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Category Archives: Grants
Apply Now for Funding to Host Letter Writing Clinics
Funding is available to support Letters About Literature Letter Writing Clinics in Nebraska libraries and schools. Teachers and Librarians can apply now at: http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL_Grant/2018/howtoapply.aspx
Books make a difference in the lives of Nebraska young people. We know this because they say so in the letters they write to authors for the Letters About Literature competition. In her 2014 winning letter to Gary Soto, Sydney Kohl says, “The work inspired me to be true to myself, and also taught me the importance of each and every small perk in life. Our time on Earth is short, and might not be perfect, but as long as we take advantage of the opportunities given to us, maybe that’s okay.” *
Nebraska teachers and librarians are invited to apply for $300 grants to conduct Letters About Literature Letter Writing Clinics. Funding will be provided to introduce students to the Letters about Literature (LAL) contest and letter writing techniques, and to work with them to select books and craft letters to the authors. Grant funds can be used for items such as instructor honorariums, supplies, marketing, small participation prizes, etc. Applicants will target their efforts to specific age groups: grades 4-6, grades 7-8, or grades 9-12
For more information about the LAL Letter Writing Clinic grant (due April 15), see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL_Grant/2018/index.aspx or contact Mary Jo Ryan, Nebraska Library Commission, 402-471-4870, 800-307-2665. This grant opportunity is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and Nebraska Library Commission and supported by Humanities Nebraska. More about how the LAL national reading and writing promotion program encourages young readers in grades 4-12 to explore what books mean to them by writing a personal letter to an author is available at centerforthebook.nebraska.gov.
* Get inspired by listening to Nebraska winners Ashley Xiques and Sydney Kohl read and talk about their winning letters to the authors that meant something to them at NET Radio’s All About Books.
NOTE: The Letters About Literature competition 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. Letters About Literature is coordinated and sponsored in Nebraska by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission, with support from Houchen Bindery, Ltd. and Chapters Bookstore in Seward.
Teachers and Librarians Invited to Host Letter Writing Clinics
Books make a difference in the lives of Nebraska young people. We know this because they say so in the letters they write to authors for the Letters About Literature competition. In her 2014 winning letter to Gary Soto, Sydney Kohl says, “The work inspired me to be true to myself, and also taught me the importance of each and every small perk in life. Our time on Earth is short, and might not be perfect, but as long as we take advantage of the opportunities given to us, maybe that’s okay.” *
Nebraska teachers and librarians are invited to apply for $300 grants to conduct Letters About Literature Letter Writing Clinics. Funding will be provided to introduce students to the Letters about Literature (LAL) contest and letter writing techniques, and to work with them to select books and craft letters to the authors. Grant funds can be used for items such as instructor honorariums, supplies, marketing, small participation prizes, etc. Applicants will target their efforts to specific age groups: grades 4-6, grades 7-8, or grades 9-12
For more information about the LAL Letter Writing Clinic grant (due April 15), see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/lalwritingclinics or contact Mary Jo Ryan, Nebraska Library Commission, 402-471-4870, 800-307-2665. This grant opportunity is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and Nebraska Library Commission and supported by Humanities Nebraska. More about how the LAL national reading and writing promotion program encourages young readers in grades 4-12 to explore what books mean to them by writing a personal letter to an author is available at centerforthebook.nebraska.gov.
* Get inspired by listening to Nebraska winners Ashley Xiques and Sydney Kohl read and talk about and their winning letters to the authors that meant something to them at NET Radio’s All About Books.
NOTE: The Letters About Literature competition 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. Letters About Literature is coordinated and sponsored in Nebraska by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission, with support from Houchen Bindery, Ltd. and Chapters Bookstore in Seward.
New Year’s Resolution? Try United for Libraries Training Resources!
Nebraska libraries are invited to use the resources and support of United for Libraries, a division of the American Library Association. The Library Commission supports membership to United for Libraries for all of the state’s public libraries to ensure that Nebraska library staff, friends, trustees, and foundations can take advantage of services to enhance fund raising, advocacy, and public awareness.
