Category Archives: Youth Services

Nebraska Library Commission Awards Grants for Youth Library Service

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Kayla Henzel
NLC Logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 3, 2020

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 $18,500 in grants for Excellence in Youth service. Of the grants awarded to twenty-two Nebraska libraries, several addressed the need for materials like LEGO®, STEAM, and other activities to encourage creativity in young people. The Nebraska Library Commission congratulates the public libraries listed below as they develop new and innovative programs to ensure excellence in library service for Nebraska young people.

The recipients are:

  • Atkinson Public Library, Preschool learning materials, books, and activities
  • Battle Creek Public Library, LEGO®  kits and STEAM kits
  • Bayard Public Library, ten group activities and programing, and Makerspace equipment
  • Bellevue Public Library, iPads for youth patrons for hands-on learning opportunities including Spanish, Photography, and Music Composition
  • Blue Hill Public Library, Teen Nights at the Library
  • Burwell, Garfield County Library, Teen Space renovations and Teen Advisory Board creation
  • Central City Public Library, Summer Reading Program presenters
  • Columbus Public Library, Coding Clubs and Teen Game Nights
  • David City, Hruska Memorial Public Library, Imagination Play Area supporting STEM learning for young children
  • Franklin Public Library, LEGO® Club, Teen programing, and Summer Reading Program
  • Genoa Public Library, Youth materials, and programming for afterschool and summertime
  • Hastings Public Library, STEAM focused activities, Mega-Brain Kidz Club, and Summer Reading Program presenters
  • Kimball Public Library, Expanding STEAM at the Library, Makerspace technology, and supplemental equipment
  • Madison Public Library, 1000 Books before Kindergarten
  • Mead Public Library, Summer Reading Program
  • Minden, Jensen Memorial Library, expanding diversity at story time using multilingual materials
  • Neligh Public Library, Teens After Hours program
  • Ord Township Library, afterschool activities for youth
  • Plattsmouth Public Library, Golden Sower Awards programs
  • Lied Randolph Public Library, STEM activities, Youth programs, Learning toys & stations
  • Superior Public Library, themed Reading kits (backpacks) for young children
  • Wausa, Lied Lincoln Township Library, STEAM kits for youths

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.

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NCompass Live: The Healing Library: Responding to Trauma in Your Community Through Nontraditional Lending

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Christa Porter

‘The Healing Library: Responding to Trauma in Your Community Through Nontraditional Lending’ is the topic of next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, March 4 at 10am Central Time.

An overview of The Healing Library and our free downloadable resources which have been downloaded almost 3,000 times since our launch in 2017! We create nontraditional lending kits for families who have experienced trauma and provide free pdf’s for libraries to create their own kits or, in response to requests from smaller libraries, we now offer kits for purchase. All kits include the following: A Discussion Guide, Activities Guide, Acts of Kindness Guide, Community Helpers Guide, Curated Book Suggestions with Discussion Guides, and How to Use This Kit Guides – for both families and lending organizations.

Presenter: Megan Schadlich, Creator, The Healing Library.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • March 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Chatbot Demonstration Using Scratch
  • April 1 – Beta Testing for Social Wellbeing
  • April 15 – Amplified Advisory with Video Book Talks

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020 is tomorrow!

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Christa Porter

Small libraries! Awesome ideas! FREE!

Join us tomorrow for the Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020 online conference. Registration is still open, so head over to the Registration page and sign up!

We have a great agenda for the day, with seven 50 minute sessions plus five 10 minute lightning round sessions. You can log in and out of the conference as you like throughout the day, based on your interest and availability.

Topics range from technology to programming to new roles for the library. This event is a great opportunity to learn about the innovative things your colleagues are doing in their small libraries.

And, Nebraska library staff and board members can earn 1 hour of CE Credit for each hour of the conference you attend! A special Big Talk From Small Libraries CE Report form has been made available for you to submit your C.E. credits.

So, come join us for a day of big ideas from small libraries!

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Only One Week Until Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020!

Posted on February 21, 2020 by Christa Porter

Small libraries! Awesome ideas! FREE Online Conference!

There’s only one week until Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020!

Check out the full schedule and register to join us next Friday, February 28.

