Category Archives: Youth Services

Ben Mikaelsen to visit Nebraska in April

Posted on January 15, 2008 by Mary Jo Ryan

The Nebraska Library Commission will bring children’s author Ben Mikaelsen to Nebraska for an April statewide author tour. Mikaelsen will present programs for school children and the general public in ten Nebraska communities, in cooperation with the Regional Library Systems. Author Ben Mikaelsen, has won the International Reading Association Award and the Western Writer’s Golden Spur Award. In addition, his novels have won many state Reader’s Choice awards, including the 1995 Nebraska Golden Sower award. Mikaelsen is the author of Rescue Josh McGuire, Nebraska’s 2007 One Book for Nebraska Kids selection. He lives in a log cabin near Bozeman, Montana, with a 750 pound black bear that he adopted and has raised for the last twenty-five years. For more information see his Website, http://www.benmikaelsen.com.
Join us on the Nebraska April Author Tour with Ben Mikaelsen
School visits (not open to the public):
Broken Bow, DeWitt: Tri-County Schools, Elgin, Fremont, Gretna, Hastings, Ogallala, Plainview
Public Library programs for the general public:
Ogallala, Goodall City Library: Becoming the Author of Your Own Life – April 14, 4:00 p.m.
Hildreth Public Library: Becoming the Author of Your Own Life – April 15, 4-5 p.m.
Holdrege Area Public Library: Becoming the Author of Your Own Life – April 15, 7:00 p.m.
Mahoney State Park: Research—Finding the Heart of the Story – April 16, 7:00 p.m.
This is not the first time Mikaelsen has visited Nebraska. We’ve heard lots of stories of his travels across the state. Please share your memories of previous Mikaelsen author tours in Nebraska by clicking in the Comment space below.
For more information about the tour, contact Sally Snyder, Nebraska Library Commission Children’s Services Coordinator, 402-471-4003, 800-307-2665.

Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services | 2 Comments

NLC Web Sites Down Saturday January 5th

Posted on January 4, 2008 by Christa Porter

IMPORTANT NOTICE!
All Nebraska Library Commission web sites, including NebraskAccess and Nebraska Memories, will be down for 10-12 hours on Saturday, January 5th, beginning at 6am.
This power outage is due to electrical work being done in the Atrium building and affects all NLC web sites. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to your own services.
1. If your library links directly to the database resources from your own library web site, and does not go through or login via the NebraskAccess web site, the power outage will NOT affect your use of the resources.
2. Libraries that use the NebraskAccess web site to link to the databases can use direct links and passwords during the outage. If your library has IP access, you will not need the usernames and passwords from within the library.
3. For those libraries and patrons that use the NebraskAccess web site to link to and login to the databases, you may use the direct links to login to select resources during this time.
A message with the direct database links and passwords has been sent to all Nebraska Library Commission mailing lists. If you did not receive this message, please contact the Reference Desk for the information at 800-307-2665 or 402-471-4016. Please note that the Commission closes at 5:00pm tonight.

Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training, General, Information Resources, Library Management, Now hiring @ your library, Public Relations, Talking Book & Braille Service (TBBS), Technology, Youth Services | Leave a comment

Teen Tech Week Mini Grants

Posted on December 21, 2007 by Christa Porter

Do you have a great program idea for YALSA’s Teen Tech Week, but need a little extra cash to make it a reality? Then apply for a Teen Tech Week Mini Grant.
You could win $450 for programs and services plus $50 in Teen Tech Week products from ALA Graphics!
Thanks to the 2008 Corporate Sponsor, Dungeons & Dragons, twenty mini grants are available to YALSA members who plan to offer unique, engaging programming activites, services or resources to celebrate Teen Tech Week in their community.
Check out the official rules, and e-mail your application form and proposal to the YALSA office. Mini grant applications are due January 7.
Questions? Contact Nichole Gilbert at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4387.

