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Tag Archives: NLC Staff
NLC Staff: Jo Mezger
Questions and answers with NLC’s newest Talking Book and Braille Reader’s Advisor, Jo Mezger, who started working with us in March 2024. Take a few minutes and get to know them with a few fun questions!
What was the last thing you googled?
What the Crumble Cookies were this week
What’s your ideal vacation?
Has to be good food, no early morning activities, and exactly the weather I planned
What do you do to relax?
Listen to music
Describe your first car?
My current car, a 2012 Toyota Corolla. I just tied the bumper on with zip ties
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Trampled by Turtles
What movie can you watch over and over again?
Akeelah and the Bee
What was the last book you read?
Vashti Bunyan Biography
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
Invisibility
What’s the last thing you do before you got to bed?
Play Stardew Valley video game
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Recovering people pleaser
What is your favorite comfort food?
Green bean casserole
What words or phrases do you overuse?
(Irrelevantly) “Well, me too”
What’s your most treasured possession?
My cats
On what occasion do you lie?
To keep things private
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
I’m neutral
Do you have any pets?
5 cats: Cowboy, Moon Face, Papaya, Teemo, and The Commodore
Favorite technology you could not live without?
My electric blanket
If you could get rid of one holiday – which one would you abolish?
The 4th of July
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pasta
If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, what would you call?
Mariame Kaba
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Can of chickpeas
Posted in General, Public Relations
Tagged Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Staff
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NLC Staff: Bailee Juroshek
Questions and answers with NLC’s Communications Office Specialist, Bailee Juroshek, who started working with us in February 2024. Take a few minutes and get to know her with a few fun questions!
What was the last thing you googled?
Baldur’s Gate 3 Honor Mode Enemy Stats
What’s your ideal vacation?
A good mix of fun and relaxation
What do you do to relax?
Hang out with friends and play video games or D&D
Describe your first car?
A 1989 green Subaru Legacy
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be…
Doing freelance art
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Fall Out Boy
What movies can you watch over and over again?
Easy A and Tangled
What was the last book you read?
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
What was the last movie you watched?
Deadpool & Wolverine
Three words that describe you?
Artistic, Nerdy, and Kind
What smell brings back great memories?
Sugar cookies
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
Teleportation
What’s the last thing you do before you got to bed?
Put on music or something to listen to
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Short but feisty
Do you have any tattoos?
Yes, the Disney Castle on my back
What is your favorite comfort foods?
Chocolate muffins, tiramisu, Italian soup
What words or phrases do you overuse?
Gotcha or Okey-dokie
What’s your most treasured possession?
A matching ring and necklace from my paternal grandmother, and a moon necklace from my partner Michael
On what occasion do you lie?
a) To be kind and b) Dealing with a weird stranger
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
Taylor Swift, Disney, and my own art
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
I hate them, then love them
Do you have any pets?
3 cats: Coco Bean, Lilith, and Azmodius (Azmo for short)
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Breakfast foods
If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, what would you call?
Brennan Lee Mulligan
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Soda, chips, and wine
Posted in General, Public Relations
Tagged Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Staff
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NLC Staff: Meet Andrew “Sherm” Sherman
Questions and answers with NLC’s Library Technology Support Specialist, Andrew Sherman AKA Sherm, who started working with us in December 2022. Take a few minutes and get to know him with a few fun questions!
What was the last thing you googled?
MapQuest to plan a trip to multiple libraries
What advice would you give your 21 year old self?
You never stop learning and you’ll be much happier if you embrace change
What’s your ideal vacation?
Hiking in the mountains or lying on a beach
What do you do to relax?
Reading, playing video games, and streaming shows at home – currently Fallout on Prime
Describe your first car:
A sweet 1967 Competition Orange Mustang Coupe with chrome Cragar wheels that my twin brother and I bought and shared.
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be …
Working as an IT Professional
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Black Sabbath
What movie can you watch over and over again?
Galaxy Quest
What was the last book you read?
A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
What was the last movie you watched?
Barbie on Max
What is a quote you live by?
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”
– Leonardo da Vinci
What is your proudest handyman moment?
Full kitchen and bathroom remodels of my homes
What phrase describes you?
Git-R-Done!
What smell brings back great memories?
My mom’s chocolate chip cookies
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
The ability to fly
What’s the last thing you do before you go to bed?
Plug in my phone and put it on the nightstand
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Patient to a point then Boom
Do you have any tattoos?
No
What is your favorite comfort food?
Just like the song. “I like mine with lettuce and tomata, Heinz 57 and french fried potatas. A big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer. Well good God almighty which way do I steer?!” Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffett
What words or phrases do you overuse?
Sweet! and Cool!
What’s your most treasured possession?
Memories of vacations with my family
On what occasion do you lie?
Answering I’m fine when people constantly asked me how I was doing after losing my 1st wife to breast cancer.
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
Stevie Nicks (love her!) and other singers and bands as they came and went
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
LOVE
Do you have any pets?
A corgi named Baxter and three cats named Minnie, Lucius, and Umbra
What is your guilty pleasure?
Ice cream
Favorite technology you could not live without?
My smartphone
If you could get rid of one holiday – which one would you abolish?
I enjoy all of the holidays
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pizza
If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, who would you call?
David Whyte – the author of Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words. His book was very comforting while grieving.
Posted in General, Public Relations
Tagged Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Staff
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NLC Staff: Meet Laura Mooney
Questions and answers with NLC’s Government Services Administrative Technician, Laura Mooney. Take a few minutes and get to know her with a few fun questions!
