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Category Archives: Technology
Join the Nebraska WebDewey Group Purchase
This is a good time of year to remind Nebraska librarians that they can save money on a subscription to WebDewey by participating in the Nebraska WebDewey Group Purchase! Enjoy web-based access to an electronic version of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC ) database through WebDewey. It is a full representation of all published numbers, plus other mappings and new terms that have been approved by the Dewey Editorial Policy Committee (EPC).
WebDewey also includes:
- Searching or browsing DDC numbers, Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) and mapped MeSH headings.
- Adding your own notes and displaying them in context.
- An easy-to-navigate, simple user interface that is suitable for the novice as well as the power user.
Our next WebDewey Group annual subscription will begin on January 1, 2023 and run through December 31, 2023. Libraries may join the group at any time. Mid-term subscriptions will be prorated. If your library is interested in subscribing to WebDewey, you’ll find pricing information on our online WebDewey Group Order Form. OCLC Membership is NOT required to purchase WebDewey.
If you have questions please contact Susan Knisely.
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Apply now for Science Kits for Public Libraries (SKPL) Grants
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) – Region 4’s Science Kits for Public Libraries (SKPL) Grant program is offering up to $2,000 in funding to public libraries to establish a new circulating science kits collection. Open to public libraries that serve geographic areas inside or partially inside the IEEE-Region 4 – this includes portions of Nebraska – see the green-shaded area of this map: IEEE Regions in the USA
The Application deadline is January 16, 2023. Those libraries which have previously applied for the grant but did not receive funding are invited to submit again.
Public Libraries have a long tradition of building stronger communities by providing life-long learning opportunities for children and teens. The SKPL Team is honored to have the opportunity to enrich the services that public libraries offer. SKPL enables children, parents, and teachers the chance to borrow library kits for hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning at home or in classroom.
Visit the SKPL website, https://r4.ieee.org/skpl/ for the application form and submission details.
Region 4, Science Kits for Public Libraries (SKPL) organization is a volunteer-based organization affiliated with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). SKPL believes all children – regardless of race, gender, financial condition, or home environment – should have access to high-quality, hands-on STEM learning experiences. By making catalyst grants available to public libraries, we empower them to start their own science kit collections that are free and accessible to the public.
Posted in Grants, Technology, Youth Services
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NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech – WordPress Chatbots: No Code Tools & Guides
Do you get really repetitive questions at your library? Hours? Address? Learn how to use a WordPress Chatbot to help manage these common questions on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, October 26 at 10am CT.
Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.
Library staff are already too overworked to answer the same questions over and over again. This session will help you set up a chatbot on your library’s website to relieve some of the burden. We will use the free Tidio plugin on WordPress to walk through a quick setup.
By the end of this session you will:
- Have a list of common chatbot planning questions.
- Identify different levels of chatbot services, from easy to complex
- See a simple chatbot in action
I hope to see you there!
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Nov. 9 – Reach Your Military-Affiliated Patrons with the Libraries & Veterans Toolkit
- Nov. 23 – Best New Children’s Books of 2022
- Nov. 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Dec. 21 – Summer Reading Program 2023: All Together Now
- Jan. 11, 2023 – Best New Teen Reads of 2022
For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Education & Training, Library Management, Pretty Sweet Tech, Technology
Tagged NCompLive, prettysweettech
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NCompass Live: NLC Grants for 2023
Do you have a program or project you would like to see funded? Learn how to apply for the ‘NLC Grants for 2023’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, October 19 at 10am CT.
The Nebraska Library Commission is making funding available for four grants for 2023: Continuing Education & Training, Internship, Library Improvement, and Youth Grants for Excellence.
Grant applications for all 2023 NLC grants are due November 18, 2022. Don’t let your library miss out on these opportunities!
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. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech – WordPress Chatbots: No Code Tools & Guides
- Nov. 9 – Reach Your Military-Affiliated Patrons with the Libraries & Veterans Toolkit
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.
‘E-rate: What’s New for 2023?’ Online Workshops Scheduled
‘E-rate: What’s New for 2023?’ workshops are now open for registration! All workshops will be held online only, via GoTo Webinar.
NOTE: This online workshop is being offered on multiple days and at varied times. The same information will be provided at each workshop, so you only need to attend one session. A recorded version will also be made available after all of the live sessions have been held.
What is E-rate? How can my library benefit from E-rate? How do I apply for E-rate?
