OPL Spring Connect Newsletter 2016

Volume 23 • Issue 1 • Spring 2016

News from Omaha Public Library • OPL Foundation • Friends of OPL Page

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Director’s Note Winter Recap

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Phipps Gallery Recommended Reads

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KidSpot & TeenSpace Partners & Staff

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Friends of OPL OPL Foundation

Go Green this Spring!

Storybook Land

Time to spring clean and get green!

Join us for an afternoon with some of your favorite storybook friends! This year’s characters will include Pete the Cat, Skippyjon Jones, Paddington Bear, Martha the Dog, Lyle Lyle Crocodile, Lilly the Mouse, the Snow Queen, and a caped superhero. Don’t forget to bring a camera! Storytimes throughout the day will feature stories of visiting characters and their friends. All children attending Storybook Land will receive a free book to keep. All ages are welcome.

Have you checked out a Watt Detector

at OPL? Offered in partnership with OPPD, these clever devices measure the amount of electricity used in various household appliances to help you determine which use the most energy.

Just search for “Watt Detector” in OPL’s online catalog and reserve yours today.

Sunday | April 10 | 1-4 pm | Saddlebrook Branch

Recycle Omaha! Pick up recycling

bins at OPL’s Abrahams, Elkhorn, Saddlebrook, Sorensen, South Omaha, and Washington branches.

Celebrate spring by attending one of OPL’s Common Soil programs!

Gardening in Small Spaces

Sat | Mar 19 | 10:30 am | Sorensen Branch

Medicinal Herb Gardens

Sat | Mar 26 | 2 pm | Elkhorn Branch

Backyard Bees

Sat | Apr 2 | 10:30 am | South Omaha Library

Putting Your Seedlings in the Ground Sat | Apr 9 | 2 pm | Elkhorn Branch

Chickens in the City

Sat | Apr 16 | 10:30 am | South Omaha Library

Mini Herb Garden

Sat | Apr 16 | 1 pm | Saddlebrook Branch

Vermicomposting

Sat | Apr 30 | 1 pm | Benson Branch

Planting Your Garden

Sat | May 7 | 2 pm | Elkhorn Branch

National Library Week

April 10-16, 2016

First sponsored in 1958, NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. OPL will celebrate by offering its annual Storybook Land event and many other programs that connect people with ideas, information and innovation to help people achieve whatever transformation they desire in their lives.

Visit omahalibrary.org for a full list of programs.

Director’s Note Laura Marlane Executive Director

Spring always feels like a time of renewal, which for me manifests itself in huge spring cleaning binges.

Sometimes I don’t even realize it’s inching toward springtime until I get the sudden urge to clean closets, reorganize bookshelves, and plan cool things to do in the upcoming warmer months. If you’re anything like me and find yourself gripped with the need to get things in order, the library can help you find wonderful books about clearing out clutter and reorganizing your busy life! For example, one of the most circulated nonfiction titles for OPL in 2015 (and still very popular) was The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo.

2015: Year in Review Items Borrowed | 3,015,319

Computer Sessions | 667,730

Library Visits | 2,207,657

Digital Downloads | 347,659

Website Visits | 2,029,467

Current Library Members | 293,970

Winter Recap Wells Fargo Family Festival OPL’s W. Dale Clark Main Library served as one of the many locations for Omaha residents to enjoy the Wells Fargo Family Festival on December 6. People of all ages stopped at the library to decorate cookies, drink hot chocolate, have their faces painted, participate in a superhero training course, and have their photos taken with superheroes.

Jane Austen Tea

How does a library ‘tidy up’? For one thing, OPL will be introducing a new website in 2016 to make it easier for you to find the information and resources you need. You will also have the added benefit of a new mobile site to conveniently search for programs, books and services on the go!

OPL always keeps its collection fresh by adding new titles, and removing books that patrons haven’t been checking out, or of which we have many copies. Those removed books are often gifted to the Friends of Omaha Public Library for their book sales, which are held at W. Clarke Swanson Branch on the first Saturday of the month and every Thursday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. This gives the books another life, and book sale customers find great deals. The Friends of OPL also accept book donations from the public, so if you have cleaned out your book collection, you’re welcome to bring those books to any OPL location as a gift in-kind.

