Search the Blog
Categories
- Books & Reading
- Broadband Buzz
- Census
- Education & Training
- General
- Grants
- Information Resources
- Library Management
- Nebraska Center for the Book
- Nebraska Libraries on the Web
- 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
#BookFaceFriday “Furia: A Novel” by Yamile Saied Méndez
Calling all YA readers with this week’s #BookFaceFriday!
Attention! Attention, please! We have an announcement: Book clubs are not just for adults. That’s all, thank you for coming to my TED Talk. But seriously, here at NLC, we have Book Club Kits for a wide range of readers. From fiction to nonfiction, translated books to Nebraska authors, and kids chapter books to adult titles. One such YA title is “Furia: A Novel” by Yamile Saied Méndez (Algonquin Young Readers, 2020.) This title is a Reese Witherspoon & Hello Sunshine YA Book Club pick and was a recipient of the 2021 Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Medal. Whether your a school librarian, teen advisory group, or just looking to facilitate a summer reading group, we’re here for you. You can search our Book Club Kits collection by grade level or by choosing Young Adult in the Genre dropdown.
“Weaving rich cultural specifics and electric energy into her prose, Méndez crafts a dynamic, feminist narrative that commands attention from the very first line. At its core, this novel is a full-hearted love letter to Argentina and “incorrigible girls” everywhere, emboldening readers to stand up for themselves and chase the dreams they hold dear.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
Rules for Book Club Kits
- 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
This week’s model is NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Amanda Sweet! She’s our go-to model when a book cover needs a beautiful head of hair. Thank you, Amanda!
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, Book Club Kits, bookfacefriday, Furia, Reading, YA books, Yamile Saied Méndez
Leave a comment
#BookFaceFriday – “A Song Only I Can Hear” by Barry Jonsberg
If #BookFaceFriday were a mixtape.
With schools out for summer, librarians are just gearing up for our busiest season! You know what that means, Summer Reading Programs, teen and children’s book lists, and all the other ways libraries help combat the summer slide. So this week’s #BookFace is dedicated to you. Check out middle-grade read “A Song Only I Can Hear” by Barry Jonsberg (Simon & Schuster, 2020.) So whether you’ll be under the boardwalk, surfin’ USA, or spending your summer in the city, the library’s got something for you, like these Best Books lists for children and teens put together by Sally Snyder. 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. Public and school library staff are also welcome to stop by and select some titles for their library collections. We think this one would be a great addition to any library. Contact Sally Snyder for more information.
When Rob starts getting mysterious texts from an unknown number, he has to make a decision—stay under the radar, or risk being exposed in a way he’s not prepared for—in this “stirring” (Booklist) middle-grade novel that’s perfect for fans of Wonder.
This week’s #BookFace model is Hollin Attendola, one of our TBBS Reader Advisers.
Love this #BookFace & reading? We suggest checking out all the titles available in our Book Club collection, permanent collection, and Nebraska OverDrive Libraries. Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
$25,000 in Internship Grants Awarded to Nebraska Public Libraries
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 12, 2021
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Christa Porter
402-471-3107
800-307-2665
$25,000 in Internship Grants Awarded to Nebraska Public Libraries
Nebraskans will once again reap the benefits of the energy and creativity of Nebraska young people as they serve as interns in their local public libraries. The Nebraska Library Commission recently awarded Nebraska Library Internship Grants totaling $25,000 to twenty-four Nebraska public libraries. These internship grants will support public library interns who will contribute to the scope and value of the diverse programs and activities in Nebraska’s public libraries.
“The internships are a great opportunity for students to get involved in library work. Beyond earning money and gaining valuable work experience, the student is exposed to the broad range of library services and programming. Internships provide an opportunity for the student to view the library as a viable and satisfying career choice. In addition, interns bring a fresh perspective and their own unique talents to the library,” said Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner.
Student interns will learn about library work as they shadow staff, assist with day-to-day library operations, and implement special projects. Some of the activities that students will participate in include:
- plan and implement programs such as summer reading programs for all ages, story time sessions, book discussions, and teen/tween activities;
- assist with computer classes for adults and seniors;
- organize Makerspaces and Maker Clubs, as well as other STEAM learning activities, programs, and crafts;
- work with Summer Youth Outreach Services to provide Bookmobile services at locations throughout the city and county;
- facilitate partnerships with Doane University, the Bassett Old Feed Store Art Center, the Ponca State Park, and Nebraska Extension;
- assist with outreach events outside the library;
- update the library’s website and social media sites (Facebook, Pinterest, blogs, etc.) or in some situations designing and coding a new website;
- assist with circulation activities, book selection, and collection management; and
- work on newspaper digitization projects.
