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Category Archives: Youth Services
Apply now for a ‘Thinking Money for Kids’ Program Kit
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/grants/index.aspx
ALA and the FINRA Foundation invite public libraries, including tribal and state libraries in the U.S. and U.S. territories, to apply to receive a Thinking Money for Kids Program Kit, a collection of expertly vetted resources to help libraries offer financial education for children ages 3 to 12, both in the library and in children’s homes..
Application deadline: September 8.
We all need to master the knowledge and skills to make smart financial choices and prepare for whatever the future brings. Thinking Money for Kids, an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, strives to teach children and their parents, caregivers and educators about financial topics – like saving, spending, sharing and budgeting – in a way that is both meaningful and fun.
Approximately 200 public libraries will be selected to receive a Thinking Money for Kids Program Kit (estimated kit value: $2,000). Libraries will keep all kit contents, including the Launchpads, after the grant period ends. The programming period will run from September 2024 through December 2025.
Each selected library will receive the following:
- All materials needed to host five different in-person children’s programs – such as ready-to-use games, props and other physical materials – for children ages 3 to 12.
- A set of Playaway Launchpad tablets pre-loaded with digital content that aligns with the in-person program offerings.
- Program instructions, talking points, related book lists and other resources to assist library workers in planning and hosting the in-person programs.
- Template promotional materials and digital graphics to assist library workers with marketing the programs and Launchpad tablets to the public.
- Access to virtual training and a community of practice.
Shipping is free for libraries and coordinated by ALA.
Selected libraries are required to attend two brief virtual trainings; host each of the five in-person children’s programs at least once during the 16-month programming period; add Launchpad tablets to library circulation and collect circulation data; and complete a brief final report form (estimated completion time: less than 30 minutes).
Posted in Grants, Youth Services
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Lois Lenski Covey Foundation: Bookmobile Grant Program
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/grants/index.aspx
Through the Bookmobile Grant Program, the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation awards grants to organizations that operate a lending bookmobile that travels into neighborhoods populated by underserved youth. The grants are for purchasing books published for young people preschool through grade 8, Early Reader books through Young Adult and Hi-Lo books.
Bookmobiles operated by charitable [501(c)(3)] and other non-taxable agencies, including public libraries or schools, are eligible. The Foundation provides grants to organizations that serve economically or socially at-risk children, have limited book budgets, and demonstrate real need.
Grants range from $500 to $3000 and are specifically for book purchases, and cannot be used for administrative or operational uses.
A link to a downloadable application and detailed instructions for completing and sending the application are available at the Bookmobile Grant Application webpage.
Application deadline: September 1.
About the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation
The purposes of the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation are to advance literacy and foster a love of reading among underserved and at-risk children and youth. Lois Lenski, celebrated author and illustrator of over one hundred children’s books and the 1946 Newbery medalist for Strawberry Girl, established the Foundation as a charitable institute in 1967. Since then the Foundation has assisted over 400 organizations in their efforts to nurture reading skills, gain access to books, and instill a love of reading.
Posted in Books & Reading, Grants, Youth Services
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#BookFaceFriday “Across the Desert” by Dusti Bowling
Is it hot out here, or is it just #BookFaceFriday?
Well, we weren’t able to find a desert for this week’s #BookFace, but we did the best we could. If your kids are looking for a little adventure this summer, look no further! NLC has several great titles in their book club kit collection that would be great for taking their minds all over the world, like this week’s #BookFaceFriday “Across the Desert” by Dusti Bowling (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2023.) A middle-grade action-adventure story, about survival, friendship, and courage. It’s available for checkout as a book club kit or as an audiobook from Nebraska Overdrive Libraries. We have 10 copies available for your library to borrow today! We also have several other titles by Dusti Bowling available on Nebraska OverDrive Libraries, check them all out today.
“Experience has taught Jolene she can only count on herself, and she doesn’t think she counts for much. But when she witnesses her friend’s accident in the desert via live stream, she finds the strength to rescue them both. Across the Desert combines compelling adventure, honesty, danger, and love.”
―Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Book Club Kits Rules for Use
- These kits can be checked out by the librarians of Nebraska libraries and media centers.
- Circulation times are flexible and will be based upon availability. There is no standard check-out time for book club kits.
- Please search the collection to select items you wish to borrow and use the REQUEST THIS KIT icon to borrow items.
