Learn effective methods for ‘Creating and Implementing Library Policies’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, July 23 at 10am CT.
Policies are a very important piece of how a library is run, but they can be daunting to create or revise for some. In this session, we’ll discuss how to craft policies that fit within your library’s mission statement and goals, are easier to review and revise on a regular basis, and hopefully can be implemented correctly.
Presenter: Scott Childers, Executive Director, Southeast Library System, Lincoln, NE; Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Introducing AI with Purpose and Practicality
Aug. 6 – National Book Festival Near You
Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative
Aug. 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
NOTE:This episode of NCompass Live will be presented online using Zoom. Login instructions will be sent to registered attendees after registration has closed. The Registration End date is listed on each session page, but usually closes on the Monday night before the date of the session.
Apply for an individual $500 scholarship to attend either the NLA 2025 Conference in York on October 22nd-24th or to the ARSL 2025 Conference in Albuquerque, NM on September 17th-20th!
The Fern V. Heim Scholarship for Trustees was established by her friend, Mary Louise Dutcher, to honor Fern’s dedication to small public libraries and their trustees. Although Fern’s library career began in special libraries (Head of the UNL Chemistry Department Library, Serials and Circulation Departments of UNL Love Library, and then Director of the Research Library at Goodrich Tire and Rubber in Akron, Ohio), her work at the Nebraska Library Commission was devoted to public libraries. Recognizing that few small library budgets could provide support for librarians, let alone their volunteer trustees, to attend professional meetings, she encouraged them to go whenever possible (at their own expense) if only for a portion of the meeting. As her legacy, it is fitting to assist those trustees through this scholarship program.
**This scholarship is open only to current Nebraska Public Library Board Members!**
The Nebraska Library Commission has purchased statewide registration! All library directors/staff, Trustees/board members, and Friends of the Library and Foundation representatives receive FREE registration and/or on-demand viewing – a value of $149 per person.
Registration includes live attendance and on-demand access to three full days of programming, expert speakers, microlearning sessions, and the “Virtual Gala Author Tea.” Programming runs from 10:00 am CST to approximately 3:00 pm CST daily with scheduled breaks. Registrants may participate in some or all program sessions live, and/or watch recordings on-demand.
Sessions include:
Tuesday, July 29th – Trustee Day
Get Familiar with Freedom of Information Laws
Meetings That Matter: Driving Results, Not Just Discussions
Public Official Basics for Trustees: Introduction to Public Administration and Public Finance
Top 10 Things Library Board Members Should Know – But Often Don’t
Why Is It Always a Battle?: Concerns of Public Library Trustees in the United States
Keynote – Austin Channing Brown
Wednesday, July 30th – Foundation/Fundraising Day
Library Storytelling: How to Find Memorable Library Stories to Use for Marketing and Promotion
Let Your Impact Ring! Sharing Your Library’s Successes so Funders Will Listen
Overcoming the Barriers to Library Fundraising Success
Strengthening Library and Foundation Relationships: The Role of the Memorandum of Understanding and Relationship Committee
Virtual Gala Author Tea
Thursday, July 31st – Friends Day
Friends for Everyone: Inclusivity and Accessibility Best Practices
Get Strategic: Creating a Strategic Plan for Your Friends Group
Gnomes Need Homes: A Different Type of Silent Auction!
Lessons from a New Board President
Library Funding 101: Understanding How Things Get Paid
Special Events:
Keynote – Tuesday, July 29th (3:30 pm CST)
“Austin Channing Brown is an author and speaker providing inspired leadership on racial justice in America. She is the New York Times bestselling author of I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, a Reese’s Book Club pick. Her work has been featured by outlets such as On Being, Chicago Tribune, and WNYC. Her new book, Full of Myself, releases in August 2025.”
Virtual Gala Author Tea – Wednesday, July 30th (3:30 pm CST)
Join United for Libraries for our 2025 Virtual Gala Author Tea. Bring your beverage of choice and enjoy authors talking about their writing experience and latest books. Moderated by Donna Seaman, Editor of Adult Books, Booklist.
Invite your library staff and patrons! More details coming soon.
Registration Options – Choose one of the options below to register:
Central Community College classes for the Library Information Services program for Fall 2025 will be starting soon!
