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 Volume 92 ∙ Issue 2 ∙ February 8, 2024
National Tribal College and University Week
Submitted by Kathy Cline
Each year the American Indian College Fund and American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) members, travel to Washington, D.C. to visit with lawmakers who have tribal colleges and universities in their states. Tribal college presidents, students, and American Indian College Fund staff share college successes, challenges, and needs with state legislatures. In support of this presence, the week of February 4, 2024 was proclaimed National Tribal College and Universities Week (Fund, 2024).
When Native students and institution representatives visit Capitol Hill this week, they will express how possible cuts to the 2024 federal budget will negatively impact already underfunded institutions and affect services offered to Native students. Other topics to be discussed during the week include, “…equity in federal funding and resources in the land-grant system; appropriation requests; Farm Bill reauthorization priorities; and Higher Education Act reauthorization priorities.” TCU students and representatives will also meet with Bidan Administration representatives, the Bureau of Indian Education, and leadership from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Fund, 2024).
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Nonfiction Juvenile Lottery
The State Library is weeding out our nonfiction juvenile titles. These titles have been boxed up and are ready for lottery. Each box contains 15-30 and includes a variety of topics.
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0 or -1: That is the PLS Question
Submitted by Monica Struck
There are a lot of numbers in the Public Libraries Survey, but none brings more head scratching than 0 and -1. When should you use them, and what do they mean? Read on to find out!
Entering the number 0 means just that: there are 0 instances of that data point in your library. You have 0 bookmobiles, 0 programs, 0 website visits.
There are some questions that come with N/A checkbox next to them. When you select that box, a -1 shows up in the data file. Despite typical experience, in the context of the Public Libraries Survey, N/A does not mean “not applicable”. In the introductory directions listed at the top of the survey, we define N/A as not available, meaning the activity is there but the data is not. So, if you didn’t count something, but it did happen, choose N/A.
There are some Yes/No questions dealing with the public library standards that have N/A as an option. In this case only, N/A means “not applicable”. Choose this option only if that situation does not apply to your library. Ex. There are no other paid employees at the library/only recent hires. You could put N/A for 4.12 because that situation does not apply to your library.
Is this still clear as mud? Did I just make you second guess everything you thought you knew about numbers? Please send your questions to Monica Struck (mcstruck@nd.gov / 701-328-4680) or save them up for our PLS Q&A webinar on February 27th.
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Representation Matters: Black History and Characters for Preteens and Teens
Last month’s Top Picks suggested titles involving black history and characters for kids. This month continues that theme with books for preteens and teenagers. If you have a topic request for a Top Picks, email me at tlkruger@nd.gov.
1) Defiant: Growing Up in the Jim Crow South by Wade Hudson
Publish Date: 2021
Publisher: Random House Books Kids
Summary: African American Wade Hudson grew up in Louisiana during the Civil Rights Movement. While he took part in many of the typical aspects of childhood, such as playing with friends, attending school, and being a part of a (sometimes dysfunctional) family, he also grew up surrounded by segregation and racial injustices. As a young man, Wade found his voice and begin writing. While in college, Wade helped form SOUL (Society for Opportunity, Unity, and Leadership). His acts with this group, among other avenues of protest, ultimately led to him being arrested. This memoir outlines what it was like growing up during a time of great racial and political turmoil, and how those lessons carry over to today’s United States. As a forewarning, there is a little bit of swearing in this tale.
Best For: Fifth through Eighth Grade
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Battle of the Books – Mandan Middle School
Submitted by Beth Greff
Friday, February 2nd, the Mandan Middle School Library held its 1st Annual North Dakota Battle of the Books Competition. The Battle of the Books is a voluntary reading competition program that aims to encourage reading for pleasure, improve comprehension skills and develop teamwork and sportsmanship. Students read a predetermined list of books and compete against each other to answer the most questions correctly. Future competitions could expand to regional battles and eventually to a statewide battle.
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For this 1st Annual Battle at MMS, we had 5 teams participating. These teams included 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. The teams accomplished reading the 16 titles and had a great round of competition in the Library during Braves Advisory on Feb. 2nd. Prizes were awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams. The 1st place winners each received an Amazon Kindle Fire 7 and a $20 Amazon gift certificate so they can purchase their first ebooks to put on the Kindles. The 2nd place winners each received $25 Barnes and Noble gift certificates, and the 3rd place winners each received $10 Barnes and Noble gift certificates.
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Team Chicken Nuggets/Lil Nugs took 1st place and was composed of Hayley Hagen, Hudson Himmelspach, Sakari Gertz, Kiren Smith, and Margaret Baumgartner.
Team Corny Team Name took 2nd place and was composed of Regan Lagasse, Caleb Backes, and Lily Bradford.
Team The Wurst Readers took 3rd place and was composed of Jordan Doll, William Boyd, Hunter Gertz, and Michael Martin.
We’d like to thank everyone who participated, including those who did not place. Congratulations to all the teams for your achievements!
