Search the Blog
Categories
- Books & Reading
- Broadband Buzz
- Census
- Education & Training
- General
- Grants
- Information Resources
- Library Management
- Nebraska Center for the Book
- Nebraska Memories
- Now hiring @ your library
- Preservation
- Pretty Sweet Tech
- Programming
- Public Library Boards of Trustees
- Public Relations
- Talking Book & Braille Service (TBBS)
- Technology
- Uncategorized
- What's Up Doc / Govdocs
- Youth Services
Archives
Subscribe
Category Archives: Youth Services
NCompass Live: Best New Teen Reads of 2023
Hear about the ‘Best New Teen Reads of 2023’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, January 24, at 10am 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 and Dana Fontaine, Librarian, Fremont High School.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Jan. 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech: WordPress Website Refresh
- Feb. 7 – WiFi in the Library
- Feb. 14 – ConnectEd Nebraska: Bridging the Digital Divide through Innovative eduroam Expansion
- Feb. 21 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
#BookFaceFriday “I’m Going to Build a Snowman” by Jashar Awan
Bundle up it’s #BookFaceFriday!
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow, because we have access to all the books we could want! No matter the age group or reading level, you can find great books on Nebraska OverDrive Libraries. Just like this week’s #BookFaceFriday, a picture book perfect for a snow day, “I’m Going to Build a Snowman” written and illustrated by Jashar Awan (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 20231.) It’s a great reminder that just because the building is closed the library still has plenty to offer. It’s available for checkout as an ebook from Nebraska Overdrive Libraries.
“When a little boy wakes up to see a blanket of snow covering the world outside, there’s only one thing to do: make a snowman, and not just any snowman—he wants the best snowman ever. But when his perfectly packed and powdery dreams clash with cold, slushy reality, he realizes the best snowman ever may be out of reach…but he can make his best snowman yet.”
— Book Jacket
Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive! Libraries participating in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Group currently have access to a shared and growing collection of digital downloadable audiobooks and eBooks. 194 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 26,174 audiobooks, 36,611 ebooks, and 5,210 magazines. As an added bonus it includes 130 podcasts that are always available with simultaneous use (SU), as well as SU ebooks and audiobook titles that publishers have made available for a limited time. If you’re a part of it, let your users know about this great title, and if you’re not a member yet, find more information about participating in Nebraska Overdrive Libraries!
Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
#BookFaceFriday “The Christmassy Cactus” by Beth Ferry
I’m dreaming of a #BookFaceFriday!
We want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays with this week’s #BookFace! And surprise, surprise, books are our preferred way to celebrate the holidays! Reading a fun book all snuggled up on the couch with a hot drink is the perfect tradition, so if your looking for a new book option for the younger readers in your life check out “the Christmassy Cactus” written by Beth Ferry and illustrated by N.A. Kang (HarperCollins, 2023.) This picture book is full of delightful illustrations and a fun story for all ages.
“Little readers will be delighted by the holiday magic …This succulent successfully steals the spotlight from the ever-present evergreens.” —Kirkus Reviews
This title comes from our large collection of children’s and young adult books sent to us as review copies from book publishers. When our Children and Young Adult Library Services Coordinator, Sally Snyder, is done with them, the review copies are available for the Library System Directors to distribute to school and public libraries in their systems.
Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services
Tagged A, A.N. Kang, Beth Ferry, Book Covers, bookface, bookfacefriday, Childrens Books, Christmas, Picture Books, Reading, The Christmassy Cactus
1 Comment
ALA National Gaming Survey
American Library Association’s Games and Gaming Round Table National Gaming Survey
To improve relationships between libraries and vendors, gain donations and sponsorships for ALA Play and International Games Day, and grow collaborations with industry partners, the executive board of the Games and Gaming Round Table (GameRT) has created a short survey to collect data related to games in libraries:
https://airtable.com/appZRUFreMs3AtdZC/shrGHBICGAyqXY8XA
This short (10 question) survey will not only help with publisher relationships but will help GameRT understand the evolving nature of games in libraries. If your library does not collect or use games, we still ask that you take the survey to help us gain a better understanding of the field. Contact information will only be used to follow up for clarifications. Non-anonymized data will be kept separate and retained for a maximum of one year.
