Search the Blog
Categories
- Books & Reading
- Broadband Buzz
- Census
- Education & Training
- General
- Grants
- Information Resources
- Library Management
- Nebraska Center for the Book
- Nebraska Memories
- Now hiring @ your library
- Preservation
- Pretty Sweet Tech
- Programming
- Public Library Boards of Trustees
- Public Relations
- Talking Book & Braille Service (TBBS)
- Technology
- Uncategorized
- What's Up Doc / Govdocs
- Youth Services
Archives
Subscribe
Category Archives: Public Library Boards of Trustees
United for Libraries Learning Live, May 25 – Friends of the Library & the Future of Booksales: Chapter 2
All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.
United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Friends of the Library & the Future of Booksales: Chapter 2” on Tuesday, May 25, 2 p.m. Eastern. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group and Statewide members and the recording will be available to members.
Featured presenters will include Terry Plumb, president of the Friends of York County (S.C.) Library, and Karen Jacowitz, president of the Friends of the Moorhead (Minn.) Library.
Friends group leaders will speak to how each of their Friends groups have adapted their booksales models during the past year, including obstacles they’ve overcome and strategies and ideas they recommend – from online to in-person sales. Each presenter will offer insight and answer questions from attendees.
Terry Plumb is in his second year as president of the Friends of York County (S.C.) Library. A native of Florida, Plumb retired in 2007 after a 40-year career as a journalist, including serving as editor of three daily papers, most recently The Herald of Rock Hill, S.C. (1987-2007). He is a certified Master Gardener, past president of the Master Gardeners of York County and past chair of the Summer Reading Coalition, a joint effort by the York County Library and the Rock Hill School District to promote summer-time reading by elementary school children. Terry is the proud steward of the first Little Free Library to be registered in York County, S.C. There are now upwards of 60 in the county.
Karen Jacowitz is president of the Friends of the Moorhead Library in northwest Minnesota. The Moorhead Public Library, which serves approximately 48,000 residents, is the largest branch in Minnesota’s Lake Agassiz Regional Library system. For more than a decade, Karen has been co-director of the organization’s book sales, including coordinating the efforts of volunteers for each sale. Prior to being elected president of the Friends of the Moorhead Library, Karen served as vice president. She has a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a master’s and doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley.
Register for “Friends of the Library & the Future of Booksales: Chapter 2.”
United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.
United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.
United for Libraries Learning Live, April 27 – Ask the Experts: Boards, Friends, and Foundations
All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.
United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Ask the Experts: Boards of Trustees, Friends Groups, and Foundations” on Tuesday, April 27th at 2 p.m. Eastern. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group and statewide members.
A panel of experts, including San Francisco Public Library Executive Director Marie Ciepiela, Library of Michigan Library Law Consultant Clare Membiela, Friends of the Montgomery County Library (Md.) Executive Director Ari Brooks, and Kent District Library (Mich.) Board of Trustees Chair Shirley Bruursema will address common issues that arise among Library Boards, Friends Groups, and Foundations, and how to solve them. Panelists will present two in-depth scenarios, provide tips and best practices, and answer questions from attendees.
During a “lightning round” session, speakers will field questions from registrants. Submit a question in the registration form.
Due to time limitations, not all questions will be answered live. Attendees will receive a list of suggested resources for the presented in-depth scenarios, and the types of questions submitted with this registration form.
Marie Ciepiela has served as the Executive Director of the San Francisco Public Library since 2016, leading the private, community-based side of a partnership for excellence with the public library. Since arriving in San Francisco in 1990, she has served as an executive leader of three nonprofit organizations, including the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco; the OMIE (Oceanview, Merced, Ingleside, Excelsior) Beacon Center; and the Youth Service Bureaus, the mental health department of the YMCA of San Francisco. She holds a California Teaching credential, a Master’s degree from the University of California at Davis, and a Bachelor’s degree in history from Harvard University.
Clare Membiela serves as the Library Law Consultant at the Library of Michigan, helping public libraries understand and manage legal issues that impact library services. Before joining the Library of Michigan in 2016, Clare was the Associate Director for Library and Instructional Support for the WMU Cooley Law School Libraries. She has an M.L.S. from Southern Connecticut State University, a J.D. from the University of Miami, and 30 years of law library experience.