Posted in Education & Training, Technology, Youth Services | Leave a comment

Get Your Game On! The Why and How of Gaming in Your Library

Posted on November 30, 2007 by Christa Porter

During NLA/NEMA 2007, at the Nebraska Library Commission booth, we demonstrated three popular gaming systems that libraries across the country are beginning to incorporate into their programming. Many of you asked us how you can do this at your own library. Well, we listened! And we are now proud to invite you to attend our day-long workshop, “Get Your Game On! The Why and How of Gaming in Your Library”.
Get Your Game On! The Why and How of Gaming in Your Library
Date and Time: April 17, 2008, 9:00am – 4:00pm (Central Time)
Location: Nebraska Library Commission, 1200 N Street, Lincoln
To Register: Training Portal
Don’t know much about gaming, but want to know how it can benefit libraries? Not sure what kinds of services your library could offer (especially on a limited budget)? Are you an avid gamer who would like to offer services but you need help convincing others? Just want to hear what other libraries are doing?
Join us for a day long workshop on gamers and how gaming can be used in your library. Gaming has tremendous potential for libraries to reach out to new users, offer new services, and help complement efforts in community-building, information literacy, and other areas. Our panel of librarians from around Nebraska will share how they are using gaming to attract and retain their library users.
So that you can try out some of the games yourself, there will be hands-on time with:

Wii Sports – Tennis, Baseball, Golf, Bowling and Boxing
Dance Dance Revolution – PlayStation 2
Guitar Hero III – Xbox 360
Rock Band – PlayStation 2

At the end of the day you will have the chance to win prizes in our Gaming Mini-tournament!
There will be a one hour lunch break at approximately 12:00noon. Lunch is on your own.
The class size is limited to 18 participants.

Posted in Education & Training, Technology, Youth Services | 1 Comment

Play Games at the NLA/NEMA Annual Conference

Posted on October 16, 2007 by Lisa Kelly

Want to try out some of the games that can bring new users into your library?
Come to the Nebraska Library Commission’s exhibit booth at the NLA/NEMA Annual Conference on October 25-26 in Kearney and play them yourself!
We will have consoles set up in the NLC booth throughout the conference with:
Wii Sports – Tennis, Baseball, Golf, Bowling and Boxing
Dance Dance Revolution – PlayStation 2
Guitar Hero II – Xbox 360
You can view pictures of your colleagues playing these games at the NEBASE Annual Meeting held in August.
Come play with us!

Posted in Education & Training, Public Relations, Youth Services | Leave a comment

Games for Everyone

Posted on October 5, 2007 by Shannon White

Yesterday Susan Knisely, Online Services Librarian, and I were in Scottsbluff for the NEBASE Annual Meeting West. We had a great day presenting sessions and sharing information with library staff from the Panhandle.
One of the day’s topics was gaming in the library and a lot of it focused on using games to bring teens, especially, young boys, into the library.
Just before lunch I received an email from another co-worker about a YouTube video showing seniors enjoying have a ball at a bowling tournament. But this was not just any bowling tournament it was a Wii bowling tournament. It was a great example to show everyone that video games aren’t just for the younger generation.
Maybe your library could set up Wii bowling for seniors, family teams, or kids. Take a look and let us know what you think.

Posted in Library Management, Technology, Youth Services | Leave a comment

Come to Downtown Lincoln for the 2007 Nebraska Book Festival, October 26-27

Posted on August 8, 2007 by Mary Jo Ryan

The 2007 Nebraska Book Festival, rescheduled for October 26-27, is moving to downtown Lincoln where events will be staged at locations along Centennial Mall near 15th and P Streets, including the Nebraska State Historical Society’s Museum of Nebraska History, Lincoln Children’s Museum, and University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) College of Journalism and Mass Communications in Andersen Hall. Other downtown locations include the Nebraska State Capitol at 15th and K Streets and the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center at 13th and Q Streets. The locations for the Festival are surrounded by coffeehouses, restaurants, bookstores, theaters, shops, and night spots.
The Warner Chamber in the Nebraska State Capitol will serve as the site for the keynote address on Friday, October 26, at 5:30 P.M. Native American scholar and author Joseph Marshall III will open the Festival with an address focusing on the great Sioux warrior and tactician, Crazy Horse (the subject of Nebraska author Mari Sandoz’ biography, Crazy Horse: Strange Man of the Ogalala, the 2007 One Book One Nebraska selection).
On Saturday, October 27, the Nebraska Center for the Book will announce the winners of the annual Nebraska Book Awards in a ceremony in the Nebraska State Capitol Rotunda, at 11:00 A.M., to be followed by the annual Book Festival luncheon in the Chez Hay banquet hall in the Noodles and Co. building at 14th and P Streets. Luncheon guests will hear readings by Nebraska Book Award winners.
At 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 26, Coup de Torchon, a mystery film, will screen at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center. Outside the Lines: Creative Storytelling Activities for Children is scheduled for Saturday, October 27 at the Lincoln Children’s Museum. Admission is free. The schedule of activities for children is available www.unl.edu/NCB/CreativeStorytelling.html.
Nebraska Book Festival Director Michael Cartwright comments, “The 2007 Nebraska Book Festival is shaping up to be a memorable event.” The Nebraska Book Festival is sponsored by the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society, Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Humanities Council, Nebraska Library Commission, Nebraska Secretary of State, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and University Press.
For more information see www.unl.edu/NCB/current_festival.html or contact Michael Cartwright, Nebraska Book Festival Director, 402-471-4006, 800-307-2665, e-mail: Michael Cartwright.
Please comment below on the plans for Nebraska’s Book Festival. Thanks, Mary Jo Ryan