If you have any questions before or after taking this survey, please contact the GameRT executive board at gamert@ala.org
Posted in Programming, Youth Services
Leave a comment
Pretty Sweet Tech: Holiday & Winter Tech Kit Activities
Most of you probably know we offer Tech Kits Through the Mail to school and public libraries in Nebraska. But did you know that many of those kits have really fun holiday and winter themed activities? Check out a kit and try one one or all of these activity ideas this winter:
- Dash & Dot Winter Activities (age 6+): Design your own winter parade floats and program them around a parade obstacle, record your own winter theme song, challenge your friends to a snowball fight, and more!
- Finch 2.0 Robot Winter (age 6+): Turn your robot into a snowplow, build a holiday parade and add a green screen backdrop if you’re feeling fancy, or create a fun winter window display.
- Hummingbird Bit Premium (age 8+): Take your winter window display up a notch, craft and program an interactive winter story scene, or add a moving background to your winter parade video!
- Ozobot Evo Robot (age 4+): Design a Winter Wonderland and challenge others to navigate your creation, create a fun snow maze, use the plow attachment to clean the streets, or use your imagination to visit Narnia!
- Micro:bit (age 8+): Make an LED snow globe animation using the built-in display, blow out an LED candle or program your micro:bit to let you know when the sun is finally out again.
Find a full list of kits, or check out a Tech Kit Through the Mail using this link. Here are the loan program details:
- Kits can be checked out for 30 days at a time.
- You can check out multiple kits at once.
- Kits are shipped to you for free, and use of the kits is free.
- You only pay return shipping. (Some library systems may help offset these costs. Ask your system director if this is an option near you.)
- Check out the Tech Kit Loan Policy for more details.
I hope you have some winter wonderland fun with the Tech Kits Through the Mail!
Posted in Pretty Sweet Tech, Programming, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged Pretty Sweet Tech, stem, Tech Kits, Tech Kits Through the Mail
Leave a comment
Penguin Random House Grants for Small Libraries Application Deadline: Dec. 15
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
Applications for the 2024 Association for Rural & Small Libraries/Penguin Random House Grants for Rural & Small Libraries are open!
Through the generosity of Penguin Random House, ARSL is pleased to announce this grant opportunity for small, rural libraries nationwide! This grant is available to libraries that meet both the IMLS definition for small libraries (a service population of 25,000 or fewer) and the definition for rural libraries (libraries located 5 or more miles from the nearest town of 25k or more).
Applicants may request:
One (1) monetary grant in support of a community-oriented project for up to $1,000.
or
An in-kind grant donation of up to $1,000 in equivalent value to support a circulating collection in your library.
Deadline for applications is December 15, 2023.
Notifications of funding decision will be sent to applicants by March 8, 2024.
Funded projects must be completed by December 31, 2024.
Project reports must be submitted by February 1, 2025.
The program will award grants to libraries that demonstrate a true need. Monetary grants are not limited to literacy and may be used for everything from library programming and books to resources like hotspots that help community members access important information. Library seeking support for digital collections should request a monetary grant.
View the Grant FAQ and Apply for the Grant online. Contact the ARSL Office with any questions at info@arsl.org
Posted in Grants, Library Management, Programming, Technology, Youth Services
Leave a comment
NCompass Live: Best New Children’s Books of 2023
Hear about the ‘Best New Children’s Books of 2023’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 22, at 10am CT.
Sally Snyder, the Nebraska Library Commission’s Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, will give brief book talks on titles published in the last year that could be good additions to your library’s collection. Titles for pre-school through elementary school will be included.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Nov. 29 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2023 Highlights
- Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
- Dec. 13 – Canvaholic
- Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
- Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
- Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Friday Reads: A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat
Announced yesterday, A First Time for Everything has won the National Book Foundation Award for Young People’s Literature.
It is on my Summer Reading Program list for 2024 and is a memoir of a three week school trip to Europe in 1989, the summer after 8th grade. In middle school Dan learned to be “…quiet. Small. … invisible.” (p. 11) Then one day, at the end of a school assembly Dan was unexpectedly asked (forced) to give his speech as practice for the speech tournament. It was a poem by A. A. Milne. He was ridiculed.