What advice would you give your 21-year-old self?
Don’t worry so much about what other people think.
What is your ideal vacation?
Somewhere I can be outside and enjoy nature, but also experience the history, and learn something new.
What do you do to relax?
Watch TV, go for walks, cooking, baking, and gardening. I also love styling vintage clothing and dressing up just for fun. I often spend evenings researching various topics and daydreaming or planning home and garden projects, travel, etc.
Describe your first car?
A silver Pontiac Sunbird
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be…
Traveling (if money were no object)
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Andy Gibb at the Oregon State Fair
What movie can you watch over and over again?
You’ve Got Mail
What was the last book you read?
Dark, Salt, Clear: Life in a Cornish Fishing Town by Lamorna Ash
What was the last movie you watched?
Tolkien
What is your proudest handyman moment?
Renovating the raised beds in my garden
Three words that describe you?
Quiet, curious, persistent
What smell brings back great memories?
The smell of grass rugs from my grandparent’s beach house
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
Teleporting
What’s the last thing you do before you got to bed?
Watch benign television
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Messy when tired
What is your favorite comfort food?
Peanut butter – Smuckers Natural Creamy
What words or phrases do you overuse?
Umm and Like
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
The Monkees
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
I didn’t have the opportunity to ride them as a kid but on my 40th birthday, I asked my dad and my husband to join me in riding a roller coaster at SeaWorld in San Diego.
Do you have any pets?
I grew up with dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens, ducks, and a cockatiel. My husband and I recently lost our cat Allie this past year.
What are your pleasures? (there are no guilty pleasures)
Dark chocolate
Favorite apps on your phone?
Texting and safari are probably most used. Instagram, podcasts, and Spotify are favorites.
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Mexican
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Yogurt, but peanut butter when I need to restock. I can never run out of peanut butter!
Posted in General, Public Relations
Tagged Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Staff
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NLC Staff: Meet Shoshana Patocka
Get to know NLC’s Cataloging Librarian, Shoshana Patocka. Take a few minutes and get to know her with a few fun questions!
What advice would you give your 21 year old self?
Keep working towards your goal, you’ll get there eventually
What’s your ideal vacation?
Disney World
What do you do to relax?
Take bubble baths
Describe your first car
A used, white Ford Escort that I didn’t learn to drive until I was 23
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be…
A professional organizer
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Green Day at the Ranch Bowl in Omaha
What movie can you watch over and over again?
La La Land
What was the last book you read?
The Finishing School series by Gail Carriger
What was the last movie you watched?
Return of the Jedi
What is your proudest handyman moment?
Replacing a door knob on the entrance to my duplex
What smell brings back great memories?
Cinnamon rolls and chili
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Quiet but deadly
Do you have any tattoos?
Yes – 2 – one on my wrist and one on my leg
What is your favorite comfort food when you are sick?
Chicken noodle soup
What’s your most treasured possession?
My cat Dharma
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
Love
Do you have any pets?
A gray and white cat named Dharma and a corgi named Charlie
What is your guilty pleasure?
Ice cream
Favorite technology that you could not live without?
My alarm clock
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Mac and cheese
If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, who would you call?
Carol Burnett
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Choceur Peanut Butter Cups from Aldi (Sooooooo good!)
NLC Staff: Meet Mackenzie Marrow
Questions and answers with NLC’s Library Technician, Mackenzie Marrow. They began working with us in April 2022. Take a few minutes and get to know them better with a few fun questions!
What was the last thing you googled?
World video game hall of fame
What’s your ideal vacation?
Somewhere completely different —
different landscape, different people —
breaking away from the norm
What do you do to relax?
Read, play video games, listen to podcasts
Describe your first car
Volkswagen Cabriolet Convertible – for two weeks and then I got a 2006 Subaru Impreza
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be…
Working with animals
What was the first concert you remember attending?
21 Pilots at the Bourbon Theater
What movie can you watch over and over again?
Three way tie: Big Eden, Pride and Prejudice (2005), Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
What was the last book you read?
Sula by Toni Morrison
What was the last movie you watched?
Starship Troopers (1997)
What is a quote that you live by?
“Icarus laughed as he fell”
What smell brings back great memories?
The smell of coffee on a cold day
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation, so I can visit all my friends who live far away
What’s the last thing you do before you go to bed?
Turn on my humidifier and a podcast at a low volume
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Gets confused easily
Do you have any tattoos?
No, but if the right opportunity were to arise, I might get one
What is your favorite comfort food when you are sick?
Popcorn and ice cream
What’s your most treasured possession?
A stuffed animal I got when I was born, Ting-Ting. It belonged to my brother but now it is mine
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
No posters but when I was in college, I had video game posters
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
I love a vintage wooden rollercoaster
Do you have any pets?
An eleven year old cat named Mittens
Favorite technology that you could not live without
My phone and video games
If you could get rid of one holiday, which one would you abolish?
Halloween
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Bread
If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, who would you call?
Jane Goodall
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Bananas
Posted in General, Public Relations
Tagged Mackenzie Marrow, Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Q and A, Staff
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NLC Staff: Meet Kayla Henzel
Questions and Answers with NLC’s Staff Assistant, Kayla Henzel. She started working with us in December 2018. Take a few minutes and get to know her better with a few fun questions!
What’s your ideal vacation?
Somewhere warm, tropical
What do you do to relax?
