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Category Archives: Public Relations
NLC Staff: Jo Mezger
Questions and answers with NLC’s newest Talking Book and Braille Reader’s Advisor, Jo Mezger, who started working with us in March 2024. Take a few minutes and get to know them with a few fun questions!
What was the last thing you googled?
What the Crumble Cookies were this week
What’s your ideal vacation?
Has to be good food, no early morning activities, and exactly the weather I planned
What do you do to relax?
Listen to music
Describe your first car?
My current car, a 2012 Toyota Corolla. I just tied the bumper on with zip ties
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Trampled by Turtles
What movie can you watch over and over again?
Akeelah and the Bee
What was the last book you read?
Vashti Bunyan Biography
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
Invisibility
What’s the last thing you do before you got to bed?
Play Stardew Valley video game
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Recovering people pleaser
What is your favorite comfort food?
Green bean casserole
What words or phrases do you overuse?
(Irrelevantly) “Well, me too”
What’s your most treasured possession?
My cats
On what occasion do you lie?
To keep things private
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
I’m neutral
Do you have any pets?
5 cats: Cowboy, Moon Face, Papaya, Teemo, and The Commodore
Favorite technology you could not live without?
My electric blanket
If you could get rid of one holiday – which one would you abolish?
The 4th of July
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pasta
If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, what would you call?
Mariame Kaba
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Can of chickpeas
Posted in General, Public Relations
Tagged Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Staff
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The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific Chosen as 2025 One Book One Nebraska
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 12, 2024
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Timperley
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific Chosen as 2025 One Book One Nebraska
People across Nebraska are encouraged to read the work of a Nebraskan — and then talk about it with their friends and neighbors. The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific (Revell, 2023) by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee is the 2025 One Book One Nebraska selection.
The Long March Home is a historical fiction novel inspired by true stories of friendship, sacrifice, and hope on the Bataan Death March.
From the Inside Cover:
Jimmy Propfield joined the army for two reasons: to get out of Mobile, Alabama, with his best friends Hank and Billy and to forget his high school sweetheart, Claire.
Life in the Philippines seems like paradise–until the morning of December 8, 1941, when news comes from Manila: Imperial Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor. Within hours, the teenage friends are plunged into war as enemy warplanes attack Luzon, beginning a battle for control of the Pacific theater that will culminate with a last stand on the Bataan Peninsula and end with the largest surrender of American troops in history.
What follows will become known as one of the worst atrocities in modern warfare: the Bataan Death March. With no hope of rescue, the three friends vow to make it back home together. But the ordeal is only the beginning of their nearly four-year fight to survive.
Marcus Brotherton is a New York Times bestselling author and coauthor, with fiveNew York Timesbestsellers, seven national bestsellers, and four books have been optioned for movies. He was born in British Columbia and earned degrees at Multnomah University in Portland and Biola University in Los Angeles. He currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and children.
Tosca Lee is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of twelve books. Those awards include three International Book Awards, and a Nebraska Book Award for her thriller The Line Between and it’s sequel A Single Light. She received her B.A. from Smith College and currently lives in Nebraska with her husband, three of four children still at home, and her 160-lb. German Shepherd, Timber.
Libraries across Nebraska will join other literary and cultural organizations in planning book discussions, activities, and events that will encourage Nebraskans to read and discuss this book. Support materials to assist with local reading/discussion activities will be available after January 1, 2025 at http://onebook.nebraska.gov. Updates and activity listings will be posted on the One Book One Nebraska Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/onebookonenebraska.
2025 will mark the twenty-first year of the One Book One Nebraska reading program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book. It encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss one book, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting. The Nebraska Center for the Book invites recommendations for One Book One Nebraska book selection year-round at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/obon-nomination.asp.
One Book One Nebraska is sponsored by Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission. The Nebraska Center for the Book brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at and supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
###
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.
NCompass Live: Dragons at the Library: An Exciting New Reading Program
Learn about ‘Dragons at the Library: An Exciting New Reading Program’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, October 16 at 10am CT.