The following 24 Nebraska public libraries were awarded 2021 internship grant funding:
Hoesch Memorial Library, Alma
Atkinson Public Library
Rock County Public Library, Bassett
Bayard Public Library
Blair Public Library and Technology Center
Bridgeport Public Library
Central City Public Library
Clarkson Public Library
Clearwater Public Library
Columbus Public Library
Crete Public Library
Franklin Public Library
Kimball Public Library
Madison Public Library
Morrill Public Library
Norfolk Public Library
Cordelia B Preston Memorial Library, Orleans
Oxford Public Library
Papillion Sump Memorial Library
Plainview Public Library
Ponca Carnegie Library
Stromsburg Public Library
Verdigre Public Library
Kilgore Memorial Library, York
Additionally, three public libraries participating in the Library Innovation Studios: Transforming Rural Communities (LIS) project have also received 2021 internship grant funding. The interns hired in these libraries will primarily be working with this LIS makerspace grant. These libraries include:
Bellevue Public Library
McCook Public Library
Lied Randolph Public Library
Funding for the project is supported and administered by the Nebraska Library Commission, in partnership with the Nebraska Library Systems.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
Nebraska’s Regional Library Systems consist of four non-profit corporations governed by boards representative of libraries and citizens in the region. The four systems were established to provide access to improved library services through the cooperation of all types of libraries and media centers within the counties included in each System area.
###
The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
NCompass Live: Changing the Behavior Game: Build Relationships to Change the Culture of your Library
Learn how to ‘Build Relationships to Change the Culture of your Library’ by ‘Changing the Behavior Game’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, May 12 at 10am CT.
Learn how the chaos of one summer helped transform the way our library thinks about and works with kids and teens, using the skills of a social work practicum student and trauma-informed practices. Discover how a social worker or social work student can help in library work and how to find one, and walk away with trauma-informed approaches and simple relationship-building tools when working with the public.
Presenter: Erin Silva, Youth & Teen Services Librarian, North Liberty Library (IA).
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- May 19 – Going Solo in the Library
- May 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Nebraska Libraries on the Web: Updates & Getting Started
- June 9 – Mental Maintenance
- June 23 – Bedbugs in the Library?!
- July 7 – History Nebraska: Taking History Online
- July 21 – Accessing Census Data
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.
Friday Reads: The Oracle Code
I have discovered that part of my pandemic coping is more quick reads. For me, that means comics and graphic novels. Looking back over the last year, most of my Friday Reads have been graphic novels. Here’s another one I really enjoyed.
I like when I’m surprised by a book that isn’t what I thought it was going to be. The Oracle Code, written by Marieke Nijkamp and illustrated by Manuel Preitano, is a new story about Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, aka Oracle. But, it’s definitely not what you may be expecting. It’s not your typical superhero story.
Teenager Barbara Gordon has recently been accidentally shot and is paralyzed from the waist down. Her father, Commissioner Jim Gordon, has sent her to the Arkham Center for Independence to help her adjust to life in a wheelchair.
Barbara is struggling with her new situation, and at first pushes away any of the other teens who try to befriend her, clinging to her previous life and her friend outside the Center, Ben. But slowly, as she participates in her therapies and the other teens refuse to give up on her, she becomes more confident and makes new friends. The other teens at the center are a very diverse group, showcasing a range of disabilities, races, and genders.
But, something’s not right at the Center. Children are disappearing – the staff claim they have just moved on to other places for their therapy. But, Barbara is suspicious – her instincts tell her that they are being lied to.
And….is that a ghost?
Using her skills as a talented computer hacker, and with the help of Ben and the other residents at the Center, Barbara attempts to solve the mystery of what’s happening to the children. At the same time, Barbara works on her own puzzle of who she was, and who she is now.
The Oracle Code is an empowering story about Barbara overcoming her feelings of grief and anger to become a strong, independent heroine.
Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services
Tagged #FridayReads, Friday Reads, FridayReads
Leave a comment
Friday Reads: The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe
Nora (17) (not her real name) was rescued from her con-artist mother five years ago by her older half-sister, Lee. Nora was part of each con her mother planned and carried out. She was Rebecca, Samantha, Haley, Katie, and Ashley. Being each one taught her things that she will soon need. Five years of living with her sister, going to therapy, going to school, her boyfriend Wes, who is now her ex-boyfriend, may have taken some of her edge off, or not.
Nora, Wes, and Nora’s new love Iris (Nora is bisexual) meet at the bank to deposit the money their fund-raiser collected. Once in the bank they find themselves in the middle of a bank robbery, and things are not going well. There are two robbers, one the brains and the other is always quick to panic. Nora will need all of her skills to keep everyone safe: her friends, the teller, the guard, and a girl who was waiting for her father.
