OPL Spring Connect Newsletter 2018

Connect 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 OPL New Titles

Celebrate National Library Week April 8-14, 2018 NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. This year’s National Library Week celebration marks the event’s 60th anniversary. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support.

OPL will participate by offering its annual Storybook Land event and many other programs and resources that connect people with ideas, information and innovation to help people achieve whatever transformation they desire in their lives.

Visit omahalibrary.org for a list of programs.

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Volume 25 • Issue 1 • Spring 2018 Page

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KidSpot & TeenSpace Partner & Staff Spotlights

Friends of OPL OPL Foundation

Time to spring clean & get green!

• 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. Search for “watt detector” in OPL’s online catalog and reserve yours today.

• Recycle Omaha! Pick up recycling bins at OPL’s Abrahams, Elkhorn, Saddlebrook, Sorensen, South Omaha, and Washington branches.

• Get ready to grow by attending one of OPL’s Common Soil Seed Library programs:

Seed Cleaning Party  

Chickens in the City 

Sat | Mar 3 | 1 pm | Benson Branch

Sat | Mar 17 | 1:30 pm | Elkhorn Branch R Sat | May 5 | 1 pm | Willa Cather Branch

Starting Seeds 

Herb Garden

Sat | Mar 3 | 1 pm | Willa Cather Branch

Garden Design & Companion Planting

Sat | Apr 7 | 1 pm | Willa Cather Branch  Mon | May 7 | 6:30 pm | South Omaha* 

Dig It: Family Gardening 

Sat | May 19 | 1:30 pm | Benson Branch

The Importance of Seed Saving  Sat | Mar 10 | 10 am | Millard Branch  Mon | Apr 9 | 6:30 pm | South Omaha *  Sat | Apr 14 | 1:30 pm | Millard Branch Sat | Apr 21 | 1:30 pm | Elkhorn Branch  R Vermicomposting  Sat | Mar 17 | 10:30 am | Florence Branch Sat | Apr 28 | 10 am | Florence Branch  Kids

 Teens

 Adults

 All ages

R Registration required

Storytime Schedule

Storybook Land Sun | April 15 | 1-4 pm | Saddlebrook Branch OPL will celebrate its fifth annual Storybook Land event—an exciting afternoon with storytimes throughout the day featuring some of our visiting characters and their friends.

This year’s characters include Biscuit, Curious George, Island Princess, Little Critter, Olivia, Spider

*en Español

1:30 pm: Olivia 2:15 pm: Curious George 3 pm: Wild Thing

Hero, Thea Stilton, Wild Thing, and OPL’s mascot Scamper! These storybook characters are excited to meet their fans and pose for photos, so don’t forget to bring a camera! All children attending Storybook Land will receive a free book to keep, while supplies last.

Director’s Note

2017: Year-in-Review

This brisk, seemingly long winter has me daydreaming about warm breezes, sunny days and green grass – and it’s almost here! Spring always feels like a time of renewal for me—time to clean out closets, learn something new, plan a garden, or just open the windows and let in some fresh air!

Items Borrowed | 3,018,584

Desktop Computer Sessions | 501,879

Library Visits | 1,911,776

Digital Downloads | 302,818

Website Visits | 1,689,355

Current Library Members | 301,453

If you’re looking to do some of the same, let OPL help! The library has a variety of programs, resources, databases, and of course, BOOKS, to help you achieve whatever is on your to-do list.

Try Lynda.com to learn something that will help you in your current job, or perhaps inspire starting a new job or business. Lynda.com is a very useful tool to learn about Quickbooks, Google Sheets, or improving your time management skills, and you can access it through OPL’s website for free with your library card.

As for me, I have big garden plans this year! After last year’s garden failure, I’m going to start the process off right with a seed starting class at the library.

If you’re planning a garden, OPL has the resources to get you on your way!

Check out open-pollinated seeds, learn how to start them, design a garden, and even harvest seeds to replenish the library. Use the library’s MyOPL mobile app to search for seeds available in OPL’s catalog. It’s so easy to reserve them and have them sent to your local branch to pick up at your convenience.

Whatever your plans may be this spring, you can find these resources and more available at omahalibrary.org, and our friendly staff are always here to help, too.