Sponsored by the Nebraska Library Commission and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL), this free one-day online conference is aimed at librarians from small libraries; the smaller the better! Each of our speakers is from a small library serving fewer than 10,000 people. This event is a great opportunity to learn about the innovative things your colleagues are doing in their small libraries.

Everyone is welcome to register and attend, regardless of how big or small your library. But, if your library serves a few hundred to a few thousand people, this is the day for you!

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Friday Reads: A Wrinkle in Time

Posted on February 7, 2020 by Christa Porter

Suddenly there was a great burst of light through the Darkness. The light spread out and where it touched the Darkness the Darkness disappeared. The light spread until the patch of Dark Thing had vanished, and there was only a gentle shining, and through the shining came the stars, clear and pure. Then, slowly, the shining dwindled until it, too, was gone, and there was nothing but stars and starlight. No shadows. No fear. Only the stars and the clear darkness of space, quite different from the fearful darkness of the Thing.

“You see!” the Medium cried, smiling happily. “It can be overcome! It is being overcome all the time!”

As this very timely quote illustrates, A Wrinkle in Time still resonates as strongly today as it did when it was first published almost 60 years ago.

This classic battle between good and evil is told through a unique, creative story. With the assistance of various supernatural beings, three children travel through space and time to save the universe from a dark force. It is sometimes depicted as being just a fantastical tale, but there is also hard science in there.

Madeleine L’Engle had a hard time getting it published, one reason being they couldn’t decide if it was for children or adults. I think that just makes it a perfect title for anyone to read.

If you are struggling with difficult events, and worried that nothing can be done to save us, A Wrinkle in Time gives us hope. Light will always triumph over darkness and evil. With the help of family and friends, we can be strong and brave, even when frightening times are upon us. Just have faith that we will battle and beat the demons in the end.

A Wrinkle in Time was also released as a very nice graphic novel in 2012. It’s not written word for word of course, but it is quite faithful to the main plot and themes of the original. I really enjoyed how the illustrations, done in only blue, black, and white, helped to enhance rather than distract from the story.

Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services | Tagged | 1 Comment

NCompass Live: Best New Teen Reads of 2019

Posted on February 2, 2020 by Christa Porter

Discover the Best New Teen Reads of 2019 on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, February 5, 10:00am-11:00am CT.

Brief book talks and reviews of new titles recommended to school and public librarians, covering both middle and high school levels, that were published within the last year.

Presenter: Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Feb. 12 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians
  • Feb. 19 – 2020 One Book One Nebraska: All the Gallant Men
  • Feb. 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Which Coding Language Should I Learn?
  • March 4 – The Healing Library: Responding to Trauma in Your Community Through Nontraditional Lending
  • March 11- Holiday Break at the Library!

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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Apply for a 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Donation Grant

Posted on January 24, 2020 by Christa Porter

From the American Library Association News & Press Center:

Underfunded libraries, schools and non-traditional organizations that provide educational services to children are invited to apply to receive one of three Coretta Scott King Book Donation Grants. Every year, in the process of choosing the Coretta Scott King Book Award winners and honor books, the Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT) of the American Library Association receives multiple copies of approximately 60-100 titles by African American authors and illustrators.

Awarded by the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee, the grant program provides books submitted for consideration for the Coretta Scott King Book Awards to libraries and other organizations to expand their collections.

Each year, three organizations that demonstrate need and potential benefit from receiving the collection are selected. All three libraries will receive copies of titles submitted for consideration for the 2020 awards, including a full set of the 2020 winning titles.

Applications will be accepted through January 31, 2020 and winners will be announced by late March. For more information, and to apply, please visit http://www.ala.org/rt/emiert/cskbookawards/bookgrant

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are presented annually by the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee of the ALA’s Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT) to encourage the artistic expression of the African-American experience via literature and the graphic arts.

Contact: Monica Chapman, Coretta Scott King Book Awards Coordinator, Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services, mlchapman@ala.org

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NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech – Technology Solving Real-World Problems

Posted on January 17, 2020 by Christa Porter

‘Technology Solving Real-World Problems’ is the Pretty Sweet Tech topic on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, January 22 at 10am Central Time.

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.

Technology guides everywhere have been saying we all need to use technology to solve ‘real-world problems’. What are these problems you speak of? In this session, we’re going to take a look at ways emerging technology has solved large-scale problems around the world. It’s time to think big.

