Category Archives: Youth Services

NCompass Live: Letters About Literature: Read. Be Inspired. Write Back.

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Letters About Literature: Read. Be Inspired. Write Back.’, on Wednesday, November 7, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Letters About Literature is a Library of Congress national reading and writing competition that asks young people in grades 4 through 12 to write to an author (living or deceased) about how his or her book affected their lives. This session will provide helpful information and resources for teachers and librarians interested in the competition. It will also cover the new online submission process and be an excellent opportunity to ask questions about the entire competition process.

Presenters: Tessa Terry – Communications Coordinator, Nebraska Library Commission; Laureen Riedesel – Director, Beatrice Public Library and Nebraska Letters About Literature Coordinator; Christine Walsh – Assistant Library Director, Kearney Public Library and Nebraska Center for the Book President; Richard Miller – Letters About Literature Judge for Nebraska.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Nov. 14 – Reading Reflections: What Kids Are Reading Now
  • Nov. 21 – Best Practices for Digital Collections
  • Nov. 28 – Public Library Survey Using Bibliostat
  • Dec. 5 – Popular Teen Novels: New Books They Need to Read
  • Dec. 12 – Summer Reading: The Next Frontier!
  • Dec. 19 – A Textbook Program is NOT for Us! Re-Imagining Failure Into New Possibilities

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 October 31, 2018 by Tessa Timperley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 31, 2018

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 Letters about Literature (LAL) contest, a national 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. The 26th annual reflective writing competition is sponsored by the Library of Congress Center for the Book and presented in association with affiliate State Centers for the Book with funding provided by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Letters About Literature is coordinated and sponsored in Nebraska 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.

Prizes will be awarded on both the state and national levels. The Nebraska Center for the Book’s panel of judges will select the top letter writers in the state, to be honored in a proclamation-signing ceremony at the state capitol during National Library Week in April 2019. 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 will receive state prizes, and then advance to the national judging.

A panel of national judges for the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress will select one National Winner per competition level (Level I for grades 4-6, Level II for grades 7-8, and Level III for grades 9-12) to receive a $2,000 cash award, to be announced in May 2019. The judges will also select one National Honor winner on each competition level to receive a $500 cash award.

Teachers, librarians, and parents can download free teaching materials on reader response and reflective writing, along with contest details and information on the new online entry system, at www.read.gov/letters. Nebraska-specific information (including lists of Nebraska winners of past competitions) is available on the Nebraska Center for the Book website or watch the upcoming NCompass Live session on November 7, 2018. Get inspired by listening to Nebraska winners, Ashley Xiques and Sydney Kohl, read and talk about their winning letters to authors that meant something to them in their own lives, on NET Radio’s All About Books (netnebraska.org/basic-page/radio/all-about-books). Submissions must be completed online by December 14, 2018. 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.”

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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What’s Sally Reading?

Posted on October 30, 2018 by Sally Snyder

Teens Top Ten

Recently the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a section of the American Library Association (ALA) announced this year’s Teens Top Ten.  The titles are voted on by teens across the country from a list created by 15 designated teen groups in the U.S.  The 2018 Teens’ Top Ten PDF with annotations.

The list of 25 titles the teens chose from is also available.  Additionally, any reader from age 12 to 18 can nominate a title to be considered for the list by going to the nomination form.

You can learn more about the Teens Top Ten by visiting YALSA’s website for it.

One of the Top Ten I have read that is intriguing and complicated (in a good way) is Warcross by Marie Lu.  Emika Chen (18) is one of the millions of players who log into Warcross every day. The virtual reality game began 10 years ago, and now it has become a way of life. Emika, a top coder and bounty hunter, is not your average Warcross player. Desperate for money to pay her bills, she risks everything by hacking into the Warcross championships, but instead she glitches herself into the game and everyone sees her true identity. Emika believes she will be arrested, but instead the game’s creator has other plans. Billionaire Hideo Tanaka decides to pay off Emika’s debt and offer her a job. Will Emika accept the bounty job and help uncover a sinister plot against the Warcross game and its players? Action-packed science fiction novel that will keep you guessing until the very end!  Plus the sequel, Wildcard, came out in September (I haven’t read it yet).