E-rate is a federal program that provides discounts to schools and public libraries on the cost of their Internet Access and Connections to make these services more affordable. This includes Broadband, Fiber, and Wi-Fi Internet access as well as Internal Connections, such as wiring, routers, switches, and other network equipment.
The E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) is your online portal for all E-rate interactions. With your organizational account you can use EPC to file forms, track your application status, communicate with USAC, and more.
In this workshop, Christa Porter, Nebraska’s State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, will explain the E-rate program and show you how to access and use your account in EPC to submit your Funding Year 2023 E-rate application. Dates and times:
- November 15 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain
- November 17 – 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
- November 21 – 1:00-4:00pm Central / 12:00noon-3pm Mountain
- November 22 – 9:30am-12:30pm Central / 8:30-11:30am Mountain
To register for any of these sessions, go to the Nebraska Library Commission’s Training & Events Calendar and search for ‘e-rate 2023’.
Posted in Broadband Buzz, Education & Training, Library Management, Technology
Tagged e-rate
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2023 NLC Grants are Open for Applications
Do you have an idea for a program or project you would like to see funded?
The Nebraska Library Commission has made funding available for four grants for 2023: Continuing Education & Training, Internship, Library Improvement, and Youth Grants for Excellence.
Applications are being accepted for all NLC grants right now! Don’t let your library miss out on these opportunities!
Grant applications for all 2023 NLC grants are due November 18, 2022.
For more information about these grants, register for the October 19 NCompass Live webinar, NLC Grants for 2023.
Continuing Education & Training grants help assist Nebraska libraries to improve the library services provided to their communities through continuing education and training for their library personnel and supporters. Successful applications will show how the continuing education and/or training proposed will support the library’s mission. There will be two rounds of CE Grants. The first fall grants will open in September and applications will be accepted for events/projects/classes that must be completed before June 30, 2023. The second spring round will open in March and applications will be accepted for events/projects/classes that begin after July 1, 2023.
Internship grants work to introduce high school and college students to the varied and exciting work of Nebraska libraries. The internships are intended to function as a recruitment tool, helping the student to view the library as a viable career opportunity while providing the public library with the finances to provide stipends to the student interns.
Library Improvement grants facilitate growth and development of library programs and services in Nebraska public and institutional libraries, by supplementing local funding with federal funds designated for these purposes.
Youth Grants for Excellence makes funding available specifically for innovative projects for children and young adults in accredited public libraries and state-run institutional libraries in Nebraska. The program is designed to encourage creative thinking, risk-taking, and new approaches to address problems and needs of children and young adults in your community.
USAC’s E-Rate 2022 Fall Training Schedule Announced
USAC has confirmed the E-Rate Fall 2022 Training dates for applicants and service providers that wish to learn more about the program and how to participate.
The training sessions will once again be virtual, and registration for each session is now available on the Webinars page. You can also click on the links below for each session to register for that specific training.
The sessions are for E-Rate program participants at all levels and will include opportunities to ask questions. Eligible Services training will be scheduled once the FY2023 Eligible Services List is released.
- E-Rate Program Overview: October 18, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EDT
- USAC will provide a high-level overview of the E-Rate application process from beginning to end, and explain basic program concepts for applicants and service providers. After the presentation, we will conduct a Q&A session.
- E-Rate Pre-Commitment Process: October 20, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EDT
- USAC will discuss the E-Rate Pre-Commitment process. This includes how to get started, competitive bidding, applying for discounts, and Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) review. After the presentation, we will conduct a Q&A session.
- Category Two Budgets: October 25, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EDT
- USAC will discuss Category Two (C2) budgets. We will provide an overview of C2 budgets and C2 budget guidance for FY2023. After the presentation, we will conduct a Q&A session.
- EPC Administrative Window: October 27, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EDT
- USAC will discuss the EPC Administrative Window, the period during which applicants can make updates to their profile information in the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC), to prepare for the upcoming FCC Form 471 application filing window. After the presentation, we will conduct a Q&A session.
- E-Rate Post-Commitment Process: November 3, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EDT
- USAC will discuss the E-Rate Post-Commitment Process and other post-commitment activities. Topics include starting services, the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), service substitutions, appeals, and more. After the presentation, we will conduct a Q&A session.
- Eligible Services 101: To be announced
The NLC will also be doing our regular fall E-rate workshops, also online, after USAC’s sessions. Those dates will be announced soon.