Then he took the three week school trip to Europe. Quiet at first, he slowly begins to have fun with some of the other students. And actually enjoying the trip. He does get lost in the middle of the night in France, but manages to steal a bike and find his way back (not proud of stealing the bike). Kirkus says, “Full of laughter and sentiment, this is a nudge for readers to dare to try new things.” (12/15/22)
Other Finalists for the Award for Young People’s Literature were:
Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow
Huda F Cares? by Huda Fahmy
Big by Vasti Harrison
The Lost Year: A Survival Story of the Ukrainian Famine by Katherine Marsh
Visit their web page to learn more. You can also see the winners and finalists in the other four categories on this web site.
Dan Santat is an author and illustrator of a variety of children and teen books, including After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again), The Aquanaut, Sidekicks: A Graphic Novel, and Lift by Minh Lê and illustrated by Dan Santat.
Santat, Dan. A First Time for Everything. First Second/Macmillan, 2022.
NCompass Live: Golden Sower Award: Get in the Know
Learn all about Nebraska’s Children’s Choice Award, the Golden Sower, on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, November 1, at 10am CT.
The Nebraska Golden Sower Award is Nebraska’s Children’s Choice Literary Award, sponsored by the Nebraska Library Association. Since 1982, the Golden Sower Award has sought to sow seeds which stimulate children’s thinking, introduce different types of literature, encourage independent reading, increase library skills, and foster an appreciation for excellence in writing and illustrating. This presentation will address the nature of the award, describe the award process, provide updates on changes to the award and committee structure, and share how to get involved.
Presenter: Anne Price, Nebraska Golden Sower Award Committee Member; Children’s Librarian, North Platte Public Library.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Nov. 8 – Racial & Gender Bias in Search
- Nov. 15 – Redesigning a Library Website
- Nov. 22 – Best New Children’s Books of 2023
- Nov. 29 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Librarian 2023 Highlights
- Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
- Dec. 13 – Canvaholic
- Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
- Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
- Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: How Augmented Reality Can Create Optimal Literacy Experiences
Explore how Living Popups transforms classic and original books into interactive experiences on next week’s Pretty Sweet Tech NCompass Live webinar, ‘How Augmented Reality Can Create Optimal Literacy Experiences’, on Wednesday, October 25, at 10am CT.
Special monthly episodes of NCompass Live! Join the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet, as she guides us through the world of library-related Pretty Sweet Tech.
LP Bookspace engages all readers and keeps them coming back for more! LP Bookspace brings to your library augmented reality experiences where characters literally jump off the page and help build comprehension and confidence.
The goal of this session is to explore how easy it is to create an optimal literacy experience within your library environment by applying innovative technology. You will discover the LB Bookspace tools to help you create an exciting Story Time, track students’ progress in the Dashboard, implement Book Clubs for older children and have families returning to your library again and again. You will learn about the Meet the Makers series introducing patrons of all ages to how the books are produced and the potential careers in the future all around great literature.
Join us to see how LP Bookspace could provide you with creative ways to deliver innovative programming to your community.
Guest Presenter: Cheryl Bayer, CEO, Living Popups, LLC.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Nov. 1 – Golden Sower Award: Get in the Know
- Nov. 8 – Racial & Gender Bias in Search
- Nov. 15 – Redesigning a Library Website
- Nov. 22 – Best New Children’s Books of 2023
- Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
- Dec. 13 – Canvaholic
- Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
- Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
- Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged NCompLive, prettysweettech
Leave a comment
NCompass Live: Letters About Literature 2023
Learn about Nebraska’s state reading and writing contest for youth, Letters About Literature, on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, October 11, at 10am CT.
The Nebraska Center for the Book is a statewide organization dedicated to the promotion of reading in all its forms. Its annual Nebraska Letters About Literature contest allows students in 4th through 12th grade to write to authors (living or deceased) about their favorite book or poem about how his or her book affected their lives. This session will provide helpful information for teachers and librarians interested in the competition. It will also cover the submission process and be an excellent opportunity to ask questions about the entire competition process. Teachers will be interested in this program that will help enhance and extend their classroom instruction.