We have so much to look forward to in 2016! A new website, new books, and even a visit from awardwinning author Tobias Wolff as part of the Omaha Public Library Foundation’s annual fundraising event. Wolff’s book, The Barracks Thief, won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction in 1985, and Wolff was awarded the National Medal of the Arts from President Obama in 2015. Meet the author, have copies of your books signed, and help a great cause at the same time!

For the twelfth consecutive year, OPL has hosted a tea in celebration of Jane Austen’s birthday. More than 70 participants gathered on December 12 to recognize Austen’s 240th birthday, and enjoy tea, refreshments and light English fare at W. Dale Clark Main Library. Many of those in attendance dressed in period costumes and brought their own tea cups. Jennifer Hamilton, a dance aficionado, delivered a talk entitled, “The Dance Revolution in the World of Jane Austen,” and shared some of her research about the elegant English country style of dancing embraced by Jane Austen in many of her works. Following Hamilton’s presentation, English country dancing was performed by the Old Dominion Dancers, the only dance troupe of its kind in Omaha. The event was sponsored by the Friends of Omaha Public Library and the Nebraska Chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America.

Teen Poetry Bash Each year, OPL welcomes teens to perform two works of original poetry for the opportunity to win cash prizes. This past December, in its 15th year, the Teen Poetry Bash welcomed over 20 participants, and prizes ranging from $25-100 were awarded to the top three performers.

1st place – Andy DiBernardo 2nd place – Jhevaun Grant 3rd place – Evangeline Mantler Louder Than a Bomb coaches from the Nebraska Writers’ Collective served as judges and emcees for the event.

Service 24,219 kids, teens & adults read during the Summer Reading Program 70,761 adults attended a meeting in one of our rooms 113,507 individuals attended a library program

Retirement Transition OPL and Sequent Planning will offer a series of retirement transition workshops to help guide you in making the most of your retirement.

Experts will be available to assist you with various retirement-related topics:

• Long-Term Care Planning • Social Security Strategies • Taxes in Retirement

• Medicare 101 • Estate Planning

The following OPL locations will be offering workshops in the series: Abrahams, Benson, Elkhorn, Millard, Sorensen and Swanson. A full schedule is available at omahalibrary.org.

Registration is required online or by contacting the hosting location.

Michael Phipps Gallery Main Library | 215 S. 15th St. | 1st Floor

Available free of charge to local artists and art groups for exhibitions throughout the year.

Exhibits are displayed for approximately one month and are scheduled 12 months in advance.

Mar/Apr – Jave Gakumei Yoshimoto Opening reception Fri | Mar 4 | 4-6 pm According to the artist, the work featured in this exhibit addresses the ephemerality of news and information, and how the emotions brought to each tragedy in the news cycle are swept away by the wave of information that floods the media. Yoshimoto addresses this ‘social amnesia’ through his art, with the work acting as a social memory for tragic events so quickly forgotten in our information age.

The power of natural disasters has served as inspiration for the artist, who employs these images to provoke empathy among viewers. “My belief is that art should be accessible to its viewers through human tales of struggle and survival as played out in the prevalent social amnesia of the information age,” Yoshimoto said. Learn more about the artist at javeyoshimoto.com.

May/June – Kim Darling Opening reception Fri | May 6 | 4-6 pm In Kim Darling’s new series, Power Position, the artist uses iconography of police uniforms, graphic images, and objects, and combines them with imagery and colors often associated with powerlessness. These images address abuses inflicted by authority figures on people around the world. Power Position suggests the disempowerment of institutionalized authority figures and provokes the viewer to consider our abilities to self-govern. Darling’s art attempts to shift a societal paradigm from one that privileges incarceration instead of education to one that champions the power of cultural investigation and edification. Learn more about the artist at kimdarling.net.

Recommended Reads At the Edge of the Orchard

by Tracy Chevalier When a 19th century New England family settles in Ohio swamps, they plant an orchard and work relentlessly to cultivate their small patch of land.

In return, the orchard sows the seeds of family discontent that lasts for generations.