Ari Z. Brooks is Executive Director of the Friends of the Montgomery County Library in Maryland. An experienced fundraiser and nonprofit manager, she has held leadership positions in three not-for-profit organizations for twenty-five years in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Ms. Brooks earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of the 2004 Class of Leadership Montgomery and the inaugural 2009 recipient of the Emerging Leader Award for the County Executive’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities.
Shirley Bruursema is chair of the Kent District Library Board of Trustees in Michigan. She was the recipient of the ALA Trustee Citation in 2009. Bruursema has been a delegate for the White House Conference on Libraries. She was treasurer and co-chair of millage campaigns that continued the Kent District Library’s service to 26 communities and 18 libraries. Bruursema has been dubbed the “Millage Queen” for her work coaching libraries through millage campaigns, helping with efforts to pass more than 80 millage elections since 2000.
To register for “Ask the Experts: Boards of Trustees, Friends Groups, and Foundations,” click here.
United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.
United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.
United for Libraries Learning Live monthly sessions kick off with ‘Fighting Budget Cuts and Finding Funding’ on Jan. 26
All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.
United for Libraries is launching a monthly online program for members, “United for Libraries Learning Live,” which will be held on the fourth Tuesday of each month through 2021. The first program, Fighting Budget Cuts and Finding Funding, will be held Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2 p.m. Eastern.
United for Libraries President David Paige and United for Libraries Board Member Maura Deedy will lead a discussion on how library Trustees, Friends groups, and Foundations can advocate for funding in the current environment. Participants will be invited to share success stories and tips. Additional topics will include partnerships, messaging, and shifting expenditures for Friends groups and Foundations.
David Paige is 2020-2021 President of United for Libraries and the director of Libraries Unlimited. He has served as both a library Trustee and Friends board member in New Hampshire and California.
Maura Deedy is the Library Advisory Specialist at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). She serves as a Board Member at Large for United for Libraries, and is a co-chair of the United for Libraries Programming Committee. At MBLC, she supports library directors, Trustees, municipal officials, and Friends on legal and governance issues, and matters relating to the administration and development of public library services in Massachusetts.
The live session is free United for Libraries members (including Statewide Group Members). This session is live only; a recording will not be made available. Register here.
United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. All sessions are recorded and made available to members. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal, group, and statewide members of United for Libraries.
United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call (800) 545-2433, ext. 2161.
Public Library Accreditation and Certification Expiration Date Extensions
In March of this year, we extended the Public Library Accreditation expiration dates for all public libraries by one year. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we are again extending the expiration dates, by one more year. So, there will be no Accreditation process in 2021 and we will not be holding Public Library Accreditation and Community Needs Workshops in 2021. At this time, we plan to resume the program in 2022.
Accreditation expiration dates have changed as follows:
- 2021 to 2022
- 2022 to 2023
- 2023 to 2024
The change has already been made in our system, and you will see your library’s new expiration year in the Accreditation Status listing.
A new paper Public Library Accreditation certificate will be mailed to accredited public libraries in the next few weeks. It will show the library’s new Accreditation expiration date. Please replace your present Accreditation certificate with this new one.
In addition, we are also continuing to offer Public Librarian Certification extensions to individuals and Public Library Board Certification extensions to library boards. Linda Babcock will be reaching out to library staff and boards via email about the Certification extension process. She is working through them in expiration date order, starting with the ones due in January, February, and March of 2021, then on through the year.
We know that libraries are already coping with so many issues, and the Accreditation and Certification programs don’t need to be another thing for you to worry about.
Please contact Christa Porter or Holli Duggan if you have any questions.
United for Libraries Virtual: Trustees – Friends – Foundations
Registration is now LIVE for “United for Libraries Virtual: Trustees – Friends – Foundations,” August 4-6!
Visit www.ala.org/united/virtual to register.
This interactive three-day virtual event, free for United for Libraries members (including Statewide Group Members), will feature expert speakers on current topics facing library Trustees, Friends, Foundations, and staff who work with them.
- Participate in live Q&A sessions with presenters.
- Network with colleagues across the country in roundtable discussions.
- Enjoy exclusive access to keynote speakers and authors.
- Receive a certificate of attendance (for live participation or on-demand viewing).
- Access the recorded programs for 12 months following the virtual event.