If you have any questions or need any assistance with your public library’s E-rate forms, visit the NLC E-rate webpage or contact Christa Porter, State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, 800-307-2665, 402-471-3107.
Nebraska Libraries Report 1,381,624 Minutes of Reading for Summer 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 15, 2022
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Denise Harders
402-462-1975
denise.cpls@gmail.com
Central Plains Library System
Nebraska Libraries Report 1,381,624 Minutes of Reading for Summer, 2022
Summer reading programs are helping students become better readers
Hastings, Nebraska – Since mid-May, more than 100 Nebraska libraries have been carrying out summer reading programs that have allowed patrons of all ages to log their reading progress.
As of August 3, 2022, readers have logged:
1,381,624 minutes read
12,153 books completed
131,179 pages read
The Nebraska Library Commission and the Nebraska Regional Library Systems have worked to engage more than 100 libraries in summer reading programs through an innovative reading app called Reader Zone. These programs consist of participants of all ages with the majority being kindergarten through 6th grade.
Success in 2022 follows similar reading success for Nebraska readers in 2020 and 2021. Each of those years also saw more than one million minutes of reading logged by Nebraskans in summer reading programs.
“We are excited to have another successful summer reading season in Nebraska libraries and we thank all our hard-working librarians and our wonderful patrons for their dedication to literacy and reading,” said Denise Harders, Director of the Central Plains Library System. “Our libraries will continue to offer Nebraskans quality programs that can build positive reading habits for readers of all ages”.
Nebraska libraries offer ongoing reading programs like “1000 Books Before Kindergarten” for young children and many compelling programs for teens and adults. These programs are free to Nebraskans in every corner of the state.
“Seeing Nebraska readers reach a third summer in a row of more than 1 million minutes demonstrates that there are many dedicated public librarians and engaged families throughout the state. Students will return to school in the fall with their hard-earned reading skills sharpened and ready to learn,” Jake Ball, creator of Reader Zone.
Reader Zone is a web-based reading program and app that helps organizations build and deploy meaningful reading programs. Reader Zone offers a mobile app that makes participation in reading programs simple and rewarding for readers of all ages.
The Nebraska Regional Library Systems consist of four non-profit corporations governed by boards representative of libraries and citizens in the region. Systems provide access to improved library services by facilitating cooperation among all types of libraries and media centers within the counties included in each System area.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information. The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
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Posted in Books & Reading, General, Public Relations, Technology
Tagged books, Nebraska Libraries, Reader Zone, Reading, Summer Reading Program
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NewsBank Trial Access Through October 22, 2022
NewsBank is a web-based subscription service that offers library access to current and archival content from newspapers, newswires, transcripts, and other publications. They have agreed to offer Nebraska libraries trial access to the following resources through October 22, 2022:
- Access World News (covers 1980-present; contains over 13K global sources, including Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World Herald)
- America’s Historical Newspapers & Timeline (covers 1690-2000, includes 448 U.S. Newspapers)
- Black Life in America
- Hispanic Life in America
- ResearchRocket (Primary)
Trial access instructions, including product login URLs and a temporary username and password, were distributed via a September 15, 2022 message to the TRIAL mailing list. Nebraska librarians who didn’t receive this information or who would like to have it sent to them again can email Susan Knisely.
Note: If you are a Nebraska librarian and you’d like to receive future database trial announcements directly in your email inbox, please make sure you are signed up for the Nebraska Library Commission’s TRIAL mailing list.
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Call for Speakers: Big Talk From Small Libraries 2023
The Call for Speakers for Big Talk From Small Libraries 2023 is now open!
This free one-day online conference is tailored for librarians from small libraries; the smaller the better!
Small libraries of all types – public, academic, school, museum, special, etc. – are encouraged to submit a proposal. We’re looking for seven 50-minute presentations and four 10-minute “lightning round” presentations.
Do you offer a service or program at your small library that other librarians might like to hear about? Have you implemented a new (or old) technology, hosted an event, partnered with others in your community, or just done something really cool? The Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference gives you the opportunity to share what you’ve done, while learning what your colleagues in other small libraries are doing.
Here are some possible topics to get you thinking:
- Unique Libraries
- Special Collections
- New buildings
- Fundraising
- Improved Workflows
- Staff Development
- Advocacy Efforts
- Community Partnerships
- That great thing you’re doing at your library!