We will look at tree-planting drones and robots, medicine-delivery tracking systems, artificial intelligence to stop deep fakes, smart transit systems, and a whole lot more. As we dive into technology, the focus will be on how to analyze this existing technology and pluck out the general concepts of how it all works. The real power of technology is adapting existing applications around the world to solve both local and global problems.

This session digs into how to bring real-world technology solutions to your community. You will walk away with a set of lesson plans and other resources you can adapt to suit your needs. Innovation starts with ideas. Do you know what exists? This is a start.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Jan. 29 – Community Engagement: Straight Talk
  • Feb. 5 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019
  • Feb. 12 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians
  • Feb. 19 – 2020 One Book One Nebraska: All the Gallant Men

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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NCompass Live: Best New Children’s Books of 2019: Discovering New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart

Posted on January 10, 2020 by Christa Porter

Discover New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar, ‘Best New Children’s Books of 2019’, on Wednesday, January 15, 10:00am-11:00am CT.

Attendees will learn the best (we think) children’s books in the categories of: Picture Books (Story time faves), Non fiction, and Middle Grade fiction, that were published within the last year.

Presenters: Dana Fontaine, Librarian, Fremont High School; Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Jan. 22 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Technology Solving Real-World Problems
  • Jan. 29 – Community Engagement: Straight Talk
  • Feb. 5 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019
  • Feb. 12 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians
  • Feb. 19 – 2020 One Book One Nebraska: All the Gallant Men

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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What’s Sally Reading?

Posted on January 9, 2020 by Sally Snyder

YALSA Announces the 2020 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers List

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association), a division of the American Library Association (ALA),  announced the list on January 8, 2020 on their blog, The Hub.  You will see the committee also chose a “top ten” out of the 64 titles on the final list.

One of the titles selected as a top ten of the list is the graphic novel Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, a Nebraska author. Deja and Josiah (who goes by Josie) are great friends and have worked together each fall at the pumpkin patch. This is the last day of their last fall together. Deja is determined to get Josie to talk to his four-year crush – the Fudge Girl. He is reluctant. This final evening is a whirlwind of hitting different parts of the Patch trying to find his crush. They encounter a snack-thief, a runaway goat, the maze, lots of chances to eat, all as Josie suffers anxiety about actually talking to Fudge Girl.     As School Library Journal (8/1/19) says, “The characters in this graphic novel are so expressive and authentic, it’s impossible not to love them…the dialog is cute, funny, and punny…”

Ms. Rowell notes in the back of the book that the Pumpkin Patch in the novel is fictional. However, illustrator Faith Erin Hicks did travel to Omaha to join Rainbow Rowell in a visit to her favorite Omaha pumpkin patch. There is a fun conversation between them at the back of the book.

(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

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NCompass Live: Summer Reading Program 2020: Imagine Your Story

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Christa Porter

Join us online tomorrow as we get ready for the 2020 Summer Reading Program Imagine Your Story on NCompass Live with the NLC’s Children and YA Services Coordinator, Sally Snyder.

NOTE! This NCompass Live will be on Tuesday December 31, due to the New Year’s Day holiday. It will be at the usual time, from 10am – 11am Central Time.

Log in at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventshow.asp?ProgID=18875

Get ready for next summer by learning about quality books to consider for your library’s collection and start planning for Imagine Your Story. Kids will be clamoring for both fiction and nonfiction titles as they explore the worlds of fairy tales, myths, legends, and even their families’ own stories of their history. These are the topics for the 2020 Summer Reading Program.

Presenter: Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Jan. 8, 2020 – Rescheduled due to technical issues – United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries
  • Jan. 15, 2020 – Best New Children’s Books of 2019: Discovering New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart
  • Jan. 22, 2020 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • Jan. 29, 2020 – Community Engagement: Straight Talk
  • Feb. 5, 2020 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019
  • Feb. 12, 2020 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech – Watch Me Build a Virtual World Using A-Frame

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Christa Porter

‘Watch Me Build a Virtual World Using A-Frame’ is the Pretty Sweet Tech topic on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar.

NOTE! This NCompass Live will be on MONDAY DECEMBER 23, due to the Christmas Day holiday and the federal/state holiday on Tuesday, December 24. It will be at the usual time, from 10am – 11am Central Time.

