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Category Archives: Programming
“Visions of Warriors” Documentary for Nebraska Libraries
The producers of the “Visions of Warriors” documentary are offering free virtual screenings of the film to Nebraska libraries and their patrons.
This feature documentary is about four veterans from the Vietnam War era to the Iraq War who participate in the groundbreaking Veteran Photo Recovery Project, using innovative photography therapy to treat their moral injury, PTSD, military sexual trauma, and other mental illnesses.
Learn more about the project at www.visionsofwarriors.com.
In addition to the film, the producers are providing the following free resources for libraries to use: Press Kit, Discussion Guide, “How to Organize a Screening” Guide, and “How to Set Up an Online Screening and Q&A” Guide.
To give back and assist with the COVID-19 relief efforts, the producers are offering online screenings of “Visions of Warriors” at no cost to libraries, universities, veterans organizations, and mental health organizations. It’s a way for libraries to help promote veterans services and create powerful online programming during this challenging time.
“Visions of Warriors” received a generous grant from the Stanford University Medicine & the Muse Program in Medical Humanities, premiered at the prestigious Vail Film Festival, and received an honorable mention at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) 2017 Voice Awards.
For more information, please contact Ming Lai, Director, Humanist Films, LLC, 626-372-1301, minglai[at]humanistfilms[dot]com.
Posted in General, Programming
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Call for Speakers: Big Talk From Small Libraries 2021
The Call for Speakers for the 10th annual Big Talk From Small Libraries 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 four 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!
Submit your proposal by Friday, January 8, 2021.
Speakers from libraries serving fewer than 10,000 people will be preferred, but presentations from libraries with larger service populations will be considered.
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2021 will be held on Friday, February 26, 2021 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Speakers will present their programs from their own desktops. The schedule will accommodate speakers’ time-zones.
This conference is organized and hosted by the Nebraska Library Commission and is co-sponsored by the Association for Rural & Small Libraries.
Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash
NCompass Live: NLC Grants for 2021
Do you have a program or project you would like to see funded? Learn how to apply for the ‘NLC Grants for 2021’ on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, September 23 at 10am CT.
The Nebraska Library Commission has made funding available for grants for 2021: Youth Grants for Excellence, Internship, and Continuing Education & Training. Join Christa Porter, Sally Snyder, and Holli Duggan, from the Nebraska Library Commission’s Library Development Team, as they provide an overview of the grants, including eligibility requirements, the application process and grant review, timelines and deadlines. They will also share some tips on writing effective grants.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Sept. 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Revamping Your WordPress Website
- Oct. 21 – Migrating to an Open-Source ILS in an Academic Library: How to Celebrate Successes and Bounce Back from Problems
- Tues. Nov. 10 – Creating an Open Educational Resource: Grenzenlos Deutsch, German Language Online Curriculum
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.
Nebraska Libraries Report 1,000,000 Minutes of Reading
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2020
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Denise Harders
402-462-1975
denise.cpls@gmail.com
Central Plains Library System
Summer reading programs are helping students become better readers
Hastings, Nebraska – Since mid-May, more than 100 Nebraska libraries have been carrying out Summer Reading Programs that have allowed patrons of all ages to log their reading progress.
As of July 7th, Readers have logged:
1,086,227 minutes read
10,457 books completed
110,272 pages read
1,928 literacy activities completed
The Nebraska Library Commission and the Nebraska Regional Library Systems have worked to engage more than 100 libraries in summer reading programs through an innovative reading app called Reader Zone. These programs consist of participants of all ages with the majority being kindergarten through 6th grade.
COVID-19 has greatly impacted libraries in every corner of the state. Libraries that typically carry out in-person events for summer reading have turned to virtual programs that allow them to remain engaged with their communities.
“We are excited to reach one million minutes and we thank all our hard-working librarians and our wonderful patrons for their dedication to literacy and reading,” said Denise Harders, Director of the Central Plains Library System. “But we’re not stopping at one million! I invite all Nebraskans to continue reading through July and join our August Reading Challenge.”
