The Legislature passed LB 195, the mainline budget bill, on May 20.
The good news is that $150,000 for the eReads program was included as proposed by the Appropriations Committee.  The NLA has made a strong case for this additional funding throughout the process. When we know the Governor’s decision, we will let you know if further action is needed. Thank you to our NLA Lobbyist for following the process.

Thank you for your efforts throughout this budget process!

Francine Canfield, NLA Advocacy Chair

The NLA Scholarship and Awards Committee invites nominations for the 2013 Meritorious Service Award and the Mari Sandoz Award.

The Meritorious Service Award is given annually to a person, corporation or organization which has contributed to the improvement of library service in a local community, region, state agency, or in library legislation. It may be given to an individual or a group.

The Mari Sandoz Award recognizes significant, enduring contribution to the Nebraska book world through writing, film production or related activity.

Nomination Procedures:
1. The original letter of nomination should include the nominee’s name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, accomplishments, and any relevant supporting documentation. The letter should include the name, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the person or group making the nomination.
2. At least four additional letters that support and endorse the nomination are required. Such letters may provide further information about the nomination.
3. More information and lists of previous recipients may be found on the NLA web page.
4. Nominations not selected are carried over to the following year, and additional letters of support are welcome for those nominations.
5. Nominations and letters of support must be received by June 30, 2013.
6. Nominations may be submitted by e-mail to corinnejacox@creighton.edu or mailed to Corinne Jacox, Creighton University Law Library, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178.

Corinne Jacox
For the Scholarship and Awards Committee

At the most recent NLA board meeting, an ad hoc committee was charged with searching for a new NLA graphic design/logo.

We are particularly interested in working with graphic designers who might be willing to donate some or all portions of a design in return for prominent credit and display.

The document detailing our needs can be found at:
http://nebraskalibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/NLALogoRedesignRequest.pdf

Please forward this request to any parties that you think might be interested in this opportunity.

NLA Members and Nebraska Library Supporters!

Your lobbying and advocacy efforts have paid off!  Every conversation that you had with your state senators and local officials were part of the success. Not just this year, but over the past years, too.

The Appropriations Committee included $150,000 for aid to local libraries (eReads) in the budget proposal. Increased funding for databases and the regional systems were not included. Given the many proposals in front of the committee, this is still significant because it’s been many years since there has been any increase!  The state faces the huge issues of at-risk children, state aid to education, health care, etc.  ( Last year, against great odds, a bill to support the health of young children was passed; healthy children mean fewer unhealthy, at-risk, incarcerated, etc. adults – eventually a better life for all Nebraskans.)

The proposed budget is at http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/pdf/reports/fiscal/2013budget.pdf

Ken Winston, NLA Lobbyist, has met with several members of the Appropriations Committee and thanked them for their work.  Now it is our turn to thank the members of the Appropriations Committee for their work. If you contacted them earlier, please take the time to thank them for their support.

As you’ve talked with your local senators, you know they respect, recognize, and appreciate the good things that we do in our communities. The time you have spent talking with your local senators has been an investment in the future of your community. We need to continue to build on that good will and our reputations as trusted members of our communities who recognize how all Nebraskans work together for everyone’s betterment.

For more information, please contact Francine Canfield, NLA Advocacy Chair.

The NLA Scholarship and Awards Committee invites nominations for the 2013 Meritorious Service Award and the Mari Sandoz Award.

The Meritorious Service Award is given annually to a person, corporation or organization which has contributed to the improvement of library service in a local community, region, state agency, or in library legislation. It may be given to an individual or a group.

The Mari Sandoz Award recognizes significant, enduring contribution to the Nebraska book world through writing, film production or related activity.