Submit your proposal by Friday, December 16, 2022.
Speakers from libraries serving fewer than 10,000 people will be preferred, but presentations from libraries with larger service populations will be considered.
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2023 will be held on Friday, February 24, 2023 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Speakers will present their programs from their own desktops. The schedule will accommodate speakers’ time-zones.
This conference is organized and hosted by the Nebraska Library Commission and is co-sponsored by the Association for Rural & Small Libraries.
Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash
NCompass Live: E-Rate 101 – Just the Basics
What is E-rate? How can my library benefit from E-rate? How do I apply for E-rate? Bring all of your E-rate questions to ‘E-rate 101: Just the Basics’, next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, August 17 at 10am CT.
E-rate is a federal program that provides discounts to schools and public libraries on the cost of their Internet Access and Connections to make these services more affordable. This includes Broadband, Fiber, and Wi-Fi Internet access as well as Internal Connections, such as wiring, routers, switches, and other network equipment.
This session will be a general overview of the E-rate program and will be useful to libraries who have never applied for E-rate, libraries who are new to E-rate, and current E-rate libraries who just want a short refresher on what E-rate is all about.
IMPORTANT NOTES: The dates and rules in this session will be specific to E-rate Funding Year 2023. Full in-depth E-rate workshops will be held later in the year.
Presenter: Christa Porter, Nebraska’s State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Aug. 24 – Team Up with your Community!
- Aug. 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech – WordPress Layout Walkthrough: From the Blank Page
- Sept. 7 – Retirement: Time to Ease on Down, Ease on Down the Road
- Sept. 21 – Letters About Literature 2022
For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
NCompass Live: Building a Reading Community Through Podcasting
Learn about ‘Building a Reading Community Through Podcasting’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, August 3 at 10am CT.
During this program Omaha Public Library’s The Book Drop podcast team will discuss how they use podcasting as a remote readers’ advisory tool for both patrons and staff. With over 90 episodes under their belts, they’ll share the insight they’ve gained in working across departments, keeping the show fresh, and broadening the conversation around books and reading.
Presenters: Michelle Carlson, Book Club Librarian; David Dick, Adult Services Specialist; Erin Duerr, Readers & Writers Librarian; and Anna Wilcoxon, Diversity & Inclusion Librarian, Omaha Public Library.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Aug. 10 – Reinventing Programming Kits
- Aug. 24 – Team Up with your Community!
- Aug. 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- Sept 7 – Retirement: Time to Ease on Down, Ease on Down the Road
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.
Library of Congress Connecting Communities Digital Initiative (CCDI) Grants – Applications Open
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
Applications are open for the second round of funding in the Library of Congress Connecting Communities Digital Initiative grant program.
These grants will support libraries, archives, museums and higher education institutions to create projects that remix and reuse the Library’s digital collections in creative and imaginative ways. In addition, these projects must center the lives, experiences and perspectives of Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander and/or other communities of color in the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, territories and commonwealths (Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands). This program is part of the larger Of the People initiative funded by the Mellon Foundation that creates dynamic opportunities for more people to engage with the Library.
Applications are due by 12:00pm (noon) Eastern Standard Time on September 30, 2022 – extended to October 7, 2022.
Support materials for applicants can be found on the application pages for Libraries, Archives, Museums and for Higher Education Institutions, and will be updated as more resources become available.
The Library intends to award up to three Libraries, Archives, Museums grants and up to three Higher Education grants. The awards will be up to $50,000 for each grant and will support projects of up to 12 months in length.
Formal notices of funding opportunity for both libraries, archives, museums and higher education institutions can be found at the Of the People website and on Grants.gov:
Posted in Grants, Technology
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NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: CES 2022 and Libraries
Learn about opportunities to bring new technology to your library on next week’s Pretty Sweet Tech NCompass Live webinar, ‘CES 2022 and Libraries’, on Wednesday, July 27 at 10am CT.
Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of the largest technology trade shows of its kind, featuring new product releases, updates, and a chance to experience the latest and greatest technologies from companies big and small. Join Brian Pichman of the Evolve Project who attends the show to spread the word about libraries to the exhibitors at CES, securing partnerships on behalf of libraries so that libraries may have more opportunities to innovate and bring new technology in for their patrons. Brian will share his experiences at CES 2022, sharing the top trends at CES, cool tech to watch for, and how this plays a role in libraries.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Aug. 3 – Building a Reading Community Through Podcasting
- Aug. 10 – Reinventing Programming Kits
- Aug. 24 – Team Up with your Community!
