Category Archives: Youth Services

NCompass Live: How to Break Up Boredom! Interactive Events for All Ages

Posted on August 18, 2017 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘How to Break Up Boredom! Interactive Events for All Ages’, on Wednesday, August 23, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Have you ever wondered how to break up boredom for your patrons, whether they are adults, teens, tweens or families…cheap? This small town Kentucky library brings out the human-size board games, life-sized Hungry Hippos and Battleship plus more!

Presenters: Aimee Newberry, Director, and Angela Smith, Outreach Coordinator, McLean County Public Library, Livermore, KY.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Aug. 30 – The Facets of Fair Use
  • Sept. 6 – The New Public Library Director’s Guidebook

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 10/4/17

Posted on August 17, 2017 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.

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.

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).

Please note: AWE work stations, or similar stations of other companies, are no longer eligible for a youth grant.

You may also be interested in viewing the NCompass Live session from 8/20/14 titled “What You Need to Know to Apply for a Youth Grant.”

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

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Friday Reads: Restart by Gordon Korman

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Sally Snyder

Chase (8th grade) wakes up in the hospital and remembers nothing of who he is, or his family—the group of people standing around his bed looking at him. He remembers how to walk, talk, eat, read, all the daily things we all do, but nothing personal about himself. His school is unfamiliar, but as he walks down the hall he notices students cringing away from him. Slowly he begins to discover that he has been the reigning bully, and not only that, he has encouraged his former two best friends to do it too. As the 8th grade team quarterback, he ruled the school. But now he is repulsed by who he was. How did he get that way when now his impulses are to be friendly and helpful? And what should he do now?

This is a fascinating look at human behavior, our inner selves vs. our outer selves, and how we may end up so far from where we were meant to go.  The author is known for his humorous books, but this one takes a more serious, and intriguing path.

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NCompass Live: United for Libraries – The Voice for America’s Libraries

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries’, on Wednesday, August 16, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Beth Nawalinski is the Executive Director of United for Libraries, the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, a division of the American Library Association. Beth will be joined by Steve Laird, President of Infogroup and 2017-2018 President of United for Libraries, to share their ideas about United for Library’s mission and vision and how Nebraska and its libraries can benefit and fully use the resources available through this dynamic ALA division. Learn how Nebraska’s statewide membership, including the newly updated online Trustee Academy which is available free to all Nebraska public libraries, can benefit Nebraska – its libraries and people

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: The 2017 Public Library Accreditation Process

Posted on August 5, 2017 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘The 2017 Public Library Accreditation Process’, on Wednesday, August 9, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Join us to hear about Nebraska Public Library Accreditation, and get a head start if your library is up for re-accreditation in 2017. If your library is not currently Accredited, you’ll want to attend this session to learn more about the process and explore the possibility of becoming an Accredited Public Library. Christa Porter, Library Development Director at the Nebraska Library Commission, will discuss the Public Library Accreditation process for 2017. She will show how the application form works, relate that process to the required strategic plan, and cover why Accreditation is important and what it can do for your library. This presentation will be of special interest to public library directors and public library board members.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Aug. 16 – United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries
  • Aug. 23 – How to Break Up Boredom! Interactive Events for All Ages

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: Connecting Students to Courses, Experts, and Virtual Field Trips

Posted on July 28, 2017 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Connecting Students to Courses, Experts, and Virtual Field Trips’, on Wednesday, August 2, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Nebraska is a leader in connecting students to courses statewide through videoconferencing, serving over 8000 student enrollments per school year. With this infrastructure in place, the door is open to provide students and patrons with even more opportunities beyond their classrooms and libraries, including virtual field trips. The presenters will share:

  • A brief background behind Nebraska’s success and the reasons for statewide success.
  • What technologies are being used.
  • How videoconferencing is being used for many creative solutions.
  • Where educators and public librarians can find free or low-cost virtual field trip options through the Nebraska Virtual Instruction Source (NVIS).
  • How the Nebraska Distance Learning Association (NDLA) partnered with statewide distance learning coordinators to provide a free workshop for staff at museums, zoos, foundations, historical sites and more, to help them learn how to provide enrichment programs through videoconferencing.