Each chapter heading notes the time, how long they have been captive, and what “weapons” they have. Some gruesome things happen, both in the past and in the present. Nora, Wes, and Iris were each abused as children and this situation brings out some of that. They each have found a way to survive and heal.
Tension is strong throughout the book. Nora maintains her cool and manipulates the robbers when she can. When one tactic doesn’t work, she changes to another. It is clear that everyone is in danger. She exudes confidence, but inside she knows everything can quickly go wrong.
Flashbacks occur regularly, filling the reader in on what Nora did with her mother, as she was each of the girls her mother created for her. These pages are slightly gray to stand out from the rest of the book.
This book will pull you in and not let go. It has continued to be on my mind since I read it earlier this month. It received a starred review from Booklist and Kirkus. It is written for grades 9 and up, and new adults might also pick it up off the shelf.
Sharpe, Tess. The Girls I’ve Been. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2021.
NCompass Live: Nebraska Writers Collective Spring Programs for Young Poets
Hear about the ‘Nebraska Writers Collective Spring Programs for Young Poets’ and the search for the first-ever Nebraska Youth Poet Laureate, on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, March 3 at 10am CT.
The Nebraska Writers Collective typically does their ‘Louder Than a Bomb: Great Plains Youth Poetry Festival’ each spring. For obvious reasons, we won’t be gathering in ballrooms to cheer on young poets, but we have some exciting new programs to make up for this:
- Working with Urban Word, the national group who coordinates the programs which made Amanda Gorman our country’s first National Youth Poet Laureate, we are going to name the first Nebraska Youth Poet Laureate.
- We are accepting videos by high school and junior high poets for a video poetry contest.
- We are accepting written poems by high school and middle school poets, offering prizes and publication in our ‘2021 Louder Than a Bomb’ anthology.
Join Matt Mason, Executive Director of the Nebraska Writers Collective and Nebraska State Poet, and Gina Tranisi, Program Director of the Nebraska Writers Collective, to hear all about what the Nebraska Writers Collective has planned for young poets in 2021.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- March 17 – Ways to Fill Your Shelves Without Draining Your Budget
- March 31 – Pretty Sweet Tech – How I Turned My Dad’s House Into a Smart Home Using Amazon Alexa Devices
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.
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2021 is tomorrow!
Small libraries! Awesome ideas! FREE!
Join us tomorrow for the 10th annual Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference. Registration is still open, so head over to the Registration page and sign up!
We have a great agenda for the day, with seven 50 minute sessions plus four 10 minute lightning round sessions.
Topics range from technology to programming to new roles for libraries as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 2021!
Small libraries! Awesome ideas! FREE Online Conference!
There’s only one week until Big Talk From Small Libraries 2021!
Check out the full schedule and register to join us next Friday, February 26.
Sponsored by the Nebraska Library Commission and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL), this free one-day online conference is aimed at librarians from small libraries; the smaller the better! Each of our speakers is from a small library serving fewer than 10,000 people. 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 BTSL2021
Leave a comment
#BookFaceFriday “Once Upon a Winter Day” by Liza Woodruff
We’re walking in a #BookFace wonderland!
After building a snowman, making an igloo, or taking part in a snowball fight, let the kids warm up with a mug of cocoa and a good book! Even if your local library branch is closed due to crazy winter weather, you always have access to a new read on OverDrive. From kid’s titles to recipe books, you can find a lot of reading options right from your own home, all you need is a library card. Check out “Once Upon a Winer Day” by Liza Woodruff, it’s available as an eBook from Nebraska OverDrive Libraries!
“It’s a richly narrative landscape—one that should inspire readers to venture outside and notice stories of their own.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive. 173 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 17,165 audiobooks and 28,972 eBooks. 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!
What’s Sally Reading?
ALA Youth Media Awards Were Announced January 25, 2921!
The American Library Association (ALA) announced the 2021 Youth Media Awards on Monday. You can see the lists on their press release. Or you may choose to visit the ALA’s site for this page that lists each award, to click on the one you are interested in to see the award winner and honor books listed. This year I did poorly in the number of awarded books I have read, so I already have a few that I missed on reserve at the library.
The Coretta Scott King Author Book Award was given to Before the Ever After by 
Jacqueline Woodson. It is told in free verse. ZJ’s (Zacharias Johnson, J.) father is a professional football star. A loving husband and father who would play with ZJ and his friends and loved music and laughter. That was Before.