Program topics will include:
- Advocacy and Equity: How Library Boards Can Create Lasting Impact through Compelling Cases and Outreach
- Understanding Donor Data Analytics: Why it Matters and What You Can Do With It
- Strategies for Solving Board Problems
- Great Boards Don’t Happen by Accident: A Proactive Approach to Building an Effective Board
- Working with Friends and Foundations: Playing for the Same Team
- Ask, Listen, Plan: Engaged Planning for Trustees, Directors and Other Library Leaders
…and more!
Keynote speakers include:
- Jim Taylor, Vice President of Leadership Initiatives, BoardSource [Integrating Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity into Your Board Culture]
- Jan Masaoka, CEO, California Association of Nonprofits
…and more!
Visit www.ala.org/united/events_conferences/virtual for details, registration form, and schedule.
United for Libraries
The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations
A division of hte American Library Association
312-280-2160
www.ala.org/united
United for Libraries Login Update
The United for Libraries platform has been updated!
The new system should be easier to use with some shiny new features. More details about those features will be coming soon, but for now, the login information has changed. There will no longer be one general login for libraries and library boards. Members will register for their own individual logins through the United for Libraries website. This includes the Trustee Academy courses, the Short Takes for Trustees, and other United for Libraries resources.
Access to these resources has been provided for Library Trustees and Directors by the Nebraska Library Commission.
To request a login, please submit a United for Libraries Login Request form.
If you have any questions, please contact Holli Duggan.
Free webinar: “Working Together on Planning, Policy and Legal Issues for Reopening a Public Library: The Board, the Attorney and the Librarian”
Working Together on Planning, Policy and Legal Issues for Reopening a Public Library: The Board, the Attorney and the Librarian
Friday, May 15, 2020, 1:00 pm Central
Presented by ALA’s Public Policy & Advocacy Office, Chapter Relations Office, and United for Libraries
Libraries across the country are in various stages in the process of reopening library facilities. It is critical that libraries and their boards work together with their attorney and others to ask legal questions, change policies as needed,anticipate, communicate, and prepare. We are pleased to be joined by the team from East Lansing Public Library in Michigan, who will discuss how they developed their guidelines, digesting information for insight and decisions, and communicating with stakeholders. Join us for the next in a series of conversations about planning for the reopening of libraries.
Register at http://www.ala.org/united/legal
Speakers:
Kristin Shelley,
Library Director, East Lansing (Mich.) Public Library, and President of
Michigan Library Association
Thomas Yeadon,
City Attorney, East Lansing, Mich., and Partner, McGinty, Hitch, Housefield,
Person, Yeadon & Anderson, P.C.
Amy Zaagman,
President, East Lansing (Mich.) Public Library Board of Trustees, and Executive
Director, Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health
United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. To join, please visit www.ala.org/united or call (800) 545-2433, ext. 2161.
Basic Skills Postponed and Certification Update
As situations continue to change daily, we have decided to postpone the upcoming Basic Skills classes. We are going to be focusing on developing more self-paced modules which will be announced as they are available.
The one exception to this change will be the “Introduction to Cataloging” class which begins on April 1st and will be open until May 31st. Additionally, the “Understanding MARC 21 Bibliographic Records” class (which is part of the cataloging certification, not a Basic Skills class) will begin as scheduled on March 30th.
So, what does this mean if your certification is due in 2020?
No worries!
For both librarian and library board certifications that are due in 2020, you will be able to extend your certification for one year. For example, if your current certification date is 05/01/20, your new date would be 05/01/21. Linda Babcock will be reaching out to individuals and library boards via email about this extension process.
For those of you who are not due for certification renewal in 2020, but are worried about completing CE hours or keeping up with the Basic Skills requirement as we move through this difficult time, we understand and are able to work with you for extensions or offering additional resources. We absolutely want to do everything we can to help.
If you have any questions or concerns at all, please don’t hesitate to contact Linda Babcock or Holli Duggan.
NCompass Live: United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries
Learn how your library can benefit from the resources at ‘United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries’ on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 13, 10:00am-11:00am CT.