- Sept 7 – Retirement: Time to Ease on Down, Ease on Down the Road
For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Education & Training, Pretty Sweet Tech, Technology
Tagged CES2022, NCompLive, prettysweettech
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Book Briefs: New University of Nebraska Press Books at the Nebraska Publications Clearinghouse
The Nebraska Publications Clearinghouse receives documents every month from all Nebraska state agencies, including the University of Nebraska Press (UNP). Each month we will be showcasing the UNP books that the Clearinghouse has received.
UNP books, as well as all Nebraska state documents, are available for checkout by libraries and librarians for their patrons.
Here are the UNP books the Clearinghouse received in May and June, 2022:
A Frail Liberty : Probationary Citizens in the French and Haitian Revolutions, by Tessie P. Liu ; Series: France Overseas: Studies in Empire and Decolonization
A Frail Liberty traces the paradoxical actions of the first French abolitionist society, the Société des Amis des Noirs (Society of the Friends of Blacks), at the juncture of two unprecedented achievements of the revolutionary era: the extension of full rights of citizenship to qualifying free men of color in 1792 and the emancipation decree of 1794 that simultaneously declared the formerly enslaved to be citizens of France. This society helped form the revolution’s notion of color-blind equality yet did not protest the pro-slavery attack on the new citizens of France. Tessie P. Liu prioritizes the understanding of the elite insiders’ vision of equality as crucial to understanding this dualism.
By documenting the link between outright exclusion and political inclusion and emphasizing that a nation’s perceived qualifications for citizenship formulate a particular conception of racial equality, Liu argues that the treatment and status distinctions between free people of color and the formerly enslaved parallel the infamous divide between “active” and “passive” citizens. These two populations of colonial citizens with African ancestry then must be considered part of the normative operations of French citizenship at the time. Uniquely locating racial differentiation in the French and Haitian revolutions within the logic and structures of political representation, Liu deepens the conversation regarding race as a civic identity within democratic societies.
A Woman of Adventure : The Life and Times of First Lady Lou Henry Hoover, by Annette B. Dunlap.
When Lou Henry married Herbert Hoover in February 1899, she looked forward to a partnership of equality and a life of adventure. She could fire a rifle and sit a horse as well as any man. The Quaker community of Whittier, California, where she lived as a teen, reinforced the egalitarian spirit of her upbringing. But history had other ideas for Lou Henry Hoover.
For the first fifteen years of married life, Lou globe-trotted with her husband as he pursued a lucrative career in mining engineering and consulting. World War I not only changed the map of the world, it changed the map of the Hoovers’ marriage. Herbert Hoover’s Commission for the Relief of Belgium launched him into a political career that led to the White House. Lou, who detested the limelight, led a dual life: she supported her husband’s political career, managed their multiple households, and saw to the needs of their family. Behind the scenes, she pursued her own interests.
History has long since forgotten the breadth of her achievements, but Lou Henry Hoover’s powerful legacy endures in the ongoing success of the Girl Scouts, the music and physical therapy degree programs at Stanford University, athletic opportunities for women, and the countless unknown men and women who received an education thanks to Lou’s anonymous financial support.
Conveying Lou’s humor, personality, and intelligence, A Woman of Adventure takes a fresh look at the first lady who preceded Eleanor Roosevelt and her also-extraordinary accomplishments.
Cattle Beet Capital : Making Industrial Agriculture in Northern Colorado, by Michael Weeks.
In 1870 several hundred settlers arrived at a patch of land at the confluence of the South Platte and Cache la Poudre Rivers in Colorado Territory. Their planned agricultural community, which they named Greeley, was centered around small landholdings, shared irrigation, and a variety of market crops. One hundred years later, Greeley was the home of the world’s largest concentrated cattle-feeding operation, with the resources of an entire region directed toward manufacturing beef. How did that transformation happen? Cattle Beet Capital is animated by that question.