(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: Strategies for Identifying Fake News

Posted on October 19, 2018 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Strategies for Identifying Fake News’, on Wednesday, October 24, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

With the proliferation of fake (or, at least, dubious) news, students need to know the strategies necessary to be a good consumer of information. This involves fine-tuning their critical thinking skills and using prior knowledge when determining the validity of research information. This presentation will give school librarians ideas and information they can incorporate in their information literacy curriculum.

Presenter: Judy Henning, Assistant Professor – School Library Program, University of Nebraska at Kearney.

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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NEST 529 College Savings Rewards 15 Summer Readers in Capitol Ceremony

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Tessa Timperley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                        
October 17, 2018

Media Contacts:
Terry Severson
Director of Marketing
First National Bank
tseverson@fnni.com
402.602.6549

Jana Langemach
Director of Communications
Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office
Jana.langemach@nebraska.gov
402.471.8884

NEST 529 College Savings Rewards 15 Summer Readers in Capitol Ceremony

Winners Announced for Read to Win $529 Drawing

Lincoln, Neb. (October 17, 2018) – First National Bank of Omaha and Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg today announced the 2018 NEST Read to Win $529 Drawing winners at a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda. Each of the 15 winners received a $529 contribution to a NEST 529 College Savings account. The library of each winning reader also received a $250 donation.

In all, the NEST Read to Win $529 Drawing, offered in partnership with the Nebraska Library Commission, is awarding more than $10,000 to children and libraries across Nebraska in 2018. Libraries receiving donations are Omaha Public Library, $1,250; Lincoln City Libraries, $1,000; Grand Island Public Library, $750; and Franklin Public Library, O’Neill Public Library, and Blair Public Library and Technology Center, each $250.

The NEST Read to Win Drawing was open to young readers between ages 3 and 18 from May to August in participating public libraries throughout Nebraska. Winners were selected at random in each of Nebraska’s three congressional districts.

“This year 17,071 children and teens from across Nebraska completed summer reading programs in their local libraries and were entered in the Read to Win Drawing. That’s 4,000 more entries than last year and the second largest number of entries in the five years of the drawing,” Treasurer Stenberg said.

“Instilling a love of reading—and an appreciation for public libraries—in children from a young age is important for academic readiness and personal growth. We are excited to see the widespread enthusiasm for Read to Win across Nebraska, and we hope families will use the NEST Read to Win Drawing as an opportunity to prioritize academic goals and to plan for the future,” Stenberg said.

This year’s winners and their affiliated libraries are

District 1:
Annelise Angelbeck, Lincoln, Lincoln City Libraries
Emily Bauman, Lincoln, Lincoln City Libraries
Keaden Perkins, Lincoln, Lincoln City Libraries
Alex Rasmussen, Lincoln, Lincoln City Libraries
Briella Kastrup, Blair, Blair Public Library and Technology Center

District 2:
Payton Hammond, Omaha, Omaha Public Library
Miles Heesch, Omaha, Omaha Public Library
Akeelah Cotton, Omaha, Omaha Public Library
Ella Sater, Omaha, Omaha Public Library
Ean Villa, Omaha, Omaha Public Library

District 3:
Ryan Bartels, Riverton, Franklin Public Library
Izzac Cacy, Grand Island, Grand Island Public Library
Alisea Sweet, Grand Island, Grand Island Public Library
Benjamin Vasquez-Felix, Grand Island, Grand Island Public Library
Andrew Ohri, Spencer, O’Neill Public Library

“The Read to Win $529 Drawing poses an exciting challenge for preschool and school-age children and their families to support their educational development over the summer, while gaining insight on how to start saving for higher education,” said Deborah Goodkin, Managing Director, Savings Plans, First National Bank of Omaha.