Encourage reading all year long with Reading Dragons – a card collecting reading program where the more you read the more dragon cards you can collect! Learn how to implement this amazing low cost program at your library – Reading Dragons costs as low as $4/kid to run. Hastings Public Library had 201 kids participate in the 23/24 school year. Reading Dragons is an effective and fun way to engage your patrons in reading all year long!
Presenter: Rachel Mueller, Children’s Library Programming Assistant, Hastings (NE) Public Library.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Oct. 23 – Letters About Literature 2024
- Oct. 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Nov. 6 – Summer Reading Program 2025: Color Our World
- Nov. 13 – Nebraska Open Meetings Act: 2024 Overview and Update
- Dec. 11 – Best New Children’s Books of 2024
- Jan. 8, 2025 – Best New Teen Reads of 2024
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 2, 2024
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Timperley
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors
Young readers in grades 4-12 are invited to write a personal letter to an author for the Nebraska Letters about Literature (LAL) contest, a state reading and writing promotion program. The letter can be to any author (living or dead) from any genre: fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic – explaining how that author’s work changed the student’s view of the world. Submissions must be completed online October 1 – December 31, 2024. Nebraska Letters About Literature is coordinated and sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission, with support from Lincoln City Libraries, Francie & Finch Bookshop, and Humanities Nebraska.The Nebraska Center for the Book’s panel of judges will select a winner and an honorable mention per competition level (Level I for grades 4-6, Level II for grades 7-8, and Level III for grades 9-12) to be honored in a proclamation-signing ceremony at the state capitol during National Library Week in April 2025. Their winning letters will be placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. Nebraska winners and honorable mentions will receive state prizes.
Teachers, librarians, and parents can download the contest guidelines, free teaching materials, information on the online entry system, and past winning letters on the Nebraska Center for the Book website. An informational NCompass Live webinar will air on October 23rd, discussing this year’s contest, the submission process, and judging criteria. For more information contact Nebraska Center for the Book.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the national Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
###
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 .
NCompass Live: NLC Grants for 2025
Learn more about the NLC Grants for 2025 on this week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, September 25 at 10am CT.
Nebraska Accredited Public Libraries and State-run Institutions! Do you have an idea for a program or project you would like to see funded? Apply for an NLC Grant!
The Nebraska Library Commission has made funding available for four grants for 2025: Continuing Education & Training, Internship, Library Improvement, and Youth Grants for Excellence. Don’t let your library miss out on these opportunities!
Grant applications for all 2025 NLC grants opened on September 20 and will be due November 15, 2024.
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 and grant guidelines, the application process and grant review, timelines and deadlines. They will also share some tips on writing effective grants.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Oct. 2 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Digital Navigators & Digital Equity in Nebraska
- Oct. 9 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE – ENJOY NLA!
- Oct. 16 – Dragons at the Library: An Exciting New Reading Program
- Oct. 23 – Letters About Literature 2024
- Oct. 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Nov. 6 – Summer Reading Program 2025: Color Our World
- Nov. 13 – Nebraska Open Meetings Act: 2024 Overview and Update
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training, General, Grants, Information Resources, Library Management, Now hiring @ your library, Preservation, Programming, Public Library Boards of Trustees, Public Relations, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged Continuing Education, Internship Grants, library improvement gratns, NCompLive, Youth Grants for Excellence
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Shortlist for 2025 One Book One Nebraska Announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 18, 2024
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Timperley
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Shortlist for 2025 One Book One Nebraska Announced
What book will all Nebraskans be encouraged to read in 2025? We will all find out on October 12th at the Nebraska Celebration of Books (N.COB) literary festival. A collection of nonfiction essays about Nebraska, a novel set in 1950’s about personal journeys, a historical fiction novel about the Pacific theater in World War II —all stories with ties to Nebraska—are the finalists for the 2025 One Book One Nebraska statewide reading program. The finalists are:
- My Nebraska: The Good, the Bad, and the Husker by Roger Welsch, The Globe Pequot Press, 2006.