The August Reading Challenge will run from Aug. 1st– Aug. 31st. The challenge will be to read 1,000 minutes within the month. Anyone is invited to participate in these programs through your local library.
“Seeing Nebraska readers reach 1 million minutes demonstrates that there are many dedicated public librarians and engaged families throughout the state. We are extremely proud of Nebraska and I am certain that they will double or triple their reading numbers before the end of the summer. Students will return to school in the fall with their hard-earned reading skills sharpened and ready to learn,” Jake Ball, creator of Reader Zone.
Reader Zone is web-based reading program and app that helps organizations of all kind to build and deploy meaningful reading programs. Reader Zone offers a mobile app that makes participation in reading programs simple and rewarding for readers of all ages.
Nebraska’s Regional Library Systems are four non-profit corporations governed by boards representative of libraries and citizens in the region. Systems provide access to improved library services by facilitating cooperation among all types of libraries and media centers within the counties included in each System area.
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. 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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Posted in Books & Reading, Programming, Youth Services
Tagged Reader Zone, Summer Reading
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Grant Opportunity: The STAR Net STEAM Equity Project
STAR Net STEAM Equity Project: Enhancing Learning Opportunities in Libraries of Rural Communities
Applications Open Now; submit your Notice of Intent by July 20 at http://www.ala.org/tools/programming/steamequity
Eligibility: Public libraries serving rural and Latino communities
The STAR Net STEAM Equity Project will help public library workers in rural communities offer outstanding, culturally responsive STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) programming and exhibitions for their patrons, especially often-underreached Latino populations.
Twelve creative librarians/library workers will be chosen to lead their libraries’ participation in a project at the intersection of transforming library services, gender equity and cultural inclusion (especially with Latino families), STEAM learning and positive youth development.
Those interested in applying on behalf of their library are invited to complete a brief Notice of Intent (NOI) about your community demographics and needs. Eligible libraries that submit a successful NOI will be invited to submit a full proposal by the October 15, 2020 deadline.
Selected libraries will receive support at the national level from the project team as well as local partnerships, and $15,000 to participate in professional development activities, support community partnerships and purchase materials as they customize STEAM learning experiences for their communities. In partnership with library staff and their community collaborators, the project will engage families to empower tweens in STEAM culture and learning.
Participating library workers will learn STEAM programming and outreach strategies through virtual and in-person workshops. Starting in 2021, they will host three traveling STEAM exhibitions; facilitate three STEAM programs annually; create and lend three STEAM outreach kits; and develop a STEAM exploration space in their library.
The STAR Net STEAM Equity Project is funded the National Science Foundation (NSF) and offered by the Space Science Institute’s National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL/SSI), the American Library Association (ALA), Twin Cities PBS (TPT), Institute for Learning Innovation (ILI) and Education Development Center (EDC).
Posted in Grants, Programming, Youth Services
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Pretty Sweet Tech: Building Media Literacy
PEN America and the EveryLibrary Institute are offering a Train the Trainer workshop to help librarians teach media literacy on May 27 and May 28 at 1pm Central. The toolkit they offer is versatile, however these resources are especially important as COVID-19 misinformation runs rampant, potentially endangering our communities.
As technology grows more complicated, so do the scams. In a world of social distancing, we are all becoming more reliant on technology to communicate, make purchases, and more. This workshop is about finding information online in a world filled with misinformation.
I just registered for the workshop myself. It is free and runs through Zoom. Before the workshop, take a sneak peek at Pen America’s Guide on COVID-19 and Disinformation.
Some of these tips are tried and true, others are borrowed, or might make us feel blue. But the information is necessary, helpful and timeless. Give it a try, you might learn something new!
If you want to see what the Nebraska Library Commission is doing to help build digital skills, check out my new Digital Literacy Guidebook.
NCompass Live: Escaping Online – Virtual Escape Rooms and Other Online Programs
Hop on the Hogwarts Express! On next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar we’ll be ‘Escaping Online’ to learn about ‘Virtual Escape Rooms and Other Online Programs’ on Wednesday, April 22 at 10am Central Time.