“At NEST 529 we strive to provide unique and diverse opportunities for students to learn the importance of saving and develop good financial habits. We are delighted to partner with the Nebraska Library Commission and are thrilled to see how many children qualified for the Read to Win $529 Drawing by reading this summer,” Goodkin said.More information is available at NEST529.com or treasurer.nebraska.gov.

About Nebraska Library Commission
As Nebraska’s 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. Visit nlc.nebraska.gov.

About NEST 529
NEST 529 is a tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan and provides four plans to help make saving for college simple and affordable: NEST Direct College Savings Plan, NEST Advisor College Savings Plan, TD Ameritrade 529 College Savings Plan, and State Farm 529 Savings Plan. The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as Program Trustee. First National Bank of Omaha serves as Program Manager, and all investments are approved by the Nebraska Investment Council. Families nationwide are saving for college using Nebraska’s 529 College Savings Plans, which have more than 261,000 accounts, including over 84,000 in Nebraska. Visit NEST529.com and treasurer.nebraska.gov for more information.

About First National Bank of Omaha
First National Bank is a subsidiary of First National of Nebraska. First National and its affiliates have more than $21 billion in assets and 5,000 employee associates. Primary banking offices are located in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, and Texas.

Investments Are Not FDIC Insured* · No Bank, State or Federal Guarantee · May Lose Value
*Except the Bank Savings Individual Investment Option

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NEST 529 Read to Win Drawing Winners to Be Recognized

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Tessa Timperley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                        
October 15, 2018

Media Contacts:
Terry Severson
Director of Marketing
First National Bank
tseverson@fnni.com
402.602.6549

Jana Langemach
Director of Communications
Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office
Jana.langemach@nebraska.gov
402.471.8884

**MEDIA ADVISORY**

NEST 529 Read to Win Drawing Winners to Be Recognized

State Treasurer Stenberg, NEST 529 College Savings, Nebraska Library Commission to Honor 5th Annual Summer Reading Scholarship Recipients and Libraries

WHAT:                 The 2018 NEST 529 Read to Win $529 Drawing winners will be announced in an event in the Capitol Rotunda. Fifteen summer readers (five in each of Nebraska’s three congressional districts) will each receive a $529 contribution to a NEST 529 College Savings Plan. Winners were randomly drawn from those who completed the summer reading programs as defined by their local libraries. The library of each winning summer reader will receive a $250 donation.

WHEN:                 11 a.m., Wednesday, October 17, 2018

WHERE:               Nebraska State Capitol Rotunda, Second Floor, 1445 K Street, Lincoln

MEDIA TAKEAWAYS:     

  • Photo opportunity of children being presented with scholarships
  • Interviews with
    • Don Stenberg, Nebraska State Treasurer
    • Sally Snyder, Coordinator Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission
    • Deborah Goodkin, Managing Director, Savings Plans, First National Bank of Omaha

About NEST 529
NEST 529 is a tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan and provides four plans to help make saving for college simple and affordable: NEST Direct College Savings Plan, NEST Advisor College Savings Plan, TD Ameritrade 529 College Savings Plan, and State Farm 529 Savings Plan. The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as Program Trustee. First National Bank of Omaha serves as Program Manager, and all investments are approved by the Nebraska Investment Council. Families nationwide are saving for college using Nebraska’s 529 College Savings Plans, which have more than 261,000 accounts, including over 84,000 in Nebraska. Visit NEST529.com and treasurer.nebraska.gov for more information.

About First National Bank of Omaha
First National Bank is a subsidiary of First National of Nebraska. First National and its affiliates have more than $21 billion in assets and 5,000 employee associates. Primary banking offices are located in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, and Texas.

Investments Are Not FDIC Insured* · No Bank, State or Federal Guarantee · May Lose Value
*Except the Bank Savings Individual Investment Option

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NCompass Live Rescheduled: Virtual Tours in the Library with Nebraska History

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Christa Porter

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this week’s NCompass Live, ‘Virtual Tours in the Library with Nebraska History’, has been rescheduled for next Wednesday, October 17, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Featuring “Tusker Power!”, a virtual field trip to visit ‘Archie’ and company in the Elephant Room at the University of Nebraska State Museum, this workshop is designed to show you how easily you can bring virtual tours to your library.