Presenters: Beth Kabes, Director of Blended and Distance Learning, Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council; Linda Dickeson, Distance Learning Manager, Lincoln (NE) Public Schools.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Aug. 9 –  The 2017 Public Library Accreditation Process
  • Aug. 16 – United for Libraries – Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The Voice for America’s Libraries
  • Aug. 23 – How to Break Up Boredom! Interactive Events for All Ages

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: Binge Boxes, Boovie Bags, Book box binge, Makerspace Kits and more

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Binge Boxes, Boovie Bags, Book box binge, Makerspace Kits and more’, on Wednesday, May 17, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

When space is at a premium but you want to be on the cutting edge… boxes, bags and totes can be used to create a whole new world of unique collections that serve our populations. Are we there yet kits, Binge Boxes, Boovie Bags, and much more have connected our programs to our collections and turned on new library patrons to what we offer!

Presenter: Natalie Bazan, Former Director, Hopkins District and Dorr Township Libraries, Hopkins, MI

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • May 24 – Ad Filters -The Case For and Against Installation on Public Computers
  • May 31 – Two Mystics, One Book: Neihardt State Historic Site in 2017

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: Nebraska Libraries on the Web

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Nebraska Libraries on the Web’, on Wednesday, May 10, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

The Nebraska Library Commission’s Nebraska Libraries on the Web project provides free hosted WordPress-based Web sites for public libraries in Nebraska. Craig Lefteroff, the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, will explain how your library can get a free website or upgrade your current site with a live demo of our WordPress platform.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • May 17 – Binge Boxes, Boovie Bags, Book box binge, Makerspace Kits and more
  • May 24 – Ad Filters -The Case For and Against Installation on Public Computers
  • May 31 – Two Mystics, One Book: Neihardt State Historic Site in 2017

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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Librarians and Teachers to Host Letter Writing Clinics

Posted on May 2, 2017 by Jennifer Wrampe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                              
May 2, 2017

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  
Mary Jo Ryan
402-471-3434
800-307-2665

Librarians and Teachers to Host Letter Writing Clinics   

What could motivate Nebraska young people to write letters? A great story and the opportunity to tell an author about how a book made a difference in their own life can provide just the right encouragement. Teachers and librarians across Nebraska were recently awarded grants to host pilot Letter Writing Clinics for students in their area. The clinics will introduce students to the Letters About Literature contest and letter writing techniques. Students will get ideas for selecting books and learn how to craft letters that can be submitted to the Letters About Literature contest, a national reading and writing promotion program that engages nearly 50,000 adolescent and young readers nationwide in grades four through twelve. 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.

The Letter Writing Clinic grants were sponsored by Humanities Nebraska, Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and Nebraska Library Commission. The winning applicants are:

  • Lisa Guenther, Norfolk Catholic Elementary School Director of Reading, Norfolk
  • Jennifer Van Winkle, Lux Middle School Teacher, Lincoln
  • Lori Springer, Valparaiso Public Library Director, Valparaiso
  • Noelle Thompson, Lied Scottsbluff Public Library Director, Scottsbluff Library Foundation, Scottsbluff
  • Denise Ketchens, Oshkosh Public Library Director, Oshkosh

This annual writing competition 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., and Chapters Bookstore in Seward.

For more information about Letters About Literature, see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html. To learn more about Letter Writing Clinics, see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/LALwritingclinics.

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. Humanities Nebraska inspires and enriches personal and public life by offering opportunities to thoughtfully engage with history and culture. Humanities Nebraska was established as a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1973.

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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.

