPress makes it easy to handle these tricky items. You can always edit individual images and scale (shrink) the picture, but you might try removing your unused images first. On your Dashboard, go to Media -> Library, then click the drop-down that reads All Media Items and switch it to Unattached. Now you’ll see only items that are not currently being used on any page on your website. Getting rid of these will, of course, free up a bit more space that you can use for new photos!
Quick Tip #5: Widgets
Your site already includes a ton of features that you’re probably not using. You can find many of them by going to Appearance, then Widgets. This provides a list of available widgets, tools that you can add to your sidebar, header, or footer. You’ll find widgets for Facebook, Goodreads, an event calendar, and more. To activate the widget, just click the widget’s title, then drag it over to the sidebar (or header or footer) section.
Learn more about Nebraska Libraries on the Web in our previous Blog posts or contact Craig Lefteroff, or by phone at (402) 471-3106. For more information on the service or to view our current sites, please visit http://libraries.ne.gov/projectblog/.
Posted in Education & Training, General, Technology
Tagged free, Images, Library website, technology, Tips, website design, Widgets, WordPress
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Tip #3 for Nebraska Libraries on the Web
Quick Tip #3: Publicize with Jetpack
If you’ve been working to add content to both your website and your social networks, there’s an easier way. In your Dashboard, there’s a section for the Jetpack plugin. Among Jetpack’s settings is the Publicize feature. Just click Configure and you’ll be able to connect your website to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and more. Anything that you add to the site will be automatically pushed out to those social networks, so that your viewers will be able to see all of your announcements and photos, no matter which of your sites they’re using. Jetpack also includes sharing buttons that can be added to your posts, so that your readers can easily share your content on their own social networks.
Learn more about Nebraska Libraries on the Web in our previous Blog posts or contact Craig Lefteroff, or by phone at (402) 471-3106. For more information on the service or to view our current sites, please visit http://libraries.ne.gov/projectblog/.
Posted in Education & Training, General, Technology
Tagged free, Jetpack, Jetpack plugin, Library website, Social Media, technology, Tips, website design, WordPress
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Tip #2 for Nebraska Libraries on the Web
Quick Tip #2: Create a page that points directly to another website
When you add a new page to your site (by going to Pages -> Add New), WordPress assumes that you’re creating a new standalone page to add to your site. But you can also create an empty “placeholder” page that will send visitors out to another website—say, your Facebook page or the website for your town or county. To do this, simply scroll down to the bottom of the screen and, in the Page Links To section, choose A Custom URL. Once you have your new “page” created, you can easily add it to your site’s menu!
Learn more about Nebraska Libraries on the Web in our previous Blog posts or contact Craig Lefteroff, or by phone at (402) 471-3106. For more information on the service or to view our current sites, please visit http://libraries.ne.gov/projectblog/.
Posted in Education & Training, General, Technology
Tagged free, Library, Nebraska Libraries on the Web, technology, Tips, website design, WordPress
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Tips for Nebraska Libraries on the Web: Create a New Menu
Quick Tip #1: Create a new menu
The menu at the top of your WordPress site allows your visitors to easily find particular pages, but occasionally you might want to change it up (perhaps during summer reading). With WordPress, it’s easy to create multiple menus and swap them out at will. On your Dashboard, go to Appearance, then click on Menus. Your default menu will probably display on the screen, but you can click Create a New Menu and add selected pages and resources to it. Once you name it and save it, the menu will be available in the Customizer on your site (Appearance -> Customize). You can then swap out your default menu for the new menu with one click.
Learn more about Nebraska Libraries on the Web in our previous Blog posts or contact Craig Lefteroff, or by phone at (402) 471-3106. For more information on the service or to view our current sites, please visit http://libraries.ne.gov/projectblog/.
Posted in Education & Training, General, Technology
Tagged Appearance, Create a new menu, free, Library website, technology, website design, WordPress
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Nebraska Libraries on the Web
Imagine that a new resident has just arrived in your town. She’s eager to read the new Ruth Ware novel, but isn’t familiar with your library, so she hits the Internet to search for you. What does she find? What would you like for her to find?