Enrollment is open as of April 14, 2025 for classes beginning August 18, 2025. The Library & Information Services Certificate is a 15-credit hour program. All credits can be applied to a Central Community College associate degree.
The Nebraska Library Commission is pleased to offer a discount to all librarians in Nebraska who sign up for a Virtual Pass to attend the Internet Librarian Connect 2025 Conference.
This leading virtual conference on library technology allows librarians and information managers from all over the world an equal opportunity to be a part of an exciting conference in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner. Along with the flexibility of participating from anywhere, Internet Librarian Connect offers attendees the benefits of no travel costs, diverse content with the convenience of on-demand access, and global networking opportunities.
The Virtual Pass discounted rate is $199 (regularly $299). The Virtual Pass includes access to all keynotes and main conference sessions, networking, and the virtual exhibit hall. It also includes access to archived session recordings for viewing through December 31, 2025. (Does not include access to workshops unless purchased separately.)
This year the conference is being held virtually, from October 28-30, 2025. Detailed information about the conference can be found on the virtual event website now!
Full program details will be added to the Event Agenda in late July.
Complete the registration form, entering and applying the discount code 25NLC when prompted at checkout. Your discounted pricing should appear at this point.
Note: Your code will only work in the Single Registration option. The code isn’t needed when using the Team Registration.
Learn best practices for providing printing, scanning, and faxing to your library patrons on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, July 9 at 10am CT.
Printing has become a “hot app” for libraries. Many people don’t have printers at home or got burned by the expense and unreliability of “affordable” inkjet printers. When they need to print, scan, and/or fax something, they will likely go to their library to do it. Andrew “Sherm” Sherman, NLC Library Technology Support Specialist, will provide recommendations on the best makes and models of printers to purchase and the best practices for providing printing, scanning, and faxing to your patrons.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
July 23 – Creating and Implementing Library Policies
July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
Aug. 6 – National Book Festival Near You
Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
NOTE:This episode of NCompass Live will be presented online using Zoom. Login instructions will be sent to registered attendees after registration has closed. The Registration End date is listed on each session page, but usually closes on the Monday night before the date of the session.
Learn how to host a Creative Aging Arts Program for older adults at your public library, with grants available from the Nebraska Arts Council, on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, July 2 at 10am CT.
Join us to learn about the Creative Aging Arts Program (CAAP), a program of the Nebraska Arts Council (NAC). Thanks to special funding for CAAP in libraries, grants are available for artist-led workshops during fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). These grants support sequential, interactive workshops that are led by NAC Roster teaching artists who’ve completed training to engage older adults.
Join NAC Program Specialist Anne Alston and NAC Program Coordinator Joshua Brown, as well as the Louisville Library Director, Michelle Daniels, who will share her experience with CAAP at her library. During this webinar, you will:
Hear about how CAAP can help libraries address community outreach goals.
Learn how CAAP addresses issues of loneliness and isolation among older adults.
Find out about the steps involved with applying for a grant, hiring an artist, and hosting a series of artist-led workshops for older adults.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
NOTE:This episode of NCompass Live will be presented online using Zoom. Login instructions will be sent to registered attendees after registration has closed. The Registration End date is listed on each session page, but usually closes on the Monday night before the date of the session.
The purpose of these grants is to assist Nebraska libraries in improving the library services provided to their communities through continuing education and training for their library personnel and supporters. Successful applications will show how attending this conference will support the library’s mission.
Preconference fees (but does not include networking or social events)
The applicant must be either 1) employed in an accredited Nebraska public library or a state-run institutional library at the time of application and for the duration of the conference, or 2) a current board member of an accredited Nebraska public library at the time of application and for the duration of the conference.
For more information on the application process and application forms, please see:
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week and some recently recorded webinars! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.
Join us for a 2025 Overview and Update on Nebraska’s Open Meetings Act on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, June 25 at 10am CT.
Public library boards for communities of all sizes in Nebraska are required to follow our state’s Open Meetings Act when holding their meetings. In this session, we’ll point out some of the major points of this state law for library boards, changes for 2025, and some of the consequences of not following Open Meeting law.
Note: This topic is very Nebraska specific. If you are attending from another state some of the things we discuss may not be applicable for your library boards.