- The Lincoln Highway: A Novel by Amor Towles, Viking Press, 2021.
- The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee, Revell, 2023.
The One Book One Nebraska reading program is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and the Nebraska Library Commission. It encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss the same book, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting. A Nebraska Center for the Book committee selected the three finalists from a list of nineteen titles nominated by Nebraskans. In the coming weeks, Nebraska Center for the Book board members will vote on the 2025 selection.
Nebraskans are invited to take part in the Nebraska Celebration of Books (N.COB) Literary Festival where the choice for the 2025 One Book One Nebraska will be announced. Held on Saturday, October 12th, from 10:00am-5:30pm, in the Regency Suite, Heritage Room, and Swanson Auditorium located on the second floor of the UNL City Campus Union, this event aims to celebrate Nebraska’s literary heritage and contemporary authors. The festival will honor the 20th anniversary of the One Book One Nebraska program with a panel of past authors, in addition it will feature Nebraska authors, a SLAM poetry showcase, book vendors, and presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Nebraska Book Awards, Mildred Bennett Award and Jane Geske Award.
This year’s One Book One Nebraska selection, Dancing with the Octopus: A Memoir of a Crime by Debora Harding, will be featured with a memoir writing workshop facilitated by Lucy Atkins from Larksong Writers Place. See http://onebook.nebraska.gov or https://www.facebook.com/OneBookOneNebraska for more information about ongoing 2024 One Book One Nebraska activities.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the national Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
###
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.
Call for Speakers: Big Talk From Small Libraries 2025
The Call for Speakers for Big Talk From Small Libraries 2025 is now open!
Submit your proposal by Friday, December 13, 2024.
This free one-day online conference is tailored for staff from small libraries; the smaller the better!
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!
Speakers from libraries serving fewer than 10,000 people will be preferred, but presentations from libraries with larger service populations will be considered. Speakers must be from small libraries or directly partnered with a small library and submitting a proposal to co-present with the library.
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2025 will be held on Friday, February 28, 2025 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Speakers will present their programs from their own desktops. The schedule will accommodate speakers’ time-zones.
This conference is sponsored by the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) and the Nebraska Library Commission.
Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash
Nebraska’s 2024 Book Award Winners Announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 23, 2024
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Timperley
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Nebraska’s 2024 Book Award Winners Announced
Celebrate Nebraska’s 2024 Book Award winners with author readings and an awards presentation ceremony at the Nebraska Celebration of Book’s (NCOB) literary festival. Held at the UNL City Campus Union on October 12th, winners of the 2024 Nebraska Book Awards will be honored at the celebration which will include an author roundtable during the festival and the awards ceremony directly after at 3:30. The ceremony will feature readings by some of the winning authors, designers, and illustrators of books with a Nebraska connection published in 2023. And the winners are:
Children’s Picture Book: Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder written by Carla Ketner, illustrated by Paula Wallace. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press.
Children’s Novel: The Adventures of Pearl and Monty: The Bait and Switch by E. Adams. Publisher: Jade Forest Publishing.
Teen Novel: The Unstoppable Bridget Bloom by Allison L. Bitz. Publisher: HarperTeen.
Cover and Design: Feisty Righty: A Cancer Survivor’s Journey by Jennifer D. James, Cover Art by Courtney Keller. Publisher: Self Published.
Design Honor: Horizons by Julie S. Paschold. Publisher: Atmosphere Press.
Fiction: The War Begins in Paris: A Novel by Theodore Wheeler. Publisher: Little, Brown and Company.
Nonfiction Nebraska as Place: Field Guide to a Hybrid Landscape by Dana Fritz. Publisher: Bison Books.
Nonfiction History: The First Migrants by Richard Edwards and Jacob K. Friefeld. Publisher: Bison Books.
Poetry: The Gathering of Bastards by Romeo Oriogun. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press.
Poetry Honor: The Book Eaters by Carolina Hotchandani. Publisher: Perugia Press.