Nebraska Libraries on the Web is a free service open to any public library in Nebraska. We use the WordPress platform to create robust and user-friendly library websites. Our sites are controlled by “themes” that modify the display of your site, meaning that your content will be presented in an appealing fashion automatically. You don’t have to worry about coding, just add text and images that tell the world about your library. For those who wish to alter aspects of their site’s theme, controls are available that allow you to tweak your font, colors, and more. You can even change your entire theme with one click to give your site a brand new appearance.
Because WordPress is so widely used, it’s not surprising that it works well with the biggest names on the Internet. Your site will arrive ready to connect to Facebook, Pinterest, and more. Any content that you add to your website can be automatically posted to your social networks, too. If you use Google Calendar, you can incorporate that directly into your new site, or use add-on tools called plugins to create a new calendar that displays your library’s events. Plugins also allow you to create surveys, contact forms, and forums, and host them all on your site. There’s probably a plugin for anything that you’d like to do with your site and Commission staff are available to assist you in tracking down the right tools. We also take care of software updates and security concerns, so you never have to worry about maintenance.
If this sounds like an approach that might work for your library, please contact Craig Lefteroff, or by phone at (402) 471-3106. For more information on the service or to view our current sites, please visit http://libraries.ne.gov/projectblog/.
Holly Woldt: Library Technology Support Specialist at Nebraska Library Commission
Meet Holly Woldt whose job title is Library Technology Support Specialist.
Holly began working at the Library Commission in 2010 in a temporary grant position and proved invaluable so we hired her as a permanent employee. Holly is one of the very few Commission employees who is a non-Nebraska native. She was born in Bad Hersfeld, Germany and adopted by an American family living in Paris, France while her father was serving as an aide-de-camp to the General in charge of NATO. She became a naturalized citizen at the age of 3. As the daughter of a career Air Force officer in the intelligence field, Holly lived in Annandale, Virginia; Oahu, Hawaii, and Ramstein, Germany. She graduated from High School in Hawaii and as her parents had Iowa nativity (which allowed in-state tuition for dependent children), she attended the University of Iowa where she received degrees in both Computer Science and Political Science. Her first job was as Systems Analyst at UNL. She met her husband Wayne at the Zoo Bar in Lincoln although unbeknownst to both of them, his father had worked for her father in Vietnam and both swam competitively at some of the same competitions in Hawaii. Together Wayne and Holly have three children: Weston age 26; Dylan age 24; and Cara age 22; and live on an acreage north of Lincoln. Wayne is a professor of Biosystems Engineering at UNL. He told their children they could major in anything as long as it was engineering because they’d always be able to find a job with that degree.
What makes Holly the right person for this job is that she has a love for technology and a passion for teaching how computers can be useful. Holly has been to many of your libraries to help unpack boxes and install computers and adaptive technology. During this time, many of you have become friends and Holly has learned about your libraries and your communities. She’s heard stories of how these computers have made a difference to your library customers as she continues to be a source of help with these services. Holly is in awe of librarians and their tenacity in serving the needs of their community. As Holly thinks about retirement in San Antonio, she would like to teach water aerobics to her neighbors in her 55+ Community. We’re grateful Holly is part of our library community
NLC Staff: Meet Allison Badger
Allison Badger started t
he year 2016 as the new cataloger for the Library Commission.
Allison is a fifth generation Montanan and comes to us with what she describes as a homestead work ethic: hardworking, rarely sedentary, and not taking modern conveniences for granted. She worked at several Montana institutions including the Montana State Library and the Montana State Historical Society. She most recently worked at the Montana Office of Public Instruction doing cataloging, interlibrary loan, collection management, and reference assistance. She received her BA in History from Rocky Mountain College and an MA in History from the University of Montana Missoula. While working as a historian for a research firm, she encountered library catalogs that weren’t particularly helpful nor were they the most efficient pathfinders so she started thinking about becoming a cataloger which required an MLS. Her choice for this education was the University of North Texas in Denton which could be achieved mostly online with a few in person classes.