Laura Marlane Executive Director

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Service 33,975 kids, teens & adults registered for the Summer Reading Program 60,666 adults attended a meeting in one of our rooms 130,283 individuals attended a library program

Top Circulating Print Titles Adult fiction: Camino Island by John Grisham Adult nonfiction: Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance Youth/teen: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell Children’s: Pete the Cat and the New Guy by Kimberly & James Dean

Winter Recap Wells Fargo Family Festival W. Dale Clark Main Library was once again a host of the annual downtown Wells Fargo Family Festival on December 3. More than 2,500 people attended and enjoyed meeting and taking photos with H.A. Rey’s timeless storybook character Curious George and OPL’s mascot Scamper. Children took home their very own book to keep, while family members of all ages listened to live holiday music, colored, participated in storytimes and enjoyed cookie decorating and hot cocoa.

Jane Austen Tea

OPL’s 14th annual Jane Austen Tea took place on December 9 at W. Dale Clark Main Library. More than 150 people attended the event in honor of Austen’s 242nd birthday.

Participants reflected on the 200th anniversary of Austen’s passing with a talk by guest speaker Dr. Cheryl Kinney, a former board member for the National Jane Austen Society of North America.

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 one or two months, and scheduled 12 months in advance through an open application process.

March: Ladies at the Fair: Women and the Trans-Mississippi & International Exposition Opening reception: Fri | March 2 | 4-6 pm Welcome Wendy Jean Katz, editor of “The TransMississippi and International Expositions of 1898–1899: Art, Anthropology, and Popular Culture at the Fin de Portrait of two Streets of All Nations performers Siècle,” for a discussion about the ways that women participated in and were represented at Omaha’s World Fair in 1898.

Katz will be joined by Emily Godbey, Associate Professor of Art and Visual History at Iowa State University’s College of Design, and contributor to the essay “Trilby Goes Native: The Westernization of an International Hit” (about a controversial nude portrait that was displayed at the Trans-Mississippi Expo); Jillian Roger, American history teacher at Marian High School and author of a master’s thesis on the representation of women and others at the Trans-Mississippi Expo; and Timothy Schaffert, Susan J. Rosowski Associate Professor and Director of Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln and author of several novels, including “The Swan Gondola,” set at the Trans-Mississippi Expo. This exhibition will feature unique artifacts from OPL’s Trans-Mississippi & International Exposition archive.

April: Omaha Public Library—A Year in Photographs OPL sees nearly two million visitors each year at its 12 locations. The individuals served by OPL represent all ages, backgrounds and walks of life. Each person comes to the library for a different reason, and OPL strives to capture some of those moments throughout the year.

A year in images will be represented through this exhibit selected from OPL’s 2017 photo archive. The photos will feature OPL’s patrons – your family, colleagues, neighbors and friends.

Mother & daughter enjoy reading at OPL

May/June: Erin Blayney, Kimberly Glass & Larrison Seidle Opening reception: Fri | May 4 | 4-6 pm From exploring the physical body of humans to diving into the intricate layers of nature, these artists’ works reimagine habitation through their works. This exhibition analyzes the human body and the faces that reflect, accept and reject outward influences.

Each artist expresses conflict in their work, be it through spatial limitations, interactions with other bodies, or the world in which it exists.

Employing multiple techniques, bodies in motion and facial landscapes delve into the struggles of belonging to a world that doesn’t always feel natural to its inhabitants.

Trench by Larrison Seidle

Oyster by Erin Blayney

New OPL Titles This Spring All the Beautiful Girls

by Elizabeth J. Church This is a powerful novel about a gutsy showgirl who tries to conquer her past amongst the glamour of 1960s Las Vegas, and finds unexpected fortune, friendship and love.

Heads of the Colored People by Nafissa Thompson-Spires This collection of moving, timely and darkly funny stories examines the concept of black identity in this so-called post-racial era.

The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections With Your Kids

by Sarah Mackenzie Founder of the immensely popular Read-Aloud Revival podcast, Mackenzie knows first-hand how reading can change a child’s life. In “The Read-Aloud Family,” she offers inspiration and age-appropriate book lists to start a read-aloud movement in your home.

This Messy Magnificent Life: A Field Guide

by Geneen Roth From the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling “Women Food and God” comes inspiring, personal, and often spiritual reflections on how women can find peace, make wise choices, practice every day joy, and step into their power.