Aging Backwards: Reverse the Aging Process and Look 10 Years Younger in 30 Minutes a Day by Miranda Esmonde-White A body’s aging happens in its cells. This book offers a groundbreaking guide on how to maintain and repair our cells through scientifically designed workouts.

The Cookies & Cups Cookbook

by Shelly Jaronsky With recipes ranging from the deliciously decadent to the deceptively simple, this cookbook has something for everyone from the cooking novice to the seasoned chef.

Birds from Bricks: Amazing LEGO® Designs That Take Flight

by Thomas Poulsom Creativity takes flight with 15 projects using interlocking bricks to make birds from around the world.

Scarpia

by Piers Paul Read This novelization of Puccini’s opera Tosca portrays the political and personal intrigues of 1777 Europe.

Get a customized book list with recommended reads just for you! Request your list by visiting omahalibrary.org and selecting Custom Reading List under the Catalog tab.

TeenSpace

Schedules subject to change, visit omahalibrary.org for updates.

SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 2016

10 A.M.-1 P.M.

W. DALE CLARK MAIN LIBRAR Y 215 S. 15TH ST. | FOURTH FLOOR

Teen Job Fair

TeenHour Tech Week celebrates great resources andYour servicesOwn that libraries An of Code forthe Teens Make Tablet offerthe forwonderful teens to explore, Explore world of codingcreate, on our and share in learning STEAM (science, or eReader Cover Chromebook computers.

Participantsart, ages and 13-19 math) will technology, engineering, skills. try their hand at coding and explore programs and applications help prospective coders.

OPL willdesigned offertoprograms featuring Registration required

Make your own tablet or e-reader cover out of an actual book cover! We will have a selection of old everything from coding tobring game books to chose from, or you can your own that is similar in size to your device. Registration required

design.

Technology long after Teen Tech Mon | Mar 7 | 6 pm programming continues Tues | Mar 8 | 4 pm Week is over.

Additional South Omaha Library | 2808 Q St. programming will take place throughout the Saddlebrook Branch | 14850 Laurel Ave. spring, such as Java classes, Girls Who Code Club, and more!

An Hour of Code Game Time: Mario Maker Design your own levels in Mario Maker for Wii U. for Teens: Minecraft Explore the wonderful world of coding on our Thurs | Mar 10 | 2 pm Chromebook computers. Participants will try their

KidSpot hand at basic coding in the world of Minecraft.

Registration required

Tues | Mar 8 | 2 pm

A.V. Sorensen Branch | 4808 Cass St.

A.V. Sorensen Branch | 4808 Cass St.

Teen Friday Food & Fun

Create a masterpiece with a variety of supplies.

Fri | Mar 11 | 1:30 pm

W. Dale Clark Main Library | 215 S. 15th St.

Pete the Cat Enjoy stories and activities, and don’t forget your camera!

Apr 8 Apr 9 Apr 11 Apr 12 Apr 13 Apr 14 Apr 15 Apr 16

omahalibrary.org

10 am . . . . . . . . . . Saddlebrook 10:30 am . . . . . . . . . . . . . Swanson 10:30 am . . . . . . . . . . . . Abrahams 10 am. . . . . . . . . . . Washington 10:30 am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sorensen 10 am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elkhorn 10 am . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benson 10:30 am. . . . . . . . . . . Willa Cather

Teens are invited to participate in OPL’s 11th annual Teen Job Fair!

Many employers are interested in hiring teens for part-time/summer jobs, including AMC Theatres, Culvers, Pizza Hut, YMCA of Greater Omaha, and more. Some employers will offer on-site interviews.

Several teens left last year’s event as newly-hired employees! Dress to impress, and prepare in advance of the event by attending job workshops at library branches around Omaha.

Visit guides.omahalibrary.org/TeenJobs for a list of employers, links to applications, and more information.

Free parking is available to those who park at Omaha Park One (15th & Douglas). Bring your ticket inside the library for validation.

PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME® (PRIME TIME) Foster a love of reading together. PRIME TIME is a six-week shared reading experience designed to help families discover great stories and books. Children ages 6-10 and their families are invited to participate in PRIME TIME programs this spring. PRIME TIME attendees are invited to enjoy a communal meal followed by story sharing, interactive reading with a group leader, and fun comprehension activities.