When Allison is not at work, she is quite happy at home sitting on her deck, reading, watching television, or taking a walk. She also enjoys cooking and baking. One of her signature items is butter brickle bars for which all of the ingredients are always on hand. Which books have influenced Allison the most? Two titles come to mind – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen because of Jane’s ability to see inside the human character and Isabelle Allende’s House of the Spirits. She read it the first time in high school and with each subsequent reading gleans something new. Allison feels books are like old friends worth reading again and again. When I asked Allison how she describes her workplace she said she feels like she’s always worked at the Library Commission and that it is a natural fit with the staff. There is an ease and respect amongst her colleagues. We are pleased to have Allison in Nebraska and at our library.
Posted in General
Tagged Allison Badger, Cataloger, Nebraska Library Commission Staff, New Faces, NLC Staff, Staff
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Strategic Planning Workshops offered in the Western Library System
If your public library is slated for re-accreditation in 2016
or in 2017, these workshops are for you!
Every three years accredited Nebraska public libraries have the opportunity to seek accreditation again for another three-year period. Libraries are accredited at one of three levels – Bronze, Silver or Gold – based on the number of points accumulated on the accreditation application form. Accreditation also requires that the library submit and have approved by the Commission, a strategic plan (learn more about Strategic Planning and Accreditation here).
Next month three Strategic Planning workshops will be offered in the Western Library System area:
• Tuesday, July 12, 2016 – Alliance Public Library (1750 Sweetwater Ave., Alliance)
• Thursday, July 14, 2016 – Lied Imperial Public Library (703 Broadway, Imperial)
• Tuesday, July 19, 2016 – Sidney Public Library (1112 12th Ave., Sidney)
Each workshop will run from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. You should have had lunch before you get to the workshop. To register for one of the workshops, go to the following link which will take you to the Commission’s Calendar on which you can register.
In case you are not sure of your accreditation status, following are the public libraries in Western Library System slated for re-accreditation in 2016, and 2017:
2016:
Bridgeport Public Library
Chadron Public Library
Chappell Memorial Library & Art Gallery
Dundy County Library (Benkelman)
Nancy Fawcett Memorial Library (Lodgepole)
Paxton Public Library
Sidney Public Library
Trenton Public Library
2017:
Crawford Public Library
Hastings Memorial Library (Grant)
Morrill Public Library
Goodall City Library (Ogallala)
Rushville Public Library
In addition the following unaccredited libraries which submitted their annual statistics this year (and received funding under the “Dollars for Data” program) are eligible to become accredited libraries:
Arthur County Library
Bayard Public Library
Sioux County Public Library (Harrison)
Hayes Center Public Library
Hemingford Public Library
Lewellen Public Library
Lyman Public Library
Minatare Public Library
Hooker County Library (Mullen)
Stratton Public Library
Wauneta Public Library
So, how about it? Come to one of the above workshops (and bring a board member or two along too) and find out what this strategic planning is all about. You might see that it is easier than you anticipate.
For questions, contact me at the Nebraska Library Commission:
Richard Miller
(800) 307-2665
$31,600 in Internship Grants Awarded to Nebraska Public Libraries
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 16, 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION
JoAnn McManus
402-471-4870
800-307-2665
$31,600 in Internship Grants Awarded to Nebraska Public Libraries
The Nebraska Library Commission recently awarded Nebraska Library Internship Grants totaling $31,600 to twenty-six Nebraska public libraries. These internship grants will support public library interns, who will contribute to the scope and value of the diverse programs and activities in Nebraska’s public libraries. Funding for the project is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Nebraska Library Commission, in partnership with the Nebraska Library Systems.
“The internships are a great opportunity for students to get involved in library work. Beyond earning money and gaining valuable work experience, the student is exposed to the broad range of library services and programming. Internships provide an opportunity for the student to view the library as a viable and satisfying career choice. In addition, interns bring a fresh perspective and their own unique talents to the library” said Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner.