Watch TV
Describe your first car?
Shared a silver Kia SUV with my sister that was handed down from my dad
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be …
Working at the Humane Society or some kind of animal shelter.
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Winter Jam in Council Bluffs
What movie can you watch over and over again?
Anastasia
What was the last book you read?
The Chase: Trusting God with Your Happily Ever After by Kyle Kupecky , Kelsey Kupecky,
What was the last movie you watched?
The Purge
Three words that describe you?
Indecisive, funny, caring
What smell brings back great memories?
The smell of peppermint makes me think of Christmas and college
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
The ability to fly
What’s the last thing you do before you go to bed?
Check my phone
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
I can talk really loudly and not realize it
Do you have any tattoos?
2, one on my wrist and one on my finger
What is your favorite comfort food when you are sick?
Soup, chicken noodle or tomato
What’s your most treasured possession?
A dolphin bracelet that belonged to my cousin
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
Taylor Lautner and Justin Bieber
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
I hate them at first, but after I ride them I love them
Do you have any pets?
2 cats, Luna and Nero
What is your guilty pleasure?
Watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Favorite technology you could not live without?
My phone
If you could get rid of one holiday – which one would you abolish?
Thanksgiving
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pasta
If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, what would you call?
Selena Gomez
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Iced coffee
Posted in General, Public Relations
Tagged Kayla Henzel, Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Q & A, Staff
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NLC Staff: Meet Eric Saxon
Questions and Answers with TBBS Studio & Book Circulation Support, Eric Saxon. He started working with NLC in May of 2021. Take a few minutes and get to know him better with a few fun questions!
What was the last thing you googled?
Looking up the pronunciation of Coccidiosis
What advice would you give your 21 year old self?
Make your money in the early side of life and retire early, as early as possible
What’s your ideal vacation?
Not too far away, not too close, and cheap
What do you do to relax?
Walk my dog
Describe your first car?
A royal blue 1993 Honda Civic
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be…
Working in a museum or archives
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Social Distortion at the New Daisy Theatre in Memphis, TN
What movie can you watch over and over again?
This Is Spinal Tap
What was the last book you read?
The Unexpected Universe, by Loren Eiseley
What was the last movie you watched?
The Alpinist
What is your proudest handyman moment?
I fixed our dryer
What smell brings back great memories?
The smell of roasting jalapenos
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
The ability to stop time for the world while I can keep moving
What’s the last thing you do before you got to bed?
Text friends especially in other countries/time zones
Do you have any tattoos?
I have a pencil lead tattoo
What is your favorite comfort food?
Mashed potatoes
What words or phrases do you overuse?
Sounds good
On what occasion do you lie?
When I’m tired
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
Torn out pictures of insects, jewel beetles, and a No Bozos poster
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
Love
Do you have any pets?
Yes – a Bernese mountain dog named Pepper
What is your guilty pleasure?
Throwing rocks through ice
Favorite technology you could not live without?
Running water
If you could get rid of one holiday – which one would you abolish?
National Mayonnaise Day
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Granola
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Fresh garlic
NLC Staff: Meet Laura Stueck
Questions and Answers with our Accountant, Laura Stueck. She started working with the NLC in September of 2019. Take a few minutes and get to know her better with a few fun questions!
What was the last thing you googled?
Valentino’s delivery
What’s your ideal vacation?
somewhere with no schedule
What do you do to relax?
workout and watch reality television
Describe your first car?
A red Ford Mustang
What was the first concert you remember attending?
AC/DC
What movie can you watch over and over again?
several – Friday, Forest Gump, Blind Side, and Save the Last Dance
What was the last book you read?
Fifty Shades of Grey
What was the last movie you watched?
I Still Believe
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
to be able to fly
What’s the last thing you do before you got to bed?
play games on my phone
Do you have any tattoos?
no
What is your favorite comfort food when you are sick?
ice cream
What’s your most treasured possession?
My son Devin – age 24
On what occasion do you lie?
when my son asks me for money
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
pictures of horses and Bobby Sherman
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
no
Do you have any pets?
no
What is your guilty pleasure?
ice cream – I eat the whole container at once
Favorite technology you could not live without?
television
If you could get rid of one holiday – which one would you abolish?
Christmas
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Salads
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Jalapeno peppers
Posted in General
Tagged Laura Stueck, Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Staff
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NLC Staff: Meet Amy Irons
Questions and Answers with Talking Book and Braille Circulation Technician, Amy Irons. She started working with the NLC in August of 2019. Take a few minutes and get to know her better with a few fun questions!
What was the last thing you googled?
Horse Creek Adventures
What advice would you give your 21 year old self?
It’s okay if you don’t have it figured out yet
What’s your ideal vacation?
Mountains and forest
What do you do to relax?
Art: paint, draw, sew, cross stitch
Describe your first car?
A 1987 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Station Wagon with wood paneling. It was white and her name was Billy
What was the first concert you remember attending?
All for One at the Nebraska State Fair
What movie can you watch over and over again?
Sleepless in Seattle, While You Were Sleeping, The Princess Bride
What was the last book you read?
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
What was the last movie you watched?
Birds of Prey
What is your proudest handyman moment?
I installed ceiling fans
Three words that describe you?
Weird, silly, and kind
What smell brings back great memories?
Pine trees and Christmas
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
The power to heal
What’s the last thing you do before you got to bed?
Make the rounds in my house to make sure all the doors and windows are locked and then snuggle with my dog
Do you have any tattoos?