Activities will be available for younger siblings. With prior notice, free transportation will be available to and from the Library. There is no charge for PRIME TIME activities. Families are encouraged to register in advance at omahalibrary.org or by contacting the hosting branch.

Washington Branch Saturdays | Feb 13-March 19 | 9 am Willa Cather Branch (Native American) Tuesdays | March 22-April 26 | 6 pm South Omaha Library (bilingual Spanish/English) Mondays | April 4-May 9 | 6 pm

OPL will celebrate the diversity of our community during the annual Children’s Book Day (Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros) in April. Children in attendance will receive a free book to keep while supplies last! For more information, visit omahalibrary.org.

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PRIME TIME is sponsored by Humanities Nebraska with funding from the State of Nebraska and Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Funders include Lincoln Financial Foundation and Carol Gendler. Humanities Nebraska is a private, statewide, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Norma Pountney Retirement After spending 18 years working for a communications company, Norma Pountney viewed her future as an opportunity to help people through her work. She volunteered for a variety of organizations, including the Library, and found that she really enjoyed working with and helping people, and the Library suited her well. She decided to attend library school to acquire her master’s degree.

Pountney had come from a family of educators, with both of her parents being teachers. She never thought that she would also work for an educational organization, as she studied business in college and had previously worked on computer system development. OPL hired Pountney in 1995 as a part-time specialist working at the Washington and Florence branches. Within a year, she transferred to the History & Social Science department, working specifically on the Trans-Mississippi Expo collection. Next, she worked in the Business, Science & Technology department before being promoted to work as a librarian at Millard and Washington branches. From there, she went on to manage South Omaha Library and served in this role for 10 years before accepting a position as the senior branch manager, and in the past year, helped OPL as the interim library director.

With 20 years of accomplishments at OPL, Pountney decided it was time to retire in February. In retirement, she would like to spend more time on her quilting and some new crafts, as well as traveling, working in her garden, and spending time with her grandchildren.

On behalf of her colleagues at OPL and the many people she has helped serve over the years, we thank her for her service and wish her all the best in retirement.

Teresa Shane Retirement With more than one million new books published each year, collection development specialist Teresa Shane considered her job of helping to build OPL’s adult fiction collection as an art rather than a science. For the past six years, Shane has combined her love of reading with her knowledge of what OPL readers enjoy to help purchase a robust collection of adult fiction works for the library system.

Shane decided, however, that it was time to let someone else take on this incredibly challenging task, and announced her retirement effective February 11.

Shane served at Omaha Public Library for 21 years, starting in 1995 as a part-time library specialist working at South Omaha Library and Willa Cather Branch. She transferred to Millard Branch in 1998 and worked to help patrons with reference questions and various other inquiries. She was, perhaps, most commonly sought by customers for her vast knowledge of the collection. No matter the topic or genre of book, it appeared that Shane was always prepared to make a suggestion to readers – a skill that translated nicely into collection development.

Shane will continue to nurture her love for reading as an OPL patron, and, citing South Omaha Library as her new “home branch,” promised that they would certainly see their circulation numbers increase. She plans to travel and spend time with her family in retirement. Also, vowing to continue learning new skills, Shane said that she will finally have time to learn how to parallel park!

OPL appreciates Shane’s service, and will miss her many insightful perspectives on literature. Her artistry will live on for many years at OPL in the adult fiction collection.

Thank you, Teresa!

Partner Spotlight: Arts for All Toward the end of 2014, OPL and Arts for All began planning a partnership to develop a series of art education workshops for children. Because South Omaha is often recognized for its cultural richness, diversity, and immigrant populations, it was determined that children living in this area would greatly benefit from art education opportunities.

“Many kids we see in the neighborhoods around South Omaha Library come from lower-income families and are considered ‘atrisk,’” said South Omaha Library branch manager Jennifer Jazynka.

“Programs like this provide opportunities to area youth that wouldn’t otherwise happen. It also helps to keep kids busy and productive during some of their most vulnerable years.”

strengthen dexterity, problem solving, and critical thinking skills in a fun environment. The program combines a safe and convenient location, an abundance of children’s literature, and a knowledgeable and dedicated library staff with experienced art teachers, access to art supplies, and a strong network of volunteers.