Student interns will learn about library work as they shadow and assist with day-to-day library operations and implement special projects. Some of the activities that students will participate in include: plan and implement programs such as summer reading programs, storytime, youth book club, and teen activities; assist with events such as the annual book sale, art show, photography contest, 3-D printing workshop, entrepreneurship camp, and Lego club; organize a “do-it” center; create book displays, design bulletin boards and craft activities; assist with outreach events outside the library; update the library’s website, Facebook page, and Pinterest site; assist with circulation activities and book selection; teach technology classes; create flyers and other promotional materials, and work with youth to produce a video; upload content to digital archives and assist in the creation of a volunteer training process for digital repository project; assist with verbal and written Spanish/English translations; assist in creating the library’s technology plan; and create tutorials for library customers.
The following Nebraska public libraries were awarded internship grant funding:
• Ashland Public Library
• Atkinson Public Library
• Bassett, Rock County Public Library
• Brunswick Public Library
• Clearwater Public Library
• Columbus Public Library
• Cozad, Wilson Public Library
• Elgin Public Library
• Genoa Public Library
• Grant, Hastings Memorial Library
• Kimball Public Library
• La Vista Public Library
• Lincoln City Libraries
• Nebraska City, Morton-James Public Library
• Norfolk Public Library
• Oakland Public Library
• Omaha Public Library
• Ord Township Library
• Orleans, Cordelia B. Preston Memorial Library
• Randolph, Lied Randolph Public Library
• Red Cloud, Auld Public Library
• Schuyler Public Library
• Ulysses Township Library
• Wilber, Dvoracek Memorial Library
• York, Kilgore Memorial Library
• Yutan Public Library
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As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
Nebraska’s Regional Library Systems consist of four non-profit corporations governed by boards, representative of libraries and citizens in the region. The four systems were established to provide access to improved library services through the cooperation of all types of libraries and media centers within the counties included in each System area.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov/.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission home page, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/, search on News Releases.
Governor Ricketts Proclaims 2016 One Book One Nebraska: The Meaning of Names
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 14, 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Rod Wagner
402-471-4001
800-307-2665
Governor Ricketts Proclaims 2016 One Book One Nebraska: The Meaning of Names
On Jan. 13, 2016 Governor Pete Ricketts signed a proclamation honoring 2016 One Book One Nebraska: The Meaning of Names by Karen Shoemaker, of Lincoln. In this year people across Nebraska are encouraged to read this Nebraska-set novel with a World War I backdrop. The Meaning of Names follows a German-American woman trying to raise a family in the heartland and keep them safe from the effects of war and the influenza panic, as well as from violence and prejudice. Karen Shoemaker, author of The Meaning of Names, presented the governor with a copy of the book.
Photos of the proclamation-signing ceremony are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/librarycommission/albums/72157663407721711
The One Book One Nebraska reading program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, and Humanities Nebraska is entering its twelfth year. It encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss one book, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting. Libraries across Nebraska will join other literary and cultural organizations in planning book discussions, activities, and events to encourage Nebraskans to read and discuss this book. Support materials to assist with local reading/discussion activities are available at http://onebook.nebraska.gov. Updates and activity listings will be posted there and on http://www.facebook.com/onebookonenebraska.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As Nebraska’s state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Programming
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Nebraska Library Commission Awards Grants for Children’s Library Service
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 11, 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Sally Snyder
402-471-4003
800-307-2665
Nebraska Library Commission Awards Grants for Children’s Library Service
The Nebraska Library Commission recently awarded $30,000 in Children’s Grants for Excellence to Nebraska public libraries. Of the grants awarded, several addressed the need for specialized computer workstations for children, while others will use tools like LEGO® to encourage creativity in young people. Libraries received funding to implement science programs to encourage young inquiring minds, as well as to offer special reading and storytelling programs.
The Nebraska Library Commission congratulates the public libraries listed below as they develop new and innovative programs to ensure excellence in library service for Nebraska young people.