Presenter: Tessa Terry – Communications Coordinator, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Oct 18 – Learning Opportunities and Resources from WebJunction
- Oct 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech: How Augmented Reality Can Create Optimal Literacy Experiences
- Nov. 8 – Racial & Gender Bias in Search
- Nov. 22 – Best New Children’s Books of 2023
- Dec. 6 – Using Creativity to Grow & Develop
- Dec. 20 – Summer Reading Program 2024: Adventure Begins at Your Library
- Jan. 17, 2024 – Auditing Library Websites
- Jan. 24, 2024 – Best New Teen Reads of 2023
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
2024 NLC Grants are Open for Applications!
Nebraska Public Libraries and State-run Institutions! Do you have an idea for a program or project you would like to see funded?
The Nebraska Library Commission has made funding available for four grants for 2024: Continuing Education & Training, Internship, Library Improvement, and Youth Grants for Excellence.
Applications are being accepted for all NLC grants right now! Don’t let your library miss out on these opportunities!
Grant applications for all 2024 NLC grants are due November 17, 2023.
For more information about these grants, register for the September 20 NCompass Live webinar, NLC Grants for 2024.
Continuing Education & Training grants help assist Nebraska libraries to improve the library services provided to their communities through continuing education and training for their library personnel and supporters. Successful applications will show how the continuing education and/or training proposed will support the library’s mission. There will be two rounds of CE Grants. The first fall grants will open in September and applications will be accepted for events/projects/classes that must be completed before July 1, 2024. The second spring round will open in March and applications will be accepted for events/projects/classes that begin after July 1, 2024.
Internship grants work to introduce high school and college students to the varied and exciting work of Nebraska libraries. The internships are intended to function as a recruitment tool, helping the student to view the library as a viable career opportunity while providing the public library with the finances to provide stipends to the student interns.
Library Improvement grants facilitate growth and development of library programs and services in Nebraska public and institutional libraries, by supplementing local funding with federal funds designated for these purposes.
Youth Grants for Excellence are available specifically for innovative projects for children and young adults in your community. The program encourages creative thinking, risk-taking, and new approaches to enable youth librarians to begin needed programs and try projects which they have been unable to undertake, and to offer an opportunity to expand youth service capabilities in new and different directions.
Call for Speakers: Big Talk From Small Libraries 2024
The Call for Speakers for Big Talk From Small Libraries 2024 is now open!
Submit your proposal by Friday, December 15, 2023.
This free one-day online conference is tailored for staff from small libraries; the smaller the better!
Small libraries of all types – public, academic, school, museum, special, etc. – are encouraged to submit a proposal. We’re looking for seven 50-minute presentations and four 10-minute “lightning round” presentations.
Do you offer a service or program at your small library that other librarians might like to hear about? Have you implemented a new (or old) technology, hosted an event, partnered with others in your community, or just done something really cool? The Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference gives you the opportunity to share what you’ve done, while learning what your colleagues in other small libraries are doing.
Here are some possible topics to get you thinking:
- Unique Libraries
- Special Collections
- New buildings
- Fundraising
- Improved Workflows
- Staff Development
- Advocacy Efforts
- Community Partnerships
- That great thing you’re doing at your library!
Speakers from libraries serving fewer than 10,000 people will be preferred, but presentations from libraries with larger service populations will be considered. Speakers must be from small libraries or directly partnered with a small library and submitting a proposal to co-present with the library.
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2024 will be held on Friday, February 23, 2024 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Speakers will present their programs from their own desktops. The schedule will accommodate speakers’ time-zones.
This conference is sponsored by the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) and the Nebraska Library Commission.
Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash
Friday Reads: Squished by Megan Wagner Lloyd
A full color graphic novel for tween readers, ages 8-12 or so. Avery (11) the second-oldest of seven children in the loving Lee family, is beginning to feel squished by her siblings. When her older brother is given a room of his own, and her room of two is becoming a room of three, (younger brother Max is moving in with Avery and her sister, Pearl), she prepares a list of reasons she should have her own room, to no avail.