Presenter: Annie Mumgaard, Virtual Learning Educator/Coordinator, University of Nebraska State Museum.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Oct. 24 – Strategies for Identifying Fake News
  • Oct. 31 – Teaching Digital Literacy in Your 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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2018 NLC Grants are Open for Applications

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Tessa Timperley

Are you  thinking about applying for one of the three NLC grants? Youth Grants for Excellence, Continuing Education/Training, and Internship Grants all are available right now! Don’t let your library miss out on these opportunities! Recent NCompass Live sessions have featured these grants and are available below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msnyWYPo_JM]

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. This grant application is due October 15, 2018. Applications must be received by the Nebraska Library Commission submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. CT. You will be notified by November 16, 2018 if you are awarded a grant.

 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aHY2F3wm8U]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. Applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. CST on December 7, 2018. We will inform applicants whether they have received a grant on or before January 11, 2019.

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. This grant application is due November 16, 2018. Applications must be received by the Nebraska Library Commission submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. CT. The Award Announcement will be December 21, 2018.

For more information on these grants contact our Library Development Director, Christa Porter by email or at 402-471-3107.

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NCompass Live: Virtual Tours in the Library with Nebraska History

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Virtual Tours in the Library with Nebraska History’, on Wednesday, October 10, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Featuring “Tusker Power!”, a virtual field trip to visit ‘Archie’ and company in the Elephant Room at the University of Nebraska State Museum, this workshop is designed to show you how easily you can bring virtual tours to your library.

Presenter: Annie Mumgaard, Virtual Learning Educator/Coordinator, University of Nebraska State Museum.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Oct. 17 – Cataloging Picture Books Made Easy
  • Oct. 24 – Strategies for Identifying Fake News
  • Oct. 31 – Teaching Digital Literacy in Your 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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National Book Award 2018 Longlist for Young People’s Literature

Posted on October 1, 2018 by Sally Snyder

The National Book Award organization recently announced their longlists for the selected categories of literature. Here are the ten books on their longlist for young people. The winners will be announced on November 14, 2018.Some I have read and some I haven’t even seen yet. Time to go to the library! You can challenge the young people in your community to vote on the title they think will win and display the local winner in your library. Or, you can ask them to vote for their favorite title in the Teens’ Top Ten event by October 13!

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NCompass Live: Get a Youth Grant for Excellence!

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Get a Youth Grant for Excellence!’, on Wednesday, September 19, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services at the Nebraska Library Commission, will tell you what you need to consider in making an application to the Youth Grants for Excellence program. Since the deadline for these grants is coming up on October 15, this workshop will be timely and should leave you better equipped to complete a successful application.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Sept. 26 – 2018 Continuing Education/Training and Internship Grants
  • Oct. 3 – NO NCOMPASS LIVE – ENJOY NLA/NSLA!
  • Oct. 24 – Strategies for Identifying Fake News
  • Oct. 31 – Teaching Digital Literacy in Your 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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Youth Grants for Excellence Applications due 10/15/18

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Sally Snyder

The Nebraska Library Commission announces that grants are available to accredited public libraries and state-run institutional libraries for special projects in the area of children’s and young adult services. These grants are awarded to encourage innovation and expansion of public library services for youth and their parents or caregivers. Applications will be accepted for projects in an area that will benefit children and/or teens and which you see as a need in your community; for examples see the “Introduction” link below.

Log in to the NCompass Live program on September 19 where Sally Snyder will tell you how to  “Get a Youth Grant for Excellence.”

There are two different application forms. For projects requesting $250 – $1,000 in grant funds use the abbreviated, or short form. Applications requesting more than $1,000 must use the long form. Please be sure to use the correct form for your project. Please go to the “Introduction” page for links to the forms (at the bottom of the page).