Bellevue Public Library
Central City Public Library
Columbus Public Library
Dodge, John Rogers Memorial Library
Fremont, Keene Memorial Library
Genoa Public Library
Kimball Public Library
La Vista Public Library
Lexington Public Library
Louisville Public Library
Mead Public Library
Morrill Public Library
Nebraska City, Morton-James Public Library
Papillion, Sump Memorial Library
Plattsmouth Public Library
Lied Randolph Public Library
Ravenna Public Library
Seward Memorial Library
Superior Public Library
Lied Tekamah Public Library
Valley Public Library
Yutan Public Library
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
Posted in Education & Training, General, Youth Services
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Become an E-Learning Information Professional
Become an E-Learning Information Professional
Beginning Spring 2016: Program specialization in e-learning for information professionals. Librarians are being tasked to learn and use many new technologies, bridging information resources and instructional design. The E-Learning Information Professional specialization meets that need, drawing from the entirety of University of Missouri School of Information Science & Learning Technology curriculum.
Courses in the specialization will be 100% online.
Graduates will be prepared to work in environments across the entire range of librarianship:
• K-12, public, academic, and special libraries
• corporate
• non-profit
• government
• military
MU’s Library and Information Science program is fully accredited by the American Library Association (ALA), and is the ONLY accredited LIS program in the state of Missouri. Contact: For more information on the E-Learning Information Professional Specialization within the LIS program, email Jenny Bossaller (bossallerj@missouri.edu).
See the announcement at sislt.missouri.edu for more information on coursework options.
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Nebraska Library Commission Announces Accreditation for Public Libraries
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 15, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Richard Miller
402-471-3175
800-307-2665
Nebraska Library Commission Announces Accreditation for Public Libraries
Nebraska Library Commission Library Development Director Richard Miller recently announced the accreditation of public libraries across Nebraska. Miller stated, “We are dedicated to helping Nebraska libraries meet Nebraskans’ information needs, opening up the world of information for citizens of all ages. The Library Commission continues to work in partnership with Nebraska libraries and the regional library systems, using the Public Library Accreditation program to help public libraries grow and develop.”
Public libraries in Nebraska are accredited for a three-year period, from October 1 of the first year, through September 30 of the third year. To learn more about this process, and see a complete list of all accredited Nebraska libraries, see the Nebraska Library Commission website (nlc.nebraska.gov), search on Accreditation.
The Nebraska Library Commission congratulates the public libraries listed below as they move forward toward the realization of this vision for the future: “All Nebraskans will have improved access to enhanced library and information services, provided and facilitated by qualified library personnel, boards, and supporters with the knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes necessary to provide excellent library and information services.”
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
Nebraska Public Libraries Newly Accredited through September 30, 2018
Ainsworth Public Library
Alliance Public Library
Auburn Memorial Library
Aurora, Alice M Farr Library
Bassett, Rock County Public Library
Beatrice Public Library
Beaver City Public Library
Beemer, Karlen Memorial Library
Bellevue Public Library
Bennington Public Library
Bloomfield Public Library
Blue Hill Public Library
Broadwater Public Library
Broken Bow Public Library
Central City Public Library
Clarkson Public Library
Clearwater Public Library
Creighton Public Library
Crete Public Library
Culbertson Public Library
David City, Hruska Memorial Public Library
DeWitt, Bob and Wauneta Burkley Library and Resource Center
Emerson Public Library
Exeter Public Library
Fairbury Public Library
Fairmont Public Library
Friend, Gilbert Public Library
Genoa Public Library
Gering Public Library
Gibbon Public Library
Gordon City Library
Gothenburg Public Library
Grand Island Public Library
Gretna Public Library
Hartington Public Library
Hildreth Public Library
Holdrege Area Public Library
Hooper Public Library
Hyannis, Grant County Library
Lied Imperial Public Library
Kimball Public Library
La Vista Public Library
Lexington Public Library
Lincoln City Libraries
Loup City Public Library
Madison Public Library
McCook Public Library
Minden, Jensen Memorial Library
Mitchell Public Library