Visualizing the Beatles: A Complete Graphic History of the World’s Favorite Band

by John Pring & Rob Thomas Filled with stunning fullcolor infographics, this unique, album-by-album visual history of the evolution of the Beatles examines how their style, sound, instruments, songs, tours, and the world they inhabited transformed over the course of a decade.

Request your own customized book list at omahalibrary.org and select Custom Reading List under the Services tab.

Cry by Kimberly Glass

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KidSpot

TeenSpace

Costume Character Enjoy stories & activities with children’s book characters. Don’t forget your camera!

Olivia Visits Storytime

Fri | Apr 6 | 10 am | Saddlebrook Sat | Apr 7 | 10:30 am | Washington Mon | Apr 9 | 10:30 am | Millard Tues | Apr 10 | 10:30 am | South Omaha Wed | Apr 11 | 10:30 am | Willa Cather Thurs | Apr 12 | 10 am | Elkhorn Fri | Apr 13 | 10:30 am | Swanson Sun | Apr 15 | 1 pm | Saddlebrook @Storybook Land Schedules subject to change; visit omahalibrary.org for updates.

April 19-28

Teen Tech Week, March 4-10, provides an opportunity for libraries to showcase the great digital resources and services that are available to help teens succeed in school and prepare for college and 21st century careers.

Celebrate Teen Tech Week with the theme “Libraries are for Creating.” This year’s theme encourages teens to take advantage of opportunities offered through the library to become content creators, and to leverage library resources to share out their creations, whether they be podcasts, videos, apps, games, wearable tech, or some other fabulous invention or creation! See a full schedule of programs at omahalibrary.org.

2nd Saturdays 1:30-3:30 pm

Mar 10 | Abrahams Branch Apr 14 | Swanson Branch

Día de los Niños Celebrate the diversity of our community during the annual Children’s Book Day (Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros). Children in attendance will receive a free book to keep while supplies last!

Children’s Day/Día Celebration or Storytime

Sat | Apr 21 | 1 pm | South Omaha Tue | Apr 24 | 10:30 am | Washington Tue | Apr 24 | 4:30 pm | Florence Wed | May 2 | 10:30 am Willa Cather & Main Library Sat | May 5 | 10 am | Benson For more information, visit omahalibrary.org.

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Author Visit: Alan Gratz Thurs | Mar 29 | 6 pm | Abrahams Branch OPL will host New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz, author of “The League of Seven” series, “Ban this Book,” and Golden Sower Award-winner, “Prisoner B-3087.”

Gratz will speak about his books, answer questions, and sign copies of his books after the presentation. The Bookworm will be on hand for attendees to purchase books, while supplies last. Seating is on a first-come/first-seated basis.

Read Off Your Fines Youth ages birth through 15 can now read off late fines owed on their OPL account during designated reading times at the library or at home. For children who are not yet independent readers, parents may read to their child to collect waivers good toward fines owed on their child’s account.

Fines will be waived at a rate of $5 per hour, or $1.25 for 15 minutes. A maximum of $10 in fines may be waived during each reading period.

Read Off Your Fines waivers do not include collection agency fees, Interlibrary Loan fees, Bestseller Express fees, Metro Community College fees, research fees or future overdue fines. Find a schedule of reading times at omahalibrary.org.

Photo by Wes Stitt

The sixth annual Nebraska Science Festival will take place across the entire state. The mission of the festival is to make science accessible, interactive, relevant and fun for kids and adults alike. OPL will offer a variety of family-friendly programming during the festival to showcase how science affects every part of our everyday life – from simple activities like reading, using technology or building with LEGO bricks, to learning basic coding and flying drones. Visit omahalibrary.org for OPL programs, or visit nescifest.com for information about the festival.

Bring your creativity and your interest in slam poetry to these workshops.

Summer Volunteers Needed Share your time, creative ideas & enthusiasm for reading!

Help out during OPL’s Summer Reading Program (SRP)! Volunteers must attend a training session at the beginning of the program to learn their responsibilities. Typical tasks may include registering people for SRP, preparing crafts and materials for children’s programs, assisting with setup and clean-up for programs, photocopying, cutting paper, cleaning books, straightening shelves, and shelving books. Schedules are created on an individual basis and may be flexible around vacations and other commitments.