Presenters: Scott Childers, Executive Director, Southeast Library System, Lincoln, NE; Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
July 2 – Creative Aging Outreach Opportunities for Libraries
July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
NOTE:This episode of NCompass Live will be presented online using Zoom. Login instructions will be sent to registered attendees after registration has closed. The Registration End date is listed on each session page, but usually closes on the Monday night before the date of the session.
The recording of the Nebraska Library Commission’s ‘Public Library Accreditation 2025’ online workshop is now available on the Accreditation webpage.
What is Nebraska Public Library Accreditation? What are the benefits of accreditation? How does my library become accredited? What’s a Community Needs Response Plan? Why does my library need one?
The purpose of Nebraska Public Library Accreditation is to encourage excellent library service in Nebraska communities. The guidelines used to evaluate libraries and their services are community-based, so libraries need to know their communities’ needs in order to provide appropriate library services that meet those unique needs. That’s where Community Needs Response Planning comes in!
In this workshop, Christa Porter, NLC’s Library Development Director, will guide you through Community Needs Response Planning and applying for Public Library Accreditation.
Public Library Directors, Staff, and Library Board Members are encouraged to attend.
If you have any questions or need any assistance with your Public Library Accreditation or Community Needs Response Planning, please contact Christa Porter, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week and some recently recorded webinars! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.
Beth Nawalinski, Executive Director of United for Libraries, the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, a division of the American Library Association, and Jillian Wentworth, Deputy Director, Strategy and Engagement, will share ideas about United for Libraries’ mission and vision, and how Nebraska and its libraries can benefit and fully use the resources available through this dynamic ALA division.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
June 25 – Nebraska Open Meetings Act: 2025 Overview and Update
July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
Aug. 13 – Ditching 1000 Books: A New Initiative
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
NOTE:This episode of NCompass Live will be presented online using Zoom. Login instructions will be sent to registered attendees after registration has closed. The Registration End date is listed on each session page, but usually closes on the Monday night before the date of the session.
The Nebraska Arts Council is pleased to announce special funding, provided by the Medica Insurance Company, for Creative Aging Arts Programs (CAAP) in Nebraska public libraries beginning in summer 2025.
NAC’s Creative Aging Arts Program (CAAP) provides older adults with creative and educational activities along with opportunities for socialization. CAAP’s core programming involves interactive artist residencies that are comprised of sequential workshops for participants who are 55 or older. Residencies are led by CAAP artists (painters, printmakers, writers, musicians, etc.) who have completed training in creative aging program development.
One of CAAP’s primary goals is to address the problem of isolation and loneliness that many older adults experience. There is a growing appreciation for how creative endeavors can invigorate communities and bring people together. CAAP serves to enhance the lives of our older adults and can help libraries achieve community outreach goals.
Apply for CAAP grants at least six weeks ahead. Grants cover most or all expenses. Funds are limited, and grants are processed first-come, first-served.
The Nebraska Library Commission has purchased statewide registration! All library directors/staff, Trustees/board members, and Friends of the Library and Foundation representatives receive FREE live registration and/or on-demand viewing – a value of $149 per person.
Registration includes live attendance and on-demand access to three full days of programming, expert speakers, microlearning sessions, and the “Virtual Gala Author Tea.” Programming runs from 10:00 am CST to approximately 3:00 pm CST daily with scheduled breaks. Registrants may participate in some or all program sessions live, and/or watch recordings on-demand.
Sessions include:
Tuesday, July 29th – Trustee Day
Get Familiar with Freedom of Information Laws
Meetings That Matter: Driving Results, Not Just Discussions
Public Official Basics for Trustees: Introduction to Public Administration and Public Finance
Top 10 Things Library Board Members Should Know – But Often Don’t
Why Is It Always a Battle?: Concerns of Public Library Trustees in the United States
Keynote – Austin Channing Brown
Wednesday, July 30th – Foundation/Fundraising Day
Library Storytelling: How to Find Memorable Library Stories to Use for Marketing and Promotion
Let Your Impact Ring! Sharing Your Library’s Successes so Funders Will Listen
Overcoming the Barriers to Library Fundraising Success
Strengthening Library and Foundation Relationships: The Role of the Memorandum of Understanding and Relationship Committee
Virtual Gala Author Tea
Thursday, July 31st – Friends Day
Friends for Everyone: Inclusivity and Accessibility Best Practices
Get Strategic: Creating a Strategic Plan for Your Friends Group
Gnomes Need Homes: A Different Type of Silent Auction!