Arts for All: Where Books & Art Meet Arts for All: Where Books and Art Meet is primarily geared for youth Saturdays | 2:30 pm (Mar 5-Dec 17) | South Omaha Library age 8-12 years old. At no cost to families, the program finds fun and innovative ways to encourage literacy and artistic expression.

The art workshops being offered at South Omaha Library provide more than just a creative outlet for children; they can also help to

Arts For All is a dynamic arts education program developed to be affordable for all. They provide quality culturally enriched classes that encourage personal growth. Learn more about the organization at artsforallinc.com.

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Be a FRIEND!

A Novel Affaire Tobias Wolff

Libraries cannot be built or maintained by today’s tax dollars alone. To ensure the continued excellence and growth of OPL, become a Friend today!

Sat | April 2 | 7 pm Benson Branch

Please complete the form below and mail it to:

The third annual Omaha Public Library Foundation fundraiser—A Novel Affaire—will feature bestselling author Tobias Wolff. Event proceeds will benefit Omaha Public Library programs and services.

FRIENDS of Omaha Public Library, PO Box 6032, Omaha, NE 68106

A Novel Affaire will feature heavy appetizers, cocktails, and dessert.

Guests will hear from Wolff and have the opportunity to have their books signed by the author.

Patron tickets are $100 per person.

General admission tickets are $60 per person.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact the Omaha Public Library Foundation by email at foundation@omahalibrary.org or phone (402) 444-4589.

Outstanding Volunteer

Questions? Email us at omahalibraryfriends@gmail.com

Book Sales

W. Clarke Swanson Branch | 9101 W. Dodge Rd. Weekly Sales Thursdays | 10 am - 3 pm

Monthly Sales 1st Saturday | 10 am - 3 pm

Friends Annual Meeting At the Friends of Omaha Public Library annual meeting on January 9 at UNO’s Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center, more than 60 participants celebrated 40 years of volunteer service, fundraising and advocacy for OPL. The Friends thanked five board members who elected not to renew their terms for their service: Wendy Posten, Susan Prazan, Vanessa Timberlake, Darlene Whitney and John Zipay.

Three new board members were elected to the board for a three year term: James DeMott, Michael O’Hara, and Euem Osmera.

The Friends of OPL is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization which advocates for and increases awareness about the services of OPL in the community. They also raise funds through book sales at W. Clarke Swanson Branch and through memberships to their organization.

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OPL employs many individuals to shelve books, create programs, and assist patrons, but there’s something extraordinary about volunteer staff members who choose to spend their time with the library’s special projects or jobs!

Elizabeth Weisser is one such extraordinary person. Born premature with cerebral palsy, she is extremely OPL library specialist Lynn Sullivan & Elizabeth Weisser nearsighted. That doesn’t stop her from volunteering six hours a week at W. Dale Clark Main Library. Weisser said that she is looking for employment, but for now enjoys spending her time sorting books and helping library specialist Lynn Sullivan, as well as serving several hours each week at the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Not only does Weisser truly enjoy shelving books, but she is also a voracious reader. In 2015, she read more than 130 books! Romance novels and young adult fiction are two of her favorite genres, and Weisser used to lament that without an OPL card, it was harder to find what she liked at her own city’s library.

Living outside Douglas County, Weisser didn’t qualify for a free OPL card. However, after she started volunteering and accrued 50 volunteer hours, she became eligible an OPL card. Unaware of this caveat, she was surprised to receive her own card while she was working.

OPL could not accomplish as much as it does without volunteers like Weisser. For all the help she has provided to the library, we hope we can return the favor in helping her to top her reading record and devour even more books this year!

If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering at OPL, visit your neighborhood branch and inquire about available opportunities.

More information and an application can be found at bit.ly/oplvolunteer.

Historic $1 Million Gift Citing a passion for education and literacy, the late Virginia C. Schmid of Omaha awarded a $1 million bequest to the Omaha Public Library Foundation. The check was presented by Schmid’s niece, Marty Davis of Bellevue, on January 6.

Per Schmid’s wishes, the gift is designated exclusively to OPL’s A.V. Sorensen Branch – located in the heart of Dundee at 48th and Cass streets – in support of books, capital expenditures, and other branch improvements. Additionally, “in no event shall any of this gift be used for the ordinary operating expenses of Sorensen Branch,” according to paperwork accompanying the donation.