Contact your local branch to learn more about SRP volunteer opportunities.

Staff Spotlight Veronica Bonilla

When Veronica Bonilla moved to Omaha from Southern California in 1998, OPL was among the first places she applied to work. Armed with a letter of recommendation from a teacher she had worked with, Bonilla visited W. Dale Clark Main Library and completed a job application. A few days later, she received a call to interview for a library page position. She was offered a job on the spot. She social gatherings for the branch had no idea she would continue staff, and has even planned picnics to work at OPL for the next two for the entire OPL staff. decades… and counting.

“She’s like the emotional glue of Her work began at Main Library, the branch,” Maring said. “She’s and after about a year, she really concerned about morale transferred to South Omaha and making sure everyone feels Library. Bonilla is one of a few welcome and a part of things.” employees who have worked at Through the years, Bonilla has the library’s current location since watched children who once came it opened in 2008. “She knows in for storytimes grow into young so much about the facility, our adults, and thinks it’s pretty neat patrons, and everything that has that many still recognize her when to do with South Omaha Library, they visit the library. “Most of the making her a wonderful asset time they wonder why I’m still to our team,” said South Omaha here, but I’m here because I really Library manager Marvel Maring. enjoy it,” Bonilla said with a laugh.

To patrons, she might be known as the smiling woman regularly seen sitting behind the circulation desk, always eager to help with anybody’s needs. Among the staff, Bonilla has made a name for herself with her creative book displays and her de facto position as the location’s social chair.

“I always try to make work a little more fun,” said Bonilla, who keeps track of staff birthdays, plans

She’s built relationships with regular patrons, especially Spanish-speakers. Having raised her own children with the help of OPL programs and resources, sharing all that the library has to offer is an especially important part of her job. “She’s got a sensitive and compassionate heart,” said Maring. “She works hard to make sure that all patrons have what they need.”

Partner Spotlight

Literacy Center of the Midlands

Karen Holdeman has taught English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at Millard Branch as a volunteer since 2015. Each Tuesday and Thursday evening, Holdeman works with other volunteers to teach students about the English language.

Classes are attended by people from various backgrounds — immigrants, refugees and Karen Holdeman (center) naturalized citizens. Whatever their individual learning goals, Holdeman has observed that most of the students come “partly as a social activity, partly for fun, and partly for learning English for work in the hopes of getting a better job in the future, and to be able to talk with family members, school teachers and friends.”

OPL hosts ESL classes weekly at Millard Branch and South Omaha Library thanks to a partnership between OPL and the Literacy Center of the Midlands, which provides the staff and volunteers who teach each course. In 2017, 3,123 students attended ESL classes at OPL. ESL classes are the foundation of OPL’s partnership with the Literacy Center, which began in 2012. The partnership has grown to include more programs to educate adult learners including pre-GED classes, citizenship classes, English conversation classes, and individual tutoring sessions at almost every OPL location. These classes are designed to promote literacy in the Omaha community, where 16 percent of people are functionally illiterate, according to the Literacy Center.

In addition to bringing new patrons to OPL locations where they can learn about available resources, libraries also provide a safe and welcoming space for students to learn. To Pierre Sagitteh, program director at the Literacy Center of the Midlands, the partnership with OPL is “a match made in heaven.”

“When talking about literacy, you have to talk about libraries,” said Sagitteh. “OPL is already strategically positioned to serve people in the Omaha metro. We introduced these programs to make it a one-stop shop.”

Not so coincidentally, the Literacy Center of the Midlands was founded in 1970 by a former librarian who wanted to help adults in Omaha improve their literacy skills. Today, the organization continues its mission “to empower adults and families by helping them acquire the literacy skills and practices to be active and contributing members of their communities,” driven by a dedicated group of volunteers and the needs of the community.

Working with the Literacy Center definitely helps OPL toward its mission of strengthening our communities through making connections. “This is a natural partnership,” said OPL Executive Director Laura Marlane. “Working together with our combined resources and expertise, we have a greater reach with a greater impact.”

Learn more about the Literacy Center at giveliteracy.org.

