The Nebraska Library Commission recently awarded Nebraska Library Internship Grants totaling $34,040 to thirty Nebraska public libraries. These internship grants will support public library interns who will contribute to the scope and value of the diverse programs and activities in Nebraska’s public libraries.
“The internships are a great opportunity for students to get involved in library work. Beyond earning money and gaining valuable work experience, the student is exposed to the broad range of library services and programming. Internships provide an opportunity for the student to view the library as a viable and satisfying career choice. In addition, interns bring a fresh perspective and their own unique talents to the library,” said Nebraska Library Commission Director Rod Wagner.
Student interns will learn about library work as they shadow staff, assist with day-to-day library operations, and implement special projects. Some of the activities that students will participate in include:
· Summer Reading Programs for youth, teens, and adults
· Bi-lingual Story Time
· STEAM programing and crafts
· Makerspace – maintain equipment, assist patrons, programming
· Partnerships with schools and daycare centers, UNL Extension, Merrick County Extension Agency, Merrick County Child Development Center, Central City Senior Center, Madison County Historical Society Museum.
· Updating library’s Community Needs Response Plan for the 2022 state Public Library Accreditation process
· Enhance social media presence
· Reviewing and re-classifying junior and young adult books, creating new space for Young Adult books.
· Newspaper digitization project
· Basic library duties: circulation, shelving, weeding, processing acquisitions.
The following 30 Nebraska public libraries were awarded 2022 internship grant funding:
Arlington Public Library
Atkinson Public Library
Axtell Public Library
Bancroft Public Library
Rock County Public Library, Bassett
Bayard Public library
Bennington Public Library
Central City Public Library
Clarkson Public Library
Columbus Public Library
Crete Public Library
Franklin Public Library
Hastings Memorial Library, Grant
Kimball Public Library
Lincoln City Libraries, Loren Corey Eiseley Branch Library
Lincoln City Libraries, Charles H. Gere Branch Library
Lincoln City Libraries, Bennett Martin Public Library
Lincoln City Libraries, Youth Services Outreach
Lincoln City Libraries, Bess Dodson Walt Branch Library
Lincoln City Libraries, Northeast Service Unit – Victor E. Anderson & Bethany Branch Libraries
Loup City Library
Madison Public Library
Jensen Memorial Library, Minden
Norfolk Public Library
Cordelia B Preston Memorial Library, Orleans
Palisade Public Library
Papillion Public Library
Plainview Public Library
Rising City Community Library
Shelby Community Library
Shelton Public Library
South Sioux City Public Library
Stromsburg Public Library
Lied Lincoln Township Library
Kilgore Memorial Library, York
Funding for the project is supported and administered by the Nebraska Library Commission, in partnership with the Nebraska Library Systems.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
Nebraska’s Regional Library Systems consist of four non-profit corporations governed by boards representative of libraries and citizens in the region. The four systems were established to provide access to improved library services through the cooperation of all types of libraries and media centers within the counties included in each System area.