- Contact the Information Desk at the Library Commission if you have any questions: by phone: 800/307-2665, or by email: Information Services Team
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!
#BookFaceFriday “I am Princess X” by Cherie Priest
Once upon a time, there lived a #BookFaceFriday!
Don’t let the summer slide happen for your tween and teen readers. With no homework to keep them busy, summer is a great time to start a YA book club. NLC has several great titles in their book club kit collection that would be perfect picks like this week’s #BookFaceFriday “I Am Princess X” by Cherie Priest (Scholastic Inc., 2016.) Don’t be fooled by the crown, this is no fairy tale! A young adult mystery, interspersed with graphic novel elements, it will surely draw in younger teen readers. It’s available for checkout as a book club kit or as an audiobook from Nebraska Overdrive Libraries. We have 10 copies available for your library to borrow today! We also have discussion questions available on the Book Club page so your book club members have a great place to start when talking about what they’re reading.
“Priest’s YA debut is an engrossing cyberthriller packed with a puzzling mystery, crackerjack detective work, and an eerie, atmospheric sense of place. Teens who roll their eyes at adults out of touch with Internet culture will eat this up.”
— Booklist, starred review
Book Club Kits Rules for Use
- These kits can be checked out by the librarians of Nebraska libraries and media centers.
- Circulation times are flexible and will be based upon availability. There is no standard check-out time for book club kits.
- Please search the collection to select items you wish to borrow and use the REQUEST THIS KIT icon to borrow items.
- Contact the Information Desk at the Library Commission if you have any questions: by phone: 800/307-2665, or by email: Information Services Team
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!
NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: Bots for the Community!
Join us to hear how the FarmBot project, ‘Harvest at the Library’, was born on next week’s ‘Pretty Sweet Tech’ NCompass Live webinar, ‘Bots for the Community!’, on Wednesday, May 31, 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.
Hear how a FarmBot had an impact on the community and how the library launched videos to teach people how the bot works (in-person programs were not open yet at the library). Lou shares the excitement of harvesting the very first carrot from the FarmBot!
Guest Presenters: Dan Lou, Library Program Coordinator, Palo Alto City Library; Susan T. Cheng, Lead Mentor, Space Cookies FIRST Robotics Competition Team 1868, Adult Co-Leader, Space Cookies Girl Scout Troop 62868; and Navika S., Space Cookies FIRST Robotics Competition Team 1868, Space Cookies Girl Scout Troop 62868.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- June 7 – In Search of the Obscure – Using Library & Online Sources to Find Resources that are Out of the Ordinary
- June 14 – Transforming Library Staff Learning Through Technology Skills Assessments
- June 21 – Nebraska Public Library Laws: Chapter 51 and Beyond
- June 28 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Secure Computers For Public Use
- July 5 – One Book for Nebraska Kids & Teens 2023
- 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.
Posted in Education & Training, Pretty Sweet Tech, Programming, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged NCompLive, prettysweettech
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#BookFaceFriday “Sidetracked” by Diana Harmon Asher
On your marks, get set, #BookFace!
School is out, and that means Summer Reading Programs all over the state are gearing up. With this #BookFaceFriday we’re racing to the finish line with “Sidetracked” by Diana Harmon Asher (Harry N. Abrams, 2017.)
It’s available for checkout as a book club kit or as an eBook or audiobook from Nebraska Overdrive Libraries. The 2023 Summer Reading Program theme is “All Together Now,” kids will be reading all about Kindness, Friendship, and Unity, the topics for this year’s program. You can find a list of other titles on the Nebraska Library Commission 2023 SRP Book List, created by Sally Snyder, our Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services.“An entertaining mix of events, conversations, anxieties, and reflections, Joseph’s first-person narrative engages readers on page one and never lets up…Justice is sweet when bullies get their comeuppance in this rewarding first novel.”
– Booklist
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!
Friday Reads: The Ancient One by T.A. Barron
Today is Arbor Day – go out and plant a tree! To celebrate the day, I decided to read a book about saving trees. Giant, magical redwood trees.
The Ancient One, by T.A. Barron is the second book in a trilogy about the adventures of thirteen year old Kate, but it is an entirely stand-alone novel. You don’t need to read the other books in the series to understand and enjoy this one.
Kate is visiting her Great Aunt Melanie, who lives in a rural town in Oregon where logging companies have done so much clear cutting of the forest that they are running out of trees to cut down, and work is almost impossible to find anymore. Tensions are high and many citizens are angry about the loss of income.