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Annual Meeting The Friends of Omaha Public Library held their annual meeting on January 13 at the University of Nebraska Omaha Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center. During a brief business meeting, new officers were elected to the board of directors: Jeanne Spence (president), Trina Armstrong (secretary), and Michael O’Hara (treasurer). Outgoing FOPL president Karen Hosier reported that the organization raised record-high funds in 2017 at their book sales with more than $100,000 in weekly/monthly sales, and an additional $50,000 in online sales. Altogether, nearly 89,000 items were sold with the help of 8,600 hours of volunteer labor. The 2017 Special Friends Awards recognized OPL’s Marketing Manager Emily Getzschman and book sale volunteer Annika Weber.

Book Sales

Swanson Branch | 9101 W. Dodge Rd. Weekly Sales Monthly Sales Thursdays | 10 am - 3 pm 1st Saturday | 10 am - 3 pm

Be a FRIEND! 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!

New York Times bestselling author Alex Kava was the featured guest speaker at the event. Kava shared how her Nebraska roots have influenced her work, and answered questions from the audience about the future of her beloved fictional characters. Her discussion was recorded by KIOS, Omaha’s NPR station, and will be aired at a later date.

The Friends of Omaha Public Library 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 memberships to the organization. Learn more at friendsomahalibrary.org.

Please complete the form and mail it to: FRIENDS of Omaha Public Library PO Box 6032, Omaha, NE 68106 Michael O’Hara & Alex Kava

Volunteer Spotlight Eric Driggs For Eric Driggs and his wife, genealogical research became a hobby from the moment they first watched “Roots” on television in 1977. The show piqued the couple’s curiosity about their own familial roots and started their pursuit of genealogical history, which has lasted 41 years.

Though the internet has changed the way people conduct their genealogical research, Driggs began his at the place in which he has volunteered since 2005—OPL’s Genealogy Room, located at W. Dale Clark Main Library.

Libraries, books and public records are still some of the best sources for historical information; and with years of experience sleuthing through historical documents, archives and databases, Driggs has become a valuable asset to those who visit OPL in their own pursuit of historical knowledge.

“The greatest thing about Eric is that he will sit down with a patron for an extended period of time and help them figure out what 6

Questions? Email us at omahalibraryfriends@gmail.com

they need and how to look for it,” said Martha Grenzeback, OPL genealogy & local history librarian.

“I’m always happy to help people find an obituary or article that others didn’t think to look for,” said Driggs. “It really helps when people are successful at finding something because it keeps them interested and engaged in their research.”

Having retired from International Paper in April 2017, Driggs now volunteers at OPL twice a week, in addition to the volunteering he does at the Corrigan Senior Center and the Harrison County Genealogy Society in Woodbine, Iowa. Even when he isn’t volunteering, Grenzeback said that Driggs always has the library on his mind. He keeps an eye open for items to donate to OPL’s collection or anywhere the historic materials he finds might be relevant.

With his experience in genealogical research and desire to turn others on to the wonder of uncovering their family’s history, Driggs plays an important role at OPL. If you find yourself in need of assistance with your own genealogical research projects, stop by Main Library on Friday or Saturday before 1 pm and he will be happy to help guide you!

If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering at OPL, visit your neighborhood branch or omahalibrary.org/volunteer for information.

Barbara Bock-Mavis Leadership Award In September 2017, at its annual fundraiser featuring “Lab Girl” author Hope Jahren, the Omaha Public Library Foundation (OPLF) presented the inaugural Barbara Bock-Mavis Leadership Award.

The award’s first recipient was also its namesake: Barbara Bock-Mavis. Bock-Mavis had long advocated starting a library foundation and offered to serve as the library foundation’s first director, an unpaid volunteer post she held for eight years beginning in 1985.

Eileen Wirth, a founding member of the Omaha Public Library Foundation and a member of its advisory council, presented the award to Bock-Mavis at the event.

The award was created to recognize, honor, and celebrate longtime Foundation volunteers.

To learn more, contact OPLF Executive Director Wendy Townley at wtownley@omahalibrary.org or (402) 444-4589.

Barbara Bock-Mavis & Eileen Wirth

A Note from Barbara Bock-Mavis Thank you to the OPLF Board of Directors for creating the Barbara Bock-Mavis Leadership Award, and thanks to the great people who helped me to establish the Foundation and the Friends of Omaha Public Library.

Lyn Ziegenbein deserves special thanks for arranging a matching grant with the Peter Kiewit Foundation in 1985 that got us off to a good start in raising the $1 million needed to purchase the computers.