Nebraska City, Morton-James Public Library
Newman Grove Public Library
Norfolk Public Library
North Platte Public Library
Oakland Public Library
Omaha Public Library
O’Neill Public Library
Ord Township Library
Orleans, Cordelia B Preston Memorial Library
Oshkosh Public Library
Palisade Public Library
Papillion, Sump Memorial Library
Pilger Public Library
Plainview Carnegie Library
Plattsmouth Public Library
Schuyler Public Library
Lied Scottsbluff Public Library
Scribner Public Library
Seward Memorial Library
South Sioux City Public Library
Stanton Public Library
Stromsburg Public Library
Superior Public Library
Lied Tekamah Public Library
Raymond A Whitwer Tilden Public Library
Valentine Public Library
Wausa, Lied Lincoln Township Library
Wayne Public Library
Weeping Water Public Library
West Point, John A Stahl Library
Wilber, Dvoracek Memorial Library
Wymore Public Library
Yutan Public Library
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
Nebraska Writer’s Novel Chosen for 2016 One Book One Nebraska
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 16, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Nebraska Writer’s Novel Chosen for 2016 One Book One Nebraska
Karen Gettert Shoemaker’s The Meaning of Names, a Nebraska-set novel with a World War I backdrop, is Nebraska’s reading choice for the 2016 One Book One Nebraska statewide reading program. The Meaning of Names follows a German-American woman trying to raise a family in the heartland and keep them safe from the effects of war and the influenza panic, as well as from violence and prejudice.
The One Book One Nebraska reading program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, is entering its twelfth year. It encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss one book, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting. A committee of the Nebraska Center for the Book selected this book from a list of twenty-seven titles nominated by Nebraskans from across the state. The book was published in 2014 and was announced as the 2016 selection at the Celebration of Nebraska Books on November 14 in Lincoln.
Libraries across Nebraska will join other literary and cultural organizations in planning book discussions, activities, and events that will encourage Nebraskans to read and discuss this book. Support materials to assist with local reading/discussion activities will be available after January 1, 2016 at http://onebook.nebraska.gov. Updates and activity listings will be posted on the One Book One Nebraska Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/onebookonenebraska.
One Book One Nebraska is sponsored by Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission. The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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Nebraska Authors to Speak at November 14 Celebration of Nebraska Books
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 2, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Nebraska Authors to Speak at November 14 Celebration of Nebraska Books
Presentations by winning Nebraska writers and book designers will highlight the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Celebration of Nebraska Books on November 14 at 1200 N Street, in downtown Lincoln. Presenters will include the following 2015 Nebraska Book Award Winners:
Fiction writer: Rebecca Rotert, Last Night at the Blue Angel.
Non-fiction writers: Ted Genoways, The Chain: Farm, Factory, and the Fate of Our Food; James J. Kimble, Prairie Forge: The Extraordinary Story of the Nebraska Scrap Metal Drive of World War II; Melissa Amateis Marsh, Nebraska POW Camps: A History of World War II Prisoners in the Heartland; and Ronald C. Naugle and John J. Montag, History of Nebraska.
Photographer: Nancy Warner, This Place, These People: Life and Shadow on the Great Plains.
Poets: Ted Kooser, The Wheeling Year: A Poet’s Field Book; Barbara Schmitz, Always the Detail; and Laura Madeline Wiseman, Intimates and Fools.
The celebration, free and open to the public, will also feature presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Jane Geske Award to the Lincoln City Libraries One Book-One Lincoln Community Reading Program for exceptional contribution to literacy, books, reading, libraries, and literature in Nebraska. 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 Pope Geske was a founding member of the Nebraska Center for the Book, former director of the Nebraska Library Commission, and a long-time leader in Nebraska library and literary activities.
This year the Celebration marks the eleventh year of One Book One Nebraska with a presentation celebrating Death Zones & Darling Spies: Seven Years of Vietnam War Reporting by Beverly Deepe Keever. The presentation by Thomas Berg, Ph.D., Dept. of History, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is titled “Beverly Deepe Keever: An Unconventional Woman for an Unconventional War” (see http://onebook.nebraska.gov/2015/ ).