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Coming Soon ….
Submitted by Lexi Whitehorn
It’s been a hot minute since the last clue. So as a reminder, this is for a resource coming available this spring. Clues below.
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 Gaming: Teens battle it out at Bismarck Library game tournaments (KX News)
The Bismarck Veteran’s Memorial Library has always hosted events for guests of all ages, including children and teenagers. In this week’s Gaming column, we’ve taken a break from our usual content to focus on the library’s Teen HQ — where video games serve as a great way to bring the capital city’s teenage community together..."
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Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday Challenge
Submitted by Lexi Whitehorn
This year, Smokey Bear turns 80! To help celebrate, the USDA Forest Service put together a Smokey Bear Birthday challenge! The challenge is open NOW through November 28th, 2024.
The celebration goes well with the summer reading theme of "Adventure Begins at Your Library" but can be celebrated at any time! The challenge can be just the Beanstack (or paper version) reading challenge or can be an event you host at your library. The goal is to get kids reading and to learn more about fire safety. (PS – the challenge is geared towards ages 4-10 but is open to all ages!)
Please note that part of the requirements for this challenge will be filling out a final survey detailing your event. (* Even if your event is just the reading challenge!) Survey will be sent after November 28th, 2024.
Registered libraries will get:
- One roll of 500 Smokey Stickers
- 50 Smokey Cards
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Smokey Stamp for use on paper challenge, completion certificates, and other items.*
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Access to a digital tool kit that has so many more resources!
- Printable challenge paper log, posters, bookmarks, sticker/button templates, completion certificates, coloring sheets, “Pin the Hat on Smokey” game, Smokey’s Reading List, and additional prizes.
- Graphics and images for online platforms, social media, monitors, and websites.
NDSL has also partnered with the ND Forest Service and they will be providing:
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A FREE teacher's version of the "True Story of Smokey Bear",
- A 11"x17 1/4" easel format book. This will be yours to keep and use, to tell the story of the brave little bear that became a fire prevention legend.
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Additional selected activities for learning outdoors. These activities are courtesy of Project Learning Tree - North Dakota and FireWorks.
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Interested libraries may also request to have Smokey Bear appear at their events in 2024, as long as they are celebrating the Reading Challenge, Smokey's 80th birthday, or discussing fire prevention in some way. The normal cleaning cost of the rental has been waived for these reservations (thanks to the ND State Forester!), so these are also FREE!
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To Request Smokey Bear from ND Forest Service: https://arcg.is/rDLeS
We are so excited to bring this opportunity to you. Please reach out if you have any questions! Remember... only YOU can prevent wildfires!
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Black History Month LibGuide
Submitted by Tammy Kruger
February marks Black History Month. Black history is a vital part of American history that focuses on the experiences of black people from colonial times to modern-day. The North Dakota State Library (NDSL) offers a LibGuide that digs into why Black History Month is important. Some features include important dates, organizations and websites, and books that are available at the State Library.
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Library Anxiety in Academic Students
What is library anxiety? Does library anxiety affect student use of an academic library? Can library anxiety play a role in student retention? I researched to find answers to these questions and will summarize my findings over the next two Flickertale issues.
First, what is library anxiety? In 1986, Constance A. Mellon performed a study with six thousand students at a southern university on how they felt about using an academic library to do research for the first time. Over a two-year period, twenty English instructors had their beginning composition students keep personal search journals. Students were expected to document their search experiences and how they felt about the experience. As a culmination activity, students wrote an essay commenting on four questions.
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What were your experiences using the library to find information for your research paper?
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How did you feel about the library and your ability to use it?
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Did these feelings change over the course of the semester?
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How do you feel about using the library now?
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2024 Library of Congress Literacy Awards
The Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program honors organizations that have made outstanding contributions to increasing literacy in the United States or abroad. Through the generosity of David M. Rubenstein since 2013, and through the generosity of the Kislak Family Foundation in 2023, the awards also encourage the continuing development of innovative methods for combating illiteracy and the wide dissemination of the most effective practices. The deadline to apply is February 19, 2024, at 11:59PM EDT.
All totaled, the Library plans to recognize 23 different organizations this year! Among the prizes this cycle, for the first time, the LOC is able to offer prizes to 5 Emerging Strategies Honorees ($5000 each). These honorees will be recognized for a literacy initiative in its early stages of development (5 years or fewer) that demonstrates significant creativity and promise—in other words, for great ideas with potential!
To learn more about the 2024 Literacy Awards as a whole, please see the press release; visit the Apply Page on the Literacy Awards website to download the application instructions and forms; and explore Frequently Asked Questions.
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ND State Library's Mystery Date with a Book Program
Submitted by BreAnne Meier
The North Dakota State Library announces the start of the annual Mystery Date with a Book on February 14. All the books will be concealed so the only information you will be given is the format - large print or regular print and fiction or nonfiction.