Expanding outward from Greeley to all of northern Colorado, Cattle Beet Capital shows how the beet sugar industry came to dominate the region in the early twentieth century through a reciprocal relationship with its growers that supported a healthy and sustainable agriculture while simultaneously exploiting tens of thousands of migrant laborers. Michael Weeks shows how the state provided much of the scaffolding for the industry in the form of tariffs and research that synchronized with the agendas of industry and large farmers. The transformations that led to commercial feedlots began during the 1930s as farmers replaced crop rotations and seasonal livestock operations with densely packed cattle pens, mono-cropped corn, and the products pouring out of agro-industrial labs and factories. Using the lens of the northern Colorado region, Cattle Beet Capital illuminates the historical processes that made our modern food systems.
Creek Internationalism in an Age of Revolution, 1763–1818, by James L. Hill ; Series: Borderlands and Transcultural Studies
Creek Internationalism in an Age of Revolution, 1763–1818 examines how Creek communities and their leaders remained viable geopolitical actors in the trans-Appalachian West well after the American Revolution. The Creeks pursued aggressive and far-reaching diplomacy between 1763 and 1818 to assert their territorial and political sovereignty while thwarting American efforts to establish control over the region. The United States and the Creeks fought to secure recognition from the powers of Europe that would guarantee political and territorial sovereignty: the Creeks fought to maintain their connections to the Atlantic world and preserve their central role in the geopolitics of the trans-Appalachian West, while the American colonies sought first to establish themselves as an independent nation, then to expand borders to secure diplomatic and commercial rights.
Creeks continued to forge useful ties with agents of European empires despite American attempts to circumscribe Creek contact with the outside world. The Creeks’ solicitation of trade and diplomatic channels with British and Spanish colonists in the West Indies, Canada, and various Gulf Coast outposts served key functions for defenders of local autonomy. Native peoples fought to preserve the geopolitical order that dominated the colonial era, making the trans-Appalachian West a kaleidoscope of sovereign peoples where negotiation prevailed. As a result, the United States lacked the ability to impose its will on its Indigenous neighbors, much like the European empires that had preceded them. Hill provides a significant revisionist history of Creek diplomacy and power that fills gaps within the broader study of the Atlantic world and early American history to show how Indigenous power thwarted European empires in North America.
Dirt Persuasion : Civic Environmental Populism and Heartland’s Pipeline Fight, by Derek Moscato.
Dirt Persuasion examines a watershed moment in U.S. environmental politics: the fight over the Keystone XL Pipeline. The complex interplay of resources extraction industries with grassroots environmentalism and advocacy has transformed the role of activists in the contemporary public sphere. Bold Nebraska’s years-long fight against pipeline company TransCanada provides a compelling case study: a contemporary state-level organization that simultaneously challenged political and business leaders in its home state of Nebraska, at the national level in the United States, and in the foreign jurisdiction of Canada.
Dirt Persuasion sheds light not only on the activism practices of social movements but also on the changing environments in which such actions are deployed. The KXL Pipeline fight represents a watershed moment both for U.S. energy politics and in the communication of environmental activism. The rural dimension of this environmental saga is critical: environmentalism must be understood from the perspective of the rural Americans who coexist with one of the planet’s most delicate ecologies. Populism, rhetorical appeals, strategic advocacy framing, and media framing all factor prominently within the pipeline debate—leading to a civic environmental persuasion built on the attributes of narrative, engagement, hyperlocalization, and bipartisanship in order to build broad stakeholder support and influence public policy.
Eye on the World : A Life in International Service, by Anthony C. E. Quainton.
Eye on the World is the autobiography of diplomat Anthony C. E. Quainton, the story of a long and varied life lived in eleven countries on six continents. Rather than a formal history, this is Quainton’s reflection on his interactions with the events of those times, beginning with George VI’s historic visit to North America in 1939, through the years of the Cold War, the efforts to contain and then defeat the Soviet Union, and finally the two decades of uneasy peace that came after the fall of the Berlin Wall. To some of these events Quainton was merely a spectator. In other areas—India, Nicaragua, Kuwait, and Peru—he was actively involved either as a participant in the policy process in Washington or as the senior representative of the United States in those countries.
Spanning his upbringing and education through two decades after his retirement, Quainton describes the expanding horizons of a middle-class boy from the northwest corner of North America as he encountered the complexity of the world in which he spent his professional life. Quainton served in seven different presidential appointments under presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. These included four ambassadorships in distinct parts of the world and three assistant secretary–level posts in Washington. This range of geographic and functional assignments was unique in his generation of Foreign Service officers.