The minimum amount that will be awarded per grant is $250 and the grants require a 25% match of the requested amount. This means the minimum total project cost will be $313, with your library providing at least $63 ($25 cash and $38 in-kind, remember to round up to full dollars) for the 25% match required.  Use the Project Budget Form at the end of the application form to estimate the amount you will need and to itemize specific expenses. You are advised to be as precise and detailed as possible.

You are welcome to call or email Sally Snyder with questions or to ask for more information.

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Teens’ Top Ten Voting is Now Open!

Posted on August 16, 2018 by Sally Snyder

See the announcement  from YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and 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 contenders is located on YALSA’s Top Ten 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 the week of October 15, 2018.

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Homework Hotspot Installation Complete in Genoa

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Mary Jo Ryan

 

Genoa NE, an IMLS Sparks Grant community, completed installation of the Homework Hotspot at the Genoa Public Library on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. The IMLS Sparks Grant, Nebraska Schools and Libraries – Breaking the Ice and Igniting Internet Relationships, is designed to kindle partnerships between schools and libraries and to help narrow the Homework Gap for public K-12 students through Internet bandwidth sharing. Hamilton Information Technology of Aurora, NE installed antennas on the Genoa Public Library and Genoa’s Twin River Fitness Center to add a network connection between the library and the Twin River School District. This new library Homework Hotspot is available for Twin River School District students and staff to use outside of school district buildings. (Hamilton Information Technology Wireless Coordinator Aaron McKillip completes installation on roof in photo above).

The library offers a location for school district students to access the school district network to complete homework assignments or work on school projects. Two desktop computers connected to the school network are also available for use at the library’s Homework Hotspot. The school network’s Internet speed averages 70 Mbps at the library. For students that do not have Internet at home or have a slower Internet speed at home, the Homework Hotspot offers an alternate location for completing homework assignments. Genoa Public Library Director Tammi Thiem commented, “The digital divide is a real problem for rural communities. The IMLS Sparks grant provides Twin River students and staff with high-speed Internet at the library to help bridge that gap.”

The Nebraska Library Commission, in partnership with the Nebraska Office of the Chief Information Officer, was awarded a $25,000 Sparks National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Six Nebraska communities were selected to participate in the grant project: Bancroft, Bayard, Genoa, Imperial, Verdigre, and Wymore. Using fixed wireless technology, the public libraries will offer the school districts’ students and staff the ability to access the school district network within the public library. The project began June 1, 2018 and will conclude on May 31, 2019. For more information contact Holly Woldt, Nebraska Library Commission Library Technology Support Specialist, holly.woldt@nebraska.gov, 402-471-4871, 800-307-2665.

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [IMLS grant: LG-99-18-0018-18]. #IMLSGrant

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September is Library Card Sign-up Month

Posted on August 3, 2018 by Mary Jo Ryan

The Incredibles are Honorary Chairs for Library Card Sign-up Month 2018! September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries nationwide join together to remind parents, caregivers, and students that signing up for a library card is the first step towards academic achievement and lifelong learning.

This September Disney Pixar’s superhero family, the Incredibles, will team up with the ALA to promote the value of a library card. As honorary chairs, the Incredibles will remind families, students, and people of all ages that signing up for a library card is a great step toward a truly super lifestyle: libraries offer fun and informative resources to help you pursue your passions and succeed in school. For more information and resources for programming,  see http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/card and http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/library-card-sign-up-month-tools. Use the hashtag #LibraryCardSignUp to join the celebration on social media.

 

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Apply Now: Code Club for Small & Rural Libraries

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Christa Porter

Small and rural public libraries nation-wide are invited to apply to be a part of the IMLS grant “Code Club for Small & Rural Libraries.”

The North Dakota State Library (NDSL) received a grant for $249,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), through the National Leadership Grant for Libraries, to help youth learn coding at 50 libraries across the country.

Small and rural communities are at risk of being left behind as computer programming emerges as a critical skill and the gap in access to computer science education widens between urban and rural America. Code Club for Small & Rural Libraries seeks to enable the libraries in these communities to introduce coding to thousands of youth aged 8-14, which will help them gain the skills needed for college and career readiness and life success.