Nebraska libraries are encouraged to use a special website (www.ala.org/united/Nebraska) to access resources, webinars, online training, and publications for Nebraska library trustees, library directors, and library staff at no charge to the participating library, including: Trustee Academy Five online courses; Short Takes for Trustees Ten 10-minute training videos; Engaging Today’s Volunteers for Libraries and Friends Webinar series on volunteer recruitment and retention; Friend Your Library Bookmark and Poster Files Free downloadable promotional items; Recorded Webinars Just-in-time webinar training on topics like Troubled Library Boards and Merging Friends and Foundation; Resource Collection Zones Current and archived newsletters, toolkits, electronic publications, special offers, etc. for Library Boards, Friends, and Foundations; and Power Guide for Successful Advocacy A step-by-step guide to developing an advocacy campaign, with examples of talking points, flyers, petitions, etc. at http://www.ala.org/united/powerguide.
Additionally, United for Libraries is accepting applications for the United for Libraries Friend Conference Grant through Jan. 15, 2018. This grant enables one member of a Friends of the Library group at a public library to attend the ALA Annual Conference. First-time Conference attendees, who are active in their public library Friends group, can receive a grant of $850, plus full ALA Annual Conference registration. For more information and to apply, see www.ala.org/united/grants_awards/friends/united.
United for Libraries brings together library voices to speak out on behalf of library services and free public access to information. This national network of enthusiastic library supporters stresses the importance of libraries as the social and intellectual centers of communities and campuses—educating and organizing the strongest voice for libraries: those who use them, raise money for them, and govern them.
For more information see United for Libraries at http://www.ala.org/united/
Youth Grants for Excellence Awarded
Nineteen public libraries were awarded Youth Grants for Excellence on December 1, 2017, for a total of $25,000. The recipients are:
Atkinson Public Library, $750 – for a Musical Lego workshop
Bennington Public Library, $2,132 – “Summer of STEAM”
Blue Hill Public Library, $1,620 – LEGO Club
Broadwater Public Library, $250 – to restart the Summer Reading Program
Central City Public Library, $1,600 – to reinforce STEM concepts in music and celebrate reading
Hruska Memorial Public Library, David City, $740 – to hold afterschool programs: a K-2 Makers Club and a 3-7 Makers Club
Keene Memorial Library, Fremont, $750 – to establish a Teen/YA Advisory Board and develop programming for teens
Genoa Public Library, $450 – to start an Adventure Club for children ages 9-14
Grand Island Public Library, $1,000 – to draw teens to the library
La Vista Public Library, $995 – “Movers and Shakers” to provide age appropriate musical instruments and manipulatives for programming for ages birth to five
Lincoln City Libraries, $2,638 – encouraging youth to become Makers through Makerspace Kits and programming
Morrill Public Library, $1,000 – Afterschool programs
Norfolk Public Library, $1,000 – “Book-to-Film Club”
Plattsmouth Public Library, $2,000 – “IDEA Boxes” relating to STEAM subjects
Baright Public Library, Ralston, $550 – “Monthly Mini Makers”
Ravenna Public Library, $3,000 – “Baby and Me: Bringing in the Children’s Museum Feel”
South Sioux City Public Library, $1,250 – “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten”
Dvoracek Memorial Library, Wilber, $1,000 – programs to celebrate books and reading
Kilgore Memorial Library, York, $2,250 – “Starlings for York” for encouraging parents to read to and talk with their babies, toddlers, and preschoolers
Congratulations! We look forward to hearing more about your projects and how they are helping your communities.
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Call for Speakers: Big Talk From Small Libraries 2018
The Call for Speakers for Big Talk From Small Libraries 2018 is now open!
This free one-day online conference is aimed at librarians from small libraries; the smaller the better! We are looking for speakers from small libraries or speakers who directly work with small libraries. Small libraries of all types – public, academic, school, museum, special, etc. – are encouraged to submit a proposal. We’re looking for seven 50-minute presentations and five 10-minute “lightning round” presentations.
Do you offer a service or program at your small library that other librarians might like to hear about? Have you implemented a new (or old) technology, hosted an event, partnered with others in your community, or just done something really cool? The Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference gives you the opportunity to share what you’ve done, while learning what your colleagues in other small libraries are doing. Here are some possible topics to get you thinking:
- Unique Libraries
- Special Collections
- New buildings
- Fundraising
- Improved Workflows
- Staff Development
- Advocacy Efforts
- Community Partnerships
- That great thing you’re doing at your library!
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2018 will be held on Friday, February 23, 2018 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Speakers will be able to present their programs from their own desktops. The schedule will accommodate speakers’ time-zones.
If you are interested in presenting, please submit your proposal by Friday, January 12, 2018.