The current health crisis has caused libraries and schools around the world to shut their doors and turn to virtual programming and learning opportunities online. Libraries and educators have responded with innovative programming that is shared and viewed beyond their own communities. One such program that has made its rounds has been the Hogwarts Digital Escape Room. Learn about the inspiration, creation, and challenges of this virtual experience from its creator Sydney Krawiec.
Presenter: Sydney Krawiec, Youth Services Librarian, Peters Township (PA) Public Library.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- April 29 – Pretty Sweet Tech – HTML5 & CSS3: Basic Building Blocks of the Web
- May 20 – Reading for Justice: A Database for YA & Youth Literature
- June 3 – Automating Virtual Student Library Cards
- June 10 – Identity and Impostor Syndrome in Library Makerspaces
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.
American Democracy Project–Video Contest to Promote the 2020 Census
When: April 08, 2020 – April 24, 2020
Time:01:00 PM – 05:00 PM:
The American Democracy Project is sponsoring a video contest to promote awareness for the U.S. Census! Prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place entries; all videos will be judged on accuracy, creativity, and use of visuals/sound. All entries should be submitted to adp@unk.edu by April 24, 2020.
For more instructions, visit https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z3uFwe4jtJgN25Ju2CAE-ovybZ-8UdMIvMFmfEtXrU8/edit?usp=sharing.
Good luck!
Contact:Lydia Behnk
(402) 843-6801
behnkll@lopers.unk.edu
Posted in Census, Education & Training, General, Information Resources, Programming, Technology, What's Up Doc / Govdocs
Tagged census
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NCompass Live: How to Add Movement to Library Programming
Let’s get moving! Learn ‘How to Add Movement to Library Programming’ on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, April 8 at 10am Central Time.
Many communities have identified health and wellness as a priority and libraries can play an important role in promoting physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle. This session will focus on easy techniques you can use to add movement to programs for all ages. From a mini dance party between stories to instance recess for adults, regular ten minute activity breaks have been identified by researchers and policy makers as effective ways to advance public health. Here you’ll learn exercise, routines, playlists, and games that you can use to quickly and effectively incorporate activity breaks into programs at your library.
Presenter: Noah Lenstra, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science, University of North Carolina Greensboro and Director of Let’s Move in Libraries.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- April 15 – Amplified Advisory with Video Book Talks
- April 29 – Pretty Sweet Tech – HTML5 & CSS3: Basic Building Blocks of the Web
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.
Online Storytimes To Share With Your Littlest Patrons
Storytime is a beloved library tradition for many of our youngest patrons and their parents. With libraries closing their doors to in-person gatherings, many storytimes are going online. We are rounding up resources to help you find online storytimes or create your own.
Many publishers are relaxing their permissions during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow books to be read aloud online, in addition to the numerous authors and celebreties sharing videos of themselves reading.
Please visit our new page for links to read-alouds and publisher information, plus sources of free ebooks and audiobooks for all ages. If you have additional resources we should list, please let us know!
Read Online: http://nlc.nebraska.gov/libman/readonline.aspx
Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash.
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Information Resources, Library Management, Programming
Tagged Children, ebooks, families, publishers, read aloud, storytime
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Small-Town Libraries Get Help for High-Tech Makerspaces with Kreutz Bennett Grants
Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund focuses on empowering libraries
Today’s libraries provide important services that go far beyond books. They are used for community gathering places, internet access, remote conferencing, public meetings, after-school programs, and increasingly, for wildly popular makerspaces for children and adults. Recently, the Kreutz-Bennett Donor-Advised Fund, an affiliated fund of Nebraska Community Foundation, helped six small-town Nebraska libraries provide access to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) activities by providing grants totaling $46,321. All grants required a one-to-one match in local funding.
Funds will be used to purchase STEAM-related equipment, software, supplies and improve facilities in the following libraries:
Bridgeport Public Library
This library requested funding to equip its permanent makerspace, which is a broad term that includes space and equipment that encourages different kinds of creativity. It can include many things ranging from embroidery machines to 3D printers and laser cutters. The Committee approved a grant of $8,000.