“As centers of learning and catalysts of community change, libraries and museums connect people with programs, services, collections, information, and new ideas in the arts, sciences, and humanities. They serve as vital spaces where people can connect with each other,” said IMLS Director Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew. “IMLS is proud to support their work through our grant making as they inform and inspire all in their communities.”

The grant will deliver all the resources necessary to run a code club in small and rural public libraries. Those resources include one-on-one training sessions, code club software, and ongoing coaching and support.

A code club is an informal program that takes place at a library where kids learn computer programming skills. Teaching kids computer programming skills can dramatically impact your community by providing kids with 21st century career opportunities and instilling a valuable set of life skills, like computational thinking and problem solving.

Through a partnership with Prenda, code club does not require any coding knowledge to run. It does, however, require:

  • Computers (laptops or desktops)
  • High-speed internet
  • A space in the library
  • Library staff/volunteer to facilitate

To be eligible for this grant you must qualify as a “small or rural public library.”

  • Small = any public library with a service area of 15,000 or less
  • Rural = any public library more than 25 miles from an ‘urbanized area’ (as defined by the US Census)

Applications to participate are due July 16 and must be completed online.

Learn more on the grant website or through the official Facebook group.

This project is funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and is administered by the North Dakota State Library, in collaboration with Prenda. (IMLS Grant information)

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Nebraska Librarians Urged to Explore 2018: Libraries Ready to Code Materials

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Mary Jo Ryan

The American Library Association’s Libraries Ready to Code initiative, sponsored by Google, released the beta version of the Ready to Code Collection at the 2018 Annual Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans, today, June 22.

The Libraries Ready to Code Collection is a cache of resources developed, tested, and curated by libraries, for libraries to create, implement, and enhance their computer science (CS) programming for youth. In the nine months since Libraries Ready to Code announced the 28 grantee libraries participating in the project, the cohort has piloted a range of programs:

  • Middle school library and technology staff working with local nonprofits to identify needs of local businesses and nonprofits and enabling young library users to fill those needs through applied coding projects.
  • A high school librarian collaborating with a local music mentorship program to teach youth in special education classes how to code music with assistive technology.
  • Public librarians in a rural community teaching coding languages to help youth engineer and operate a FarmBot robotic gardener.
  • Elementary school librarians leading 4th–8th-grade students through an interest-based coding club and helping students to develop their own workshops showcasing their skills as coding mentors to K–3rd graders.

Learning from these programs are presented in a comprehensive guide to enable library professionals to cultivate their young patrons’ computational thinking (CT) literacies—their ability to solve complex problems through a step-by-step analytical process. Everything on the Libraries #ReadytoCode site is a test run and feedback from librarians will ensure that when the full site is launched in fall 2018 it will meet the needs of library staff working for and with youth and families.

#ReadyToCode

 

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Great Stories Club Grant Applications Due July 9

Posted on May 10, 2018 by Mary Jo Ryan

The American Library Association asks Nebraska librarians, “Do you love books and want to instill a love of reading in others? Learn how ALA’s Great Stories Club grants can help you connect with underserved youth in your community.”

This grant opportunity is open to all library types who are interested in working with (or located within) organizations that serve under-resourced youth, such as alternative high schools, juvenile justice organizations, or foster care agencies.

ALA is now accepting applications for the Great Stories Club, a grant program in which library workers lead reading and discussion programs with underserved teens in their communities. Read the project guidelines and apply online. Applications are due July 9. Up to 150 grants will be awarded.

Program details and eligibility: Working with small groups of approximately 10 teens, grantees will host reading and discussion programs for up to four thematically related books. The titles — selected in consultation with librarian advisors and humanities scholars — are chosen to resonate with reluctant readers struggling with complex issues like academic probation, detention, incarceration, violence, and poverty. All types of libraries are eligible, as long as they work in partnership with, or are located within, organizations that serve under-resourced youth, such as alternative high schools, juvenile justice organizations, homeless shelters, foster care agencies, teen parenting programs, residential treatment facilities, and other nonprofit and community agencies. (Read an account of a former Great Stories Club grantee about her partnership with a juvenile detention center.) Libraries located in high-poverty communities are also eligible to apply, though outreach partnerships with youth-focused organizations are still encouraged.