This year’s Book Awards Celebration will be a combined event with the Nebraska Book Festival, called “The Nebraska Celebration of Books” which aims to celebrate Nebraska’s literary heritage and contemporary authors. Held, Saturday, October 12th, from 10:00am-4:30pm, on the second floor of the UNL City Campus Union in the Regency Suite, Heritage Room, and Swanson Auditorium, the event will honor the 20th anniversary of the One Book One Nebraska program with a panel of past authors. In addition it will feature Nebraska authors, a SLAM poetry showcase, book vendors, and presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Nebraska Book Awards, Mildred Bennett Award, Jane Geske Award, and 2025 One Book One Nebraska announcement.
The 2024 One Book One Nebraska selection, Dancing with the Octopus: A Memoir of a Crime by Debora Harding (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020) will be featured with a memoir writing workshop facilitated by Lucy Adkins of Larksong Writers Place.
The Nebraska Book Awards are sponsored and facilitated by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the national Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and the Nebraska Library Commission.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
The Nebraska Celebration of Books (NCOB) host sponsors include Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln City Libraries, and Francie and Finch Bookshop, with supporting sponsors including Outskirts Press, KZUM 89.3FM, and Concierge Marketing at this time. Humanities Nebraska provides support for the One Book One Nebraska program.
###
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.
NCompass Live: Operating a Culture of Belonging: Personal Librarian 2.0
Learn about Princeton University Library’s “Personal Librarian Program” on next week’s NCompass Live webinar ‘Operating a Culture of Belonging: Personal Librarian 2.0’ on Wednesday, August 14 at 10am CT.
Welber started Princeton University Library’s “Personal Librarian Program” in 2017, randomly pairing each undergraduate with a member of the library staff for all 4 years. The program, along with its associated in-person outreach events, has continued to increase in popularity among students and recently gained the notice of other campus partners. Two years ago, the dean of student services reached out to request a personal librarian for several athletic teams needing extra support. This proved so successful, the program has begun creating other “identity cohorts,” such as the Freshman Scholars Institute, which supports first-generation/low-income students. The library has found that assigning students a personal librarian in this way strengthens the efficacy of the program through connections among cohort members and their adult support system (mentors, leaders, coaches). This shift in emphasis has also strengthened the DEI aspect of the program, contributing to the culture of support and belonging that the library strives to provide. Welber explains the technical aspects of implementation and tips for making a program successful in your environment.
Presenter: Audrey B. Welber, Coordinator for Undergraduate Research and Instruction, Library-Data, Research and Teaching Services, Princeton University Library.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Aug. 28 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Sept. 4 – Board Games & Computer Science in Libraries
- Sept. 11 – Memory Care Initiative
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Education & Training, Library Management, Public Relations
Tagged NCompLive
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NLC Staff: Bailee Juroshek
Questions and answers with NLC’s Communications Office Specialist, Bailee Juroshek, who started working with us in February 2024. Take a few minutes and get to know her with a few fun questions!
What was the last thing you googled?
Baldur’s Gate 3 Honor Mode Enemy Stats
What’s your ideal vacation?
A good mix of fun and relaxation
What do you do to relax?
Hang out with friends and play video games or D&D
Describe your first car?
A 1989 green Subaru Legacy
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be…
Doing freelance art
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Fall Out Boy
What movies can you watch over and over again?
Easy A and Tangled
What was the last book you read?
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
What was the last movie you watched?
Deadpool & Wolverine
Three words that describe you?
Artistic, Nerdy, and Kind
What smell brings back great memories?
Sugar cookies
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
Teleportation
What’s the last thing you do before you got to bed?
Put on music or something to listen to
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Short but feisty
Do you have any tattoos?
Yes, the Disney Castle on my back
What is your favorite comfort foods?
Chocolate muffins, tiramisu, Italian soup
What words or phrases do you overuse?
Gotcha or Okey-dokie
What’s your most treasured possession?
A matching ring and necklace from my paternal grandmother, and a moon necklace from my partner Michael
On what occasion do you lie?
a) To be kind and b) Dealing with a weird stranger
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
Taylor Swift, Disney, and my own art
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
I hate them, then love them
Do you have any pets?