In Praise of the Ancestors : Names, Identity, and Memory in Africa and the Americas, by Susan Elizabeth Ramirez ; Series: Borderlands and Transcultural Studies
Apart from collective memories of lived experiences, much of the modern world’s historical sense comes from written sources stored in the archives of the world, and some scholars in the not-so-distant past have described unlettered civilizations as “peoples without history.” In Praise of the Ancestors is a revisionist interpretation of early colonial accounts that reveal incongruities in accepted knowledge about three Native groups.
Susan Elizabeth Ramírez reevaluates three case studies of oral traditions using positional inheritance—a system in which names and titles are inherited from one generation by another and thereby contribute to the formation of collective memories and a group identity. Ramírez begins by examining positional inheritance and perpetual kinship among the Kazembes in central Africa from the eighteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries. Next, her analysis moves to the Native groups of the Iroquois Confederation and their practice of using names to memorialize remarkable leaders in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Finally, Ramírez surveys naming practices of the Andeans, based on sixteenth-century manuscript sources and later testimonies found in Spanish and Andean archives, questioning colonial narratives by documenting the use of this alternative system of memory perpetuation, which was initially unrecognized by the Spaniards.
In the process of reexamining the histories of Native peoples on three continents, Ramírez broaches a wider issue: namely, understanding of the nature of knowledge as fundamental to understanding and evaluating the knowledge itself.
The Great Plains, 2nd ed., by Walter Prescott Webb.
This iconic description of the interaction between the vast central plains of the continent and the white Americans who moved there in the mid-nineteenth century has endured as one of the most influential, widely known, and controversial works in western history since its first publication in 1931. Arguing that “the Great Plains environment . . . constitutes a geographic unity whose influences have been so powerful as to put a characteristic mark upon everything that survives within its borders,” Walter Prescott Webb identifies the revolver, barbed wire, and the windmill as technological adaptations that facilitated Anglo conquest of the arid, treeless region. Webb draws on history, anthropology, geography, demographics, climatology, and economics in arguing that the 98th Meridian constitutes an institutional fault line at which “practically every institution that was carried across it was either broken and remade or else greatly altered.”
This new edition of one of the foundational works of western American history features an introduction by Great Plains historian Andrew R. Graybill and a new index and updated design.
Under Prairie Skies : The Plants and Native Peoples of the Northern Plains, by C. Thomas Shay.
In Under Prairie Skies, C. Thomas Shay asks and answers the question, What role did plants play in the lives of early inhabitants of the northern Great Plains? Since humans arrived at the end of the Ice Age, plants played important roles as Native peoples learned which were valuable foods, which held medicinal value, and which were best for crafts.
Incorporating Native voices, ethnobotanical studies, personal stories, and research techniques, Under Prairie Skies shows how, since the end of the Ice Age, plants have held a central place in the lives of Native peoples. Eventually some groups cultivated seed-bearing annuals and, later, fields of maize and other crops. Throughout history, their lives became linked with the land, both materially and spiritually.
**Pictures and Synopses courtesy of University of Nebraska Press.
NCompass Live: Bring Free Tech Programs to Older Nebraskans
Learn how to access Senior Planet resources and bring them to your community on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, July 6 at 10am CT.
Senior Planet from AARP‘s technology training classes do more than just teach seniors how to use technology: they address marginalization and isolation among older adults. The Senior Planet licensing program trains and supports senior-serving organizations to deliver Senior Planet programs (in-person) to older adults in their area. The program is free of charge, with the goal of bringing world-class technology training to seniors across the country. Join us to learn how to access Senior Planet resources and bring them to your community.
Presenter: Deirdre Lee, Program Coordinator, Licensing, Senior Planet and Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- July 13 – Talking Book and Braille Service: Continuously Evolving
- July 20 – Learning Opportunities and Resources from WebJunction
- July 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech: CES 2022 and Libraries
- Aug. 3 – Building a Reading Community Through Podcasting
- Aug. 10 – Reinventing Programming Kits
- Aug. 24 – Team Up with your Community!
- Sept 7 – Retirement: Time to Ease on Down, Ease on Down the Road
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.
ARSL 2022 Conference Early Bird Registration is NOW OPEN!
Registration for both in-person and virtual-only attendance at the 2022 ARSL Conference is open!
Early Bird pricing for in-person attendance will be available through July 26. The in-person conference will be held at the Chattanooga Convention Center, Chattanooga, TN from September 14-17, 2022.