2017_LAL_header_clinic

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NCompass Live: UNL Extension – The Learning Child – Co-Parenting for Successful Kids

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘UNL Extension – The Learning Child – Co-Parenting for Successful Kids’, on Wednesday, May 3, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln – Extension’s Learning Child team is a group of early childhood Extension educators who provide services, training, and online professional development to young children and their families. Linda Reddish, Extension Educator, will present a brief overview on Co-Parenting for Successful Kids, a research-based program developed from the best evidence on how to support couples in parenting children through and after divorce or parental separation. The aim of this presentation is to discuss possible opportunities together and provide resources to libraries which families can utilize during the transition process (highlighting books on divorce accessible for families to check out) and share insights from participants who often use the library to access the online course.

Presenter: Linda Reddish, Extension Educator, Nebraska Extension – Douglas-Sarpy County Extension.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • May 17 – Binge Boxes, Boovie Bags, Book box binge, Makerspace Kits and more
  • May 24 – Ad Filters -The Case For and Against Installation on Public Computers
  • May 31 – Two Mystics, One Book: Neihardt State Historic Site in 2017

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: Build a Better World: Summer Reading Program 2017

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Build a Better World: Summer Reading Program 2017’, on Wednesday, March 15, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services at the Nebraska Library Commission, will give brief book talks of new titles pertaining to the 2017 Summer Reading Program theme: Build a Better World.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • March 22 –  Small and Rural Libraries Leading with TV Whitespace
  • March 29 – Conversation Circles: A Simple ESL Program
  • April 19 – LMNOP: The Evolution of Engagement

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 is tomorrow!

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Christa Porter

Small libraries! Awesome ideas! FREE!

Join us tomorrow for the Big Talk From Small Libraries 2017 online conference. Registration is still open, so head over to the website and sign up.

This free one-day online conference is aimed at librarians from small libraries, but regardless of how big or small your library is, you are welcome and encouraged to come learn about the innovative things your colleagues are doing in their small libraries.

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.

And, Nebraska library staff can earn 1 hour of CE Credit for each hour of the conference you attend:  http://nlc.nebraska.gov/CE/bigtalkform.asp

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

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Register today for Big Talk From Small Libraries 2017

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Christa Porter

Next Friday, February 24 is Big Talk From Small Libraries 2017!

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 or directly works with small libraries. But, everyone is welcome and encouraged to register and attend, regardless of how big or small your library.

Topics range from technology (new and old tech) 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.

Check out the full schedule and register today!

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NCompass Live: Tween & Teen BUILD Collective

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘Tween & Teen BUILD Collective’, on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Come learn about the La Vista Public Library’s BUILD Collective. The goal of the BUILD (“Building to Uphold Imagination and Learning Daily”) Collective is to provide tweens and teens with educational “toys”, based around the common theme of building, that will foster their sense of imagination and help them become more creative individuals. Learn how we started the Collective, see some of our toys, and learn how you could benefit from such a program at your library.

Presenter: Lindsey Tomsu, Teen Coordinator, La Vista Public Library.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Feb. 22 – Metadata Makeover: Transforming Omaha Public Library’s Digital Collections
  • March 8 – Planning for Successful Internships
  • March 15 – Build a Better World: Summer Reading Program 2017

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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2017 Big Talk From Small Libraries Schedule Now Available

Posted on February 9, 2017 by Christa Porter

The full schedule for the 2017 Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference is now available!

You will find it on the Schedule page. Information about our presenters is available on the Speakers page.

We are still collecting details from our presenters, so some descriptions and speaker bios are not posted yet. Additional information will be filled in as we receive it.

If you haven’t registered yet, now is the time to jump over to the Registration page and sign up!

You are welcome to watch as an individual or to host a group viewing of the conference. If several staff members from the same library want to attend, you can just register for one seat and have staff members view/listen together via one workstation.

You can also host a viewing party this same way and invite staff from other libraries. For any group viewings, if you know who will be there, you can list your Additional Attendees on your one registration or you can send us a list after the event.