Posted in Books & Reading, Education & Training, General, Youth Services | Leave a comment

“Librarians’ Choice: 100 Super Summer Reads for Teens”

Posted on August 1, 2007 by Sally Snyder

Do you have some favorite YA titles to recommend to YALSA for this new list to help celebrate their first 50 years?
YALSA’s 50th Anniversary Taskforce is asking your help in compiling its “Librarians’ Choice: 100 Super Summer Reads for Teens” list. If you know of a great summer read, please add it to the list. You can access and add to the list from YALSA’s wiki:
http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa/index.php/Summer_Reading
Since the focus is on summer reads, lighter leisure reading for teens, please suggest titles that are fun and frivolous.
I’m going to suggest Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy. What title will you recommend?

Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services | Leave a comment

Summer Employment of Youth

Posted on June 21, 2007 by Richard Miller

Hiring any youth this summer for your library? If so, you should be aware of state and federal laws related to where and when a teen is allowed to work. (Things are a lot more complicated than when I used to work during the summer!) Actually these laws apply to hiring youth any time of year and are designed to protect them from dangerous jobs, too-long hours, etc.
Here are some of the guidelines. (I won’t list them all but will list resources for you to check out for more detail.):

14- and 15-year-olds can work outside school hours only; after 7 AM until 7 PM (9 PM between June 1 and Labor Day); up to 3 hours per day on a school day; up to 18 hours in a school week; and up to 40 hours in a non-school week.

Teens 13 years or younger can baby-sit, deliver newspapers, or work as an actor or performer.

14- and 17-year-olds may work in a variety of jobs (e.g., in offices, grocery stores, retail stores, restaurants, etc.); however, they are prohibited from working in jobs declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor (e.g., mining, meat packing or processing, using power-driven bakery machines or paper-product machines, roofing and excavation operations, and most driving.)

Once a youth reaches 18 years of age he or she is no longer subject to the Federal youth employment laws.

Employers must be concerned with two different forms in regard to the employment of youth: an “Employment Certificate (for Minors 14 and 15 Years of Age)” which is completed and issued by the public school superintendent of the school district in which the youth is located, and the “NOTICE: Hours of Employment for Children Under Sixteen Years of Age” which must be posted in the youth’s place of employment. The first form, which covers information such as name and address of the minor and of the employer, work hours, wage rate, proof of age, grade completed, place of birth, physical appearance, name of parent(s), telephone number, etc., is valid for one year and is held by the school superintendent’s office. The second form must be posted in the place of employment where other personnel-related documents are posted; it lists the name of each youth employed, number of hours of work each day, start and stop times, and time allowed for meals. Regulations used to mandate that this form be posted where the public could see it, but because of concern for the safety of the youth, public posting is no longer required.
One additional fact you should know — even if the student you plan to hire attends a parochial school or is home-schooled, the Employment Certificate mentioned above must be held by superintendent of the public school in which that student resides.
The facts above were taken from the Nebraska Department of Labor’s website and from several phone calls with that office. Additional useful information can also be found in the May 2007 issue of Nebraska Municipal Review in the article, “Complying with youth employment laws.” As the attorney author of that article says (which also applies to this blog), this information “is not intended to provide legal advice to our readers.” If you have any questions related to this topic, check with your city legal counsel.

Posted in General, Library Management, Youth Services | Leave a comment

Flat Stanley on Flickr

Posted on May 21, 2007 by Michael Sauers

Flickr user repoort has created a set of photos featuring Flat Stanley. The best part is that these are available for you to use under a Creative Commons License that allows copying, distribution, adaptation and transmission and long as you attribute their source, typically by including the flickr URL of the photo, or just linking to it as I’ve done in this post, somewhere in your creation. (Though I don’t recommend showing some of the photos to young children as this version of Flat Stanley get’s himself into some trouble.) If you’re not familiar with the Creative Commons concept you can check out the Create Commons Web site. Also, watch for future presentations on CC from the NLC.

