Nebraska Library Commission

09/04/2026

Dolly Parton was not only a music industry icon, but a literary icon as well. One of the biggest legacies she left behind is the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income. If you're interested in learning more about her life and legacy consider checking out this week's "Ain't Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton" by Martha Ackmann, which is available as an eBook and audiobook on Libraries. Ackmann is a journalist who writes about women who have changed America. You can find this title, along with Dolly Parton's own books including two autobiographies, two children's books, her collaboration with James Patterson, and her cookbook through Nebraska OverDrive. Read more about it on the ➡️ https://buff.ly/p09BCG1

“This smart, sparkly, and fun biography is as irresistible as Parton herself.” ― Library Journal, starred review

09/04/2026

This week's is a children's picture book that released earlier this year. "Lucky & Norman: Saying Goodbye is Bittersweet" by Susan Cain & three generations of the Cain family tells the story of two young boys visiting a farm with their family and meeting the farm's donkeys; Lucky & Norman. Read more in the NLC staff review ➡️ https://buff.ly/b0uQeCy

09/03/2026

The deadline to apply for the Fern V. Heim Library Trustee Scholarship is fast approaching! Applications are due September 16, 2026.

Board Members of accredited Nebraska Public Libraries are invited to apply for an individual scholarship to reimburse attendance costs for the 2026 NLA and MPLA Conference in La Vista on October 14-16, or the 2026 ARSL (Association for Rural and Small Libraries) Conference in Montgomery, Alabama on September 16-19!

This grant can reimburse successful applicants for up to $500 of conference registration and related expenses, as described on our website here. More information is at that link, including a link to apply.

Read more about it on the ➡️https://buff.ly/dNOgGuW

09/03/2026

The Call for Speakers Big Talk From Small Libraries 2027 is open!

The Call for Speakers for the 16th annual Big Talk From Small Libraries is open!
Submit your proposal by Friday, December 11, 2026 at http://nlcblogs.nebraska.gov/bigtalk/call-for-speakers/
This free one-day online conference is tailored for staff from small libraries; the smaller the better!
Small libraries of all types - public, academic, school, museum, special, etc. - are encouraged to submit a proposal. We're looking for seven 50-minute presentations and four 10-minute "lightning round" presentations.
Big Talk From Small Libraries 2027 will be held on Friday, February 26, 2027 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoTo Webinar online meeting service.
This conference is sponsored by the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) and the Nebraska Library Commission.
Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/

09/03/2026

Football season is here ! This week's highlight is a black and white photograph taken of the Wayne State College football team. Members of the 1938 football team get ready to execute a play during a practice session. Their coach (probably head coach Jim Morrison) watches over them to the left.

This image is published and owned by Wayne State College. See this collection and many more on the archive!➡️ https://buff.ly/WtI3Nl9

08/28/2026

Truth really is stranger than fiction, this week we’re checking out all the nonfiction reads in our Book Club Kit collection. This week’s is “You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington” by Alexis Coe. This title is available as a book club kit for your library. Read more about it on the ➡️ https://buff.ly/gYt6BNJ

“In this breezy yet fact-filled revisionist biography, historian and podcast host Coe (Alice + Freda Forever) takes George Washington’s previous—predominantly male—biographers to task…Readers who like their history with a dose of wry humor will savor this accessible account.” —Publishers Weekly

08/28/2026

It is that time of the year when we keenly feel the passing of time. There is a great sense of an ending — the end of summer vacations, the end of long days, the end of warmth — and the year draws closer to its own end. In this week's , Rosie Steer adapts the reconstructed Wheel of the Year as a deliberate blueprint for those all too sick of the hyper-linear rat-race. "Slow Seasons: A Creative Guide to Reconnecting with Nature the Celtic Way" gives the reader plenty to meditate on while also being a lifestyle guide, including recipes and activities associated with different Celtic festivals. Read more in the NLC staff review ➡️ https://buff.ly/cM9NTui

08/27/2026

Larksong Writers Place is inviting Nebraska libraries to partner in Writing with Larksong: Bridging the Miles, a new statewide series designed to build a writing community across Nebraska through free, live monthly writing workshops.

Beginning Saturday, September 26, the six-month series will meet on the fourth Saturday of each month from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Central Time. Each workshop features a published author who shares readings from their work, offers insights into their creative process, and leads participants through writing prompts, dedicated writing time, and conversation.

Libraries that choose to participate can offer local writers a place to gather while joining the statewide workshop together. Participating libraries simply provide a meeting space with Zoom access, while Larksong Writers Place provides the guest authors, Zoom hosting, program coordination, and promotional materials.

Learn more on the ➡️ https://buff.ly/USHvyfy

08/27/2026

School is back in session ! This week's highlight shows a group of students inside a classroom at McKinley School in this black and white photograph. Most of the students are sitting at wooden desks, while other s are standing near the wall. One student is holding a school pennant. McKinley School was located at 230 S. 15th Street in Lincoln, Nebraska from 1902 to 1927. It was used as an elementary school until 1915 when it became a "special school with grades 1-9 with prevocational and evening classes." The school building was constructed in 1902 for a cost of $35,319.50. The contractor was T.P. Harrison.

This image is published and owned by Lincoln Public Schools. See this collection and many more on the archive!➡️ https://buff.ly/6eDiMgz

08/25/2026

Former adjunct professor of Museum Studies at JFK University, Karen Cushman’s debut novel, "Catherine, Called Birdy", is a realistic but tongue-in-cheek portrayal of a budding teenagers daily life in 1290s England. This 📚💡is a Newberry Honor Book and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and the novel follows our smart-mouthed and independent heroine as she grows into a thoughtful (but still spunky) young adult who finds her own way to survive and thrive under a system she is powerless in. There are 6 copies available for your reading group to borrow in our Book Club Kit collection. Read more on the ➡️ https://buff.ly/lVlK3dz