But, a new source of trees has recently been discovered – an ancient redwood forest in the Lost Crater, a previously inaccessible extinct volcano. Aunt Melanie has been working to protect the trees from the loggers – they may be the oldest redwoods on the planet and they were a sacred place to a lost Native American tribe, the Halamis.
Aunt Melanie is quite the mysterious figure, loving and supportive, but also full of secrets. There’s something just a bit different about her. And she has a special connection to her walking stick, with its carved owl’s head handle. Strange things seem to happen when she is around. As Kate is being chased by some boys in town, she trips and falls, but the boys keep running right past her, as if they didn’t see her laying in the mud, as if she wasn’t even there. And suddenly, Aunt Melanie is there, dismissing Kate’s confusion and making curious comments about being … invisible?
Kate and Aunt Melanie hike into the Lost Crater, to hopefully stop the loggers from cutting down the redwoods. When Kate must return to the redwood grove to retrieve Aunt Melanie’s accidentally left behind walking stick, she is transported back in time, where she becomes involved in a battle to save the same forest from an evil force.
I truly enjoyed this fantasy novel with its strong environmental message, it’s a combination that I haven’t read before. The world of the past is well developed and Kate’s encounters, unfortunately, mirror the struggles in our own time over climate change. It will definitely make you think about nature and how we should be protecting it, for our future.
Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services
Tagged #arborday, #FridayReads, Friday Reads, FridayReads
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#BookFaceFriday “The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise” by Dan Gemeinhart
Fasten your seat belts, it’s #BookFaceFriday!
Get ready to hit the road with this week’s #BookFaceFriday! Looking for the next great read for your middle grade book club? The Nebraska Library Commission’s has book club kits in multiple genres for a wide range of reading levels, including historical fiction, mysteries, adventure stories and more! How about this realistic fiction title, “The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise” by Dan Gemeinhart
(Henry Holt and Co, 2019)? Both a 2019 Parents’ Choice Award Gold Metal Winner and a School Library Journal Best Book of 2019, it’s available as a book club kit, as well an eBook and audiobook in Nebraska Overdrive Libraries.This week’s #BookFace and other middle grade titles can be found on the NLC Book Club Kit webpage; you can search by grade level or by genre. This service allows libraries and school librarians to “check out” multiple copies of a book without adding to their permanent collections, or budgets.
“Coyote’s bold, engaging voice pops off the page…Gemeinhart infuses the story with moments of lyrical writing and folksy wisdom served up with a dollop of girl power.”
— The New York Times
Book Club Kits Rules for Use
- These kits can be checked out by the librarians of Nebraska libraries and media centers.
- Circulation times are flexible and will be based upon availability. There is no standard check-out time for book club kits.
- Please search the collection to select items you wish to borrow and use the REQUEST THIS KIT icon to borrow items.
- Contact the Information Desk at the Library Commission if you have any questions: by phone: 800/307-2665, or by email: Information Services Team
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 Club Kits, Book Covers, bookface, bookfacefriday, Dan Gemeinhart, middle grade, Reading, realistic fiction
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ALA Great Stories Club Grants for Teens – New theme: “Imagining Tomorrow: Building Inclusive Futures”
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/grants/index.aspx
ALA invites library workers to apply for “Imagining Tomorrow: Building Inclusive Futures.” This brand-new series in ALA’s Great Stories Club will feature science fiction books that explore questions of equity, identity, and alternate futures.
Applications are due May 10, 2023. For more details and to apply, visit the website: https://www.ala.org/tools/programming/greatstories/apply
This GSC theme asks: How can we imagine and dream of our shared futures together, alongside each other, in order to create better tomorrows? The books in this series point toward the ways that we might build shared futures while acknowledging the lessons of our origin stories.
Participating libraries will work with small groups of approximately 10 teens; provide four theme-related books for each participant to keep as their own; and convene opportunities for exploration and discussion of relevant humanities content among peers. Book discussions will be led by an experienced programming librarian, often in cooperation with staff from a partner organization or department, such as teachers and counselors.
Libraries will receive 11 paperback copies of up to four books on the reading list to use in reading and discussion groups; a programming grant of up to $500; a virtual orientation training workshop for library project directors; and additional resources, training, and support from ALA’s Public Programs Office.