Yes – seven
What is your favorite comfort food when you are sick?
Miso soup
What words or phrases do you overuse?
She was not fragile like a flower, she was fragile like a bomb
What’s your most treasured possession?
My son – Bodhi – age 11
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
Lisa Frank’s unicorns and dolphins
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
Love
Do you have any pets?
One fat unruly cat named Girl Girl and a dog named Cora who is the sweetest girl that ever lived.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Taco Bell
Favorite technology you could not live without?
The Internet
If you could get rid of one holiday – which one would you abolish?
Columbus Day
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Sushi
If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, what would you call?
Lizzo
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Mio
NLC Staff: Meet Matt Hier
Questions and Answers with NLC’s Audio Production Studio Manager, Matt Hier. He started working with the NLC in our Talking Book & Braille Department in October 2019. Take a few minutes and get to know him better with a few fun questions!
What was the last thing you googled?
I was unfamiliar with shoepeg corn that appeared in a recipe
What’s your ideal vacation?
Traveling to cities – New York, Chicago, and Seattle are my favorites
What do you do to relax?
Curl up with a cup of coffee and a good book
Describe your first car?
Red 1989 Ford Probe
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be …
Working in a radio station
What was the first concert you remember attending?
Sweet 98’s Sweetstock at Westfair Amphitheater in Council Bluffs
What movie can you watch over and over again?
Back to the Future
What was the last book you read?
Normal People by Sally Rooney
What was the last movie you watched?
The Matrix
What is a quote you live by?
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Three words that describe you?
Reserved, hardworking, and empathetic
What smell brings back great memories?
Scents of fall: apple cider, caramel corn at a pumpkin patch, cinnamon
If you could have one superpower what would it be?
To fly
What’s the last thing you do before you got to bed?
Read
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Less cranky than appears
Do you have any tattoos?
No, I’m not opposed to them but I am indecisive and would almost certainly regret my decision
What is your favorite comfort food?
Mac and cheese
What words or phrases do you overuse?
Fantastic
On what occasion do you lie?
Only when it will hurt someone’s feelings if I tell the truth and it does not matter
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
I love theme parks but not giant rollercoasters
Do you have any pets?
No
What is your guilty pleasure?
80’s pop music
Favorite technology you could not live without?
Streaming television shows and movies
If you could get rid of one holiday – which one would you abolish?
4th of July because I don’t like loud noises
If you could only eat one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Italian food
If you could call anyone in the world and have a one-hour conversation, who would you call?
Michael J. Fox
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Frozen pizza
NLC Staff: Meet Hollin Attendola
Questions and Answers with NLC Reader’s Advisor, Hollin Attendola. They started working with the NLC in our Talking Book & Braille Department in August 2018. Take a few minutes and get to know them better with a few fun questions!
Last thing you googled?
Nebraska Primary
What’s your ideal vacation?
Driving up the Pacific West Coast Highway in Oregon, staying in cabins in state parks.
What do you do to relax?
Embroidery – right now working on something my grandmother started to give to my mom for her upcoming birthday.
If I weren’t working in a library, I’d be …
in school to become a professor teaching Creative Writing
What movie you can watch over and over again?
Mad Max: Fury Road
What was the last book you read?
Underland by Robert Macfarlane
What was the last movie you watched?
The Half of It
Three words that describe you?
Funny, charismatic, and interesting
What smell brings back great memories?
An early summer morning with dew on the grass and a cool breeze – this reminds me of my childhood
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Shapeshifting
What’s the last thing you do before you go to bed?
Pet my cats
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Caution – may contain many tangents
Do you have any tattoos?
Not yet
What is your favorite comfort food when you’re sick?
Chicken noodle soup
What’s your most treasured possession?
I love my 1988 Ford Ranger truck with almost 400,000 miles on it (the engine was rebuilt!).
What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
Art posters of dragons, dolphins, and wolves
Do you love or hate roller coasters?
I have a love/hate relationship with roller coasters – because I almost passed out on a roller coaster once
Do you have any pets?
Two cats – Bourbon and Edgar
What is your guilty pleasure?
Reality TV dating shows
Favorite technology you could not live without?
My cell phone
If you could get rid of one holiday, which one would you abolish?
Arbor Day and Columbus Day
If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Oreo Milkshakes
What do you get every time you go to the grocery store?
Cheese
NLC Staff: Meet Gabe Kramer
Gabe Kramer: The Accidental Librarian
Meet Gabe Kramer who joined the Library Commission staff ten years ago and recently became Talking Book & Braille Service Director. Gabe grew up in Wahoo and graduated from Wahoo High School. He attended UNL earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcasting and completed his Master’s Degree in Library Science this past December from the University of Missouri. As a kid, Gabe remembers reading all the Goosebumps books and his first Stephen King book in 5th grade. As an adult, Gabe prefers nonfiction and is currently reading John Adams by David McCullough. Gabe estimates for every fiction book he reads, he reads two nonfiction. Stephen King is his favorite author. Gabe’s library also includes a substantial music collection featuring David Bowie, Nirvana, Kanye West, and Radiohead.
Prior to working in libraries, Gabe worked at Dairy Queen, the UNL Parking and Transit Department, and produced the broadcasts for the Lincoln Stars and the Lincoln Saltdogs. Gabe submitted an application for several jobs with the State of Nebraska and received a call to interview for the Library Commission. He does not remember applying specifically for a job at the Library Commission but happily, his application made him a good candidate making Gabe an accidental librarian. When he isn’t busy juggling the many staff shortages his department has been dealt recently, he likes to play basketball and spend time at home with his family listening to music and playing video games.