3 cats: Coco Bean, Lilith, and Azmodius (Azmo for short)
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Breakfast foods
If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, what would you call?
Brennan Lee Mulligan
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Soda, chips, and wine
Posted in General, Public Relations
Tagged Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Staff
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CCC Library Information Services Classes for Fall 2024
Central Community College Fall 2024 classes in the Library and Information Services program are open for Registration. Classes begin August 19.
For further information concerning Admissions or Registration, contact Michelle Setlik, 402-461-2538 or toll free at 308-398-7341. See details of classes and registration information at https://www.cccneb.edu/lis
Is Your Public Library the ‘Best Small Library in America’?
Calling all libraries serving communities of 25,000 or less!
Library Journal is now accepting applications for the Best Small Library in America Award, made possible by Ingram. Library Journal‘s annual award for the Best Small Library in America was founded in 2005 to encourage and showcase the exemplary work of these libraries. It honors the U.S. public library that most profoundly demonstrates outstanding service to populations of 25,000 or less.
The deadline to nominate your library is June 26, 2024.
This is an amazing opportunity to show off your great rural or small library. Anyone can nominate a library – the library administration itself, patrons, members of the community, library peers, etc.
Judges want to hear about how, in the last two years, you have raised the profile of the library in your community, reached out to new users and remote users, impacted literacy in the community, and used technology to support and grow patron access to materials and information. Share your innovative approaches to traditional problems, including seemingly small fixes that work, and specific innovations that can be readily adopted by other libraries of all sizes.
The winner will be presented at the 2024 Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) Conference, September 11-14, 2024 in Springfield, MA, and will have the opportunity to speak there.
The winning library will receive a $5,000 cash award, and two finalist libraries will receive $1,000 each. All three will be featured in the September 2024 issue of Library Journal and online.
Nominate your favorite Nebraska library today! Learn more about the guidelines and submit your nomination on the Best Small Library in America Award website.
Posted in General, Library Management, Public Relations
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ARSL 2024 Early Bird Conference Registration is NOW OPEN!
Registration for both in-person and virtual attendance at the 2024 Association for Rural & Small Libraries Conference is open!
The in-person 2024 ARSL Conference will be held at the MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts, from September 11-14, 2024.
This year’s conference theme is “Libraries are (r)Evolutionary.” Our conference provides an opportunity to explore the transformative power of rural and small libraries in our communities. Like chrysalises of change, these libraries nurture revolutionary ideas and evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of our patrons. Let’s embrace the (r)Evolutionary spirit of libraries and inspire each other.
Early Bird pricing for in-person attendance will be available through July 16.
For more information about the conference and to register, visit the 2024 Conference Homepage.
ARSL Member Rates
- Base Conference Attendance
Early Bird – $295
Regular – $380
On-site – $380 + $25 admin fee - Preconference Workshops**
3-Hour Workshops – $60
4-Hour Workshops – $75
7-Hour Workshop – $160 - Virtual Attendance
$55
Student, Advocate & Retiree Rates*
- Base Conference Attendance
Early Bird – $250
Regular – $290
On-site – $290 + $25 admin fee - Preconference Workshops**
3-Hour Workshops – $60
4-Hour Workshops – $75
7-Hour Workshop – $160 - Virtual Attendance
$30
Nonmember Rates
- Base Conference Attendance
Early Bird – $390
Regular – $460
On-site – $460 + $25 admin fee - Preconference Workshops**
3-Hour Workshops – $85
4-Hour Workshops – $100
7-Hour Workshop – $205 - Virtual Attendance
$80
*Must be an ARSL Advocate, Student, or Retiree member. **Preconference Workshop fees are charged in addition to Base Conference Registration and are available for in-person conference attendees only.
NLC Staff: Meet Andrew “Sherm” Sherman
Questions and answers with NLC’s Library Technology Support Specialist, Andrew Sherman AKA Sherm, who started working with us in December 2022. Take a few minutes and get to know him with a few fun questions!