The best part of my experience with the Foundation and the Friends of Omaha Public Library is to see them both flourishing today. In the future, men and women will win this award, and I am proud and happy to see that my name will live on.

Financial Gifts Received

$2,000+

Security National Bank Jon & Alka Swanson Alvine & Associates, Inc Stephen & Karen Swartz Best Buy Valmont Industries, Inc. Barbara Bock-Mavis Carol Wang & Jim Phillips Cline Williams Wright Johnson Sarah Watson & Oldfather Jan 12, 2017– Jan 12, 2018 Dennis & Patricia Wiederholt First National Bank Eileen M. Wirth Devin Fox, M.D. $50,000+ Philip & Nancy Wolf Gallagher Foundation Holland Foundation Joan Gibson & Don Wurster Claire M. Hubbard Foundation $500+ Giger Foundation Sherwood Foundation Anonymous (2) James & Dawn Hammel Doug & Cathy Aden $20,000+ Special Donor-Advised Fund of the Jewish Jo Anne Amoura Anonymous (2) Federation of Omaha Foundation Lee Bachand Richard Brooke Foundation Richard & Helen Kelley Baxter Auto Group Hawks Foundation Jim Kineen Jeb & Pat Bock Lozier Foundation Gary & Lucie Long Monte S. Bradberry Omaha Community Foundation Rochelle Mullen Dick & Carole Burrows William & Ruth Scott Family Foundation Paul & Annette Smith Sandor & Rhonda Chomos Weitz Family Foundation The Soener Foundation Maurice & Cora Conner StrategicHealthSolutions $10,000+ Joseph Drugmand Streck, Inc. Immanuel Vision Foundation Eclectic Book Club Webster Family Foundation Dianne & Allan Lozier Mike & Wanda Gottschalk The Adah & Leon Millard Foundation John & Janis Haggstrom $1,000+ Omaha World-Herald Traci Hancock Anonymous John & Ruth Sage Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, P.C. Jeanette Hilton Sokolof Foundation in memory of Pamala Janousek Mary Joy Anderson Richard Rosinsky Harry & Gail Koch Mogens & Cindy Bay Elizabeth Summers Le Jardin Garden Club Michael & Michelle Berlin Russell & Mary Ann Manners $5,000+ Anne & Brian Branigan Laura Marlane Anonymous Stephen & Anne Bruckner John & Merrilee Miller Bluestem Prairie Foundation Julie & Scott Cobb Heidi Moser Cox Communications Stewart & Lisa Dale Sandra Price NP Dodge Company/Sandy & Kate Dodge John & Terri Diesing John & Kathleen Ransom Gilbert M. & Martha H. Hitchcock Carol Ebdon Ann Rinne Foundation Fraser Stryker PC LLO Nancy Rips Mutual of Omaha Companies Friedland Family Foundation Greg & Sue Rusie Dan & Kari Kinsella Lance & Julie Fritz Sylvia Schreiner Humanities Nebraska Carol Gendler Gloria Sorensen Michael & Susan Lebens Jo Giles Christine & Tony Swerczek Sally Mae McFarland Estate John & Jean Hartwell Red & Jann Thomas Maggie & Michael McMeekin Peggy & John Heck Stanley & Dorothy Truhlsen Metro Omaha Medical Society Scott & Cindy Heider Foundation United Way of the Midlands Kate & Neil Holstein Mike & Dana Meyer Bruce & Susan Vosburg Harold & Clara Hoover Pacific Life Foundation Nicole & Ted Wheeler Sandra Jenkins RBC Wealth Management Molly Wickert Noreen Johnson Silvia Roffman Dave & Vicki Krecek $250+ Fred & Eve Simon Charitable Foundation Deborah Macdonald Anonymous The Todd & Betiana Simon Foundation Mark & Dianne McMillan AmazonSmile Foundation Jill Slosburg-Ackerman Murray & Sharee Newman Martha Antonson Gilbert C. Swanson Foundation Phyllis & Bob Newman Lynn & Thomas Ashby Tenaska, Inc. Lewis & Winifred Pinch Jo Bartikoski Union Pacific Foundation RDG Planning & Design BCDM Architects Dave & Anne Rismiller George & Kathleen Bigelow Kathy & Chad Roum Richard & Carol Britten