This $1 million gift marks the largest single contribution the OPLF has received in its 31-year history. “We are truly humbled and even a bit speechless following the news of this extremely generous gift from the late Virginia Schmid,” said OPL Executive Director Laura Marlane.

“Before moving to Omaha, I had heard this was a very philanthropic community. This is proof positive of such support.

Financial Gifts Jan 14, 2015 – Jan 14, 2016 $1,000,000+ Virginia C. Schmid Trust $100,000+ Gilbert M. & Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation Peter Kiewit Foundation $50,000+ Lozier Foundation Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation The Sherwood Foundation $20,000+ Richard Brooke Foundation Cox Communications Omaha Community Foundation William & Ruth Scott Family Foundation Weitz Family Foundation (Barbara & Wallace Weitz) $10,000+ Dr. C.C. & Mabel L. Criss Foundation The Hawks Foundation McGowan Family Foundation Maggie & Michael McMeekin The Adah & Leon Millard Foundation Amy L. Scott Family Foundation Sokolof Foundation in memory of Richard Rosinsky $5,000+ Clifton B. & Anne Stuart Batchelder Foundation Bluestem Prairie Foundation Leola Heuck Trust Holland Foundation Humanities Nebraska Jim Kineen Mike & Dana Meyer The Todd & Betiana Simon Foundation Tenaska, Inc. $2,000+ Aflac Barbara Bock-Mavis

John & Terri Diesing Sandy & Kate Dodge Carol Ebdon First National Bank Devin Fox, M.D. Joan Gibson & Don Wurster Giger Foundation James & Dawn Hammel Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation Heritage Services Kate & Neil Holstein Richard & Helen Kelley Daniel & Kari Kinsella Michael & Susan Lebens Dianne & Allan Lozier McCarthy Capital Mike & Nancy McCarthy Harriet Otis William R. Patrick Foundation Dorothy Peters RBC Wealth Management Jessie Schirding Eve Simon Mike & Marilyn Sitorius Streck, Inc. Carol Wang $1,000+ Anonymous America First Foundation Mary Joy Anderson Mogens & Cindy Bay Jai Bikcchandani Stephen & Anne Bruckner Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather Julie & Scott Cobb Deloitte & Touche LLP James Fogarty & Dr. Nancy Fogarty Fraser Stryker PC LLO Friedland Family Foundation Lance & Julie Fritz Carol Gendler Mike & Wanda Gottschalk John & Jean Hartwell Peggy & John Heck Sandra Jenkins Kathy Katt

Sally Kjelson Jack & Stephanie Koraleski Dan & Tina Lonergan Gary & Lucie Long Mary & Rodrigo Lopez A. George & Sandra Lozier Mutual of Omaha Companies Rochelle & Jim Mullen Murray & Sharee Newman Performance Auto Group Lewis & Winifred Pinch Mary Anne & Bruce Ramge Ann Rinne Dave & Anne Rismiller Silvia Roffman Stephen & Karen Swartz Union Pacific Giveplus Program United Way of the Midlands Sarah Watson Webster Family Foundation Meredith & Drew Weitz Wally & Barbara Weitz Philip & Nancy Wolf $500+ Anonymous (2) Trent Allen Jane Alseth Alvine & Associates, Inc Jean & Mohammad Amoura-Odeh Lise Anderson Lynn & Thomas Ashby Richard & Carol Britten Sydney Cate Sandor & Rhonda Chomos Maurice & Cora Conner Stewart & Lisa Dale Nancy Darst Kennard & Marcia Davies Joseph Drugmand Eclectic Book Club Emspace Group John & Janis Haggstrom Harold & Clara Hoover Edward Hotz & Trish Nipp Milton & Marsha Kleinberg Dave & Vicki Krecek Kutak Rock Peggy Mason Michael & Deborah McLarney Mid Month Book Club

We are overwhelmed with gratitude.”

Marlane and her OPLF Development Director Wendy Townley, Matt Couch, Marty Davis & Laura Marlane staff will soon begin discussions on how the $1 million gift will be used at Sorensen Branch. The A.V. Sorensen Branch Library and Recreation Center was opened in 1976. Matt Couch serves as branch manager.