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Teachers and Librarians Invited to Host Letter Writing Clinics

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Tessa Timperley

LAL Letter Writing ClinicsTeachers and Librarians Invited to Host Letter Writing Clinics

Books make a difference in the lives of Nebraska young people. We know this because they say so in the letters they write to authors for the Letters About Literature competition. In her 2014 winning letter to Gary Soto, Sydney Kohl says, “The work inspired me to be true to myself, and also taught me the importance of each and every small perk in life. Our time on Earth is short, and might not be perfect, but as long as we take advantage of the opportunities given to us, maybe that’s okay.” *

Nebraska teachers and librarians are invited to apply for $300 grants to conduct Letters About Literature Letter Writing Clinics. Funding will be provided to introduce students to the Letters about Literature (LAL) contest and letter writing techniques, and to work with them to select books and craft letters to the authors. Grant funds can be used for items such as instructor honorariums, supplies, marketing, small participation prizes, etc. Applicants will target their efforts to specific age groups: grades 4-6, grades 7-8, or grades 9-12

For more information about the LAL Letter Writing Clinic grant (due March 30), see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/lalwritingclinics or contact JoAnn McManus, Nebraska Library Commission, 402-471-4870, 800-307-2665. This grant opportunity is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and Nebraska Library Commission and supported by Humanities Nebraska. More about how the LAL national reading and writing promotion program encourages young readers in grades 4-12 to explore what books mean to them by writing a personal letter to an author is available at centerforthebook.nebraska.gov.

* Get inspired by listening to Nebraska winners Ashley Xiques and Sydney Kohl read and talk about and their winning letters to the authors that meant something to them at NET Radio’s All About Books.

NOTE: The Letters About Literature competition is made possible by a generous grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, with additional support from gifts to the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, which promotes the contest through its affiliate Centers for the Book, state libraries, and other organizations. 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. and Chapters Bookstore in Seward.

LAL Grant Sponsors Logos

 

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What’s Sally Reading?

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Sally Snyder

School Library Journal’s 9th “Battle of the Kids Books”

This is the ninth year that School Library Journal has invited well-known authors of children and/or teen books to read and judge two titles placed before them. This elimination contest is designed like a “March Madness” for books. Only one book moves ahead to the next round, and favorites could fall.   Read about this year’s event on the School Library Journal blog.

The sixteen titles for the elimination rounds were announced on January 18.  For the first time the contest includes four picture books, so the phrasing “Battle of the Kids Books” is more appropriate this year.  The titles are:

ANNA AND THE SWALLOW MAN by Gavriel Savit

FREEDOM IN CONGO SQUARE by Carole Boston Weatherford and R. Gregory Christie

FREEDOM OVER ME by Ashley Bryan

GHOST by Jason Reynolds

THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON by Kelly Barnhill

THE LIE TREE by Frances Hardinge

MAKOONS by Louise Erdrich  — (look, Makoons is here too and I didn’t know it before last Friday)

MARCH BOOK THREE by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

THE PASSION OF DOLSSA by Julie Berry

SAMURAI RISING by Pamela Turner and Gareth Hinds

SOME WRITER! by Melissa Sweet

THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR by Nicola Yoon

THUNDERBOY JR. by Sherman Alexie and Yuyi Morales

WET CEMENT by Bob Raczka

WHEN GREEN BECOMES TOMATOES by Julie Fogliano and Julie Morstad

WHEN THE SEA TURNED TO SILVER by Grace Lin

The judges for the contest will be named on February 6 and the competition begins on March 13. The victor will be announced on March 31. It is enlightening to read the judges comparisons of very different genres and his or her reasoning for naming the winner of that round. Each year one of my favorites bites the dust. But, last year the final judge, Ann M. Martin, selected The Marvels by Brian Selznick as the winner, a favorite of mine I was hopeful could go the distance.