Beth Nawalinski, executive director of United for Libraries, the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, a division of the American Library Association, will be joined by 2019-2020 United for Libraries President Peter Pearson, founder/senior consultant of Library Strategies Consulting Group. Beth and Peter will share their 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. Learn about Nebraska’s statewide membership, including online trainings that are available free to all Nebraska public libraries. Hear about United for Libraries’ Baker & Taylor Award. Tina Walker, director of Keene Memorial Library in Fremont, NE, will discuss the Friends of Keene Memorial Library’s Baker & Taylor Award-winning project.
Upcoming NCompass Live events:
- Nov. 20 – VoteLibraries 2020 – Thinking About Elections and Libraries Without Being Partisan
- Nov. 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Dec. 4 – Libraries and the LGBT+ Experience
- Dec. 11 – Librarian in Training – For Kids!
- Dec. 24 – Pretty Sweet Tech
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.
NLC Staff: Meet Gabe Kramer
Gabe Kramer: The Accidental Librarian
Meet Gabe Kramer who joined the Library Commission staff ten years ago and recently became Talking Book & Braille Service Director. Gabe grew up in Wahoo and graduated from Wahoo High School. He attended UNL earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcasting and completed his Master’s Degree in Library Science this past December from the University of Missouri. As a kid, Gabe remembers reading all the Goosebumps books and his first Stephen King book in 5th grade. As an adult, Gabe prefers nonfiction and is currently reading John Adams by David McCullough. Gabe estimates for every fiction book he reads, he reads two nonfiction. Stephen King is his favorite author. Gabe’s library also includes a substantial music collection featuring David Bowie, Nirvana, Kanye West, and Radiohead.
Prior to working in libraries, Gabe worked at Dairy Queen, the UNL Parking and Transit Department, and produced the broadcasts for the Lincoln Stars and the Lincoln Saltdogs. Gabe submitted an application for several jobs with the State of Nebraska and received a call to interview for the Library Commission. He does not remember applying specifically for a job at the Library Commission but happily, his application made him a good candidate making Gabe an accidental librarian. When he isn’t busy juggling the many staff shortages his department has been dealt recently, he likes to play basketball and spend time at home with his family listening to music and playing video games.
Gabe is married to Jenny and together they have a 9-year-old daughter, Ella. When I asked Gabe what is the best thing about life in Nebraska, he replied, “Jenny keeps me here.” A perfect day for Gabe is one with lovely weather, no chores, and plenty of time to do whatever he wants. If Gabe won the lottery, travel would be the first priority with the goal of filling all the pages of his passport book with custom stamps. Two trips to Japan to visit his mother’s family has whetted his appetite to see more of the world. Accidental or otherwise, we’re grateful Gabe joined the staff at the Library Commission.
FREE Library Advocacy Webinar on June 10
FREE Webinar:
Local, State, and National Library Advocacy: A Grasstop Approach
Monday, June 10, 1 p.m. Eastern
Speakers: Julius Jefferson, 2020-2021 ALA president; Kathi Kromer, associate executive director of ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy Office; and Skip Dye, 2018-2019 United for Libraries president and vice president of library marketing and digital sales at Penguin Random House.
Library Trustees, advocates, Friends, Foundations, directors, and staff are invited to hear from experts about the difference between grassroot and grasstop advocates, how to identify them in their communities, and how to engage them in their efforts. Attendees will learn how to build key library advocates to cultivate allies and develop constituencies in support of their positions at every level of government.
To register for the webinar, visit www.ala.org/united/advocacywebinar. If you cannot attend the live session, register and you will receive a link to the recording the day after the live session.
Skip Dye is Vice-President of library marketing and digital sales at Penguin Random House and 2018-2019 president of United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, a division of the American Library Association. Dye has been a corporate at large member of the United for Libraries board since 2015. Kathi Kromer is the associate executive director of ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy Office. ALA’s advocacy and public policy staff work to secure information technology policies that support and encourage efforts of libraries to ensure access to electronic information resources as a means of upholding the public’s right to a free and open information society. Prior to joining ALA, Kromer was vice president of strategy and outreach for the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association for 11 years. Julius C. Jefferson Jr., section head of the Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., was recently elected as the 2020-2021 president of the American Library Association. An active member of ALA for 15 years, Jefferson currently serves on and has been a member of ALA Council since 2011, and most recently completed a three-year term on the ALA Executive Board (2015–2018).
For information about other webinars offered by United for Libraries, visit http://www.ala.org/united/training/webinars.