Virginia Schmid passed away in October 2015. She and her late husband, Marvin, met at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the late 1930s. They married in 1941. Throughout her life, she was a dedicated volunteer. According to Davis, Schmid loved travel, fine food, ballroom dancing, family, and friends.

Founded in 1985, the Omaha Public Library Foundation raises funds and advocates for Omaha Public Library. Through its year-round fundraising efforts, it routinely supports library programs, services, and special projects.

Visit omahalibraryfoundation.org for more information.

Jim & Bobbie Montequin Heidi Moser Mike & Sigrid Moylan Peggy Payne Sandy Price John & Kathleen Ransom Nancy Rips Greg & Sue Rusie John & Ruth Sage Paul & Annette Smith Christine & Tony Swerczek Red & Jann Thomas Stanley & Dorothy Truhlsen UPS Foundation Bruce & Susan Vosburg Jim & Maureen Waldron Mary Wampler WebEquity Solutions Linda & Michael Wendel Eileen M. Wirth $250+ Anonymous Doug & Cathy Aden AmazonSmile Foundation Aon Berger & O’Toole, CPA’s (Bob & Shary Berger) Michael & Michelle Berlin Verda Bialac George & Kathleen Bigelow Matt & Sara Boyd Marjorie & Larry Brennan Dick & Carole Burrows Patty Carlson Leilani & Ron Coe Mark & Teri D’Agostino Bethany DeCarolis Ms. Mary Beth Flanagan Thomas & Nancy Gallagher Thomas Gehl Lynn & Cindy Gray Deryl & Ramona Hamann David Harding & Sarah Newman Terry & Linda Haubold Andy Holland ICON Foundation Bill Honke & Molly Maguire Ann Hosford Kyle & Lisa Hutchings Howard & Gloria Kaslow Emily Kemp

Warren & Connie Kneer Sarah Ann Kotchian Linda Lavely Maha Music Festival Russell & Mary Ann Manners Roland & Jean Mariucci Catherine Maydew Stephanie McClellan John & Merrilee Miller Megan Monk Sue Morris Phyllis & Bob Newman Ilka Oberst Bo & Beth Ochsner Rotary-North Rotary-Suburban Rick & Carol Russell Toby & Molly Schropp Shirley Siebler Jeff & Melissa Simons Jane Slezak Gloria Sorensen Sandra Squires Pete & Mary Lou Stehr Ann & Kenneth Stinson Bill & Joan Truhlsen Elizabeth Whited Mark & Kelly Wolterman

Honorariums & Memorials October 24,2015 – January 14, 2016 In Memory of Mahmoud Amoura Jo Anne Amoura In Memory of Edward Chmiel Nancy Rips In Honor of Julie Cobb Jim & Maureen Waldron In Honor of Regina Dale Verda Bialac Gloria Sorensen In Memory of Virginia Frank Harl & Kay Dalstrom In Memory of Ruth Frederiksen Barbara How In Honor of Mary Griffin Verda Bialac Michael & Carol LaCroix

Gregory Mickells & Beverly Mazur Gloria Sorensen Sarah Watson In Memory of Travis Hall Joanne Ferguson Cavanaugh In Memory of Richard & Joyce Lewis Shannon McNeil In Memory of Richard Penney Darlene Boehnke In Memory of Alice Petersen Susan Petersen In Memory of Roger, Bev & John Picken Glenda Pierce In Memory of Richard Rosinsky Sokolof Foundation In Honor of Deirdre Routt Debra Romberger In Honor of Deirdre Routt & Family Jonathan Graham In Memory of Virginia C. Schmid Marty Davis In Memory of James C. Smith Anonymous Patricia Condon & Duane Lundeen Glenda & Larry Davis Rosemary Fogarty Rev. James E. Gilg Gretchen Green Mary Haven Fred & Nancy McCormick Robert & Mary Jane Meehan Mary Ann Olig Sue Ellen Quam Donald & Margaret Spielman Charlene Tarsney In Honor of Linda Trout Karen Berry Verda Bialac Michael & Carol LaCroix Gregory Mickells & Beverly Mazur Mark & Pamela Neseth Gloria Sorensen Sarah Watson In Honor of Wally & Barbara Weitz Lozier Foundation