Gabe is married to Jenny and together they have a 9-year-old daughter, Ella. When I asked Gabe what is the best thing about life in Nebraska, he replied, “Jenny keeps me here.” A perfect day for Gabe is one with lovely weather, no chores, and plenty of time to do whatever he wants. If Gabe won the lottery, travel would be the first priority with the goal of filling all the pages of his passport book with custom stamps. Two trips to Japan to visit his mother’s family has whetted his appetite to see more of the world. Accidental or otherwise, we’re grateful Gabe joined the staff at the Library Commission.
NLC Staff: Meet Tan Ngo
The Nebraska Library Commission welcomed Tan Ngo (pronounced Go) in June of 2015 as an accountant. Tan was born in Binh Dinh, Vietnam and immigrated to the United States with her husband sixteen years ago. Even though she had completed three years of teacher education classwork in Vietnam, it wasn’t recognized in the United States so she began again. First she completed a yearlong ESL class and then completed a degree from Southeast Community College in Accounting. She graduated from UNL with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Finance and just last year, achieved her Master’s Degree from UNL in Professional Accountancy. Tan credits her parents for instilling a value of education in her. In addition, her mother-in-law helped and supported Tan through the years of working, raising a family, attending classes, and completing coursework.
Before working for the Library Commission, and while attending school, Tan held many part time jobs including working as: a banquet server at the Cornhusker Hotel, a waitress at Eastmont Towers, a cafeteria worker at Lincoln Public Schools, an assembly line worker at Molex, and as a cashier at Russ’s Market. These experiences helped propel Tan to complete her education. Tan also worked full time for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services (now State Accounting.) When I asked Tan what she thinks about working at the Library Commission, she says it is a very friendly and a supportive place to work.
As a young girl growing up in Vietnam, libraries were not free and required both membership and borrower fees which were prohibitive to her family. One way she read books was borrowing them from her friends. As an adult committed to spending time with her children, she reads the same books with her daughter and son.
Tan shares her home with her husband Duc, her daughter Vi, her son Khang, and her mother-in-law Tung Le. Duc is the oldest of 12 children and the gathering place for all of the family is Tan’s home, so a full house often totals upwards of 45 people. Husker football is often the focus of family events. Tan is also a Husker Volleyball fan and is fortunate to have a friend with season tickets so she can attend games in person. Life in Nebraska could be warmer but Tan says she likes the lack of traffic and ability to get around easily. Tan and her family returned home for her brother’s wedding this summer, closing a 5 year gap since her last visit. If Tan could have dinner with anyone famous, she easily answered, “I would want to have dinner with my Aunt who is 70 years old and lives in Vietnam. Family is the most important thing to me.”
If Tan didn’t have to work, travel would be her priority. First on her list of destinations would be Alaska to see the aurora borealis. As a young girl, Tan considered being a flight attendant most importantly for the travel benefits. The perfect day for Tan would include staying home with family, sleeping, and watching Vietnamese dubbed movies from Hong Kong. Tan’s exercise of choice is running and currently she and her son are completing a 9 week cardio program together.
One of the most challenging things Tan has achieved is learning English. Tan and her family speak Vietnamese at home and English at work and at school. At work, one of Tan’s accomplishments has been cheerfully teaching Commission employees to use the online payroll system. We are very proud of Tan and are grateful she has chosen to work at the Library Commission.
#BookFaceFriday – “Pope Joan”
#BookFace– the woman, the myth, the legend!
“For a thousand years her existence has been denied. She is the legend that will not die–Pope Joan, the ninth-century woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to become the only female ever to sit on the throne of St. Peter…in this riveting novel, Donna Woolfolk Cross paints a sweeping portrait of an unforgettable heroine who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept.”
“Pope Joan” by Donna Woolfolk Cross (Ballentine Books, 2009) is this week’s #BookFaceFriday selection. Based on the legend of the only women to hold the papal throne, it is the “dramatic story of a woman whose strength of vision led her to defy the social restrictions of her day”. This novel a part of our NLC Book Club Kit collection, and it’s the perfect choice for book clubs that like historical fiction.
“Pope Joan has all the elements one wants in a historical drama–love, sex, violence, duplicity, and long-buried secrets. Cross has written an engaging book.”–Los Angeles Times Book Review
This week’s #BookFaceFriday model is our interim director of the Western Library System, Kathy Terrell!
Love this #BookFace & reading? We suggest checking out all the titles available for book clubs at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/ref/bookclub. Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
Posted in Books & Reading
Tagged bookface, bookfacefriday, books, Fiction, Nebraska Library Commission Staff, NLC Staff, Reading
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NLC Staff: Jerry Breazile
Meet NLC’s Business Manager, Jerry Breazile
(pronounced Brazil), he joined the Nebraska 
Library Commission staff as the Business Manager in 2014. Jerry was born in Nebraska City and raised in Auburn, Nebraska. As a young boy, Jerry built his own Newtonian reflector telescope and once thought of majoring in astronomy until he learned there would be a dearth of jobs in that field. After graduating from Auburn High School, Jerry attended one year of college at Peru State and worked at Hinky Dinky to pay for tuition. However, as a newly married person the need to a be a provider outweighed the need for school, so Jerry began working full time at the grocery store and ceased his student life.