Speakers from libraries serving fewer than 10,000 people will be preferred, but presentations from libraries with larger service populations will be considered.
This conference is organized and hosted by the Nebraska Library Commission and is co-sponsored by the Association for Rural & Small Libraries.
Gov. Ricketts Unveils Library Innovation Studios Makerspace Partnership
Governor Pete Ricketts announced that 18 Nebraska libraries will be the initial local participants in Nebraska’s Library Innovation Studios: Transforming Rural Communities project to create library makerspaces. The Nebraska Library Commission was recently awarded a National Leadership Grant of $530,732 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for this partnership project with the University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL), Nebraska Innovation Studio, Nebraska Extension, Regional Library Systems, and local public libraries.
“This partnership demonstrates how our Nebraska communities can use technology and education to empower community residents to create, learn, and invent,” said Governor Ricketts. “By expanding the skills of the workforce in our communities, supporting entrepreneurs, and encouraging lifelong learning, this partnership reinforces our vibrant business climate and supports community development.”
The project uses Library Innovation Studios makerspaces hosted by public libraries to support community engagement and participatory learning experiences by providing access to technology and innovative learning tools not readily accessible locally….READ MORE at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases/1710Gov.RickettsUnveilsLIS.aspx.
JoAnn McManus: Nebraska Excellence in Leadership
JoAnn McManus (nee Jedlicka) was recently selected as a co-recipient of the Library Commission’s state of Nebraska Excellence in Leadership recognition award. She joined the Nebraska Library Commission in 2010 to work on the Library Broadband Builds Nebraska Communities Project funded through the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). Currently, she is working with the Library Innovation Studios Project (funded through an IMLS grant) with a team of Library Commission staff.
JoAnn grew up on a farm just outside of Schuyler, NE and is one hundred percent Czechoslovakian. She graduated from Schuyler Central High School and is the youngest of thirteen children. Her mother was also from a family of thirteen. JoAnn was named after her first cousin, who was a child movie star named JoAnn Marlowe (Mares) who’s most famous picture was Mildred Pierce amongst the ten to her credit.
JoAnn earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and is a Graduate of the Economic Development Institute from the University of Oklahoma. She also completed coursework in Grant Writing and Research from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. JoAnn has held various positions, many in the economic development field and almost all in the area of project or grants management. Most of the organizations JoAnn worked for served counties throughout the state including NPPD, Nebraska Departments of Economic Development, and the Nebraska Department of Labor so JoAnn has done her share of traveling to Nebraska communities. JoAnn says the most challenging thing about her current assignment is that there is so much to do in a concentrated amount of time especially in the first few months. Luckily there are others on the team that are going through these same challenges to move the project forward. The best thing about working with librarians is serving Nebraska in a different way than in her former jobs,
If JoAnn could have dinner with anyone she would like to dine with Warren Buffett and should a winning lottery ticket find its way to her possession, she would retire and begin traveling with Hawaii and Ireland being top of her list. When she is not working at the Commission, JoAnn enjoys going to estate sales and is drawn to buying pretty objects. She has one case and two booths at the Aardvark Antique Mall and her family is always surprised when what looks like a useless purchase actually sells. JoAnn won’t be quitting her day job anytime soon, selling ‘treasures’ pencils out as more of a hobby.
JoAnn is married to Brian McManus and together they have a son Daniel. They also share their home with one cat named M&M. A perfect day would include spending time with her family enjoying adventures together. Congratulations JoAnn!
Funding for Small-Town Libraries: Kreutz Bennett Donor Advised Fund Grants
There is still time to apply for grants to small-town public libraries
Grants of up to $20,000 are available for libraries in communities with populations of fewer than 3,000, thanks to the generosity of a lifelong educator, the late Shirley Kreutz Bennett of Lincoln. Each year the Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund, an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation, accepts proposals for grants for planning that leads to certification, program enhancements, and facilities improvements.
The deadline to submit the initial short application form is October 1, 2017.
Following Ms. Kreutz Bennett’s wishes, a fund advisory committee composed of her nieces and nephews recommends grants in three areas: planning grants leading to accreditation; enhancement grants to improve library services; and facilities grants for new construction or the renovation, restoration or rehabilitation of current libraries.
All grants require a one-to-one match in local funds and evidence that the project has broad community support. Approximately $70,000 to $80,000 is available each year. Grant seekers are encouraged to review the guidelines and application procedures at https://www.nebcommfound.org/give/kreutz-bennett-donor-advised-fund/.