Central City Public Library
A grant of $10,000 will match local funding to purchase equipment for the library’s makerspace. A Community Needs Survey has indicated public support for this project, and a grant of $10,000 will help meet this goal.
Clay Center Public Library
This request involved a technology update. The library will purchase new computers to allow it to present coding classes and sponsor a coding club. Many computers in Nebraska libraries, originally acquired through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, are now 10 or more years old. The Committee approved a grant of $7,191.
Kimball Public Library
This library is receiving a grant of $10,030 to create a new makerspace. The library hosted a Nebraska Library Commission mobile Innovation Studio this past year and is now planning to create its own space for encouraging creativity.
Lied Pierce Public Library
A grant of $1,100 will support the purchase of various STEAM supplies and equipment. This is an example of continuing support for libraries that demonstrate a record of successful programs.
Ravenna Public Library
This newly constructed facility will install equipment in a new makerspace, thanks to a matching $10,000 grant for enhanced programming.
An additional $86,750 in grants was awarded to the following libraries for program enhancement, facilities improvement, or work leading to accreditation:
Axtell Public Library
This library was offered a $20,000 grant in 2019 on the condition that the community could raise the matching funds within one year. Those funds have been secured and the contingent grant has been released. Funding will be used to update library’s restrooms to make them ADA accessible and improve the outdated and nonfunctioning lighting throughout the library.
Garfield County Library in Burwell
A grant of $3,750 will be matched by local funds and significant expenditures from the city and county to improve patron safety by installing additional parking, exterior lighting, and relocating bike racks away from traffic areas.
Geneva Public Library
The library requested assistance for renovating the exterior brick and mortar on the entrance of this historic building. The Committee noted that Shirley Kreutz Bennett was in favor of restoring historic libraries and provided a matching grant of $20,000.
Genoa Public Library
Two grants will provide funding for interior renovations and programming. A $10,000 grant will help replace 30-year-old carpeting and outdated shelving. Another $1,000 will be used to expand the children’s area with an assortment of educational games and supplies.
Hruska Memorial Public Library in David City
This library will receive up to $6,000 to replace very old equipment in its public meeting room including a projector, screen and speakers. More than 3,000 persons attended various presentations last year. The request is being matched by a local grant from Nebraska Community Foundation’s affiliated fund, the Butler County Area Foundation Fund, with additional funding from the Nebraska Library Commission.
Logan County Library in Stapleton
This non-accredited library will receive a matching grant of $500 to support the library director’s time and travel expenses for training in pursuit of accreditation, and to purchase a subscription that provides the library with e-books and audio books.
Rising City Public Library
This library will receive $2,500 to help with attaining accreditation. Funding will provide partial support for salary, a subscription for e-books and audio books, and a computer.
Rock County Public Library in Bassett
This library will use its $20,000 matching grant to expand its facility by renovating an attached garage, that formerly housed a bookmobile. The space will be used to create a meeting room, a classroom area, and an after-school program.
Shelby Public Library
This library is receiving $3,000 in matching funds to launch a community engagement program over three years that encourages and builds community cohesion. Each month the library will be the location for a diverse set of events ranging from cultural, educational and entertainment presentations.
Since 2012, more than $550,000 has been granted through a term endowment established by the late Shirley Kreutz Bennett, a lifelong educator originally from Harvard, Nebraska. Thanks to this generous support, dozens of libraries have launched projects to repair, renovate, or replace existing facilities, create programs that enhance library services, and importantly, prepare libraries, boards and directors to become accredited, which opens the door to increased state funding.
The Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund encourages all libraries serving communities with populations under 3,000 to review the grant guidelines and carefully consider how new improvements might better serve families.