United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. To join, please visit www.ala.org/united or call (800) 545-2433, ext. 2161.
Beth Nawalinski
Executive Director
bnawalinski@ala.org
United for Libraries General Inquiries: 800-545-2433, ext 2161
To reach me directly, call 800-545-2433, ext. 5868 or call 312-280-5868
United for Libraries
The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations
A division of the American Library Association
600 Eagleview Blvd., Suite 300
Exton, PA 19341
NLC Staff: Meet Tan Ngo
The Nebraska Library Commission welcomed Tan Ngo (pronounced Go) in June of 2015 as an accountant. Tan was born in Binh Dinh, Vietnam and immigrated to the United States with her husband sixteen years ago. Even though she had completed three years of teacher education classwork in Vietnam, it wasn’t recognized in the United States so she began again. First she completed a yearlong ESL class and then completed a degree from Southeast Community College in Accounting. She graduated from UNL with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Finance and just last year, achieved her Master’s Degree from UNL in Professional Accountancy. Tan credits her parents for instilling a value of education in her. In addition, her mother-in-law helped and supported Tan through the years of working, raising a family, attending classes, and completing coursework.
Before working for the Library Commission, and while attending school, Tan held many part time jobs including working as: a banquet server at the Cornhusker Hotel, a waitress at Eastmont Towers, a cafeteria worker at Lincoln Public Schools, an assembly line worker at Molex, and as a cashier at Russ’s Market. These experiences helped propel Tan to complete her education. Tan also worked full time for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services (now State Accounting.) When I asked Tan what she thinks about working at the Library Commission, she says it is a very friendly and a supportive place to work.
As a young girl growing up in Vietnam, libraries were not free and required both membership and borrower fees which were prohibitive to her family. One way she read books was borrowing them from her friends. As an adult committed to spending time with her children, she reads the same books with her daughter and son.
Tan shares her home with her husband Duc, her daughter Vi, her son Khang, and her mother-in-law Tung Le. Duc is the oldest of 12 children and the gathering place for all of the family is Tan’s home, so a full house often totals upwards of 45 people. Husker football is often the focus of family events. Tan is also a Husker Volleyball fan and is fortunate to have a friend with season tickets so she can attend games in person. Life in Nebraska could be warmer but Tan says she likes the lack of traffic and ability to get around easily. Tan and her family returned home for her brother’s wedding this summer, closing a 5 year gap since her last visit. If Tan could have dinner with anyone famous, she easily answered, “I would want to have dinner with my Aunt who is 70 years old and lives in Vietnam. Family is the most important thing to me.”
If Tan didn’t have to work, travel would be her priority. First on her list of destinations would be Alaska to see the aurora borealis. As a young girl, Tan considered being a flight attendant most importantly for the travel benefits. The perfect day for Tan would include staying home with family, sleeping, and watching Vietnamese dubbed movies from Hong Kong. Tan’s exercise of choice is running and currently she and her son are completing a 9 week cardio program together.
One of the most challenging things Tan has achieved is learning English. Tan and her family speak Vietnamese at home and English at work and at school. At work, one of Tan’s accomplishments has been cheerfully teaching Commission employees to use the online payroll system. We are very proud of Tan and are grateful she has chosen to work at the Library Commission.
Friends of the Ravenna Library Receive United for Libraries’ Baker & Taylor Awards
T
he Friends of the Ravenna (Nebraska) Library, along with the Friends of the Shelby (Michigan) Area District Library, have been recognized with United for Libraries’ Baker & Taylor Awards for outstanding efforts to support their libraries. Each group receives $1,000 and a plaque from Baker & Taylor to honor their achievements.
The Friends of the Ravenna Library held 19 programs to benefit its community in 2017, many of which contributed to funds raised for the city of Ravenna’s project to build a brand-new library facility. The new facility will be three times the size of the previous one at 7,600 sq. ft., providing ample space for the library’s annual programs and activities.
Given annually since 2000, the Baker & Taylor Awards have recognized more than 45 groups for outstanding efforts to support their library. United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library Trustees, advocates, Friends, and Foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. The Nebraska 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.