After ten years at Hinky Dinky, the union was “busted” and Jerry lost his job. He subsequently went to work driving a forklift at a metal fabrication plant to make ends meet. While Jerry was reconsidering his life choices, his sister-in-law encouraged him to return to school and fund his education using something called “student loans.” He re-enrolled at Peru State College and, during this course of study, worked towards degrees in Economic Development and Business Management; at the time, PSC was one of only three schools in the country that offered a bachelor’s degree in E.D. An influential professor (and retired business developer) named Robert Shively helped Jerry apply for and receive scholarships and introduced him to faculty. In his senior year, Jerry was hired as a Staff Assistant to the V.P. of Administration and Finance for Peru State College.
Jerry graduated with his degrees and was promoted to Assistant to the President under Dr. Robert Burns. He later became the Director of the Nebraska Business Development Center at PSC, helping over 200 companies apply for business loans in the seven years of his tenure. Federal funding for SBA was discontinued so Jerry next worked as Assistant Materiel Manager for Armstrong Cabinets in Auburn.
Jerry left Armstrong after a few months to work a grant funded position as an economic developer at ESU 5 in Beatrice for a year until the funding source ended. During his subsequent six or seven months of unemployment, Jerry wrote two novels and signed with a literary agency in New York; unfortunately, his agent insisted that he reduce his first novel from 200,000 words to 80,000, and Jerry had a snit and ended his contract with the agency. The novels remain on a flash drive, waiting to be properly edited. Jerry eventually found employment at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution and was there for three months as a unit case worker before becoming Business Manager at the Diagnostic and Evaluation Center in Lincoln. During his time at DEC, Jerry received his Master’s Degree in Organizational Management through tuition assistance from the state of Nebraska. Jerry’s next position was at the Nebraska Library Commission.
Jerry has eclectic reading tastes but enjoys the classics and history. He says he wishes he had more time to read fiction. If Jerry were to switch jobs, he would be interested in returning to a career in college administration. If he won the lottery and no longer needed to work, he would travel extensively– first to Ireland. Jerry is married to Teresa and together they have four children: Melissa, Trent, Charlotte, and Nicole. The best things about living in Nebraska are the four seasons, the tradition of firing college football coaches, and the equal distance to both coasts.
Tracking our reading: a conversation
Here at the Nebraska Library Commission, we talk about books A LOT. Surprised? Nah, we aren’t either.
Last week, Lisa Kelly and I chatted with our Online Services Librarian, Susan Kniseley, about our respective habits of tracking our books read, how we got started, and why we continue to do it.
SK: So both of you have indicated that you track the books you read each year. How long ago did you start keeping track of your reading? Also, can you share a bit about the mechanism you use? (I feel so NPR!)
LK: I started about 15 years ago when I made a new year’s resolution to read a book a week, because I wanted to be more intentional about my reading habits and to note my accomplishment when I finished. I use an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my books. You are SO NPR Susan!
AO: I track primarily through Goodreads because it was used by a reading group I was in. I’ve been doing it for about 6 years. I am sure I used to keep paper lists earlier in life, but only sporadically. This year I am also going to track in my bullet journal (a customizable planner/diary/to-do list).
SK: What sort of information do each of you track about the books you read? Do you just list title/author, or do you include more information, like number of pages? Do you rate it?
LK: Over the years, I’ve definitely increased the number of audio books I consume – so I note when I read text vs listen, when I finish,if it was for a book club assignment and if it was part of series. No page numbers, no ratings, but I do include if someone recommended it – or other facts I think are important – like if my co-worker Susan and I read it together.
AO: I keep track of why I’m reading them on Goodreads, through the various “shelves” you can designate – if it’s for Golden Sower, reading aloud to my kids, something I need to know more about for reader advisory purposes, books on parenting, etc. Also the date I finished. I don’t designate audio versus print – I can’t tell the difference in my mind once I’m done. I do rate books, but I don’t worry about page numbers. And I’m a generous book-rater – I like most!
SK: So Lisa, since you are using Excel, do you ever play around with sorting, assuming you track information in different cells? (Awww, that’s so sweet Lisa. I’m part of your system!)
LK: No data collection of any sort- I just list the books so I can keep track, and note if I’m running behind and need to crack the whip to hit 52 before 12/31.
SK: And Aimee, is there a rating system you use in Goodreads, or do you make up your own? Do you write comments?
AO: They have a 5 star rating system, with 3 being “liked it”, 4 “really liked it”, 5 “loved it”. I am not even sure what 1-2 are because I don’t use them. If I’ve finished a book, I like it well enough to read to the end. I don’t write comments often, but I love to read them!
LK: Are you two aware of other folks who keep book lists?
AO: I have a lot of friends (real-life friends) that are also on Goodreads, so it’s nice to see what other people are reading at the same time.
LK: Does that affect your reading selections?
AO: Reading selections, no – I will note if they’ve read something I’ve already read, but I don’t usually get my ideas from there.
LK: Do you think it’s a boastful activity? The list keeping? Or do others view it that way?
AO: Sometimes, sure, but it’s generally just like everything else on social networking these days – we just overshare. And I think anything that encourages reading in our over-scheduled world is good – even boasting!
SK: Not necessarily boastful. And I knew Lisa kept a list, but I don’t recall her ever saying anything about it in terms of number of titles read.