New 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.

Sometimes it helps to see someone else do it. I’ve described this process a bunch of times, now you can watch me do it, live and in person! That’s right. Things might get a little messy.

Luckily, you will have the chance to follow along if you so choose. The tools are all free, and all you need is a bit of background with how HTML tags work. A bit of CSS never hurt anyone, but HTML is the important part at this stage. If you don’t have that background, feel free to watch anyway. It’s easy and fun to learn how to build a mini virtual world.

The Tools:

That’s it. Not too bad at all. It’s time to see VR get made.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Tuesday, Dec. 31 – Summer Reading Program 2020: Imagine Your Story
  • Jan. 8, 2020 – Rescheduled due to technical issues – United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries
  • Jan. 15, 2020 – Best New Children’s Books of 2019: Discovering New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart
  • Jan. 22, 2020 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • Jan. 29, 2020 – Community Engagement: Straight Talk
  • Feb. 5, 2020 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019
  • Feb. 12, 2020 – Legal Research for Non-Lawyers and Librarians

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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NCompass Live: Librarian in Training – For Kids!

Posted on December 6, 2019 by Christa Porter

Learn how to inspire the next generation of library employees with ‘Librarian in Training – For Kids!’ on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, December 11, 10:00am-11:00am CT.

In this session we will describe our Librarian In Training program. LIT is a 14 week program that invites kids between the ages of 9-12 to discover how libraries work, culminating in a celebration of the children’s dedication and service. LIT participants spend two weeks in every department of the library from circulation to maintenance, first meeting staff and discovering how each department operates, then completing a related project or assisting with specific tasks. LIT takes children beyond traditional job shadowing and allows them to contribute in a meaningful way to our library’s work.

Presenter: Jennifer Johnson, School Age Program Coordinator, Johnson City (TN) Public Library.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Dec. 18 – Advocates of All Ages: Recruiting and Retaining Younger Generations as Trustees and Friends
  • Tuesday, Dec. 24 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Watch Me Build a Virtual World Using A-Frame
  • Tuesday, Dec. 31 – Summer Reading Program 2020: Imagine Your Story
  • Jan. 8, 2020 – Rescheduled due to technical issues – United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries
  • Jan. 15, 2020 – Best New Children’s Books of 2019: Discovering New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart
  • Jan. 22, 2020 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • Jan. 29, 2020 – Community Engagement: Straight Talk
  • Feb. 5, 2020 – Best New Teen Reads of 2019

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Kayla Henzel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 25, 2019

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Terry
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. Nebraska Letters About Literature is coordinated and sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission, with support from Houchen Bindery, Ltd., Humanities Nebraska, and Chapters Bookstore in Seward.

The Nebraska Center for the Book’s panel of judges will select a winner and alternate 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 2020. 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 alternates 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. Get inspired by listening to past Nebraska winners, Ashley Xiques and Sydney Kohl, read and talk about their letters on NET Radio’s All About Books (netnebraska.org/basic-page/radio/all-about-books). Submissions must be completed online by January 15, 2020. For more information contact Tessa Terry, 402-471-3434 or 800-307-2665.

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 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.”

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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 .

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#BookFaceFriday “The Ghost of Fossil Glen” by Cynthia Defelice

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Tessa Timperley

This #BookFace is a graveyard smash!

We are getting into the Halloween spirit with “The Ghost of Fossil Glen” by Cynthia Defelice (Square Fish, 2010.) It’s a 3-7 grade read with a teacher’s guide available. Just like a Nancy Drew mystery if she’d had a little paranormal help. Get it reserved for your youth book club today!

“An imaginative and adventurous sixth grader makes a connection with the ghost of the victim of an unsolved murder and puts her own life in jeopardy to find the killer…Fans of ghost stories…will find this excellent book difficult to put down.” ―Starred, School Library Journal

This week’s #BookFace model is Cathy Hatterman, NLC’s Acquisitions Librarian! Unfortunately, we did not have access to a graveyard so our stacks had to suffice for this week’s #BookFace photo.

Love this #BookFace & reading?  Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!

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Call for Speakers: Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020

Posted on October 1, 2019 by Christa Porter

The Call for Speakers for Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020 is now open!