June Carlson Bobbie Carlson James & Anne Carroll Leilani & Ron Coe Mark & Teri D’Agostino Kennard & Marcia Davies Tim Davlin & Ann O’Connor Mikki Frost Thomas & Nancy Gallagher Stephanie Iwan Flamme Chuck Jahren Theresa Jehlik Lynn & Cindy Gray Barbie Green David Harding & Sarah Newman Terry & Linda Haubold Dr. Kris & Mr. Gary Hoffman Laura Honeycutt Howard & Gloria Kaslow Katie & Justin Kemerling Emily & Philip Kemp Marc & Joan Kraft Joseph & Molly Lang Marty Magee Dr. Ed & Sally Malashock Roland & Jean Mariucci Stephanie McClellan Gail McFayden Sharon L. McGrath Tulani & Othello Meadows Mid Month Book Club Diana Nevins Susan Petersen Norma & Cliff Pountney Todd Robinson Rotary-Suburban Shirley Siebler Sandra Squires Pete & Mary Lou Stehr Union Pacific Giveplus Program Mark Thalken & Katie Wadas-Thalken Jim & Maureen Waldron Katie Weitz Meredith & Drew Weitz Judy & Gale Wickersham Larry Zier

Honorariums & Memorials Received

Oct 24, 2017 – Jan 12, 2018 In Memory of Mahmoud Amoura

In Memory of Sharon Bishop

Jim Bishop Rose Nystrom Lenora & Richard Rego Bette & Raymond Zdan

In Honor of Julie Cobb Jim & Maureen Waldron

In Memory of Virginia Frank Harl & Kay Dalstrom

In Memory of Ruth Frederiksen Barbara How

In Memory of Joan Haberman Noelle Crombie Eileen Wirth

In Honor of Anne Hubbard Mary & Rodrigo Lopez

In Memory of the Parents of Larry & Carol Johnson Larry & Carol Johnson

In Memory of Patricia Kutilek Richard Kutilek

In Honor of Dianne Lozier Mary & Rodrigo Lopez

In Honor of the Moshier Family John & Merrilee Miller

In Memory of Ted Newman David Harding & Sarah Newman

In Honor of Richard Lee Penney Darlene Boehnke

In Memory of Beverly & Roger Picken Glenda Pierce

In Memory of Rita Rosen Ken & Marilyn Knox

In Memory of Richard Rosinsky Sokolof Foundation

In Memory of Lois Rohling Simpson Thelma “Teddi” Slattery

In Memory of Marion & Harold Slosburg Jill Slosburg-Ackerman

In Memory of Richard Swanson Jon & Alka Swanson

In Memory of Dominic Tripp Barbara Tripp

Jo Anne Amoura

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215 S. 15th St. Omaha, NE 68102

HOURS & LOCATIONS

Nonprofit Org U.S. Postage

W. DALE CLARK MAIN LIBRARY

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 | May 26 | 1-3 pm All OPL locations except Main Library held on May 25 | 10 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

A.V. SORENSEN BRANCH

4808 Cass St. / 402.444.5274 ______________________________________ TU & TH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM WE, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU & MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

SOUTH OMAHA LIBRARY

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

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

Genealogy & History Programming at W. Dale Clark Main Library

Gale Courses offers a wide range of highly interactive, instructor-led online courses for academic learning, professional development, and personal enrichment available free to OPL cardholders. Courses run for six weeks, with the next session beginning March 14. Brush up your skills or learn new ones in 2018! Access through the Resource Center at omahalibrary.org.

Family history research enthusiasts are familiar with the wealth of resources available in OPL’s genealogy department, the most valuable of which is the knowledgeable staff and volunteers.

For individuals who are new to the genealogy department, a variety of programs are offered year round to help introduce different research tools.

See a full schedule of events at omahalibrary.org.

Registration is required.

Cherchez la Femme! Researching Your Female Ancestors Sun | Mar 11 | 2 pm Researching Your Ancestor’s Occupation Sun | Mar 25 | 2 pm Choosing & Using Genealogy Software Sat | Apr 7 | 2 pm Genealogical Treasures on Library Websites Sun | Apr 22 | 2 pm Genealogical Puzzle: The Case of Baby Jaycox Sat | May 12 | 2 pm Genealogy Online: JewishGen Sun | May 27 | 2 pm