For more information, contact Reggi Carlson, NCF Communications Specialist, (402) 323-7338 or rcarlson@nebcommfound.org.
There are 228 libraries in Nebraska communities with populations under 3,000, which makes them eligible for a grant from the Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund. Of those, about 100 are not accredited by the Nebraska Library Commission.
“Gaining accreditation is critical to our libraries. It opens the door to other outside funding,” said Jeff Yost, Nebraska Community Foundation president and CEO. “In many small towns, the library may be the only place where some people have access to the internet. Shirley’s legacy gift shows that she had great vision and commitment to people in our small communities. We are honored to help the family of Shirley Kreutz Bennett develop a strategy to share her passion for learning, especially in places where funding continues to shrink,” said Yost.
Nebraska Community Foundation is a statewide organization using charitable giving to build prosperous communities. NCF works with volunteer leaders serving more than 200 communities by providing training, strategic development, gift planning assistance and financial management for its affiliated funds located throughout the state. In the last five years, more than 37,000 contributions have been made to NCF affiliated funds, and more than $125 million has been reinvested to benefit Nebraska communities. For more information visit www.NebraskaHometown.org.
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Youth Grants for Excellence Applications due 10/4/17
The Nebraska Library Commission announces that grants are available to accredited public libraries and state-run institutional libraries for special projects in the area of children’s and young adult services. These grants are awarded to encourage innovation and expansion of public library services for youth and their parents or caregivers. Applications will be accepted for projects in an area that will benefit children and/or teens and which you see as a need in your community; for examples see the “Introduction” link below.
The minimum amount that will be awarded per grant is $250 and the grants require a 25% match of the requested amount. This means the minimum total project cost will be $313, with your library providing at least $63 ($25 cash and $38 in-kind, remember to round up to full dollars) for the 25% match required. Use the Project Budget Form at the end of the application form to estimate the amount you will need and to itemize specific expenses. You are advised to be as precise and detailed as possible.
There are two different application forms. For projects requesting $250 – $1,000 in grant funds use the abbreviated, or short form. Applications requesting more than $1,000 must use the long form. Please be sure to use the correct form for your project. Please go to the “Introduction” page for links to the forms (at the bottom of the page).
Please note: AWE work stations, or similar stations of other companies, are no longer eligible for a youth grant.
You may also be interested in viewing the NCompass Live session from 8/20/14 titled “What You Need to Know to Apply for a Youth Grant.”
You are welcome to call or email Sally Snyder with questions or to ask for more information.
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Nebraska Libraries Encouraged to Apply for “Libraries Ready to Code” Grants
ALA opens application period for Libraries Ready to Code grants
The American Library Association (ALA) has opened the application period for grants to develop public and school library programming that promotes computer science (CS) and computational thinking (CT) among youth. 25-50 libraries will be selected to receive grants of up to $25,000 to design and implement youth coding programs that incorporate Ready to Code concepts. The Ready to Code project team will host an informational webinar on Tuesday, August 1, to supplement the detailed RFP and provide additional guidance to applicants. Interested applicants can RSVP to participate in the webinar at the RtC website. Proposal deadline is August 31, 2017,
The grant opportunity is the latest phase of the Libraries Ready to Code (RtC) initiative of ALA’s Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP), sponsored by Google. For more information:
http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2017/07/ala-opens-application-period-libraries-ready-code-grants
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Libraries Invited to Apply for Rotating Makerspace
Nebraska public libraries are invited to apply to host rotating makerspaces as part of the Library Innovation Studios: Transforming Rural Communities project. The Nebraska Library Commission along with partners University of Nebraska—Lincoln, Nebraska Innovation Studio, Nebraska Extension, and Regional Library Systems, are excited about the project, which was recently awarded a National Leadership Grant of $530,732 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The project, which will begin July 1, 2017 and conclude June 30, 2020, uses Library Innovation Studios (makerspaces) hosted by thirty public libraries to support community engagement and participatory learning experiences by providing access to technological and innovative learning tools not readily accessible locally. This strengthening of the maker culture in Nebraska communities is expected to stimulate creativity, innovation, and idea exchange to facilitate entrepreneurship, skill development, and local economic development.
Accredited Nebraska public libraries with a legal service area of less than 25,000 are eligible to apply. The deadline for the first application cycle—to identify twelve to twenty participating libraries—is July 10, 2017. The balance of the participating libraries are expected to be selected in an application process sometime in 2018. For more information see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/grants/InnovationStudios/ or watch the recorded NCompass Live webinar at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventshow.asp?ProgId=16370.