What was the last thing you googled?
MapQuest to plan a trip to multiple libraries
What advice would you give your 21 year old self?
You never stop learning and you’ll be much happier if you embrace change
What’s your ideal vacation?
Hiking in the mountains or lying on a beach
What do you do to relax?
Reading, playing video games, and streaming shows at home – currently Fallout on Prime
Describe your first car:
A sweet 1967 Competition Orange Mustang Coupe with chrome Cragar wheels that my twin brother and I bought and shared.
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be …
Working as an IT Professional
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Black Sabbath
What movie can you watch over and over again?
Galaxy Quest
What was the last book you read?
A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
What was the last movie you watched?
Barbie on Max
What is a quote you live by?
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”
– Leonardo da Vinci
What is your proudest handyman moment?
Full kitchen and bathroom remodels of my homes
What phrase describes you?
Git-R-Done!
What smell brings back great memories?
My mom’s chocolate chip cookies
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
The ability to fly
What’s the last thing you do before you go to bed?
Plug in my phone and put it on the nightstand
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Patient to a point then Boom
Do you have any tattoos?
No
What is your favorite comfort food?
Just like the song. “I like mine with lettuce and tomata, Heinz 57 and french fried potatas. A big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer. Well good God almighty which way do I steer?!” Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffett
What words or phrases do you overuse?
Sweet! and Cool!
What’s your most treasured possession?
Memories of vacations with my family
On what occasion do you lie?
Answering I’m fine when people constantly asked me how I was doing after losing my 1st wife to breast cancer.
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
Stevie Nicks (love her!) and other singers and bands as they came and went
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
LOVE
Do you have any pets?
A corgi named Baxter and three cats named Minnie, Lucius, and Umbra
What is your guilty pleasure?
Ice cream
Favorite technology you could not live without?
My smartphone
If you could get rid of one holiday – which one would you abolish?
I enjoy all of the holidays
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pizza
If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, who would you call?
David Whyte – the author of Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words. His book was very comforting while grieving.
Posted in General, Public Relations
Tagged Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Staff
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Nebraska Library Commission Awards Grants for Youth Library Service
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 8, 2024
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Sally Snyder
402-471-4003
800-307-2665
Nebraska Library Commission Awards Grants for Youth Library Service
The Nebraska Library Commission recently awarded $30,000 in grants for Excellence in Youth service. Of the grants awarded to thirty-nine Nebraska libraries, several addressed the need for educational programs, Summer Reading programing, and materials like LEGO®, STEAM, and other activities to encourage creativity in young people. The Nebraska Library Commission congratulates all the libraries who received grants as they develop new and innovative programs to ensure excellence in library service for Nebraska young people.
You can find the full list of grant recipients on the Nebraska Library Commission grants database.Proposals include:
- Adventure Backpacks
- STEAM programing and materials
- Book Club activities
- Tween Makerspace Camp
- Summer Reading programs
- Music and movement class
- Creative Coding for Kids
- Makerspace items for children/youth
- Builders’ Club with Lego
- 1000 Books Before Kindergarten
The following 39 Nebraska public libraries were awarded 2024 Youth Grants for Excellence funding:
Bancroft Public Library
Bayard Public Library
Beatrice Public Library
Bellevue Public Library
Broken Bow Public Library
Central City Public Library
Clearwater Public Library
Columbus Public Library
Hruska Public Library, David City
Elmwood Public Library
Falls City Library and Arts Center
Fullerton Public Library
Genoa Public Library
Grand Island Public Library
Hastings Memorial Library, Grant
Lincoln City Libraries
Louisville Public Library
Madison Public Library
Mead Public Library
Jensen Memorial Library, Minden
Norfolk Public Library
North Bend Public Library
CB Preston Memorial Library, Orleans
Osmond Public Library
Papillion Public Library
Plainview Public Library
Ravenna Public Library
St. Edward Public Library
Sargent Township Library
Shelton Public Library
Maxine White-Sutherland Public Library
Lied Tekamah Public Library
Valley Public Library
Valparaiso Public Library
Verdigre Public Library
Lied Lincoln Township Library, Wausa
Maltman Memorial Library, Wood River
Kilgore Memorial Library, York
Yutan Public Library
Youth Grants for Excellence are made available by the Nebraska Library Commission with funding from the State of Nebraska. As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
Posted in General, Grants, Library Management, Public Relations, Youth Services
Tagged Youth Grants for Excellence
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CCC Library Information Services Classes for Fall 2024
Central Community College announces class for the Library Information Services program for Fall 2024.