The Nebraska Center for the Book Annual Meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m.—just prior to the 2:30-6:30 p.m. Celebration. An awards reception honoring the winning authors, book signings, and announcement of the 2016 One Book One Nebraska book choice will conclude the festivities. For the list of finalists, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases/1510FinalistFor2016OBONAnnounced.aspx.
The Celebration of Nebraska Books is sponsored by Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, and University of Nebraska Press, with support for the One Book One Nebraska presentation from Humanities Nebraska. The bookstore is provided by Indigo Bridge Books. Celebration information is available at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/celebration.html.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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Meet Aimee Owen, Information Services Librarian
Chances are, you’ve already met Aimee – but just in case …
Meet Aimee Scoville 
Owen who joined the Nebraska Library Commission in the Talking Book and Braille Service in December 2013. Aimee is a native of Elwood, NE and a graduate of UNO where she received a BS in Management Information Systems and two master’s degrees; the first in Information Technology and the second in Library and Information Science. Aimee and her husband of nearly 10 years, Lowell, share a home in Omaha with their two children – Asher, age 5, Margot, 6 months, and Ryker the 12 year old miniature schnauzer. In June of 2015, Aimee joined the Information Services Team and is a voice you’ll hear answering the Library Commission phone or calling you for updates for our library directory. Aimee came to us from the Omaha Public Library and has been well-connected with NLA, so many of you have already worked with her, but did you know she has a gaggle of relatives in Nebraska that also work in libraries?
This group currently includes: Alicia Lassen – Media Specialist at Overton Public School (2nd cousin); Barb Keep – Media Specialist at Elm Creek Public School (aunt); Shawna Lindner – Librarian at Kearney Public Library (2nd cousin’s wife); and Karrie Huryta – Director of Ravenna Public Library (cousin’s sister-in-law).
In her rare spare time, Aimee participates in the Raqs Awn Bellydance Troupe, the NLA Paraprofessional Section (secretary), and the GirlFriends volunteer guild board for Girls Inc. of Omaha, as well as reading the Golden Sower nominees for primary and intermediate level, and striving to meet an annual reading goal of 120 books, all while taking kids to violin, soccer, and basketball.
Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 22, 2015
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors
Young readers in grades 4-12 are invited to write a personal letter to an author for the Letters about Literature (LAL) contest, 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 23rd annual writing contest for young readers is made possible by a generous grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, with additional support from gifts to the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, which promotes the contest through its affiliate Centers for the Book, state libraries and other organizations. This reading and writing promotion is sponsored in Nebraska by the Nebraska Center for the Book and Nebraska Library Commission, and supported by Houchen Bindery Ltd. and Chapters Books in Seward.
Prizes will be awarded on both the state and national levels. The Nebraska Center for the Book’s panel of judges will select the top letter writers in the state, to be honored in a proclamation-signing ceremony at the state capitol during National Library Week in April 2016. Their winning letters will be placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. Nebraska winners will receive state prizes, and then advance to the national judging.
A panel of national judges for the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress will select one National Winner per competition level (Level I for grades 4-6, Level II for grades 7-8, and Level III for grades 9-12) to receive a $1,000 cash award, to be announced in May 2016. The judges will also select one National Honor winner on each competition level to receive a $200 cash award.
Teachers, librarians, and parents can download free teaching materials on reader response and reflective writing, along with contest details and entry forms, at www.read.gov/letters. Nebraska-specific information (including lists of Nebraska winners of past competitions) is available at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html. Listen to Nebraska winners, Ashley Xiques and Sydney Kohl, read and talk about and their winning letters to authors that meant something to them in their own lives on NET Radio’s All About Books (http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/radio/all-about-books). Submissions from Grades 9-12 must be postmarked by December 4, 2015. Submissions from Grades 4-8 must be postmarked by January 11, 2016. For more information contact Mary Jo Ryan, 402-471-3434 or 800-307-2665.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services
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