Following Ms. Kreutz Bennett’s wishes, a Fund Advisory Committee composed of her nieces and nephews recommends grants each year. All grants require a one-to-one match in local funding and evidence that the project has broad community support. Grant seekers should review the guidelines and application procedures. The first short applications are due October 1, 2020. If invited, full applications will be due in January 2021. For more information, contact Kristine Gale, NCF community impact coordinator, 402.822.0466 or kgale@nebcommfound.org.
About Nebraska Community Foundation
Nebraska Community Foundation unleashes abundant assets, inspires charitable giving and connects ambitious people to build stronger communities and a Greater Nebraska.
Headquartered in Lincoln, the Foundation serves communities, donors and organizations by providing financial management, strategic development, education and training to a statewide network of 1,500 volunteers serving 260 communities.
In the last five years, 44,476 contributions have been made to Nebraska Community Foundation and its affiliated funds. Since 1994, Nebraska Community Foundation has reinvested $355 million in Nebraska’s people and places. For information, visit NebraskaHometown.org.
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Update: Libraries and the 2020 Census
| The Census form opens March 12 (That’s tomorrow!) Beginning March 12, households will begin receiving 2020 Census mailings and can start responding. These key resources can help your library staff prepare: Have 2 minutes? Read ALA’s “Responding to the Census (PDF)” Have 10 minutes? Watch this new “2020 Census Training Video for Public Library Staff” from libraries in Cuyahoga County, Ohio Have 2 hours? Read ALA’s “Libraries’ Guide to the 2020 Census (PDF)” Find ALA’s full collection of resources at ala.org/census. |
| Invite your elected officials to fill out their Census at the library Make sure your elected officials know how your library is supporting a complete count in the 2020 Census! One idea: invite your elected officials to fill out their own Census form at the library. It’s a great photo opportunity – and they can share it to spread the word about the Census and how the library can help. You can use ALA’s template (DOC) to invite your local, state, and federal officials. Be sure to coordinate with your library director and communications or government relations staff. |
| Grant opportunity from the National League of Cities The National League of Cities is accepting applications for grants for Census activities. Libraries are eligible to apply if they are a city agency or are partnering with a city government (get a letter from a mayor near you). Apply as soon as possible, as applications are being reviewing on a rolling basis. |
| New Census materials from Sesame Street and Dr. Seuss Looking for materials to use in your Census outreach with children and families? Check out new free materials from Sesame Workshop and Seussville. For more resources, visit Count All Kids and the Census Bureau. |
| Coming soon: Mobile Questionnaire Assistance Later this month, the Census Bureau will begin its Mobile Questionnaire Assistance operation in locations across the country. The Census Bureau may contact libraries about setting up Mobile Questionnaire Assistance at your location. To learn more, see the Census Bureau’s fact sheet. If you have questions or would like to invite Mobile Questionnaire Assistance to your library, contact your local Census Bureau Partnership Specialist. Note that Mobile Questionnaire Assistance will be available in limited areas, targeting communities with low self-response rates. |
| Special report in American Libraries magazine The cover story in this month’s American Libraries magazine is a special report on the 2020 Census. To learn more about what libraries across the country are doing, take a look! |
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020 is tomorrow!
Small libraries! Awesome ideas! FREE!
Join us tomorrow for the Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020 online conference. Registration is still open, so head over to the Registration page and sign up!
We have a great agenda for the day, with seven 50 minute sessions plus five 10 minute lightning round sessions. You can log in and out of the conference as you like throughout the day, based on your interest and availability.
Topics range from technology to programming to new roles for the library. This event is a great opportunity to learn about the innovative things your colleagues are doing in their small libraries.
And, Nebraska library staff and board members can earn 1 hour of CE Credit for each hour of the conference you attend! A special Big Talk From Small Libraries CE Report form has been made available for you to submit your C.E. credits.
So, come join us for a day of big ideas from small libraries!
Only One Week Until Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020!
Small libraries! Awesome ideas! FREE Online Conference!
There’s only one week until Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020!
Check out the full schedule and register to join us next Friday, February 28.