NLC Staff: Jerry Breazile
Meet NLC’s Business Manager, Jerry Breazile
(pronounced Brazil), he joined the Nebraska 
Library Commission staff as the Business Manager in 2014. Jerry was born in Nebraska City and raised in Auburn, Nebraska. As a young boy, Jerry built his own Newtonian reflector telescope and once thought of majoring in astronomy until he learned there would be a dearth of jobs in that field. After graduating from Auburn High School, Jerry attended one year of college at Peru State and worked at Hinky Dinky to pay for tuition. However, as a newly married person the need to a be a provider outweighed the need for school, so Jerry began working full time at the grocery store and ceased his student life.
After ten years at Hinky Dinky, the union was “busted” and Jerry lost his job. He subsequently went to work driving a forklift at a metal fabrication plant to make ends meet. While Jerry was reconsidering his life choices, his sister-in-law encouraged him to return to school and fund his education using something called “student loans.” He re-enrolled at Peru State College and, during this course of study, worked towards degrees in Economic Development and Business Management; at the time, PSC was one of only three schools in the country that offered a bachelor’s degree in E.D. An influential professor (and retired business developer) named Robert Shively helped Jerry apply for and receive scholarships and introduced him to faculty. In his senior year, Jerry was hired as a Staff Assistant to the V.P. of Administration and Finance for Peru State College.
Jerry graduated with his degrees and was promoted to Assistant to the President under Dr. Robert Burns. He later became the Director of the Nebraska Business Development Center at PSC, helping over 200 companies apply for business loans in the seven years of his tenure. Federal funding for SBA was discontinued so Jerry next worked as Assistant Materiel Manager for Armstrong Cabinets in Auburn.
Jerry left Armstrong after a few months to work a grant funded position as an economic developer at ESU 5 in Beatrice for a year until the funding source ended. During his subsequent six or seven months of unemployment, Jerry wrote two novels and signed with a literary agency in New York; unfortunately, his agent insisted that he reduce his first novel from 200,000 words to 80,000, and Jerry had a snit and ended his contract with the agency. The novels remain on a flash drive, waiting to be properly edited. Jerry eventually found employment at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution and was there for three months as a unit case worker before becoming Business Manager at the Diagnostic and Evaluation Center in Lincoln. During his time at DEC, Jerry received his Master’s Degree in Organizational Management through tuition assistance from the state of Nebraska. Jerry’s next position was at the Nebraska Library Commission.
Jerry has eclectic reading tastes but enjoys the classics and history. He says he wishes he had more time to read fiction. If Jerry were to switch jobs, he would be interested in returning to a career in college administration. If he won the lottery and no longer needed to work, he would travel extensively– first to Ireland. Jerry is married to Teresa and together they have four children: Melissa, Trent, Charlotte, and Nicole. The best things about living in Nebraska are the four seasons, the tradition of firing college football coaches, and the equal distance to both coasts.
NLC Staff: Meet Cynthia Nigh
Meet Cynthia Nigh who joined The Library Commission staff this past August as a Project Assistant for the Library Innovation Studios Grant. Cynthia was born in Reedsburg, Wisconsin where her father worked for Amour Meats and later Dubuque Pack. Every morning he would receive a call with the market prices on the party line early and neighbors on the same party line soon learned what valuable information was being conveyed. Cynthia attended West Delaware Community High School in Manchester, IA and because of an influential Art Teacher named Mr. Renfrow, she applied for and was awarded an Art Scholarship to attend the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Cynthia also attended Hawkeye Technical College for Commercial Art in Waterloo, IA.
As a young girl, Cynthia describes her reading habits as constant. She remembers fondly the number of scholastic books she and her sisters would order. A childhood favorite was Once and Future King by T. H. White. A Course in Miracles is another important book to Cynthia as her copy was given to her by her father. The value of this book for Cynthia is that “it helped me look at the world more peacefully.”
Cynthia says the best thing about working in a library is being amongst the stacks. She describes her own house as a library so close proximity to a collection of books is a comfort. The most challenging thing about this position is learning to operate each machine acquired for the grant; what supplies each machine requires; and writing operating manuals for library staff. Apart from work, Cynthia enjoys working in her garden, cooking, and canning with the bounty from her labor. If she could have dinner with anyone she would like to dine with Oprah but not at Cynthia’s house, in a neutral location.