For more information about the conference, visit the 2022 Conference Homepage.
In-Person Early Bird Pricing
- ARSL Members: $275
- Nonmembers: $350
- Advocates, Students, & Retirees*: $225
Virtual-Only Pricing
- ARSL Members: $50
- Nonmembers: $75
- Advocates, Students, & Retirees*: $25
*Must be an ARSL Advocate, Student, or Retiree member.
Internet Librarian 2022 Conference Discount (Oct. 18-20)
The Nebraska Library Commission is offering a group discount to all librarians in Nebraska who attend the 2022 Internet Librarian Conference. This year it will be held at the Monterey Marriott in Monterey, California on October 18-20, 2022. Detailed information about the conference can be found at https://internet-librarian.infotoday.com/2022
As in the past, InfoToday is offering select groups the opportunity to participate in their Group Discount Program. The Gold Pass is available to groups at the discounted rate of $699 (regularly $899 and it is the only pass to include preconference workshops). They are also offering a special rate of $449 for the 3-Day Pass (regular rate is $599). (No discount rates are available for the separately priced preconference workshops.)
To receive the discount:
- Go to the Internet Librarian 2022 Registration page: https://secure.infotoday.com/RegForms/InternetLibrarian/
- Enter priority code 22NLC in the Priority Code field at the top of the form and click on the “Activate Code” button.
- Complete the registration form, checking to be sure the discounted rates appear on the form. (Clicking on the “Activate Code” button should have triggered the rates to update. If you don’t see the discounted rates, please contact Susan Knisely for assistance.)
Deadline: Online registrations can be made until September 23, 2022 to receive the discounted rates. Rates will go up by $20 after the deadline.
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NCompass Live: CES 2022 and Libraries
Learn about opportunities to bring new technology to your library from ‘CES 2022 and Libraries’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, June 15 at 10am CT.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of the largest technology trade shows of its kind, featuring new product releases, updates, and a chance to experience the latest and greatest technologies from companies big and small. Join Brian Pichman of the Evolve Project who attends the show to spread the word about libraries to the exhibitors at CES, securing partnerships on behalf of libraries so that libraries may have more opportunities to innovate and bring new technology in for their patrons. Brian will share his experiences at CES 2022, sharing the top trends at CES, cool tech to watch for, and how this plays a role in libraries.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- June 22 – Retirement: Time to Ease on Down, Ease on Down the Road
- June 29 – Pretty Sweet Tech – What is Meaningful Work, and How Can Libraries Help?
- July 20 – Learning Opportunities and Resources from WebJunction
- August 10 – Reinventing Programming Kits
- August 24 – Team Up with your Community!
For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Education & Training, Technology
Tagged #911Memorial, #911Museum, NCompLive
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Apply Now for the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive to Expand Digital Literacy Skills in Your Community
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
Every day community members who lack basic computer knowledge and skills access their local public libraries hoping to complete life tasks many of us take for granted. The Public Library Association (PLA) is proud to partner with AT&T to expand upon its work helping libraries and their communities close the digital divide through new and improved DigitalLearn.org courses and training materials.
Applications are now open for the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Training Incentive, supported by AT&T!
The new incentive program is designed to support library adoption of the new digital literacy courses and training materials, which are freely available in English and Spanish at DigitalLearn.org. All public libraries in the United States and Washington, DC, are eligible to apply for one of two incentive amounts.
- Tier 1 Incentive recipients will receive $4,000 and be required to conduct a minimum of three workshops reaching a total of 18 learners.
- Tier 2 Incentive recipients will receive $7,000 and be required to conduct a minimum of five workshops reaching a minimum of 50 learners.
The application deadline is June 10, 2022, at 11:59 PM Central. Applications will be reviewed and selected by PLA this summer and recipients will be announced in August. Learn more and apply at https://www.ala.org/pla/initiatives/digitalliteracy/incentive.
Reviewers Needed
PLA is also seeking library workers who are interested in serving as peer reviewers for the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T application. Serving as a peer reviewer on a national grant offering is an excellent professional development and member service opportunity that can be added to your resume or CV!
Current ALA/PLA membership is required in order to serve as a peer reviewer for this grant application. Application reviewers will be asked to read and review up to 20 applications between Monday, July 11, 2022, and Monday, July 25, 2022. Each application will take between 10–15 minutes to review. Submit your reviewer volunteer form by Friday, June 3, 2022.
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