Libraries Use State Aid for Local Service
Enhancements
From July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2004,
$690,880 was paid in direct state aid to eligible Nebraska
public libraries, with an average payment of $2,107. The
average payment made to libraries serving a population of less
than 5,000 was $889, $.97 per capita. The average payment to
libraries serving populations of 5,000 and above was $7,110,
$.20 per capita. To be eligible for state aid, Nebraska public
libraries must be accredited by the Library Commission, meet
the maintenance of effort requirement, and submit their Public
Library Statistical Report online using Bibliostat™
Collect, a Web-based data collection tool. For more
information, contact Kit Keller, 402-472-3216, 800-307-2665,
e-mail: Kit Keller.
Recruitment and Retention Task Force Formed
A grant application (subsequently funded by
the Institute of Museum and Library Services) resulted from the
work of the Recruitment and Retention Task Force, created by
the Nebraska Library Commission to recommend strategies and
actions to attract new workers to library service careers and
to train and support current library workers. The task force,
which first met in November 2002, was created in response to a
recommendation from the Nebraska State Advisory Council on
Libraries and was prompted by the need to fill current and
expected job vacancies.
During the next Biennium, the Nebraska
Library Commission will develop a marketing campaign to raise
awareness of and identify prospects for library service
careers. High school and college students will be recruited,
matched with mentors and educational opportunities, and
provided with stipends, grants, or scholarships to support the
pursuit of pre-professional and professional education. A
multimedia campaign and resources will be developed in both
English and Spanish to achieve a more diverse cadre of library
professionals in Nebraska.
The project, Recruiting
the Next Generation of Nebraska Librarians @ the Movies, will:
• Develop a marketing campaign to
raise awareness and identify prospects for library service
careers.
• Recruit talented and diverse library
personnel, matching them with mentor/recruiters and
educational/employment opportunities at whatever rung of the
career/education ladder they can enter.
• Provide grants, scholarships, and
stipends to support the pursuit of pre-professional and
professional training.
This project will increase the number of
students enrolled in pre-professional and professional
education or training. The primary strategy is a one-on-one,
each-one-recruit-one, mentoring approach. The Recruitment phase
focuses on raising awareness, stereotype busting, and enticing
young adults (high school, college) and pre-professional
library workers into library skills training at whatever rung
of the career/education ladder they can enter. Increasing the
number of professionally trained librarians in Nebraska is the
ultimate goal.
Mentor/recruiters will be trained to use a
multi-media campaign (including a movie trailer, print and
broadcast communication, Web resources, and 3-D
exhibits/displays) to identify and inform prospects about the
opportunities for rewarding careers in library service. The
resources will be made available to K-12, Postsecondary, and
public library staff, as well as library supporters and
advocates, helping them to form a statewide network of
mentor/recruiters. The Education phase will match prospects with appropriate
educational resources at whatever rung of the career/education
ladder they can enter, providing student stipends and
internships. The Employment phase will match prospects with appropriate
employment resources at whatever rung of the career/education
ladder they can enter, providing employment stipends and
internships.
For more information see the Library
Commission home page Announcements, <nlc.nebraska.gov>
or contact Mary Jo Ryan, Nebraska Library Commission
Communications Coordinator, 402-471-3434, 800-307-2665, e-mail: Mary Jo Ryan.