If she won the lottery and no longer had to work, she might pursue more fully her interest in mycology – the study of mushrooms. She might also enjoy fully implementing a craft studio where she could be creative and perhaps a small business could emerge for selling her projects. Cynthia shares her home with her two sons, Dylan and Paul in addition to two rescue cats named Bonnie and Chloe. Because of her Iowa background, I asked what distinguishes life in Nebraska and she answered, Nebraskans are a little wilder and exhibit more freedom in their choices compared to the tucked in manner of Iowans. A perfect day for Cynthia would be laying around watching movies and binge watching Netflix titles. Welcome to Cynthia!
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/
Free webinar recording: “Celebrating National Friends of Libraries Week”
United for Libraries has made available a free webcast recording on “Celebrating National Friends of Libraries Week: Promoting Your Group and Library.”
Plan now for the 12th annual National Friends of Libraries Week, Oct. 15-21, 2017. This webinar will offer ideas on how to celebrate the week within your group, library, and community. Hear about the 2016 National Friends of Libraries Week Award winners, the Holdrege (NE) Area Friends of the Library and the Friends of the Glendale (Ariz.) Public Library. And learn about the ALA Store’s new customizable “Friend Your Library” products designed specifically for Friends.
View the webcast recording and learn more on the National Friends of Libraries Week website.
United for Libraries Friends group members are also eligible to apply for National Friends of Libraries Week Awards. All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the statewide membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. Two groups will be awarded $250 each in honor of their celebrations during the week.
For information about the award and to submit an application for your group, visit the Awards website.
Nebraska Libraries Encouraged to Apply for National Medal for Library Service
IMLS Is Accepting Nominations for the 2018 National Medal. Each year, the Institute of Museum and Library Services recognizes outstanding libraries and museums that have made significant contributions to improve the wellbeing of their communities. The winning museums and libraries are presented with the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for community service. This week our #IMLS Program Officer Michele Farrell visited Nebraska and reminded us to encourage Nebraska libraries to apply for this honor. Nebraska Library Commission staff thought of lots of libraries that are providing exemplary programs and services in their communities and we want to encourage all of you to throw your hats into the ring!
IMLS is now accepting nominations for the 2018 awards. Anyone—an employee, a board member, a member of the public, or an elected official—can nominate an institution. To be considered, the institution must complete and return a nomination form by October 2, 2017.
This year, IMLS is particularly interested in museums and libraries with programs that build community cohesion and serve as catalysts for positive community change, including programs that provide services for veterans and military families, at-risk children and families, the un- and under-employed, and youth confronting barriers to STEM-related employment.
All types of nonprofit libraries and library organizations, associations and consortia are eligible, including academic, school, digital, tribal, and special libraries or archives. The ten winning institutions are honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., are spotlighted in the news media and on social media, and are invited to host a two-day visit from StoryCorps to record community member stories. As part of the selection process, approximately thirty finalists are chosen and are featured by IMLS during a six-week social media and press campaign.
Winning the medal elevates an institution’s profile and can positively impact fundraising, programming, and partnership and outreach activities.
Institutions interested in being considered should read the nomination form carefully and contact the designated program contacts with questions.
Program Contacts
Program contacts for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service are:
Museums: Mark Feitl, Program Specialist, 202-653-4635
Libraries: Laura McKenzie, Administrative Specialist, 202-653-4644
You may also submit your question by e-mail: nationalmedals@imls.gov
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s approximately 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
NLC Staff: Meet Jan Jolliffe
Meet Jan Jolliffe who is the new System Director for the Western Library System.
Jan was born in Corsicana, Texas and is a graduate of Corsicana High School. Jan then attended the University of Houston in London, study abroad program, and was able to travel throughout Europe and Great Britain studying French, Literature, and Architecture. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, she was en route to Peru to become an archaeologist but she opted for marriage and children instead. In 1990 she began working towards her MLS Degree at Texas Woman’s University in Denton while she was expecting her first child. She still has the signed poetry book given to her by one of her first children’s literature professors. She completed her degree in 1993. She found her way to librarianship by applying the same principle that brought her to anthropology, a desire to work in the community with cultural groups; a librarian could offer a great deal to all age groups and sectors.