Posted in Youth Services | Leave a comment

Golden Compass movie

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Sally Snyder

A movie of The Golden Compass, the first book in the “His Dark Materials” series, is scheduled for release on December 7, 2007. The web site for the movie:
http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/
has a place for the visitor to discover their own personal daemon (companion creature). Take a look at the site, find your daemon, and tell your teen patrons know about it. I predict they will love finding their daemon!
Mine is a gibbon named Callum. What is yours?

Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services | 1 Comment

Read Across America Day

Posted on March 2, 2007 by Sally Snyder

March 2 was Read Across America Day. A reminder to all to read aloud to children, and to celebrate Dr. Seuss. The staff at the Nebraska Library Commission marked the day with two Dr. Seuss books read aloud. Shannon read Yertle the Turtle and Sally read The Cat in the Hat. It’s fun to take some time and acknowledge the joys of reading aloud.
How did you celebrate Read Across America Day?

Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services | 1 Comment

See Sally! See Sally’s Books! Hear Sally Talk About Them! All with Flickr!

Posted on February 1, 2007 by Susan Knisely

Here’s a report on another Friday afternoon Flickr experiment.

Several weeks ago, during a Flickr training session, I was showing the class
how Westmont Public Library in Illinois uses Flickr to promote their new
acquisitions. Every month they take photos of new books, videos, DVDs,
etc., and they add them to Flickr. They then add a Flickr note to each
item in each picture. The note contains a hypertext link, and when you
click on the link you are taken directly to the screen in their OPAC that lists
shelf status for the item. (If you’re curious about this,
take a look!)

Well, someone in class asked me if it would be possible to link to a sound
file. I hadn’t seen it done, but it certainly seemed feasible, and that’s
what I told him. His question got me thinking though. It’s neat to
link from a picture of a book to its catalog record, but wouldn’t it also be
cool to link to an audio review or audio blurb? Hmmmm….who do I know who
would be willing to let me record them talking about a book? Sally!

It’s great having colleagues who are good sports. I mentioned my idea
to Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services at the
Nebraska Library Commission, last Friday morning. Not only was she willing
to do it, she had some short book blurbs already written and she was free to
record that afternoon!

If you’d like to see the results of our experiment, click on the picture of
Sally that accompanies this blog entry. It will take you to the image in
Flickr, where you can move your mouse over each book and click on a link to hear
Sally talk about it!

And as always, we’d love to know what you think!

Posted in Public Relations, Technology, Youth Services | 5 Comments

Favorite book for the summer reading program

Posted on January 26, 2007 by Sally Snyder

What is your favorite title for this summer’s reading programs? Either for “Get a Clue @ your library®” or for the teen theme “YNK @ your library®” – let everyone know! Share your favorite title and learn about other titles you may want to add to your collection before summer arrives.
You’ll hear all about my favorites at the summer reading program workshops in February and March.

Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services | 2 Comments

General Theme Suggestions for 2010 Summer Reading Program

Posted on January 4, 2007 by Sally Snyder

The CSLP (Collaborative Summer Library Program) group is asking for ideas for future summer reading program topics or themes. Slogans (the actual phrasing) are not needed at this time, only topics. Three general themes were discussed and are still under consideration for the future. They are: Water, Health, Food.
Please post any topic/theme ideas you would like the CSLP to consider for 2010 and beyond. I have been asked to submit five ideas from Nebraska, so add support to any suggestions you especially like. I was going to suggest dinosaurs, but we now have a chapter on them in the 2007 manual, so maybe I’ll save them for a while. What topic or theme would you like for the 2010 summer reading program?
Keep in mind CSLP wants the public to instantly associate the program with the LIBRARY and READING. Thank you!

Posted in Youth Services | 8 Comments

Coming Up Taller Nominations Due January 31, 2007

Posted on December 27, 2006 by Laura Johnson

“Each year the Coming Up Taller Awards recognize and reward excellence in after-school and out-of-school arts and humanities programs for underserved children and youth.” The Institute of Museum and Library Services, along with several partners, encourages nominations. Semifinalists for the 2006 Award include several literacy and writing programs. Do you have a program or know of one that you’d like to nominate? Award “recipients receive $10,000 each, an individualized plaque, and an invitation to attend the annual Coming Up Taller Leadership Enhancement Conference.”

Posted in Youth Services | 1 Comment