If you would like to participate, visit the State Library in Bismarck, fill out the form at https://forms.microsoft.com/g/CuQ33D3rvs, or contact the Information Desk at 701-328-4622 | 1-800-472-2104 or statelib@nd.gov, and a selection will be sent to you at no cost. You will be responsible for returning the item to the library, either through the mail or by bringing it to the building or outside book drop. Be sure to fill out the "Rate the Date" card before you return the book.
"This annual program is a fun way to introduce patrons to new authors or titles," says State Librarian Mary Soucie. "The State Library supports lifelong learning and personal enrichment by providing materials and resources in a wide variety of formats."
Be adventurous and read a book that you may not have checked out otherwise. Who knows, maybe you will find your new favorite book or author!
To participate, all you need is a library card from the North Dakota State Library. If you need a library card, fill out the application online at https://www.library.nd.gov/librarycard, and a card will be sent to you in the mail.
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ND Center for the Book:
Celebrate Frederick Douglass with
Transcription on February 14
Submitted by Lexi Whitehorn
Most of us know February 14th as Valentine’s Day, but there’s another reason to love the day -- Frederick Douglass celebrated his birthday on that date, now observed annually as Douglass Day. This year, the Library of Congress volunteer transcription program By the People invites you to learn more about his life on Douglass Day 2024 by joining a transcribe-a-thon of letters from the Frederick Douglass Papers!
Douglass Day is an annual celebration of and day of service to Black digital history. Since 2017, volunteers around the world have come together virtually on Frederick Douglass' chosen birthday of February 14 to transcribe and learn about an online collection of Black history and culture.
Frederick Douglass was one of the most influential activists, orators, and writers in American history. By transcribing his correspondence, participants will learn about his life as a public figure, his work as a writer and editor, and his family life. By the People volunteer transcriptions improve searchability and accessibility of Library of Congress digital collections, aiding the researchers of the future. In addition to the service project, Douglass Day hosts a virtual program celebrating Douglass' life and legacy.
How can you get involved?
- Host an event for your community or organization.
- Bring Douglass Day to your school.
- Join us online from wherever you are.
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Transcribe with us starting February 14 by visiting crowd.loc.gov.
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Ice fishing on Lake Sakakawea, N.D., 1974
A group of men and a boy are preparing to ice fish on Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota. The man on the left is drilling a hole into the ice with an ice auger. A car is parked on the ice next to the group. They are identified as Keith Larson, Leland Olson, & Egil Tangsrud.
Courtesy of Digital Horizons (North Dakota Memories Collection, ND State Library)
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What is the Science of Reading?
The Reading League defines the science of reading as “a vast, interdisciplinary body of scientifically-based research about reading and issues related to reading and writing” (2022, p. 6).
The science of reading is based off five decades of research, from around the world, on how students learn to read and write proficiently, why some struggle, and effective teaching and assessment methods for improving reading and writing comprehension skills. (This video offers a simple explanation of how human brains learn to read.) The science of reading is not directly a curriculum, although some pre-designed curriculums will align to science of reading standards. Interdisciplinary instruction is a cornerstone of the science of reading, acknowledging that pupils need different reading and writing skills for different types of classes and situations (Science, 2022).
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How Libraries Can Upgrade Their Internet Through the BEAD Program Webinar
Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB)
Wednesday, February 21, 2024 (3:00 PM)
Libraries and other anchor institutions have an exciting opportunity to upgrade their internet connectivity through the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. But libraries must act quickly. The BEAD program will make $42 billion available to states to deploy high-speed broadband networks to unserved and underserved locations, including libraries and other anchor institutions. State officials are now finalizing the FCC broadband map that will identify the locations in each state eligible to receive federal funding for improved broadband networks, such as installing fiber optic cables. Unfortunately, the maps for many states do not include all the libraries that need upgraded broadband connectivity. Fortunately, most states are about to open up a short window for libraries and others to file a “challenge” to get on the state map.
The SHLB Coalition, ALA and COSLA are joining together to host an important webinar to advise libraries how to file these challenges. These locations must be on the state's map to be eligible for BEAD funding! The webinar will outline the timeline for filing these challenges, the process for doing so, and the evidence needed to submit a successful challenge.
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New Tutorials Added to Niche Academy
Category Library 101 - Library Directors
New Tutorials: Supporting Staff Dealing with Personal Problems
Every employee has to deal with personal issues at one time or another. This tutorial was created for managers that want to support staff dealing with personal problems while trying to keep the team on track.
Category Library 101 - Library Boards and Friends Group
New Tutorial: Welcome to the Board: Advocating for your Library
If your library board needs some training that they can take on their own time at their own pace, Niche Academy keeps pumping out new tutorials for this category. It explores how board members can tell their library’s story to build support and community, so please encourage your board members to check out the category.
Category Research 101 – Research Essentials
New Tutorial: Research Essentials- Understanding Qualitative and Quantitative Data
If you have patrons needing help with writing a research paper, recommend this tutorial series.
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Many of these resources and programs are funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. |
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