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Nebraska Public Libraries Participate in IMLS Internet2® Pilot Program to Assess Rural Library Broadband
During the first week of March, three Nebraska Public Libraries had a unique experience, participating in kick-off site visits for a pilot program funded by a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The grant was awarded to Internet2®, a member-owned advanced technology community founded by the nation’s leading higher education institutions in 1996. Internet2® provides a collaborative environment for U.S. research and education organizations to solve common technology challenges and to develop innovative solutions in support of their educational, research, and community service missions.
Public library directors and staff in the Nebraska communities of Valley, Walthill, and Wymore each spent an afternoon with two state employees who are the technical advisors for the site visits to the five Nebraska libraries. Library staff and technical advisors examined the details of each library’s broadband profile. Susannah Spellman from Internet2® participated in site visits to the public libraries in Valley and Wymore. Susannah said, “We are delighted to partner with the Nebraska Library Commission and Network Nebraska to pilot the IMLS-funded Broadband Toolkit. Being able to leverage the library technology expertise of the Nebraska Library Commission, especially from their Library Broadband Builds Nebraska Communities BTOP grant, and the broadband and E-Rate expertise of Network Nebraska delivers an even more powerful learning experience for the library staff involved in the pilot.”
The Toolkit is designed to help library staff assess and evaluate their library’s broadband connection. Topic areas include: how broadband is delivered to the library; the library’s broadband provider; and infrastructure details including inside wiring, types of devices connecting the libraries network, age of wiring and devices, and reliability of the library network (availability and speed). The Toolkit includes links to online resources and a glossary to help guide the staff through the assessment activities. As staff work through the assessment with the technical advisors, they identify quick fixes and long-range plans that are summarized in a customized Broadband Improvement Plan for the library.
All three of the pilot libraries appreciated having an opportunity to learn about the status of the broadband in their libraries and identify improvements that can be made immediately (and in the long term) to better serve the library and their community
“The information in the Toolkit that we received will help us learn and prepare to become a bigger and better community hot spot. We were presented with resources, hands-on demos, suggestions, and best of all—a timeline to accomplish what will help us improve and be a better asset to our community,” said Janet Roberts, Library Director, Wymore Public Library.
Additional site visits are planned for the public libraries in Atkinson and Gering at the end of March.
______________________________________________________________
Internet2® was awarded a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant of $248,725 from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Internet2® will pilot a project to develop a broadband network assessment Toolkit and training program for rural and tribal libraries in partnership with the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums; the American Library Association; the Association of Rural and Small Libraries; the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies; and Internet2® member research and education networks. The pilot will include more than thirty library practitioners in at least 30 rural public and tribal libraries across five states, Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. The Toolkit will provide training for librarians to advance their understanding of and advocacy for broadband infrastructure in their libraries and will be developed to address library-specific broadband technology and infrastructure needs.
(l-r) Tom Rolfes, State of Nebraska Office of the Chief Information Officer; Janet Roberts, Wymore Public Library Director; Susannah Spellman, Internet2®, Holly Woldt, Nebraska Library Commission.
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NCompass Live: Planning for Successful Internships
Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Planning for Successful Internships’, on Wednesday, March 8, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.
Each year when librarians report on their internship experiences we learn more about what worked well and what tips they might have learned along the way that will make for a better internship next time. The one thing that we hear every year is about the importance of planning and selecting an intern that is the right fit for the library and for the tasks that are planned for the internship. JoAnn McManus and Mary Jo Ryan, both with the Nebraska Library Commission, will address the planning involved in preparing for a new intern and share tips to providing your intern–and your library–with a great experience. Although the presentation focuses on ensuring that the newly announced library grant recipients of the 2017 Nebraska Library Internship Grant Program are armed with great information, other libraries will also pick up great tips for how to prepare and make the most out of internships at their libraries.
Upcoming NCompass Live events:
- March 15 – Build a Better World: Summer Reading Program 2017
- March 22 – Small and Rural Libraries Leading with TV Whitespace
- March 29 – Conversation Circles: A Simple ESL Program
- April 19 – LMNOP: The Evolution of Engagement
For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, 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. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
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Library Improvement Grants for 2017
The Nebraska Library Commission announced approval of the following Library Improvement Grants from those submitted. Note that money for these approved grants currently is not available since the funding for these grants is contingent upon LSTA funding and action on the federal budget which has not yet been approved. Libraries with approved grant applications should not commit to contracts, agreements, or expenditures unless they can fully cover those costs should the Library Improvement Grant monies be delayed or denied.