As a young girl, Jan attended James L. Collins Catholic School in Corsicana which had its own thriving library. She read the Little House books and all the classic children’s titles. One of the first books that captured her heart was Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. Her teacher read this book aloud to the class and from that time on, Jan was a captive library user. As a librarian, Jan has read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory many times and has used it for several book club discussions. As an adult reader, she lists the authors Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir, and Diana Gabaldon as some of her favorite authors. Because she shares a birthday (June 6th) with Cynthia Rylant, and YA Authors Sara Dessen and V.C. Andrews, those are also favorites. Her favorite genre is historical fiction and will read anything history related regarding London and Europe. Jan describes a perfect day as one that is stormy outside while she reads inside next to a fireplace in a comfortable chair.
Jan has worked in various jobs from the library at Frito Lay to small publics and very large school districts in the states of Texas and Washington. Jan credits her director at Ennis, Texas Independent School District, Kay Weathers, for teaching her the nuts and bolts of librarianship. In 2010, Jan moved back to Texas and was contemplating Law School. She took paralegal courses for 2 years and volunteered for an Immigration and Bankruptcy Attorney at El Centro Community College in Dallas. This got her a position at L.G. Pinkston High School, a school with a Law Magnet Program, and later transferred to Skyline High School with 4,500 students.
Book Face Friday photo – Jan Jolliffe
How did Jan get to Nebraska? When she was 17 years old, she visited Scottsbluff with Pat Jolliffe, a dashing young pilot from Scottsbluff that she met at age 16, when he had attended flight school in Corsicana where his uncle was an aeronautics instructor. She knew that Scottsbluff was where she wanted to live when she saw the Wildcat Hills. Thirty-two years after their first meeting they reconnected, Jan and Pat were married this past December. She says she knows this is where she was always meant to be. As she says: “this area called my name.” Of course, she misses her family and friends who are still in Texas and also misses the euphemisms, most especially y’all which is properly, all y’all.
When Jan isn’t working in a library she enjoys tennis and is learning to play golf. She has 2 grandchildren and they are a big part of her life. She describes herself as an artsy-crafty person and loves to create photography books because they document history. She enjoys traveling and looks forward to someday returning to that Edwardian era home that doubled as her college/dorm in Maida Vale, west London.
Jan says the best thing about working in in a library is the relationships that you make with the people, not just the ones you work with but also with the patrons you serve. It can be babies through the older generation, and when you make connections, they’re for life. When you work in a library it’s always a new day, no two days are the same. It’s amazing you get paid to do this, it’s not a real job, it’s more of a lifestyle, it’s who you are. Welcome to Nebraska Jan!
Christa Porter: Director of Library Development
We are reintroducing our staff member Christa Porter, who changed both her name and her job title since joining the Library Commission staff in 2000.
Last September, Christa (Burns) married John Porter and effective April 4th, Christa also will become the new Director of Library Development. So many congratulations are in order. Christa was born in Albany, New York. She earned her BA in English with a Specialty in Literature and Irish Folklore, from SUNY Binghamton and her MLS from SUNY Albany. As a young girl, her dad would take Christa and her sister Sarah to the Saratoga Springs Public Library every Saturday and she read her way through the Black Beauty and Narnia Series as well as many other science fiction and fantasy novels. She found her way to a career in libraries in a rather serendipitous route as her dad found a work study position for her where he worked at SUNY Central Administration in Albany – specifically the OCLC offices of Nylink. This led her to enroll in Library School where she was fortunate to be assigned Bill Katz as her work study professor who was a helpful and considerable influence on her career.
Christa’s job at Nylink would prove an interesting segue for her first position at the Library Commission as NEBASE Member Services Coordinator. Most recently her role as Library Development Consultant involved speaking to many of you about E-rate among other topics. Christa is also the host of the Commission’s weekly NCompass Live online program and she assists organizations in the state to hold virtual meetings with GoToWebinar. In her opinion, the best thing about working in libraries is solving problems and finding answers to questions. “It’s always a treasure hunt. The best skill a librarian can have is the ability to say I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”
When Christa isn’t working, she enjoys being at home with John, spending time with family, relaxing, playing video games, or reading. Without hesitation, her all-time favorite author is Isaac Asimov. If Christa could switch careers, she would love to own a book or comic store combination coffee shop that served pastries and food, provided someone else was doing the books. Christa and John share their home with three cats: Logan, Luna, and Nushi. Despite being far from home, Christa says Nebraska offers friendly people, open spaces, and friends and family.