This free one-day online conference is aimed at librarians from small libraries; the smaller the better! We are looking for speakers from small libraries or speakers who directly work with small libraries. Small libraries of all types – public, academic, school, museum, special, etc. – are encouraged to submit a proposal. We’re looking for seven 50-minute presentations and five 10-minute “lightning round” presentations.

Do you offer a service or program at your small library that other librarians might like to hear about? Have you implemented a new (or old) technology, hosted an event, partnered with others in your community, or just done something really cool? The Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference gives you the opportunity to share what you’ve done, while learning what your colleagues in other small libraries are doing. Here are some possible topics to get you thinking:

  • Unique Libraries
  • Special Collections
  • New buildings
  • Fundraising
  • Improved Workflows
  • Staff Development
  • Advocacy Efforts
  • Community Partnerships
  • That great thing you’re doing at your library!

Big Talk From Small Libraries 2020 will be held on Friday, February 28, 2020 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Speakers will be able to present their programs from their own desktops. The schedule will accommodate speakers’ time-zones.

If you are interested in presenting, please submit your proposal by Friday, January 3, 2020.

Speakers from libraries serving fewer than 10,000 people will be preferred, but presentations from libraries with larger service populations will be considered.

This conference is organized and hosted by the Nebraska Library Commission and is co-sponsored by the Association for Rural & Small Libraries.

Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training, Grants, Information Resources, Library Management, Preservation, Programming, Public Relations, Technology, Youth Services | Leave a comment

Continuing Education for Banned Books

Posted on September 23, 2019 by Holli Duggan

More free webinars! This week is all about exploring issues and themes of Banned Books Week 2019.

ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom

  • Sept. 23: “Three Ways Librarians Can Combat Censorship” – SAGE Publishing, Index on Censorship magazine, & OIF
    • “During the webinar, librarians will share their experiences and tips with navigating censorship. The webinar will also highlight how contested books can engage readers in constructive conversations.”
  • Sept. 24: “Ask Me Anything About Censorship” – ALA OIF
    • “OIF Assistant Director Kristin Pekoll will briefly explore banned book and censorship history, along with ways readers can stay alert about censorship. Attendees are invited to ask questions during the second half of the discussion.”
  • Sept. 25: “Banned Books 101” – ALA OIF
    • “With a suggested audience of students grades 6-12 and young adults, the webinar will review recent challenges to titles, the ways a book can be censored, and stories of students who stood up for the freedom to read.”

Image Comics + ALA Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table + ALA Intellectual Freedom Round Table

“Each Library Livestream will be a freewheeling discussion on creativity, freedom of expression, the (sometimes recent) history of banned and challenged comics, and how access to information is a fundamental right library patrons can expect librarians to defend across the world.”

  • Sept. 23: “Historical Voices“
    • “Andre R. Frattino (SIMON SAYS) and Sanford Green (BITTER ROOT) in conversation with Dr. Katie Monnin (Author of 8 books on teaching graphic novels, Why so serious? Productions Founder) about banned voices throughout history. Topics covered will also include the use of censorship as a mode of suppression, the erasure of dissenting voices from the historical narrative of our nation and others, and the legacy of those erasures as they affect current events. “
  • Sept. 24: “Banned People & Post-Colonial Narratives”
    • “Sloane Leong (PRISM STALKER) and Henry Barajas (VOZ DE M.A.Y.O. TATA RAMBO) in conversation with Alea Perez (GNCRT President-Elect) about banned people, the legacy of colonialism in literature and popular culture, and the rise of post-colonial voices as a challenge to systems which under-represent/under-acquire authors/artists of color.”
  • Sept. 25: “Banned Books & Civil Rights“
    • “Ronald Wimberly (BLACK HISTORY IN ITS OWN WORDS) and Nate Powell (MARCH) in conversation with Scott Bonner (IFRT, Ferguson Municipal Public Library Director) about banned and challenged books, the role of censorship in civil rights movements, and how their work in comics has addressed legacies of erasure.”
  • Sept. 26: “LGBTQ Challenges”
    • “Michelle Perez (THE PERVERT) and Grace Ellis (MOONSTRUCK) in conversation with Monica Barette (GNCRT Board, Principal Librarian at Chula Vista Library) about the disproportionately high incidence of bans and challenges levied against LGBTQ+ books, especially (but not limited to) those titles aimed at younger readers, in libraries and schools. This discussion will also touch on the recent increase in challenges and cancellations of Drag Storytimes in libraries across the nation.”
  • Sept. 27: “Access Issues – Privatization & Gatekeeping“
    • “David F. Walker (BITTER ROOT) in conversation with Ray James (IFRT Coalition Building Committee) about how privatization impacts access, particularly as it relates to prison libraries, as (most) US prisons are privatized and how this impacts inmate access to information. This discussion will also touch on how gatekeeping and biases (of librarians, prison staff, the public) affect access for this vulnerable population.”