Enrollment opened April 19, 2024 for classes beginning August 19, 2024. The Library & Information Services Certificate is a 15-credit hour program. All credits can be applied to a Central Community College associate degree.
See details of classes and registration information at https://www.cccneb.edu/lis
NLC Staff: Meet Laura Mooney
Questions and answers with NLC’s Government Services Administrative Technician, Laura Mooney. Take a few minutes and get to know her with a few fun questions!
What advice would you give your 21-year-old self?
Don’t worry so much about what other people think.
What is your ideal vacation?
Somewhere I can be outside and enjoy nature, but also experience the history, and learn something new.
What do you do to relax?
Watch TV, go for walks, cooking, baking, and gardening. I also love styling vintage clothing and dressing up just for fun. I often spend evenings researching various topics and daydreaming or planning home and garden projects, travel, etc.
Describe your first car?
A silver Pontiac Sunbird
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be…
Traveling (if money were no object)
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Andy Gibb at the Oregon State Fair
What movie can you watch over and over again?
You’ve Got Mail
What was the last book you read?
Dark, Salt, Clear: Life in a Cornish Fishing Town by Lamorna Ash
What was the last movie you watched?
Tolkien
What is your proudest handyman moment?
Renovating the raised beds in my garden
Three words that describe you?
Quiet, curious, persistent
What smell brings back great memories?
The smell of grass rugs from my grandparent’s beach house
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
Teleporting
What’s the last thing you do before you got to bed?
Watch benign television
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Messy when tired
What is your favorite comfort food?
Peanut butter – Smuckers Natural Creamy
What words or phrases do you overuse?
Umm and Like
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
The Monkees
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
I didn’t have the opportunity to ride them as a kid but on my 40th birthday, I asked my dad and my husband to join me in riding a roller coaster at SeaWorld in San Diego.
Do you have any pets?
I grew up with dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens, ducks, and a cockatiel. My husband and I recently lost our cat Allie this past year.
What are your pleasures? (there are no guilty pleasures)
Dark chocolate
Favorite apps on your phone?
Texting and safari are probably most used. Instagram, podcasts, and Spotify are favorites.
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Mexican
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Yogurt, but peanut butter when I need to restock. I can never run out of peanut butter!
Posted in General, Public Relations
Tagged Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Staff
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$21,000 in Internship Grants Awarded to Nebraska Public Libraries
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 25, 2024
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Christa Porter
402-471-3107
800-307-2665
$21,000 in Internship Grants Awarded to Nebraska Public Libraries
The Nebraska Library Commission recently awarded Nebraska Library Internship Grants totaling $21,000 to eighteen Nebraska public libraries. These internship grants will support public library interns who will contribute to the scope and value of the diverse programs and activities in Nebraska’s public libraries.
“The internships are a great opportunity for students to get involved in library work. Beyond earning money and gaining valuable work experience, the student is exposed to the broad range of library services and programming. Internships provide an opportunity for the student to view the library as a viable and satisfying career choice. In addition, interns bring a fresh perspective and their own unique talents to the library,” said Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner.