Lessons from a New Board President
Library Funding 101: Understanding How Things Get Paid
Special Events:
Keynote – Tuesday, July 29th (3:30 pm CST)
“Austin Channing Brown is an author and speaker providing inspired leadership on racial justice in America. She is the New York Times bestselling author of I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, a Reese’s Book Club pick. Her work has been featured by outlets such as On Being, Chicago Tribune, and WNYC. Her new book, Full of Myself, releases in August 2025.”
Virtual Gala Author Tea – Wednesday, July 30th (3:30 pm CST)
Join United for Libraries for our 2025 Virtual Gala Author Tea. Bring your beverage of choice and enjoy authors talking about their writing experience and latest books. Moderated by Donna Seaman, Editor of Adult Books, Booklist.
Invite your library staff and patrons! More details coming soon.
Registration Options – Choose one of the options below to register:
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week and some recently recorded webinars! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.
Discover how partnerships can shape organizational views of rural public libraries on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, ‘Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships’ on Wednesday, June 11 at 10am CT.
Why do local organizations, schools, and businesses partner with rural public libraries? Do these partnerships change the partner’s view of the library? After an initial partnership, are community organizations more likely to partner with the library again? These questions have preliminary answers backed by research findings. While public libraries have been shown to benefit from community partnerships, there is little data available on whether the partners also benefit. Discovering how partnerships can shape organizational views of rural public libraries grants insight into effective ways to approach possible partners.
June 25 – Nebraska Open Meetings Act: 2025 Overview and Update
July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
July 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
NOTE:This episode of NCompass Live will be presented online using Zoom. Login instructions will be sent to registered attendees after registration has closed. The Registration End date is listed on each session page, but usually closes on the Monday night before the date of the session.
Below is a list of free training opportunities coming up this week and some recently recorded webinars! There is also a monthly list of free training resources which is compiled each month by the Maine State Library and WebJunction.
Many webinars are recorded and can be watched later.
Join us for ‘Food for Thought: Addressing Food Waste, Access & Insecurity through Rural Libraries’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, June 4 at 10am CT.
Imagine grocery shopping at a Dollar Store. That’s a reality for people living in rural food deserts. The Southern Adirondack Library System and the Comfort Food Community food pantry launched the Farm‐2‐Library initiative to reduce food waste by gleaning at local farms, distributing the produce through rural libraries where food scarcity, lack of food pantries, and transportation limit access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Since launching in 2017, we’ve shared more than 230,000 pounds of fresh produce, creating and deepening relationships with the community while fostering renewed interest in library services by previously reluctant users.
June 11 – Sparking Community Connections: Rural Public Library Partnerships
June 18 – Outreach at Any Size
June 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech
July 9 – Printing, Scanning, and Faxing at the Library
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
NOTE:This episode of NCompass Live will be presented online using Zoom. Login instructions will be sent to registered attendees after registration has closed. The Registration End date is listed on each session page, but usually closes on the Monday night before the date of the session.
Apply for an individual $500 scholarship to attend either the NLA 2025 Conference in York on October 22nd-24th or to the ARSL 2025 Conference in Albuquerque, NM on September 17th-20th!
The Fern V. Heim Scholarship for Trustees was established by her friend, Mary Louise Dutcher, to honor Fern’s dedication to small public libraries and their trustees. Although Fern’s library career began in special libraries (Head of the UNL Chemistry Department Library, Serials and Circulation Departments of UNL Love Library, and then Director of the Research Library at Goodrich Tire and Rubber in Akron, Ohio), her work at the Nebraska Library Commission was devoted to public libraries. Recognizing that few small library budgets could provide support for librarians, let alone their volunteer trustees, to attend professional meetings, she encouraged them to go whenever possible (at their own expense) if only for a portion of the meeting. As her legacy, it is fitting to assist those trustees through this scholarship program.
**This scholarship is open only to current Nebraska Public Library Board Members!**
