Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF)

The FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) is a new, one-time $7.17 billion program included as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. It will help K-12 schools and public libraries provide the tools and services their communities need for remote learning during the COVID-19 emergency period. ECF will help provide relief to millions of students, school staff, and library patrons and will help close the Homework Gap for students who currently lack necessary Internet access or the devices they need to connect to classrooms.

For eligible schools and libraries, the ECF Program will cover reasonable costs of laptop and tablet computers; Wi-Fi hotspots; modems; routers; and broadband connectivity purchases for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons. The initial 45-day application window will be open from June 29, 2021 – August 13, 2021.

This recorded webinar provides an introduction and overview of the FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund.

Presenter: Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission.

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Joint Youth Services Retreat on September 2

This year the retreat will be held on Thursday, September 2, via Zoom, 1-5 pm.  Register here by August 31!

Presentations and workshops at the retreat will include:

1:00-1:50  American Indian Youth: Living and Learning in the Twenty-First Century with Dr. Barbara Buttes. 

With slides and video Dr. Buttes will introduce American Indians living, learning, working, and playing in today’s United States, while also providing background on American Indian experiences during colonization. Her presentation will weave in American Indian authors who have written about their lives in fiction and in non-fiction. 

1:55- 2:15 “Movin and Groovin” at the Library with Adina Bell 

How to create a fun storytime using music and movement! 

2:20-2:50 “Best” Children’s Books with Dana Fontaine and “Best” Teen Books with Sally Snyder 

This presentation will highlight a few of the very best children’s and teen books. A list of additional recommended books will be provided. 

2:55-3:25 Building Your Social-Emotional Core Strength with Sheila Palmquist 

Movement, breathing, and centering tools to deepen your connections. 

3:30-4:00 Author Talk with Sarah Prineas 

Sarah will speak for 20 minutes about her writing process and how she gets her ideas. Then she will take your questions. We encourage you to read one of her books beforehand, if you haven’t already. Her most recent book is Trouble in the Stars. 

4:10-5:00 Time for Networking 

This is your time to share ideas and successes, brainstorm solutions to problems, and more. 

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2021 Golden Sower Winners Announced

Picture Book

Winner: Crash, Splash, or Moo! by Bob Shea

Honor: This Is a Taco! by Andrew Cangelose, illus. by Josh Shipley             

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

Chapter Book

Winner: Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen by Candace Fleming, illus. by Eric Rohmann

Honor: Bob by Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead, illus. by Nicholas Gannon

Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce

Golden Sower Novel

Winner: Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Honor: Time Bomb by Joelle Charbonneau

Dry by Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman

Thank you to all of the 59,662 students who read the Golden Sower Award nominees this year and voted for their favorite book.  We would also like to express our thanks to all of the teachers, media specialists and librarians who promoted the books in their schools and libraries.  You help make the program a success!

Kathy Schultz
Chair, Golden Sower Award Committee

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We Have Three Winners!!!

Think way back to December 2020…I started a reading challenge called Snow Many Great Books! for all Nebraska residents ages 10 and older. Reading was completed by February 28, 2021. I was supposed to announce the winners in March. Life happened and I am now announcing the winners in April!

We had 459 people participate by reading at least one book. We had nearly 100 people finish the challenge by reading at least 8 books that fit one of the listed categories. The Most Popular Activity was to Read a Book in Bed Under a Blanket. No surprise there! The Least Popular Activity was to Read a Nonfiction Book About Winter. We had a total of 1,674 books read in our challenge!!!

And now the winners:

Marissa H.
Mary Ellen K.
Charlotte E.

I have email addresses for all the winners and I will contact them to ask for a physical address where I can send them each a $50 Visa Gift Card.

Thank you to all the participants.

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Library Assistant Position – Part Time

Maltman Memorial Library in Wood River is looking for a permanent part-time Library Assistant.  Must have technology skills and be willing to obtain a Nebraska Public Librarian Certificate through the Nebraska Library Commission. 

Pick up an application at the library and schedule an interview with Deb Fairbanks library director.  910 Main St. Wood River, (308) 583-2349. Open until filled.

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Book Repair on a Budget

Below is a link to the “Book Repair on a Budget” workshop that was held on Monday, April 19. During the workshop, I highlighted Kapco book repair products. Here is a link to their webpage. If you want to participate in the group order for book repair tools and supplies, please contact Kay in the System office by Friday, May 14, 2021. The supplies are already priced very competitively, but I will be contacting them to request a discount when I know the quantities we will be purchasing. Please expect to spend the website price and if I can get things for a little less that will be a bonus.

“Book Repair on a Budget” — https://youtu.be/t2iqRcD5T-I

Handout

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Using YA Literature to Inspire Teen Girls Interests in STEM

Do you find it difficult to include teens in your STEM or STEAM programs? Is it especially hard to find things that interest teenage girls? Join Dr. Melissa Cast-Brede as she shows you how to use YA Literature to inspire interest for all things STEM related in teens using literature!

Thursday, May 6, 2021
11am – 12pm
1 CE Credit

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/GmzQxXoNBWZ99WNA7

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Book Repair on a Budget Workshop

Join Denise Harders from the CPLS office as she shows you the ins and outs of book repair without blowing the budget. In this workshop, she will teach you how to master broken hinges, worn spines and torn pages like a pro using Kapco Book Repair products.

 Monday, April 19th, 2021
1pm
1 CE credit for participants


The System will be hosting a group purchase of Kapco products that you will learn about during the workshop. This will enable libraries who need to stock up on book repair items to do so at a discount.

Registration:  https://forms.gle/fe9RsDAxk24GVHNG8

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Central Community College Summer and Fall Classes for LIS

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Summer Reading Program Recordings

Great News!

The recordings of our Summer Reading Program workshop sessions are now available. They are located on the new Summer 2021 page on our System website.

You will find the presentations and documents  from the workshops on that page, as well. 

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