Themes and titles: Participating libraries may choose to work with one or both of the following themes during a 12-month programming period (September 2018 – August 2019): “Empathy: The Cost of Switching Sides” and “What Makes a Hero? Self, Society and Rising to the Occasion.”

Grantees will receive: 11 paperback copies of up to four book selections (10 to gift to participants and 1 for discussion leader/library collection), travel and accommodation expenses paid for one staff member to attend a 1 ½-day project orientation workshop in Chicago (libraries selected to implement both Great Stories Club series will be assigned to attend only one workshop), and programming materials, including discussion guides, related reading lists and promotional resources,

For more information: See http://www.programminglibrarian.org/articles/apply-now-great-stories-club-book-club-underserved-youth. Potential applicants may sign up for a free webinar to learn more about this opportunity. The webinar will be held at 1 p.m. Central Time on Monday, May 21. Reserve a spot for the webinar. 

Sarah Ostman, American Library Association
Public Programs Office Communications Manager
312-280-5061

 

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NCompass Live: Teen Services Without Teen Spaces: Innovative Programming

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Teen Services Without Teen Spaces: Innovative Programming’, on Wednesday, April 11, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Learn how the Marion Public Library, with no dedicated programming space, cultivated an after school crowd through revised scheduling, drop-in programs, and new community connections.

Presenters: Madeline Jarvis, Adult and Information Services Coordinator; Rachel Pollari, Library Assistant – Teen Services; and Shanel Slater, Library Specialist – Teen Services; Marion (IA) Public Library.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • April 18 – Reaching Out Through Your Collection
  • April 25 – Introducing the Nebraska Authors Database!
  • May 2 – Your Partners in Service: Accessing UNL Libraries Resources
  • May 16 – 2018 One Book One Nebraska: Nebraska Presence: An Anthology of Poetry
  • May 23 – Big-Time Library Support in Small Towns

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 Nebraskans Win Writing Competition

Posted on April 3, 2018 by Jennifer Wrampe

Do young people still write letters? They do if they want to tell an author about how books can make a difference in a young person’s life. Young Nebraska writers who wrote winning letters in the Letters About Literature competition received award certificates from Gov. Pete Ricketts on at a proclamation-signing ceremony celebrating National Library Week, April 8-14, 2018. Letters About Literature is a national reading and writing promotion program. Nearly 50,000 adolescent and young readers nationwide, in grades four through twelve, participated in this year’s Letters About Literature program—hundreds of them from Nebraska. The competition encourages young people to read, be inspired, and write back to the author (living or dead) who had an impact on their lives.

This annual contest is sponsored nationally by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, with funding from Dollar General Literacy Foundation. The Center for the Book was established in 1977 as a public-private partnership to use the resources of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books and reading. The Nebraska competition is coordinated and sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, Houchen Bindery Ltd., Humanities Nebraska, and Chapters Bookstore in Seward.

Young Nebraska writers to be honored are:

Winners
Avery Yosten, Norfolk, for a letter to Rob Buyea
Caleb Hans, Omaha, for a letter to Trenton Lee Stewart
Harper Leigh Wells, Axtell, for a letter to Harper Lee

Alternate Winners
Ryan Ostrander, Lincoln, for a letter to Katherine Applegate
Conleigh Hemmer, Lincoln, for a letter to Herman Melville
Daniel Con, Lexington, for a letter to Suzanne Collins

The students wrote personal letters to authors explaining how his or her work changed their view of themselves or the world. They selected authors from any genre, fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic. Winners were chosen from three competition levels: upper elementary, middle, and secondary school.

The Nebraska winners are honored at a luncheon and receive cash prizes and gift certificates. Their winning letters are placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. They will advance to the national competition, with a chance to win a trip to Washington, D.C. for themselves and their parents. For more information about the competition see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html.

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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