Applications will be accepted from all types of libraries (public, school, academic, special, etc.) in the United States and its territories that are located within an organization that reaches underserved, under-resourced, and/or at-risk teens (e.g., alternative high school, juvenile detention facility, tribal library) or working with a partner organization that reaches underserved, under-resourced, and/or at-risk teens.
What’s Sally Reading?
New Book Award First Announced in 2021
The Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Inc. (BCALA) and School Library Journal announced the 2023 Children & Young Adult Literary Awards winners.First awarded in 2021, the awards, given annually, celebrate outstanding children’s and young adult books by African American authors of fiction and nonfiction in four categories: First Novelist Award, Fiction Award, Nonfiction Award, and Graphic Novel Award.
I have read (among others) the Graphic Novel Winner, Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas a full-color graphic novel. Bree and her father move from Brooklyn, NY, to Florida for his new job. Bree is starting middle school and wants Math Puzzles as one of her electives, but it is full – all that is left is Swim 101. Bree cannot swim but doesn’t want to admit it. Negative talk to herself is shown as black outlined capitals, such as “You’re going to be so embarrassed” and “It must be your fault!”
New friends, Humberto and Clara, are upbeat and supportive. She skips swim class, but then an older neighbor agrees to teach her. Over time she learns to float and swim and one day the coach basically assigns everyone in class to try out for the swim team. They race and Bree swims past all her negative thoughts and wins! She joins Clara on the swim team. Maybe this year they can finally win state! It includes overcoming fears, putting in the time needed to succeed, supporting friends and teammates, and not giving up. It is for upper elementary and early middle school ages.
Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services
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ARSL 2023 needs YOU: Conference Session Proposal Submissions NOW OPEN!
From ARSL:
Request for Proposals: 2023 ARSL Conference Sessions
ARSL Conference | September 20-23, 2023 | Wichita, KS
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.
The Request for Proposals (RFP) for 2023 ARSL Conference Sessions is now open!
Are you a community engagement superstar? Have a storytime formula that can’t be beat? Do your reader’s advisory recommendations always hit the mark? We need YOU to present at ARSL 2023! The program presenters are the heart of the conference, bringing valuable skills and experience to share with fellow attendees.
Submission Deadline: April 25, 2023, 5:00 pm CT Submit a Conference Session Proposal
Ready to get started? Download the sample RFP form to preview the questions. Check out our Tips for a Great Program Proposal to help polish your submission!
New this year: Pop-Up Program Demos If the thought of lecturing at the front of the room turns your legs to jelly our pop-up program demos might be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for! These 20-minute sessions will give presenters the opportunity to demo a craft or other library program piece for small groups of attendees. These practical, actionable demo sessions will let programming pros share their ideas in a less intimidating, more familiar environment. Special consideration will be given to pop-up demos that incorporate intentional accessibility for patrons of different ages and ability levels.
NCompass Live: T(w)eens: Programming, Partnership, and Burnout
You can create successful teen library programs without burnout! Learn how on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, ‘T(w)eens: Programming, Partnership, and Burnout’ on Wednesday, April 5 at 10am CT.
There’s a lot to consider when we are planning teen and tween programming. In this presentation you will learn about using connected learning principals and co-designing to develop programs with teen patrons. We’ll learn the difference between partnerships and supporters, and how to identify them using community asset mapping. Create successful teen programs without burnout!
Presenter: Kymberlee Powe, Children and YA Consultant, Connecticut State Library.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- April 12 – Art Show! Where Art and Science Meet to Bring the Community Together
- April 19 – Creative Aging Arts Program for Nebraska Libraries
- April 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- May 3 – Public Libraries & Wikipedia: Creative Collaborations
- May 17 – Read the Rainbow: Serving the LGBTQ+ Community in Your Library
- May 24 – La Biblioteca Es Para Ti – Building Community Relationships in a Different Language
- May 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Bots for the Community!
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.
#BookFaceFriday “Things Not Seen” by Andrew Clements
We didn’t see this #BookFace coming!
