alarm clock NLC ommunicator
May '99 Vol.13 No.5 ISSN 0895-0806 phone: 402-471-2045, 800-307-2665
Timely information from the Nebraska Library Commission

typewriter [Announcements]

Kami Bulin, Talking Book and Braille Service Library Assistant, resigned from the Library Commission. Kami has worked in the Talking Book and Braille Service since April 1990, and has been on staff with the Library Commission since 1986. Best wishes to Kami.

State Advisory Council on Libraries meetings are scheduled for the year: June 18, Gering; September 17, Alliance; and December 3, Omaha. For information, agendas, and minutes, see the Commission home page, /, search on Advisory Council.

All Nebraska librarians are invited to attend the 1999 NEBASE Annual Meeting West presented by the Nebraska Library Commission, on May 24 at Chadron State College Student Center from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. MDT. The $15 fee includes lunch and is non-refundable. Participants earn six continuing education credit hours. Register online from the Commission home page at /, search on NEBASE Meeting, or by contacting Jeannette Powell, 402-471-7740 or 800-307-2665, e-mail: Jeannette Powell, fax: 402-471-2083. The Eastern version of this meeting will be held September 10 in Lincoln.

Wondering how to get more customers into the library to use those electronic databases that the Nebraska Library Commission is supporting with state tax funds? The Commission is developing a Database Outreach Training Web-based Mini-course on using outreach activities to increase utilization of electronic databases for the Library Commission home page. In addition, training sessions for library staff will be presented across the state. This should help staff plan and execute outreach programs to promote the use of these library-based electronic databases. The Commission contracted with Jane Franklin and Cindi Hickey to develop these resources. Jane works at Lincoln City Libraries and has many years of experience in training and adult education. Cindi is working on her Ph.D. in Library and Information Science at Emporia State University and has a great deal of experience developing Web pages, teaching library science classes, and helping library staff to become more active and visible in their communities. Some of you will remember Cindi from her work with the Library Commission on a Small Business Administration grant in 1995. For dates, locations, and details, see the Commission home page calendar at /calendar/libcal.html, search on Outreach Training. To register, contact Maria Medrano-Nehls, 402-471-4008 or 800-307-2665, e-mail: Maria Medrano-Nehls.

Citizens, scholars, journalists, librarians, businesses, and many others have requested access to Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports via the Internet. CRS Reports offer current information on "hot topics" in Congress, and often in state legislatures. On June 10, 1998 the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration advised Senators that "With the rapidly expanding use of the Internet, we believe it is appropriate for Members and Committees to use their Web sites to further disseminate CRS products....we encourage you to post CRS products on your Web site." Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) is the first to respond and has placed almost 300 on the Internet at http://www.senate.gov/~dpc/crs/index.html. Senator Daschle's Internet collection represents only about 1/10th of the current library of CRS reports, but it is a first step toward providing the public with easy access. A more complete list of abstracts of CRS Reports for sale is available on the Pennyhill Press site, http://pennyhill.com/.

The Nebraska Library Association, School Children and Young People's Section, is proud to present the 1998-1999 Golden Sower Award winners: (k-3) Rugby and Rosie by Nan Parson Rossiter, (4-6) Shiloh Season by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and (young adult) The True Colors of Caitlynne Jackson by Carol Lynch Williams. The Golden Sower Award is a Nebraska Award given to outstanding books written for children and young people. The award originated fifteen years ago, named after the Sower, the huge bronze monument atop the State Capitol Building in Lincoln. The Golden Sower is a children's choice award, voted on by children rather than teachers and media specialists. Thousands of students in hundreds of schools across Nebraska read and vote on the Golden Sower nominees. For more information contact Paula Brandt, Publicity Subcommittee/Golden Sower Committee, Library Media Specialist, Roper Elementary School 2323 S. Coddington Ave., Lincoln, NE 68522, 402-436-1170, e-mail: <phanson@lps.org>.

A newly updated list of Summer Reading Manuals from other states is now available online or in print from the Nebraska Library Commission. To borrow manuals from the List, contact Library Commission Information/Reference Services, 402-471-4016 or 800-307-2665, e-mail: Information Services Team. For the online version, see the Library Commission home page, /, search on Summer Reading.

The American Library Association's Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies announced the availability of a resource list to encourage linkages among libraries, community organizations, and service providers to improve service to learning disabled people, their families, professionals, and other interested people. The Initiative's goal is to bring information about learning disabilities to the general public through libraries while increasing public libraries' capacity to serve their communities in this area. "Roads to Learning" is aimed at helping public libraries serve people with learning disabilities by having good resources available in their communities. For more information, see information about "Roads to Learning: The Public Libraries' Learning Disabilities Initiative" at http://www.ala.org/roads/. Click on "Resources" for information to help with selection and partnership building.

The Internal Revenue Service has posted a searchable database of organizations in the United States that qualify for tax-exempt status. It is located at http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/bus_info/eo/eosearch.html. See this site for a list of non-profit organizations in your community or state or to find out if an organization is exempt from federal taxation and the percentage of a contribution that would be tax deductible. This is an electronic version of IRS Publication 78, "Cumulative List of Organizations," which is available for loan from Library Commission Information/Reference Services, 402-471-4016 or 800-307-2665, e-mail: Information Services Team.

