Here are the headlines from the March 25, 2022 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Nominate someone for the SSCS Paralibrarian of the Year Award
• June National Pollinator Month Workshops for Public Libraries
• WiLS Ideas to Action Fund application period opens April 11
• Continuing Education:
  • April Webinars from OverDrive
  • Wisconsin Libraries Talk About Race: Sensitive Conversations & Handling Pushback

Here are the headlines from the March 11, 2022 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• What’s News
  • National Library Week tools and more from Libraries Transform
• Grant Opportunities
  • Small Dollar, Big Impact Grant
• Library Program Ideas & Resources
  • Sponsored Challenge Announcement from Beanstack
  • Magic Village Shows: Magician & Ventriloquist
• Continuing Education
  • WLA Annual Conference: Call for program proposals
  • ‘Keeping Governance on Track’ webinars March 29 & 31

Here are the headlines from the February 25, 2022 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Last call for WAPL 2022 for program proposals
• OverDrive App No Longer Available to Download
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Hiring: Director, Door County Library
• Compassion Resilience Tool Kit: Training available to NFLS member library staff

Here are the headlines from the January 28, 2022 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• WAPL 2022 Call for Proposals
• PBS KIDS Community Learning Cohort for Youth Services Staff
• Game On! Grant
• Lake Michigan Shipwrecks, Mysteries: Virtual Programs by Ross Richardson
• Continuing Education:
  • Copyright for Librarians: What You Need to Know
  • PLA 2022 Virtual Conference Registration is Open

Here are the headlines from the January 21, 2022 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Employment Opportunities:
  • Now hiring: Head of Circulation - Door County Library
• Grants & Scholarships:
  • Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grants
  • Memory Lab Network final call for applicants
  • Juvenile Justice Positive Youth Development: Mentoring Programs
• Continuing Education:
  • NEXT WEEK: Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference
  • Transitioning to Libby: Tips for winding down the OverDrive app and welcoming more readers to Libby
  • Summer Library Program Learning & Fun: Catch the Wave

The Nicolet Federated Library System (NFLS) is excited to announce that it has been granted two American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grants.

• Library Space and Safety Improvement Grant: $200,000
  This grant was a collaboration between NFLS, the Outagamie Waupaca Library System, the Manitowoc-Calumet Library System, and the Winnefox Library System. Each member library has been awarded $3,000 to purchase items such as modular shelving and furniture that will provide library spaces more flexibility for social distancing and programming during the continuing pandemic. The libraries can also purchase meeting room enhancements for virtual and hybrid meetings, video equipment for virtual programming, and technology-enhanced workstations for patrons.
• Tribal Library Outreach Program for Community Partnerships: $190,569
  This grant, shared between the four tribal public libraries within NFLS and Northern Waters Library Service, will attempt to reduce barriers for tribal members needing assistance in the areas of workforce development, education, healthcare, and social services. The grant will provide the participating tribal libraries with a master class in community partnerships and with individualized support to assess community needs and develop community relationships. The goals include: defining the library community and assessing community strengths, opportunities, and aspirations; growing new and existing relationships to address community needs; and leveraging local knowledge and partnerships to support and market the community-focused library programs funded by the grant.

​Learn about the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for Wisconsin Libraries here.

Algoma Public Library was recently announced as a winner of the “East Asia in Wisconsin Library Program” grant competition by the Center for East Asian Studies at UW-Madison. "Grants were awarded to public libraries throughout Wisconsin, enriching their collections with new titles that will enable patrons to deepen their understanding of East Asia (which includes China, Japan, and Korea)."

The library purchased books, DVDs, and programming materials that will enable people to deepen their understanding of East Asia. They were able to purchase over 30 new titles that include materials for all ages. These materials include DVDs, children's fiction books, children's picture books, children's nonfiction, young adult graphic novels, and adult fiction and nonfiction titles. 

With this grant, the library will also be able to host three programs.

• Two of these programs will be kits available for patrons to pick up and do at home.
  • One will be a Chinese New Year Good Fortune Kit for children and will include one lantern craft, a Chinese New Year Activity Book with Stickers, and a 12 Days of Lunar New Year book.
  • The other kit will be a DIY Silk Scarf kit for adults.
• The library will also be playing Bingo in the library to bring in the Chinese Year and will have Chinese New Year prizes for their winners.