LK: LOL — I don’t tell many people that I keep track. When I asked my book group if they kept lists, they said no – but concluded it would have been helpful when they started reading a book they’d already read (or already purchased). I do consult my lists when I’ve had to (gasp) skip over series titles (Jack Reacher) and need to fill in the blanks.
SK: I follow a vegan cooking person who I don’t know personally. She never talks about much except vegan cooking, but every year she posts a list of books she’s read. It’s neat to see this different aspect of her life.
LK: I like that Susan – it is a bit of a thumbprint of sorts, don’t you think?
AO: Agreed – it’s not why you follow them, but it does make them more human in your mind.
SK: It’s nice to know people read in their private life.
LK: It’s a bit like looking at someone’s books on their shelves when you visit their house.
SK: So Lisa mentioned keeping on track to reach 52 books by 12/31. Do you both have reading goals? If so, how have they changed?
AO: I did a Goodreads annual challenge several years ago, and have done one ever since. It used to be 100-120 books a year, but the last two years I’ve dropped back to 52-60.
SK: So here’s another thing I wondered about. Has the act of keeping a list had any impact on your reading life? Has it changed how or what you read in any way?
AO: Well, other than reading an occasional poetry book just for a quick score on my tally, I don’t think it has. I started keeping track because I needed to read certain books for the Golden Sower committee, but I would have been reading those regardless, and my “adult” book preferences haven’t changed.
LK: I can’t say the list has changed me – being in a book group has pulled me in different reading directions – but I feel satisfaction in looking at old lists and one one book can often naturally lead to another, i.e. Ruth Bader Ginsberg lead to Gloria Steinem. Richard Miller and I both said this last night at book group, age has lead us to read more bios, more nonfiction, and I’d say that’s true for me. But, I still adore my series authors.
SK: So when you look back over your entire list, stretching back several years, do you find anything noteworthy? Do you notice trends or changes? Does it seem to reflect anything in your life?
LK: Probably nothing worth putting into a paragraph other than the satisfaction of keeping a goal for many years – and that feels a bit like getting an A on your report card.
AO: My interests have changed – more books about parenting now (or complaining about parenting might be more accurate? Mommy-lit rather than chick-lit).
SK: So Aimee, do you feel the same satisfaction with hitting a goal that Lisa feels? In terms of number of title read in a year?
AO: I did when I read 100-120. I felt rather lazy last year with only 52 (I think I actually read 60 or so).
SK: So do you both record every single book you read? Or do you occasionally leave something off your list? If so, why?
LK: Since my lists are private – I don’t leave anything off. I think the act of the list is rather like a report card, showing progress, and a type A person like me gets enjoyment out of the process of tracking something.
AO: I can’t think of the last one I left off the list; I am pretty sure I list them all. Sometimes there is a book that I feel self-conscious about reading for whatever reason, but I figure no one is paying any more attention to what I’m reading than I am to their lists.
SK: That’s one of the reasons I stopped using Goodreads – I’m sure I could have figured out privacy settings, but I didn’t want to take the time, and I wasn’t sure I wanted all my books showing up to “friends” that I might not know well.
LK: Aimee – do you think you’ll always keep book lists?
AO: In one way or another – I enjoy having the history to look back on.
Thanks for reading through our ramblings! Do you keep track of your reading, online or elsewhere? Feel free to leave us a comment and join in the conversation.
NLC Staff: Meet Cynthia Nigh
Meet Cynthia Nigh who joined The Library Commission staff this past August as a Project Assistant for the Library Innovation Studios Grant. Cynthia was born in Reedsburg, Wisconsin where her father worked for Amour Meats and later Dubuque Pack. Every morning he would receive a call with the market prices on the party line early and neighbors on the same party line soon learned what valuable information was being conveyed. Cynthia attended West Delaware Community High School in Manchester, IA and because of an influential Art Teacher named Mr. Renfrow, she applied for and was awarded an Art Scholarship to attend the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Cynthia also attended Hawkeye Technical College for Commercial Art in Waterloo, IA.
As a young girl, Cynthia describes her reading habits as constant. She remembers fondly the number of scholastic books she and her sisters would order. A childhood favorite was Once and Future King by T. H. White. A Course in Miracles is another important book to Cynthia as her copy was given to her by her father. The value of this book for Cynthia is that “it helped me look at the world more peacefully.”
Cynthia says the best thing about working in a library is being amongst the stacks. She describes her own house as a library so close proximity to a collection of books is a comfort. The most challenging thing about this position is learning to operate each machine acquired for the grant; what supplies each machine requires; and writing operating manuals for library staff. Apart from work, Cynthia enjoys working in her garden, cooking, and canning with the bounty from her labor. If she could have dinner with anyone she would like to dine with Oprah but not at Cynthia’s house, in a neutral location.
If she won the lottery and no longer had to work, she might pursue more fully her interest in mycology – the study of mushrooms. She might also enjoy fully implementing a craft studio where she could be creative and perhaps a small business could emerge for selling her projects. Cynthia shares her home with her two sons, Dylan and Paul in addition to two rescue cats named Bonnie and Chloe. Because of her Iowa background, I asked what distinguishes life in Nebraska and she answered, Nebraskans are a little wilder and exhibit more freedom in their choices compared to the tucked in manner of Iowans. A perfect day for Cynthia would be laying around watching movies and binge watching Netflix titles. Welcome to Cynthia!
