Bess Streeter Aldrich, a Nebraska Hall of Fame author, is not as widely known today as her accomplishments might suggest. While living in small-town Nebraska, she wrote seven best-selling novels and most of her 160 short stories. She was also one of the highest-paid and most widely read authors of the 1930s. During this Table Talk, the Aldrich Foundation will introduce librarians from across Nebraska and the Mountain Plains region to Aldrich’s life and work, as well as the free book club materials and Humanities Nebraska programs available to them. The goal is to equip librarians with resources they can share with patrons and use to introduce new generations of readers to Aldrich’s work.
Considering what experiential learning can look like in your archives? Archivist Erin Wahl will share the story of a collaborative project that had students taking the reins to create an exhibit on Black history in New Mexico, and what you should consider as you create these kinds of opportunities for students and classes as well.
Introduction into the rising popularity of jigsaw puzzles and how to incorporate that into a fun event for your library patrons. How to host a speed puzzling event, puzzle swap, puzzle chess tournament and more. Events that build connections and bring people of all ages together.
Opportunity to meet the Nebraska Library Association candidates running for election prior to November 15th when electronic voting begins. If candidates are not able to be present in person we will have printed bios and individual statements available.
Coordinator of Children & Young Adult Services, Nebraska Library Commission
Sally Snyder is Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services at the Nebraska Library Commission, and has worked at there in various capacities since 1984. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a Master of Arts in... Read More →
After a short presentation of what has been found around the region in user fees for people from outside of the funding area, as a group let's try to answer the following questions:
• Why have an out-of-funding-area user fee? • How do you determine what the fee should be? • Should the fee for users who only use electronic resources be the same as for those who use physical materials? • For electronic resources only cards, can patrons sign up and pay for the card online?
Pete Brink and Thomas Haggstrom, archivists at Creighton University, will discuss the professional archival responsibility to shed light on the voices and stories of unrepresented groups and individuals. They will provide examples of efforts that they have undertaken in their own work to help tell stories that have long been lost.
Are you responsible for making your children’s area beautiful, educational, and exciting? A play environment - playscape - might be the answer! Playscapes are small, themed, immersive floor environments that use simple, cost-effective toys and backdrops to inspire open-ended play while supporting early literacy. In this session, you’ll gain the resources and knowledge needed to design a playscape that sparks curiosity, encourages cooperative play, and strengthens family connections. Join us to discover how playscapes can transform play into a powerful library learning tool.
Library and Archival collections are vulnerable to insect damage, and staff are often the first — and best — line of defense. This session covers practical pest management for library staff without a conservation background. Topics include identification of common library insects and incidental invaders, environmental conditions that attract pests, building exclusion strategies, monitoring, and non-toxic treatment options. Participants will leave with a working knowledge of what to look for, how to respond, and how to build simple monitoring practices into their regular routines. This session is intended for frontline library staff and is applicable to any library setting.
StitchCraft began as a Crochet 101 session that fell short of its original goal but revealed a strong student desire for connection. In response, our academic library launched a weekly StitchCraft gathering that evolved into a sustained, student-driven community. This table talk explores how consistency, visibility, and student ownership transformed a one-time program into an ongoing outreach initiative, culminating in the distribution of 65 handmade winter items to campus community members.