Ever needed the words to "Beautiful Nebraska?" They're in the Nebraska Blue Book. A picture of the state insect? It's there. The Blue Book is a one-stop shop for information about state symbols, the constitution, legislators back to 1866, election results, judges, state agencies, boards and commissions, and a variety of interesting information about Nebraska. The 1998-99 edition has just been published. Free copies will be sent to every Nebraska public library, college and university. Copies can also be purchased by sending a check for $10 (plus applicable state and local sales tax) payable to State of Nebraska to: Nebraska Blue Book, 10th Floor State Capitol, PO Box 94604, Lincoln, NE 68509-4604. Portions of the Blue Book can be found at http://visitnebraska.org/, under "Student Resources."

If you do not have access to the Internet World Wide Web, contact Mary Geibel, 402-471-2045 or 800-307-2665, e-mail: Mary Geibel for print information about the previous announcements.

Preparation of this newsletter was supported in part by funds allocated through the Library Services and Technology Act administered by the United States Institute of Museum and Library Services.

lightbulb [Continuing Education & Training]

Economic Development in the Information Age:
A Hands-on Workshop for Economic Developers and Community Leaders

May 18, Scottsbluff,
May 19, North Platte,
May 20, Kearney.
Contact: Craig A. Schroeder, Executive Director, NTEC, 308-697-3711, e-mail: <craig@swnebr.net>, fax: 308-697-3253.

Nebraska librarians are invited to attend a series of regional workshops for economic developers and local leaders across Nebraska in May, conducted by the Nebraska Teleliteracy and Electronic Commerce Initiative (NTEC). These workshops will provide participants with the information and resources they need to help their communities successfully engage in the Information Age. The workshops will demonstrate working applications and provide practical information that participants can use in the development and implementation of their own community technology development plan. Earlier sessions were held in Lincoln, May 5; Ainsworth, May 12; and Norfolk, May 13. For the workshop brochure and registration form, see http://www.interlinksystems.com/ntec/ or for a print copy, contact Craig A. Schroeder, (see above). NTEC facilitates information technology training and development initiatives in Nebraska; and serves as a catalyst for cooperation among private, nonprofit and public resource providers on behalf of Nebraska businesses, agricultural producers, and communities. NTEC is a nonprofit 501(c)3 Support Organization with the Nebraska Community Foundation, Inc.

1999 ASIS Mid Year Meeting

May 24-26, Pasadena Hilton, Pasadena, CA.
Contact: American Society for Information Science, 8720 Georgia Ave., Suite 501, Silver Spring, MD 29010, 301-495-0900, e-mail: <meeteings@asis.org> or fax: 301-495-0810. See http://www.asis.org.

The American Society for Information Science (ASIS) mid year meeting provides conference programs for information systems developers, online professionals, information resource managers, librarians, records managers, and others who "bridge the gap" between the present and the future, between research and application, and between developer and user. ASIS helps its 4000 members and its conference participants meet the challenges of today and prepare for tomorrow.

Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival

June 4 & 5, McCook, NE.
Contact: Cloyd Clark, Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival, PO Box 63, McCook, NE 69001, 308-345-6223.

The 1999 Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival features storytelling, blues, comedy, fun in the park, vendors, Lakota coyote stories, great food, and entertainment, and begins a yearlong quest to find and tell stories of the people and times of the High Plains of Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. These stories will be celebrated and told at the millennium festival in June 2000. This will be a major effort to record with photos, videotape, recording, and print the moment of time in this place at the dawn of the 21st Century. Head liners: John Stansfield, Juli Burney, John Walker, "Cactus" Chris Buethe, Hobe and Don Hayes, Merril Ream, and John Hubert.

OCLC Cataloging Micro Enhancer for Windows Version 1.10

June 8, 1 - 4 p.m., Nebraska Library Commission Heron Room, Lincoln.
Contact: Jeannette Powell, 402-471-7740 or 800-307-2665, e-mail: Jeannette Powell.

The OCLC Cataloging Micro Enhancer for Windows software increases productivity and reduces costs by combining online searching and processing with offline editing. Topics covered in this workshop include: loading the software; customizing options; searching for bibliographic records and authority file records interactively and in batch-mode; editing offline; original cataloging; printing labels; and workflow. Audience: New and current users who have questions. Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of the OCLC cataloging system and the Windows95 environment. What to Bring: Questions and comments on what you have found useful or not. CE Credit=3. Instructor: Devra Dragos.

Nebraska Documents Librarians Meeting

June 11, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., University Library, University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Contact: Jim Shaw 402-554-2225, e-mail: <shaw@revelation.unomaha.edu>

Annual meeting of federal and state documents library staff. Morning session will cover federal documents issues. Afternoon session will cover state documents issues. CE Credit=6.

Introduction to Electronic Search Techniques: Applying Strategies to Online Catalog and Internet Search Engines

June 15, 6:30 - 8 p.m., Wayne State College, Conn Library, Computer Lab 230-B.
Contact: Gayle Poirier, Conn Library, Wayne State College at 402-375-7419 or e-mail: <gpoirier@wscgate.wsc.edu>.

Free Electronic Research Skills Miniworkshops offered at Wayne State College, Summer 1999. No prior computer knowledge or skills are required. Bring a disc to save your personal work. Class format will consist of an introduction and hands-on demonstration of session concepts, class discussion, then personal application of concepts to your needs. Classes limited to 18. Please register early. Sessions may be repeated if enrollment demands.

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