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HOURS & LOCATIONS

215 S. 15th St. Omaha, NE 68102

W. DALE CLARK MAIN LIBRARY

Nonprofit Org U.S. Postage

215 S. 15th St. / 402.444.4800 ______________________________________ _______ MO, TU, WE & TH . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 - 6 PM

MILTON R. ABRAHAMS BRANCH

5111 N. 90th St. / 402.444.6284 ______________________________________ MO, TU, WE & TH . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 9 PM FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 6 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 - 6 PM

BENSON BRANCH

6015 Binney St. / 402.444.4846 ______________________________________ _______ TU, WE & TH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 8 PM FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 6 PM SU & MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

BESS JOHNSON ELKHORN BRANCH

2100 Reading Plz. / 402.289.4367 ______________________________________ _______ MO, TU, WE & TH . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 8 PM FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 6 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

FLORENCE BRANCH

2920 Bondesson St. / 402.444.5299 ______________________________________ _______ TU & WE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM TH, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU & MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

PAID Omaha, NE Permit No. 1818

SAVE THE DATE

Summer Reading Program Kick-off Parties Sat | Jun 4 | 1-3 pm All OPL locations

except Elkhorn & Main Library held on June 3 | 10:30 am-12:30 pm

Register and take part in SRP events at each OPL location.

MILLARD BRANCH

13214 Westwood Ln. / 402.444.4848 ______________________________________ _______ MO, TU, WE & TH . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 9 PM FR, SA & SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 6 PM

SADDLEBROOK BRANCH

14850 Laurel Ave. / 402.884.7473 ______________________________________ _______ TU, WE & TH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 AM - 8 PM FR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 AM - 5 PM SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 AM - 4 PM SU & MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

Cassandra Clare

A.V. SORENSEN BRANCH

Sun | Mar 13 | 2-4 pm Doors open at 1:15 pm Westside Community Conference Center

SOUTH OMAHA LIBRARY

3534 S. 108th St. | inside the white dome building

4808 Cass St. / 402.444.5274 ______________________________________ TU & TH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM WE, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU & MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED 2808 Q St. / 402.444.4850 (call for hours during MCC quarter breaks) ______________________________________ _______ MO, TU, WE & TH . . . . . . . 7:30 AM - 9 PM FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 6 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

W. CLARKE SWANSON BRANCH

9101 W. Dodge Rd. / 402.444.4852 ______________________________________ _________ TU, WE & TH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 AM - 8 PM FR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 AM - 6 PM SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 6 PM SU & MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

OPL and The Bookworm will host the New York Times bestselling author Cassandra Clare. Clare will introduce her new book in the Shadowhunters series, Lady Midnight. Clare will discuss her novel, answer questions from the audience, and sign copies of her books*. Copies of her books will be available for purchase at the event, provided by The Bookworm. *Preference given to attendees with a copy of ‘Lady Midnight.’ Other titles will be signed as time permits.

CHARLES B. WASHINGTON BRANCH

2868 Ames Ave. / 402.444.4849 ______________________________________ _______ MO, TU & WE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 8 PM TH, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 6 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

WILLA CATHER BRANCH

1905 S. 44th St. / 402.444.4851 ______________________________________ _______ TU & TH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM WE, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU & MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

Let your learning take flight with

Hours of subject to change 24-hour renewal materials: 402.444.4100 or omahalibrary.org

Scandinavian Genealogy Retreat Fri | Apr 8 | 6:30-9:30 pm Swanson Branch Learn about the new Scandinavian Interest Group, a part of the Greater Omaha Genealogical Society (GOGS), and spend time with others researching ancestors from the Scandinavian countries.

Registration is required.

Did you know that OPL offers a fun, easy-to-use tool that can help you complete research and classroom assignments? With Explora, you will discover reliable information on thousands of topics covering a wide range of subjects including art and music, literature, language arts, geography, history, social studies, world cultures and languages, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, health and sports.

To access go to omahalibrary.org/resource-center click Homework Help & Research then click Explora and enter your library card number and PIN.