Don’t blink or you’ll miss this week’s #BookFaceFriday! The Nebraska Library Commission has Book Club Kits for a wide range of readers, including kids’ chapter books and Young Adult titles. One such YA title is “Things Not Seen” by Andrew Clements
(Puffin Books, 2004) it is book one in a three-part series, and the winner of the American Library Association Schneider Family Book Award. It’s available as a book club kit for your teen or YA book club. This is one of many YA titles NLC has available in our Book Club Kit Collection, titles like A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling, we also have titles by Laurie Halse Anderson, Gary Paulsen, and Neal Shusterman, just to name a few. This week’s #BookFace and other YA titles can be found on the NLC Book Club Kit webpage, you can search by grade level or by genre. This service allows libraries and school librarians to “check out” multiple copies of a book without adding to their permanent collections, or budgets.“Clements’s story is full of life; it’s poignant, funny, scary, and seemingly all too possible. The author successfully blends reality with fantasy in a tale that keeps his audience in suspense until the very end.”
— School Library Journal
Book Club Kits Rules for Use
- These kits can be checked out by the librarians of Nebraska libraries and media centers.
- Circulation times are flexible and will be based upon availability. There is no standard check-out time for book club kits.
- Please search the collection to select items you wish to borrow and use the REQUEST THIS KIT icon to borrow items.
- Contact the Information Desk at the Library Commission if you have any questions: by phone: 800/307-2665, or by email: Information Services Team
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 Andrew Clements, Book Club Kits, Book Covers, bookface, bookfacefriday, Reading, Things Not Seen
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ALA Great Stories Club Grants for Teens
ALA is accepting applications for the Great Stories Club, is a thematic reading and discussion program that engages teens facing difficult challenges through literature-based library outreach programs. Applicants may choose to apply for one of the following themes: “Deeper Than Our Skins: The Present is a Conversation with the Past” and “Finding Your Voice.”
Application Deadline extended to March 29! Applications are due March 15, 2023.
Libraries will receive 11 paperback copies of up to four books on the reading list that explore questions of race, equity, identity and history to use in reading and discussion groups; a programming grant of up to $500; a virtual orientation training workshop for library project directors; and additional resources, training, and support from ALA’s Public Programs Office.
Applications will be accepted from all types of libraries (public, school, academic, special, etc.) in the United States and its territories that are located within an organization that reaches underserved, under-resourced, and/or at-risk teens (e.g., alternative high school, juvenile detention facility, tribal library) or working with a partner organization that reaches underserved, under-resourced, and/or at-risk teens.
Implementation is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more details and to apply, visit the website: https://www.ala.org/tools/programming/greatstories/apply
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
Posted in Books & Reading, Grants, Programming, Youth Services
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Big Talk From Small Libraries 2023 is tomorrow!
Small libraries! Awesome ideas! FREE!
Join us tomorrow for the 2023 Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference. Registration is still open, so head over to the Registration page and sign up!
We have a full agenda for the day, with speakers from academic and public libraries presenting on a wide variety of topics: Zombie Prom, staff evaluations, adapting big outreach for small libraries, book challenges in small libraries, library playgrounds, programming for adults with disabilities, and much more.
This event is a great opportunity to learn about the innovative things your colleagues are doing in their small libraries.
And, Nebraska library staff and board members can earn 1 hour of CE Credit for each hour of the conference you attend! A special Big Talk From Small Libraries CE Report form has been made available for you to submit your C.E. credits.
So, come join us for a day of big ideas from small libraries!
Only One Week Until Big Talk From Small Libraries 2023!
Small libraries! Awesome ideas! FREE Online Conference!
There’s only one week until Big Talk From Small Libraries 2023!
Check out the full schedule and register to join us next Friday, February 24.
Sponsored by the Nebraska Library Commission and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL), this free one-day online conference is tailored for staff from small libraries – the smaller the better! Each of our speakers is from a small library serving fewer than 10,000 people, and they are from both academic and public libraries. This event is a great opportunity to learn about the innovative things your colleagues are doing in their small libraries.
Everyone is welcome to register and attend, regardless of how big or small your library. But, if your library serves a few hundred to a few thousand people, this is the day for you!
Posted in Education & Training, Library Management, Programming, Public Relations, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged ARSL, BTSL2023
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Books Save Lives Grant for School Libraries
We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) is accepting applications for its Books Save Lives Grants, providing up to $10,000 in diverse titles to school libraries.
WNDB will prioritize grants for schools located in areas most impacted by book bans and censorship. The grant money must be used toward purchasing diverse books and the books must remain on the shelves for a minimum of four years.
Applications are due by February 28, 2023.
Applicants must nominate a school library within the United States to receive a Books Save Lives Grant and applications may be completed anonymously.