Following are the approved grants with brief notes about the projects proposed:
Brunswick Public Library:
$3,327 to join the Pioneer Library Consortium
Central City Public Library:
$3,000 for updating of the library’s meeting room presentation equipment
Goodall City Library (Ogallala):
$4,760 for a library humanities-related programs to address specific community target audiences including widows
Schuyler Public Library:
$14,126 for acquiring equipment and software to improve communication with the public in the library’s new building
Sidney Public Library:
$20,400 for digitizing of local newspaper from 1875 to current year
South Sioux City Public Library:
$5,250 to acquire up-to-date microfilm reader/scanner for local historical documents
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Teachers and Librarians Invited to Host Letter Writing Clinics
Teachers and Librarians Invited to Host Letter Writing Clinics
Books make a difference in the lives of Nebraska young people. We know this because they say so in the letters they write to authors for the Letters About Literature competition. In her 2014 winning letter to Gary Soto, Sydney Kohl says, “The work inspired me to be true to myself, and also taught me the importance of each and every small perk in life. Our time on Earth is short, and might not be perfect, but as long as we take advantage of the opportunities given to us, maybe that’s okay.” *
Nebraska teachers and librarians are invited to apply for $300 grants to conduct Letters About Literature Letter Writing Clinics. Funding will be provided to introduce students to the Letters about Literature (LAL) contest and letter writing techniques, and to work with them to select books and craft letters to the authors. Grant funds can be used for items such as instructor honorariums, supplies, marketing, small participation prizes, etc. Applicants will target their efforts to specific age groups: grades 4-6, grades 7-8, or grades 9-12
For more information about the LAL Letter Writing Clinic grant (due March 30), see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/lalwritingclinics or contact JoAnn McManus, Nebraska Library Commission, 402-471-4870, 800-307-2665. This grant opportunity is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and Nebraska Library Commission and supported by Humanities Nebraska. More about how the LAL national reading and writing promotion program encourages young readers in grades 4-12 to explore what books mean to them by writing a personal letter to an author is available at centerforthebook.nebraska.gov.
* Get inspired by listening to Nebraska winners Ashley Xiques and Sydney Kohl read and talk about and their winning letters to the authors that meant something to them at NET Radio’s All About Books.
NOTE: The Letters About Literature competition 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. Letters About Literature is coordinated and sponsored in Nebraska by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission, with support from Houchen Bindery, Ltd. and Chapters Bookstore in Seward.
NCompass Live: Library Improvement Grants for 2017
Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Library Improvement Grants for 2017’, on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.
Do you have a program or project you would like to see funded? Are you considering applying for an upcoming Nebraska Library Commission grant to support this project? Join Richard Miller, NLC Library Development Director, as he provides a grant information session about the Nebraska Library Commission’s Library Improvement Grants for 2017. The session will be an overview of the grant, including grant priorities, eligibility requirements, the application process, and deadlines. Nebraska accredited public libraries and certain state-run institutional libraries will be particularly interested in this presentation.
Upcoming NCompass Live events:
- Jan. 18 – #1lib1ref: a Citation as a Gateway into Librarianship on Wikipedia
- Feb. 1 – EGAD! Bed Bugs in the Library?
- Feb. 8 – A New Standard for Public Service Measures for Archives & Special Collections
For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, 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. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
NCompass Live: Under the Microscope: Science at the Library
Join us for next week’s NCompass Live, ‘Under the Microscope: Science at the Library’, on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 10:00-11:00 am Central Time.
Valley Public Library was awarded one of the Nebraska Library Commission Youth Grants for Excellence for two microscope kits that would be made available for circulation and would be used in programming for youth and families. The presentation will include background information on our science station that led to the idea for the kits. Descriptions of projects and programs that have been successful will be presented along with potential for future programming and outreach.
Presenters: Claire Bushong, Director, and Gary Brown, Volunteer, Valley (NE) Public Library.