Student interns will learn about library work as they shadow staff, assist with day-to-day library operations, and implement special projects. Some of the activities that students will participate in include:
- Summer Reading Programs for youth, teens, and adults
- Help plan and conduct makerspace classes, STEAM activities, story time, computer classes, and Pioneer Days events
- Assist with library outreach at the Farmer’s Market
- Partner with local historian to work in the Heritage Room
- Field trips to visit other public libraries
- Partnerships with the Community Club, Library Foundation, 4-H, FFA, and County Extension
- Basic library duties: circulation, shelving, weeding, attending library board and city/village council meetings, processing acquisitions
The following 18 Nebraska public libraries were awarded 2024 internship grant funding:
Atkinson Public Library
Axtell Public Library
Rock County Public Library, Bassett
Bayard Public Library
Garfield County Library, Burwell
Central City Public Library
Ceresco Community Library
Clearwater Public Library
Grand Island Public Library
Howells Public Library
Lincoln City Libraries – Loren Corey Eiseley Branch Library, Charles H. Gere Branch Library, Bennett Martin Public Library, Youth Services Outreach, Bess Dodson Walt Branch Library, Northeast Service Unit – Victor E. Anderson & Bethany Branch Libraries
Nancy Fawcett Memorial Library, Lodgepole
Orchard Public Library
Osmond Public Library
Palisade Public Library
Papillion Public Library
Stromsburg Public Library
Valley Public Library
Funding for the project is supported and administered by the Nebraska Library Commission, in partnership with the Nebraska Library Systems.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
Nebraska’s Regional Library Systems consist of four non-profit corporations governed by boards representative of libraries and citizens in the region. The four systems were established to provide access to improved library services through the cooperation of all types of libraries and media centers within the counties included in each System area.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
Posted in General, Grants, Library Management, Public Relations
Tagged grants, Internship Grant, Library grants
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Nebraska Library Commission Partners with Medica to Improve Public Libraries’ Internet Access
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 9, 2024
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Andrew “Sherm” Sherman
402-471-4559
800-307-2665
andrew.sherman@nebraska.gov
Nebraska Library Commission Partners with Medica to Improve Public Libraries’ Internet Access
In partnership with Medica, the Nebraska Library Commission (NLC) can assist Nebraska’s public libraries with the purchase and installation of new network technology to improve Internet access and digital equity for their communities.
The funding provided by Medica will be utilized to provide libraries with up-to-date and secure networks and WiFi for public use that can support current and future high-speed Internet connections. “Medica is pleased to provide funding to the Nebraska Library Commission to help local libraries improve internet access and digital equity in their communities,” said Pat Bourne, Medica Market Leader for Nebraska.Many of Nebraska’s small and rural public libraries have challenges accessing the funds and resources needed to select, purchase, and install new technology. The funding provided by Medica combined with the technical resources provided by the NLC will provide the assistance these libraries need to support their communities in this increasingly connected world.
The NLC will initially be contacting libraries that may need assistance with their networks based on the recent Public Library Survey results or have an identified need via the Technology Reviews that have been conducted so far. Libraries interested in upgrading their network can contact Andrew “Sherm” Sherman to arrange for a Technology Review so the current state of their networks can be determined and needed upgrades identified.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
Posted in General, Grants, Public Relations, Technology
Tagged internet, Medica, news release, Public Libraries, WiFi
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NCompass Live: Program Planning with a Marketing Mindset
Learn how to do ‘Program Planning with a Marketing Mindset’ at your library on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, April 10 at 10am CT.
Libraries have been offering programming for decades, and in many cases the model has been, “Let’s plan a program, promote it, and see who shows up.” This approach hasn’t changed much, even with social and technological changes, not to mention the pandemic and streaming programs. Program planning with a marketing mindset starts with identifying your customer’s needs and wants, then developing programs and services to meet those needs and wants. We’ll discuss how to use research – quantitative and qualitative – to plan and market programs that will engage your customers. We’ll talk about “bundling” programs and services for different audience segments. We’ll also cover how this more strategic approach can save time and resources for your library.
Presenter: Cordelia Anderson, Library Marketing and Communications Consultant, Cordelia Anderson Consulting .
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- April 17 – 2024 One Book One Nebraska: Dancing with the Octopus
- April 24 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2024 Highlights & Trends
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Education & Training, Library Management, Programming, Public Relations
Tagged NCompLive
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