Winning school libraries will be able to select diverse titles from book lists provided by WNDB, which have been vetted by the WNDB team that’s comprised of award-winning authors, teachers, and librarians. Each winning school may also submit a list of up to 30 diverse titles that they’d like to receive with their grant money, pending review. Books are shipped directly to the school.
For more information and to apply, visit the website at https://diversebooks.org/programs/books-save-lives-grant
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries.
Posted in Books & Reading, Grants, Youth Services
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ALA Announces the 2023 Youth Media Awards!
The Newbery Award winner is Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson and three titles were named Newbery Honor Books. This year Freewater also won the Coretta Scott King Author Book Award. The Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award is Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual illustrated by Frank Morrison and written by Carole Boston Weatherford.
The Caldecott Award winner is Hot Dog, illustrated and written by Doug Salati. Four titles were named Caldecott Honor Books. I have not seen Hot Dog yet, but one of the Caldecott Honor Books is Knight Owl illustrated and written by Christopher Denise. This book was the subject of one of my “Friday Reads” posts. Take a look here if you would like to know more about it.
To learn all the titles that were recognized on January 30th during the ALA Youth Media Awards webcast, just visit this news release.
I hope you find a title on this awards list that you just have to read!
Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services
Tagged authority control, Cataloger, cataloging, cataloging certificate, education
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ARPA Report – Ashland Public Library
Ashland Public Library used ARPA funds to make improvements to the library!
The library turned off their drinking fountains due to COVID-19 in an effort to prevent the spread. Using money from the ARPA grant, the library was able to install a bottle filler to the drinking fountains. This allowed kids, patrons, and the public to access the water when needed.
The recent pandemic shed a light on how important WiFi access is to the community. Children would sit by the windows in order to gain access when the library was closed. The library was able to purchase new access points to give patrons higher speeds inside and outside the library.
COVID-19 hit the active seniors in the community hard. Isolation and limited contact led to disconnect in community activities. As vaccination rates increased, the library offered a free exercise program geared toward seniors. The GeriFit program was a great fit for the community and helped the senior population to get back out and strengthen their muscles.
Along with the ARPA Youth for Excellence Grant, Ashland Public Library purchased STEM equipment for the new group of home school students. The library purchased iPads along with Sphero to teach computer coding. For younger patrons, the library bought two option of the Go Robot Mouse to spark learning of how coding works.
The pandemic showed that Ashland Public Library is an important piece of its community. Every upgrade or new purchase, has had positive results. Patrons have shown their appreciation for all the opportunities available through the library to help the community continue to move forward.
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The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is result of the federal stimulus bill passed by Congress. The Nebraska Library Commission received a one-time award of $2,422,166. A portion of this funding has been allocated for three projects:Formula based grant program, NLC Library Improvement Grants, and NLC Youth Grants for Excellence.
For more information about the 2021 American Rescue Plan, visit www.nlc.nebraska.gov/grants/arpa/index.aspx
Posted in General, Grants, Library Management, Programming, Public Relations, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged American Rescue Plan Act, ARPA, COVID, Grant, grants, Library improvement
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NCompass Live: Pretty Sweet Tech: Learn About TechGirlz & Inspire Girls in Your Community Today!
Learn how your library can work with TechGirlz to empower girls to be future technology leaders on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, January 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.
TechGirlz is a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire middle school girls to explore all the possibilities in technology to empower their future careers. They accomplish this mission through free, hands-on, project-based workshops called TechShopz. TechGirlz provides the curriculum, a playbook on how to run a workshop, marketing, and registration support to organizations that want to impact their community by leading a group of girls in a fun, interactive program. Join us to learn how your library can work with TechGirlz.
Presenter: Sara Neiman, Senior Specialist, Program Operations, TechGirlz.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Feb. 1 – A New Partnership to Provide Tax Preparation Services to Hard-to-Reach Taxpayers
- Feb. 8 – Accessibility Isn’t Just for Patrons! Internal Documentation for Everyone
- Feb. 15 – Digital Libraries as Digital Third Place: Virtual Library Programming
- Feb. 22 – Pretty Sweet Tech
- March 1 – 2023 One Book One Nebraska: ‘The Mystery of Hunting’s End’
- March 8 – Read the Rainbow: Serving the LGBTQ+ Community 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.
Posted in Education & Training, Pretty Sweet Tech, Programming, Technology, Youth Services
Tagged NCompLive, prettysweettech, techgirlz
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