Now his father is experiencing painful headaches and memory loss. Set in the early 2000s, when the study of the effects of many hits in football was just underway and we were beginning to realize concussions are dangerous. The reality of the father’s injuries is tough to see. Damage done cannot be changed. The resultant effects upon family and friends is both poignant and heartfelt.
This book is a good choice for grades 5 – 8.
(The Nebraska Library Commission receives free copies of children’s and young adult books for review from a number of publishers. After review, the books are distributed free, via the Regional Library Systems, to Nebraska school and public libraries.)
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services
Leave a comment
What’s Sally Reading?
ALA Upcoming Youth Awards and Newly Announced Lists
The American Library Association (ALA) will announce the Youth Media Awards (think Caldecott, Newbery, Coretta Scott King Awards and more) starting at 8 am CT next Monday, January 25. For the first time that I am aware of, they also have released several annual booklists early. They are:
Great Graphic Novels for Teens
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults
Check these lists out to see what you may already have in your collection.
One of the Top Ten titles for the “Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers” Continue reading
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services
Leave a comment
NCompass Live: Best New Children’s Books of 2020
Join us for the first FREE NCompass Live webinar of 2021, ‘Best New Children’s Books of 2020: Discovering New Books for the Young and the Young at Heart’ on Wednesday, January 6 at 10am CT.
Attendees will learn the best (we think) children’s books in the categories of: Picture Books (Story time faves), Non fiction, and Middle Grade fiction, that were published within the last year.
Presenters: Dana Fontaine, Librarian, Fremont High School; Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Jan. 13 – Tiny Spaces Bring Big Opportunity
- Jan. 20 – 2021 One Book One Nebraska: Prairie Forge: The Extraordinary Story of the Nebraska Scrap Metal Drive of World War II
- Jan. 27 – Pretty Sweet Tech
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.
Friday Reads: Bob by Wendy Mass
Confession: my son is a reluctant reader. This pains me both as a mother and a librarian. He was introduced to books as an infant, visited me at the library, was (and is) read to constantly, and there are books everywhere in our house. He can read just fine; it’s just not his preferred hobby. He’ll do whatever it takes to get through his daily 20 minutes of assigned reading and not a minute more. This is obviously a me-problem; what librarian doesn’t want their kid to know the joy of reading?
So I was pleasantly surprised when he voluntarily brought home a middle-grade novel this week. He will often check out a book about animals or cars, or just choose to read picture books aloud to his sister. But this week, he handed me Bob by Wendy Mass. “I heard it’s a good story.” Indeed, it is – I read it in early 2019 and it was a 2020/21 Golden Sower nominee. We are reading a couple of chapters a night (don’t want to exceed that 20 minute limit!).
Bob is the story of a small green creature, dressed in chicken suit, waiting not-so-patiently in a closet for his friend to return. That friend, Livy, has been gone for 5 years and when she does show up, she doesn’t remember Bob or the promise she made to him when she was 5 years old – to help him find his home. Now that they are reunited, they set off to figure out the mystery of Bob.
Bob may or may not kick off a lifelong affinity for the written word, but for this winter break at least, I’m going to savor each page read aloud by my favorite reluctant reader.
Mass, Wendy. Bob. Feiwel & Friends, 2018.
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services
Tagged #FridayReads, Book Review, Friday Reads, GoldenSowerAward, middle grade, read aloud, Wendy Mass
Leave a comment
#BookFaceFriday – “Home Alone”
Happy #BookFaceFriday Ya Filthy Animals!
“Guys, I’m eating junk and watching rubbish! You better come out and stop me!” Embrace this Christmas classic in a whole new way with “Home Alone: The Classic Illustrated Storybook” based on the story written by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus, and illustrated by Kim Smith (Quirk Books, 2015.) 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. Public and school library staff are also welcome to stop by and select some titles for their library collections. We think this one would be a great addition to any library. Contact Sally Snyder for more information.
“The Home Alone storybook, with artful, energetic illustrations by Kim Smith, is a kinder, gentler version of the movie.”—Shelf Awareness
Love this #BookFace & reading? We suggest checking out all the titles available in our Book Club collection, permanent collection, and Nebraska OverDrive Libraries. Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services
Tagged Book Covers, bookface, bookfacefriday, Childrens Books, Home Alone, Kim Smith
Leave a comment
Friday Reads: Shadow of the Batgirl
This probably isn’t the Batgirl you think it is.
Shadow of the Batgirl, written by Sarah Kuhn and illustrated by Nicole Goux, is another re-imagining of an iconic origin story, this time of the lesser known Batgirl, Cassandra Cain. I’ve read the previous comic series about Cassandra, and I’ve always enjoyed her more edgy style.