Upcoming NCompass Live events:
- Dec. 28 – Best New Teen Books of 2016
- Jan. 4, 2017 – Begin With Books: An Early Literacy Partnership
- Jan, 11, 2017 – Library Improvement Grants for 2017
For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, 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. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
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Library Improvement Grants Now Available for 2017
Library Improvement Grants Now Available for 2017
The 2017 Library Improvement Grants, funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) from Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant monies, are now available. Nebraska accredited public libraries and certain state-run institutional libraries are eligible to apply for these competitive grants to help facilitate growth and development of library programs and services by supplementing local funding with federal funds designated for these purposes.
In keeping with the goals of the Library Services and Technology Act, the Library Improvement Grants are intended to help libraries meet the goals of the Nebraska Library Commission’s LSTA Five-Year Plan 2013 – 2017. To be funded projects must meet one or more of specific LSTA Purposes listed at the following link. Funding to help libraries join the statewide Pioneer Consortium will receive priority consideration as grant applications are evaluated.
Other requirements include a 25% local match. At least 10% of this match must be in cash. Federal LSTA grants involve meeting certain other requirements which are outlined at the link above and in grant agreement documents for approved projects. The minimum grant amount is $500.
Libraries submitting grant applications will notice that the application form has been changed quite a bit from those used in the past. However, the only changes made from last year’s grant form are the addition of spaces for an Executive Summary of the grant and for an explanation of budget amounts proposed. The changes made on last year’s and this year’s grant form meet federal reporting guidelines which will allow IMLS to present cogent and cohesive reports on the use of federal LSTA monies to Congress as part of its efforts in support of continuing this funding for library services nationwide.
NOTE: Availability of federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant monies for the Library Improvement Grants are contingent upon LSTA funding and federal action on appropriations not yet determined for the current federal fiscal year. This means that the Commission will need to wait until decisions have been made at the national level to know if these Library Improvement Grants can be funded. We do not know the dates these decisions will be made.
This link will take you directly to the grant application form.
Pertinent dates to remember:
• December 6, 2016 – Application form available
• January 24, 2017 – Applications due by 11:59 PM Central Time
• February 14, 2017 – Grant recipients announced
NOTE: For more information be sure to tune in at 10 am CT (9 am MT) for the NCompass Live session on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 for the “Library Improvement Grants for 2017” session.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at the Commission:
Richard Miller
Nebraska Library Commission
The Atrium, Suite 120
1200 N Street
Lincoln, NE 68508-2023
800-307-2665 or 402-471-3175
Posted in Grants, Programming, Technology, Uncategorized
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Call for Speakers for the 2017 Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference
The Call for Speakers for Big Talk From Small Libraries 2017 is now open! This free one-day online conference is aimed at librarians from small libraries; the smaller the better. Small libraries of all types – public, academic, school, museum, special, etc. – are encouraged to submit a proposal.
Do you offer a service or program at your small library that other librarians might like to hear about? Have you implemented a new (or old) technology, hosted an event, partnered with others in your community, or just done something really cool? The Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference gives you the opportunity to share what you’ve done, while learning what your colleagues in other small libraries are doing. Here are some possible topics to get you thinking:
- Unique Libraries
- Special Collections
- New buildings
- Fundraising
- Improved Workflows
- Staff Development
- Advocacy Efforts
- Community Partnerships
- That great thing you’re doing at your library!
For Big Talk From Small Libraries 2017, we’re looking for seven 50-minute presentations 7and five 10-minute “lightning round” presentations.
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2017 will be held on Friday, February 24, 2017 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Speakers will be able to present their programs from their own desktops. The schedule will accommodate speakers’ time-zones.
If you are interested in presenting, please submit your proposal by Friday, January 13, 2017. Speakers from libraries serving fewer than 10,000 people will be preferred, but presentations from libraries with larger service populations will be considered.
Grants Available for Community-Wide Reading Programs
A Big Read is a month-long series of programs centered around one NEA Big Read title. Programs should include a kickoff, a keynote, book discussions, and other artistic events to foster engagement with the selected title and encourage reading.
NEA Big Read is accepting applications from libraries to develop community-wide reading programs between September 2017 and June 2018. 13 new titles are available!
Organizations selected to participate in the NEA Big Read receive a grant, access to educational and promotional materials, and online training resources and opportunities. Approximately 75 organizations from across the country will be selected.
Application deadline: January 26, 2017
Review the guidelines and application instructions, and discover all 28 titles available for selection at www.neabigread.org.
Not sure where to start?
visit neabigread.org/grantsfaq.php
Questions? Call Arts Midwest at 612-238-8010
or email neabigread@artsmidwest.org
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Grants
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