Sponsored by the Nebraska Library Commission and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL), this free one-day online conference is aimed at librarians from small libraries; the smaller the better! Each of our speakers is from a small library serving fewer than 10,000 people. This event is a great opportunity to learn about the innovative things your colleagues are doing in their small libraries.
Everyone is welcome to register and attend, regardless of how big or small your library. But, if your library serves a few hundred to a few thousand people, this is the day for you!
Posted in Education & Training, Library Management, Programming, Public Relations, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged BTSL2020
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2020 Census Preparation Manual
The 2020 Census will be conducted primarily online, creating additional obstacles to counting already under-counted populations. With this in mind, communities and organizations are preparing to support enumeration efforts by providing safe internet access points, answering questions from the community, and tracking incidents that arise.
The Digital Equity Laboratory has released a learning guide, Preparing for the First Digital Census, meant for anyone who intends to work with communities towards a complete count during Census 2020. Based on expert risk assessments and a series of pilot workshops across New York State, they have compiled a set of curriculum modules intended to equip organizations with the information and tools they need to play their part.
The goal is to provide both digital and public-facing tactics and techniques to reduce confusion, find the right path to participation for all, help prevent possible harms, and enable communities to better prepare against the uncertainties of a digital census. The aim has been to address holistic safety concerns, not solely cybersecurity.
Complete manual: “Preparing for the First Digital Census”
Free Class: Libraries as Partners in Healthy Communities
WebJunction is collaborating with the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) to design a series of courses for public library staff related to health topics. The next course, available in March through WebJunction, is Libraries as Partners in Healthy Communities.
Public libraries around the country are magnifying the role they play as key contributors to community health. By understanding the health needs and challenges specific to our communities, libraries are able to respond with relevant services and programming, often created in collaboration with local agencies and health providers.
Join us this March for Libraries as Partners in Healthy Communities, a free, two-week, instructor-led course, to explore how your library can actively partner to promote the health of your community through responsive programs and services, and learn how to incorporate this focus into your library’s strategic plan.
The course will look at the many ways public libraries are supporting community health, and provide strategies and methods to identify activities that serve the health needs of your community. We will also look for inspiration and support from partnerships, including a library that partnered with the local Parks and Recreation department to host an all-ages Zumba program, and another that worked with the local health department to host a chronic disease self-management workshop for community members without adequate access to traditional healthcare. And Josh Berk, of Bethlehem Area Public Library, will present about Bike Bethlehem, a free bike share program serving community needs through a successful multi-agency partnership.
WebJunction’s Dale Musselman and NNLM’s Darlene Kaskie will present this free course in two live, online sessions, on March 3 and 10, from 2:00-3:00 pm Eastern Time, with two additional hours of readings and assignments for learners to complete on their own. You’ll also be encouraged to share your ideas and learning with others enrolled in the course through active discussion forums. Learn more about the course Libraries as Partners in Healthy Communities, enroll today, and join us in March to take the next steps for your library’s community health partnerships.
UPDATES: Libraries and the 2020 Census
| New webinar recording about responding to the Census If you missed ALA’s sold-out webinar, “Responding Online to the 2020 Census: What Libraries Need to Know,” the recording is now available. The webinar orients library staff to the 2020 Census questionnaire, the online response system, other options for responding, common questions, and tips for libraries. New tip sheet on Census programs and partnerships On January 30, ALA released “Libraries and the 2020 Census: Programming, Outreach, and Partnerships (PDF),” a 2-page tip sheet that describes how libraries can reach hard-to-count populations and build community collaborations around the 2020 Census. Updated “Libraries’ Guide to the 2020 Census” On January 22, ALA released an updated “Libraries’ Guide to the 2020 Census.” The revised 22-page guide (PDF) includes the latest information about Census operations and tips for libraries. Share it with a colleague who needs to know! Upcoming events February 13, 2 pm ET: YALSA webinar: “Engaging Teens in the 2020 Census” (free for YALSA members, paid for others) February 18, noon ET: ODLOS webinar: “Census 2020 Outreach to Communities of Color” February 28: PLA Conference: “2020 Census Countdown: What You Need to Know Now” (3:30 pm CT, Music City Center, room 103) News of note The Scoop: “Completing the Count” (January 26, 2020) – report of ALA Midwinter program UPI: “Census Bureau aims to improve response rates” (January 23, 2020) – includes a discussion of libraries’ activities School Library Journal: “Libraries Are Preparing for the 2020 Census. With Plenty at Stake, There’s Still Work To Be Done” (January 21, 2020) The Public Libraries Podcast: “The 2020 Census and Public Libraries” (January 21, 2020) |
Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant
From the American Library Association News & Press Center:
The American Library Association (ALA) invites library workers to apply for a new annual grant to support innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts in libraries.
The Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant will provide $2,000 for a school, public, academic, tribal or special library to expand its community engagement efforts. Libraries are invited to apply by designing and outlining activities for a library-led community engagement project.
Project activities to be covered by the grant may include developing community engagement programs and services; partnering with a community agency that builds the capacity of the community to address an important concern/issue; or creating a program or event that connects the library to a community-identified aspiration or concern.
Community engagement is the process of working collaboratively with community members ¬— be they library users, residents, faculty, students or local organizations — to address issues for the betterment of the community.
Applications will be accepted between Dec. 2, 2019, and Feb. 3, 2020. View the full award guidelines and apply visit www.ala.org/LTCEG.
In May 2019, ALA announced that it had surpassed its original $50,000 fundraising goal to support the creation of the Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant, raising a total of $70,000 from 130 individuals. The initiative was made possible by a matching grant from former ALA president and longtime generous supporter Nancy Kranich.
“Thanks to our work in ALA, libraries of all types have unleashed the power of engaging their communities, working collaboratively to advance their aspirations and concerns, particularly for those voices rarely heard,” said Kranich, a past president of ALA who teaches a new generation of civically focused librarians in the Masters of Information program at Rutgers University. “I’m grateful that so many people have stepped forward to join me in supporting this vital work. Together, we can ensure that more libraries develop and share innovative approaches that demonstrate what’s possible when we turn outward toward our communities.”
The Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant is part of Libraries Transform Communities (LTC), ALA’s community engagement initiative. Since 2014, LTC has reimagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types, from across the country, have utilized the free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a safe space for residents to come together to discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff. Learn more at www.ala.org/LTC.
LTC is administered by ALA’s Public Programs Office.
Posted in Grants, Library Management, Programming, Public Relations
Tagged librariestransform
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2020 Big Talk From Small Libraries Schedule Now Available
The full schedule for the 2020 Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference is now available!
You will find all the details on the Schedule page. Information about our presenters is available on the Speakers page. We are still confirming details with our presenters, so some descriptions and speaker bios are not posted yet. Additional information will be added as we receive it.
If you haven’t registered yet, now is the time to jump over to the Registration page and sign up!
You are welcome to watch as an individual or to host a group viewing of the conference. If several staff members from the same library want to attend, you can just register for one seat and have staff members view/listen together via one workstation.
You can also host a viewing party this same way and invite staff from other libraries. For any group viewings, if you know who will be there, you can list your Additional Attendees on your one registration or you can send us a list after the event.
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020 will be held on Friday, February 28, 2020 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoToWebinar online meeting service.
NCompass Live: Best New Children’s Books of 2019: Discovering New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart
Discover New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar, ‘Best New Children’s Books of 2019’, on Wednesday, January 15, 10:00am-11:00am CT.
Attendees will learn the best (we think) children’s books in the categories of: Picture Books (Story time faves), Non fiction, and Middle Grade fiction, that were published within the last year.
Presenters: Dana Fontaine, Librarian, Fremont High School; Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live events:
- Jan. 22 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Technology Solving Real-World Problems
- Jan. 29 – Community Engagement: Straight Talk
- Feb. 5 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019
- Feb. 12 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians
- Feb. 19 – 2020 One Book One Nebraska: All the Gallant Men
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.
Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training, Programming, Youth Services
Tagged cslpreads, libraries, NCompLive, SRP2020
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