Avery loves her family, she just gets a bit embarrassed and frustrated by them. She also has some good friends who she spends time with – and they share some inside jokes as well.
Now Avery has decided to earn money in order to have a room built for her in the basement. Walking dogs and selling lemonade do not work out well. Then she learns the family may be moving to Oregon for her mother’s new job, and a room of her own is not even an issue anymore. She doesn’t want to move away from her friends and all she knows.
There is plenty going on and readers will relate to Avery’s ups and downs.
Megan Wagner Lloyd. Squished. New York, Graphix, Scholastic Inc., 2023.
2023 NLS Summer Reading Author Talk: Jenny Torres Sanchez
Join us on Zoom for an exciting author talk with Jenny Torres Sanchez, author of We Are Not from Here!
Jenny Torres Sanchez writes children’s and young adult fiction that has been a finalist for the Pura Belpre Award and included on the American Library Association’s annual list of Best Fiction for Young Adults. Her book We Are Not from Here vividly captures the treacherous journey of three teenagers who cross from Guatemala through Mexico to the United States in search of a better life.
This event is specially designed for YA, but all are welcome.
- Thursday, August 3 at 7:00 pm EDT
- Webinar registration: Author Talk – Jenny Torres Sanchez
For more information:
Annette Hall
402-471-4033
annette.hall@nebraska.gov
#BookFaceFriday “The Lake House” by Sarah Beth Durst
You might have to leave the light on for this #BookFaceFriday!
Summer Camp isn’t all it’s cracked up to be in this week’s #BookFace! “The Lake House” by Sarah Beth Durst (HarperTeen, 2023) is a nail biting thriller for teens, and it’s all set at a sleep away camp. Perfect for readers who like something a little scary, described as “Yellowjackets meets One of Us Is Lying.“
“Nail-biting and atmospheric, The Lake House explores how secrets keep people apart—and the power of female friendships. Reyva, Mariana, and especially Claire are characters you can’t stop rooting for, even as every obstacle they surmount is replaced by a bigger one. I read it every time I had a spare second, and a lot of times when I didn’t.”
— April Henry, New York Times bestselling author
This title comes from our large collection of children’s and young adult books sent to us as review copies from book publishers. When our Children and Young Adult Library Services Coordinator, Sally Snyder, is done with them, the review copies are available for the Library System Directors to distribute to school and public libraries in their systems.
Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services
Tagged Book Covers, bookface, bookfacefriday, Reading, Sarah Beth Durst, The Lake House, Thriller, YA books
Leave a comment
2024 ‘One Book For Nebraska Kids & Teens’ Titles Selected
The Nebraska Library Commission is excited to announce the 2024 titles selected for the One Book For Nebraska Kids & Teens program:
Wouldn’t it be great if kids all over Nebraska were talking about books? And wouldn’t it be even better if those kids were talking about the SAME book? Hold on to your bookmarks, the Nebraska Library Commission and Regional Library Systems have a program for that!
Each year, the One Book for Nebraska Kids & Teens program selects a title for kids (roughly grades 4-6) and teens (older readers) and encourages youth across the state to read and discuss the book together. Read more about the program, and see current and past selections here: http://nlc.nebraska.gov/Youth/OBOK/index.aspx
One Book For Nebraska Kids 2024:
Parachute Kids, by Betty Tang (Graphix, 2023).
A middle-grade graphic novel that follows Feng-Li and her siblings as they navigate life alone in a new country. After a fun-filled vacation in California, Mom and Dad announce that the family is staying and enroll the children in school. When their parents’ visas expire, the children are left in their rental house while their parents return to Taiwan to sort out a legal reentry to the United States.
One Book For Nebraska Teens 2024:
Between the Lines, by Nikki Grimes (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2018).
This 2018 companion to Grimes’ Bronx Masquerade combines verse and prose to explore the thoughts, feelings, and struggles of a diverse class of poets as they prepare for their school poetry slam. In addition to honing their writing skills, they find friendship and support in each other.
The Nebraska Library Commission and each Regional Library System will have book sets for the 2023 and 2024 titles to check out to librarians and school media specialists for their book clubs. See our Book Club Kit page, or contact your regional library system directory for details.