If you would like to earn continuing education (CE) credit and are enrolled in the Nebraska Public Librarian Certification program, please submit a “CE Activity Report Form” after each webinar.

If you have any continuing education questions, please contact Holli Duggan.

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NCompass Live: NLC Grants for 2020

Posted on September 6, 2019 by Christa Porter

Do you have a program or project you would like to see funded? Learn how to apply for the ‘NLC Grants for 2020’ on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, September 11, 10:00am-11:00am CT.

The Nebraska Library Commission has made funding available for four grants for 2020: Youth Grants for Excellence, Internship, Library Improvement, and Continuing Education & Training. Join Christa Porter, Sally Snyder, and Holli Duggan, from the Nebraska Library Commission’s Library Development Team, as they provide an overview of the grants, including eligibility requirements, the application process and grant review, timelines and deadlines. They will also share some tips on writing effective grants.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Sept. 18 – Coretta Scott King Book Awards: 50 Years Strong
  • Sept. 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Can Librarians Teach Robotics?
  • Oct. 2 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK – ENJOY ILA/NLA/NSLA!

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, Grants, Library Management, Now hiring @ your library, Programming, Technology, Youth Services | Tagged , | Leave a comment

NCompass Live: Library Summer Reading Program Update

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Christa Porter

Check out the ‘Library Summer Reading Program Update’ on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, September 4, 10:00am-11:00am CT.

The Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) began in 1987 when ten Minnesota regional library systems developed a summer library program for children. It has grown to a consortium of states working together to provide high-quality summer reading program materials for children, teens, and adults at the lowest cost possible for their public libraries. In the last two years some major changes have been underway to improve (we hope) the program and be more responsive to requests from libraries.

Join Sally Snyder, the NLC’s Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, to learn about the exciting changes coming to CSLP.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Sept. 11 – NLC Grants for 2020
  • Sept. 18 – Coretta Scott King Book Awards: 50 Years Strong
  • Sept. 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Can Librarians Teach Robotics?
  • Oct. 2 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE THIS WEEK – ENJOY ILA/NLA/NSLA!

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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What’s Sally Reading?

Posted on August 19, 2019 by Sally Snyder

Teens’ Top Ten Voting is Now Open!

YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced that voting is now open for the 2019 Teens’ Top Ten.  They encourage teens, ages 12-18, at your library to read and vote by October 13, 2018 for the book they think is the best.

The list of 25 contenders is located on YALSA’s Teens’ Top Ten (TTT) page, just scroll down a bit for it, and you will also see where you can download a PDF of the 25 titles with annotations.

Teens, and only teens, may vote on this designated page by clicking on the “Vote” button below their choice. Teens may vote for up to three books.

The “Top Ten” titles will be announced on October 16, 2019.  You can revisit the main TTT page to learn the results.

Not on this year’s TTT list, but still powerful, Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess bring us Swing. Noah (17) (and white) has feelings for longtime friend, Sam (Samantha) but has yet to say anything to her. His best friend, Walt (African-American), who now goes by Swing, encourages him to let her know. Walt is determined to make the baseball team this coming year, and has a love of jazz – so both combine for his new, self-imposed, nickname. When Noah finds some old love letters in a gently used handbag he bought for his mother, he is inspired to use them as a guide to write to Sam. But he is caught off-guard when Swing gives one to her anonymously, for him. All of this is swept aside after a tragedy in the park.

Jazz, poetry & art, love, told in free verse.  As Kirkus (9/1/18) says, “Noah is the narrator, but it is Swing, with his humor, irresistible charm, and optimism, who steals the spotlight.”

(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)

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