JoAnn McManus: Nebraska Excellence in Leadership
JoAnn McManus (nee Jedlicka) was recently selected as a co-recipient of the Library Commission’s state of Nebraska Excellence in Leadership recognition award. She joined the Nebraska Library Commission in 2010 to work on the Library Broadband Builds Nebraska Communities Project funded through the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). Currently, she is working with the Library Innovation Studios Project (funded through an IMLS grant) with a team of Library Commission staff.
JoAnn grew up on a farm just outside of Schuyler, NE and is one hundred percent Czechoslovakian. She graduated from Schuyler Central High School and is the youngest of thirteen children. Her mother was also from a family of thirteen. JoAnn was named after her first cousin, who was a child movie star named JoAnn Marlowe (Mares) who’s most famous picture was Mildred Pierce amongst the ten to her credit.
JoAnn earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and is a Graduate of the Economic Development Institute from the University of Oklahoma. She also completed coursework in Grant Writing and Research from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. JoAnn has held various positions, many in the economic development field and almost all in the area of project or grants management. Most of the organizations JoAnn worked for served counties throughout the state including NPPD, Nebraska Departments of Economic Development, and the Nebraska Department of Labor so JoAnn has done her share of traveling to Nebraska communities. JoAnn says the most challenging thing about her current assignment is that there is so much to do in a concentrated amount of time especially in the first few months. Luckily there are others on the team that are going through these same challenges to move the project forward. The best thing about working with librarians is serving Nebraska in a different way than in her former jobs,
If JoAnn could have dinner with anyone she would like to dine with Warren Buffett and should a winning lottery ticket find its way to her possession, she would retire and begin traveling with Hawaii and Ireland being top of her list. When she is not working at the Commission, JoAnn enjoys going to estate sales and is drawn to buying pretty objects. She has one case and two booths at the Aardvark Antique Mall and her family is always surprised when what looks like a useless purchase actually sells. JoAnn won’t be quitting her day job anytime soon, selling ‘treasures’ pencils out as more of a hobby.
JoAnn is married to Brian McManus and together they have a son Daniel. They also share their home with one cat named M&M. A perfect day would include spending time with her family enjoying adventures together. Congratulations JoAnn!
NLC Staff: Meet Jan Jolliffe
Meet Jan Jolliffe who is the new System Director for the Western Library System.
Jan was born in Corsicana, Texas and is a graduate of Corsicana High School. Jan then attended the University of Houston in London, study abroad program, and was able to travel throughout Europe and Great Britain studying French, Literature, and Architecture. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, she was en route to Peru to become an archaeologist but she opted for marriage and children instead. In 1990 she began working towards her MLS Degree at Texas Woman’s University in Denton while she was expecting her first child. She still has the signed poetry book given to her by one of her first children’s literature professors. She completed her degree in 1993. She found her way to librarianship by applying the same principle that brought her to anthropology, a desire to work in the community with cultural groups; a librarian could offer a great deal to all age groups and sectors.
As a young girl, Jan attended James L. Collins Catholic School in Corsicana which had its own thriving library. She read the Little House books and all the classic children’s titles. One of the first books that captured her heart was Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. Her teacher read this book aloud to the class and from that time on, Jan was a captive library user. As a librarian, Jan has read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory many times and has used it for several book club discussions. As an adult reader, she lists the authors Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir, and Diana Gabaldon as some of her favorite authors. Because she shares a birthday (June 6th) with Cynthia Rylant, and YA Authors Sara Dessen and V.C. Andrews, those are also favorites. Her favorite genre is historical fiction and will read anything history related regarding London and Europe. Jan describes a perfect day as one that is stormy outside while she reads inside next to a fireplace in a comfortable chair.
Jan has worked in various jobs from the library at Frito Lay to small publics and very large school districts in the states of Texas and Washington. Jan credits her director at Ennis, Texas Independent School District, Kay Weathers, for teaching her the nuts and bolts of librarianship. In 2010, Jan moved back to Texas and was contemplating Law School. She took paralegal courses for 2 years and volunteered for an Immigration and Bankruptcy Attorney at El Centro Community College in Dallas. This got her a position at L.G. Pinkston High School, a school with a Law Magnet Program, and later transferred to Skyline High School with 4,500 students.
Book Face Friday photo – Jan Jolliffe
How did Jan get to Nebraska? When she was 17 years old, she visited Scottsbluff with Pat Jolliffe, a dashing young pilot from Scottsbluff that she met at age 16, when he had attended flight school in Corsicana where his uncle was an aeronautics instructor. She knew that Scottsbluff was where she wanted to live when she saw the Wildcat Hills. Thirty-two years after their first meeting they reconnected, Jan and Pat were married this past December. She says she knows this is where she was always meant to be. As she says: “this area called my name.” Of course, she misses her family and friends who are still in Texas and also misses the euphemisms, most especially y’all which is properly, all y’all.
When Jan isn’t working in a library she enjoys tennis and is learning to play golf. She has 2 grandchildren and they are a big part of her life. She describes herself as an artsy-crafty person and loves to create photography books because they document history. She enjoys traveling and looks forward to someday returning to that Edwardian era home that doubled as her college/dorm in Maida Vale, west London.
Jan says the best thing about working in in a library is the relationships that you make with the people, not just the ones you work with but also with the patrons you serve. It can be babies through the older generation, and when you make connections, they’re for life. When you work in a library it’s always a new day, no two days are the same. It’s amazing you get paid to do this, it’s not a real job, it’s more of a lifestyle, it’s who you are. Welcome to Nebraska Jan!