NCompass Live: One Book For Nebraska Kids & Teens 2023
Wouldn’t it be great if kids all over Nebraska were talking about books? Hear about the Nebraska Library Commission & the Regional Library Systems’ program where kids can all read and discuss the same book on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, July 5 at 10am CT.
Join Sally Snyder, the NLC’s Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, and Aimee Owen, Information Services Librarian, to learn all about the One Book for Nebraska Kids and Teens program. And be the first to hear the 2024 titles that will be announced on this show!
Our 2023 titles are:
- One Book For Nebraska Kids – The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
- One Book For Nebraska Teens – Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- July 12 – A Library Centennial Celebration in Photos and Memories
- July 19 – Nebraska Open Meetings Act: 2023 Overview and Updates
- July 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Filtering For E-Rate CIPA Compliance And Cybersecurity
To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.
NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.
The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.
#BookFaceFriday “Dear Librarian” by Lydia M. Sigwarth
SHHHH, this is a #BookFaceFriday!
Summer reading is in full swing all over Nebraska! So this week’s #BookFaceFriday is both a shout out to all those amazing librarians that put tons of work into Summer Reading Programs, but also that we have book lists for all ages on Nebraska OverDrive Libraries. “All Together Now: Summer Reading Program 2023” is a specially curated collection great titles that would be perfect picks for Summer Reading. Just like “Dear Librarian” written by Lydia M. Sigwarth and illustrated by Romina Galotta ( Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021.) It’s a perfect reminder of everything a library has to offer. It’s available for checkout as an audiobook from Nebraska Overdrive Libraries.
“Galotta uses an array of media, including watercolors and colored pencils, to lovingly reflect the heroine’s inner emotions and thoughts in the details and background on each page . . . This touching story celebrates the joys of friendship, finding a home, and the power of libraries.”
— School Library Journal, starred review
Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive! Libraries participating in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Group currently have access to a shared and growing collection of digital downloadable audiobooks and eBooks. 188 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 21,696 audiobooks, 35,200 eBooks, and 3,964 magazines. As an added bonus it includes 130 podcasts that are always available with simultaneous use (SU), as well as SU ebooks and audiobook titles that publishers have made available for a limited time. If you’re a part of it, let your users know about this great title, and if you’re not a member yet, find more information about participating in Nebraska Overdrive Libraries!
Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
ARSL 2023 Early Bird Conference Registration is NOW OPEN! NLC CE Grants are reopening for a limited time!
Registration for both in-person and virtual attendance at the 2023 ARSL Conference is open!
And we are reopening the Nebraska Library Commission CE Grants to attend the 2023 ARSL Conference for a very limited time!
Staff and board members at accredited Nebraska public libraries or state-run institutional libraries are eligible. Apply for the NLC CE Grant by July 7 at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/Grants/CE/arslconferencegrant.aspx
The in-person 2023 ARSL Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency, Wichita, Kansas, from September 20-23, 2023.
This year’s conference theme is “Unite & Ignite”! Our conference provides an opportunity to unite as a professional community and foster a sense of togetherness across a nation of small but mighty libraries. When we come together to share and learn we’ll light fires of innovation and change that can burn bright all year long.
Early Bird pricing for in-person attendance will be available through July 18.
For more information about the conference and to register, visit the 2023 Conference Homepage.
ARSL Member Rates
- Base Conference Attendance
Early Bird – $290
Regular – $375 - Preconference Workshops**
3-Hour Workshops – $55
4-Hour Workshops – $70 - Virtual Attendance
$55
Student, Advocate & Retiree Rates*
- Base Conference Attendance
Early Bird – $245
Regular – $285 - Preconference Workshops**
3-Hour Workshops – $55
4-Hour Workshops – $70 - Virtual Attendance
$30
Nonmember Rates
- Base Conference Attendance
Early Bird – $380
Regular – $450 - Preconference Workshops**
3-Hour Workshops – $80
4-Hour Workshops – $95 - Virtual Attendance
$80
*Must be an ARSL Advocate, Student, or Retiree member. **Preconference Workshop fees are charged in addition to Base Conference Registration and are available for in-person conference attendees only.