This version of Cassandra Cain is similar to her original story, but a bit lighter in tone. I still really liked this new take on her beginnings and evolution into Batgirl. And much of the story takes place in Gotham Public Library, which makes it a perfect read for the librarian in me!
Cassandra has been raised as an assassin, and she knows nothing of the world outside of her training. During an encounter where she is supposed to kill a man, she has a startling realization about herself and doesn’t follow through with her assignment. She runs away from her former life, determined to figure out who she is and who she wants to be.
With the help of ramen restaurant owner Jackie Fujikawa Yoneyama and librarian Barbara Gordon, Cassandra learns about her own past and tries to find out what happened to Batgirl, who has mysteriously disappeared. And Barbara just happens to use a wheelchair, which readers of another Batgirl may recognize. No spoilers!
This well-written stand-alone graphic novel leaves you wanting more. I hope to see this Cassandra Cain in the future.
Posted in Books & Reading, Youth Services
Tagged #FridayReads, Friday Reads, FridayReads
Leave a comment
NCompass Live: Best New Teen Reads of 2020
It’s time for Sally’s annual ‘Best New Teen Reads of 2020’! Join us on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, December 23 at 10am CT.
Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services at the Nebraska Library Commission, will give 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.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Dec. 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Video Production: Tools, Tips and Tricks
- Jan. 13, 2021 – Tiny Spaces Bring Big Opportunity
- Jan. 27, 2021 – Pretty Sweet Tech
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.
NCompass Live: Leading Teen Volunteers to Professional Development and Teen Agency
Learn about ‘Leading Teen Volunteers to Professional Development and Teen Agency’ on next week’s FREE NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, December 16 at 10am CT.
“Teen volunteer programs are pointless because I’ll spend all my time explaining tasks and they don’t commit anyway. It’s easier to do everything myself.”
Not so fast, friend! Learn a successful teen volunteering model that develops teen agency and benefits you! This primarily self-sustaining project-based teen volunteer program goes far beyond the Teen Advisory Board. Used wisely, your volunteer program will let you reclaim your time, develop your leadership skills, and keep teens involved.
Presenter: Amber Loveless, Assistant Community Library Manager, Queens Public Library at Queensboro Hill.
Upcoming NCompass Live shows:
- Dec. 23 – Best New Teen Reads of 2020
- Dec. 30 – Pretty Sweet Tech – Video Production: Tools, Tips and Tricks
- Jan. 13, 2021 – Tiny Spaces Bring Big Opportunity
- Jan. 27, 2021 – Pretty Sweet Tech
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 “The Postmistress” by Sarah Blake
Check the mail for this week’s #BookFaceFriday!
Here at the Library Commission, we think there’s nothing better than reading a great book and then getting to talk all about it! It’s the center of our annual student writing competition Nebraska Letters About Literature! We partner with the Nebraska Center for the Book to bring this reading and writing contest to students in grades 4-12 all across Nebraska. The idea is simple, we ask students to write a personal letter to an author, explaining how that author’s work changed the student’s way of thinking about the world or themselves. That’s it! Read, be inspired, and write back! The competition is open Nov.1 – Dec. 31, all contest information and the submission form can be found at centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html. Who knows, “The Postmistress” by Sarah Blake (Berkley Books, 2011) might just be one of those books that can change the way you think about the world!
“Great books give you a feeling that you miss all day until you finally get to crawl back inside those pages again. The Postmistress is one of those rare books. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. Sarah Blake seamlessly moves from inside one character to another, in a novel that reminds us of a time when the news traveled from post to paper to radio and that is how we learned about the world. The Postmistress made me homesick for a time before I was even born. What’s remarkable, however, is how relevant the story is to our present-day times. A beautifully written, thought-provoking novel that I’m telling everyone I know to read.”—Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help
This novel is available in eBook and Audiobook format through Nebraska OverDrive. 173 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 17,165 audiobooks and 28,972 eBooks. 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: Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
This novel is told in free verse and in the alternating voices of two almost 17-year-olds, who find out about each other and that they are half-sisters only after their father dies in a plane crash. Yahaira lives in New York with her parents and misses her father when he travels to the Dominican Republic every summer, she thinks it is for business. Camino lives with her aunt in the Dominican Republic and loves the summer since that is when her father is with her.
It includes their shock and grief at the loss of their father. The pain of overcoming the disappointment & betrayal they feel as they learn about his secret families; and realizing their futures are now at risk too.
It is also a celebration of family, and of the path to a hopefully better future for both daughters.
The author explains that it is a Dominican custom to clap when the plane lands the passengers back in the Dominican Republic.
Acevedo, Elizabeth. (2020). Clap When You Land. Quill Tree Books.