This is an event you could design and hold in your library at any time of year, for example have kids or teens each read and present their book as if in a debate.  Then the judge (choose them wisely) will make the decision between the two titles.  Or you can encourage your students or patrons to be involved in this year’s event by writing a promotional piece for a favorite contender.

One of the contenders this year is Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems by Bob Raczka.  It contains a collection of 21 clever and inspiring poems.  Concrete poems are designed so the lines of poetry are laid out to look like the topic of the poem.  My favorite in this collection is entitled “PoeTRY” and says it all in five lines, although this one is a less concrete poem than those in the rest 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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Youth Media Awards Announced at ALA Midwinter

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Sally Snyder

Monday, January 23, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the 2017 Youth Media Awards. The winner of the John Newbery Medal is The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. Three Honor books were named:

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan written and illustrated by Ashley Bryan

The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk

The winner of the Randolph Caldecott Medal is Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat illustrated and written by Javaka Steptoe. Four Honor books were named:

Leave Me Alone! illustrated and written by Vera Brosgol

Freedom in Congo Square illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Carole Boston Weatherford

Du Iz Tak? illustrated and written by Carson Ellis

They All Saw a Cat illustrated and written by Brendan Wenzel

For a complete list of the winners and honor books visit the ALA press release.  I hope you already have a few of the named titles in your library collection.

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NCompass Live: The Future of Virtual Reality for Youth Services

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Christa Porter

Join us for the next NCompass Live, ‘The Future of Virtual Reality for Youth Services’, on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 10:00am – 11:00am CT.

Virtual and augmented reality devices have been hyped for decades, but the technology is finally starting to reach its full potential. In this presentation, we’ll talk about the differences between VR and AR, discuss the plethora of VR devices, and explore how to utilize them in a library setting.

Presenter: Craig Lefteroff, Technology Innovation Librarian, Nebraska Library Commission.

Upcoming NCompass Live events:

  • Feb. 1 – EGAD! Bed Bugs in the Library?
  • Feb. 8 – New Statistical Standard for Public Services in Archives and Special Collections
  • Feb. 15 – Tween & Teen BUILD Collective
  • Feb. 22 – Metadata Makeover: Transforming Omaha Public Library’s Digital Collections

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 18, 2017 by Sally Snyder

School Library Journal’s Best Books 2016

Every year the editors of School Library Journal announce their choices of the best books published that year.  A total of 66 titles have been honored this year and are listed on this page.  Divided into five lists the categories are: Picture Books (17 titles), Chapter Books (2 titles), Middle Grade (14 titles), Young Adult (15 titles), Nonfiction (18 titles).

Once you click on one of the categories you will see a slide show of the titles. Scroll down to find a form to fill out in order to download a printable PDF version of the full list. There is also an “Other Bests” link on the right side of the screen which contains a print list of eight additional categories, such as “Top 10 Graphic Novels,” “Top 10 Latinx” (a new gender-neutral term to include Latina and Latino) titles, and “Top 10 Apps.” I hope you can find some time to explore these pages.

One of the titles included on the School Library Journal’s “Best Books 2016,” Middle Grade list is Makoons by Louise Erdrich (The Birchbark House series, Bk 5).  Continuing the story of an Ojibwe family, this title focuses on Makoons, twin brother of Chickadee, both of whom are determined to succeed as buffalo hunters. Makoons has a vision that shakes him to his core.  Will his family be able to handle the coming challenge?  This series has been widely praised and has appeared on numerous “best” lists. Makoons is intended for grades 4-6.

The first book in the series, The Birchbark House, was published in May of 1999.  Following it are: The Game of Silence (Bk 2) which received the Scott O’Dell Historical Fiction Award, The Porcupine Year (Bk 3), Chickadee (Bk 4) which also received the Scott O’Dell Historical Fiction Award, and, of course, Makoons.

(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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