Nomination Procedures:
1. The original letter of nomination should include the nominee’s name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, accomplishments, and any relevant supporting documentation. The letter should include the name, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of the person or group making the nomination.
2. At least four additional letters that support and endorse the nomination are required. Such letters may provide further information about the nomination.
3. More information and lists of previous recipients may be found on the NLA web page.
4. Nominations not selected are carried over to the following year, and additional letters of support are welcome for those nominations.
5. Nominations and letters of support must be received by May 31, 2013.
6. Nominations may be submitted by e-mail to corinnejacox@creighton.edu or mailed to Corinne Jacox, Creighton University Law Library, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178.

Hello Everyone!

The Young Adult Round Table Spring Meeting will be Saturday, May 18th at the Kilgore Memorial Library in York, Nebraska, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
We have a whole schedule of fun planned, including:

10:00 – 10:30 – Registration and Snacks
10:30 – 12:00 – Hot Topics in Teen Librarianship (which includes successful book club tips, makerspaces, the “New Adult” genre, bullying)
12:30 – 1:30 – Advocating for Teens in Your Library
1:30 – 2:00 – Let’s Get Crafty (learn and make a fun, affordable craft)
2:00 – 3:00 – Get Your Game On! (Be introduced and have a chance to play some affordable games your teens will like)

Registration is open to anyone—you do not need to be a member of YART to attend. The cost is $10 if you pre-register or $15 onsite.

Online registration is available at: https://nlia.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_141878
Don’t hesitate to contact me for more information or if you have any questions.
Hope to see you there!

Lindsey Tomsu, Chair of YART
ltomsu@cityoflavista.org

To mark the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the National Endowment for the Humanities has developed a special project as part of its Bridging Cultures initiative: Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle.  Up to 500 libraries and communities across the nation will receive a packaged set of NEH-funded films on Civil Rights history, accompanied by programming resources to guide public conversations about the changing meanings of freedom and equality in U.S. history.

NOTE: Each participating site will receive an award of up to $1,200 to support public programming exploring the themes of the Created Equal project. The films featured in the set are The Abolitionists, Slavery By Another Name, The Loving Story, andFreedom Riders.

Please visit www.gilderlehrman.org/createdequal for more information and to apply now. The deadline for applications is May 15, 2013

Nebraska Library Association and Nebraska Regional Library Systems did reach the required 30 Nebraska librarians registered to ride the bus to Chicago for ALA 2013 – as required by the Nebraska Library Commission CE Grant.   The bus we’ve chartered has additional seats available so we are now opening up registration to any other Nebraska librarians that would like to join us for the Road Trip.  The cost is $50 to ride the bus – roundtrip.  The bus will leave on June 27th (7 a.m.) from Lincoln, with another pick-up point in Omaha, and arrive in Chicago that same day/evening.  The bus will return to Nebraska on July 2nd – following the ALA Closing Session with an estimated departure of noon.  After April 30th, if we still have space we’ll open up seats to library colleagues in surrounding states for $100 round trip and to registered Nebraska librarian riders to bring a guest at the $100 rate.
If you’d like to register for the bus go to:  https://nlia.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_138634&tmpl=component.  If you have questions – let us know.  Thanks!
Brenda Ealey
NLA ALA Councilor

The Information Technology and Access Round Table is seeking candidates for Vice Chair & Secretary!

Vice Chair
This is a three year office: Vice Chair, then Chair, then Past Chair. Duties vary by year, and include planning the spring meeting, running meetings, gathering conference proposals, attending NLA board meetings and finding candidates.

Secretary
This is a two year appointment. Duties include recording minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board and Membership meetings of the Round Table, maintains and preserves a written record of all Round Tables activities, including programs sponsored, committee reports, and financial transactions. Monitors the funds of the Round Table in conjunction with the NLA Treasurer and reports the financial transactions of the year at the Annual Meeting.

See our bylaws for more information: http://nebraskalibraries.org/ITART/bylaws

If you are interested, email Amy Mather amather@omahalibrary.org. Deadline for nominations is April 29, 2013

Critical to our funding is LSTA. Please contact your Senators Johanns and Fischer

http://www.districtdispatch.org/2013/04/ask-your-senators-to-sign-library-funding-letters/