Nebraska Center for the Book

10/06/2026

Learn about Nebraska’s state reading and writing contest for youth, ‘Letters About Literature’, on tomorrow’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, October 7 at 10am CT.

Sign up at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/NCompassLive/

Learn about Nebraska’s state reading and writing contest for youth, ‘Letters About Literature’, on next week’s NCompass Live webinar, on Wednesday, October 7 at 10am CT.

Sign up at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/NCompassLive/

The Nebraska Center for the Book is a statewide organization dedicated to the promotion of reading in all its forms. Its annual Nebraska Letters About Literature contest allows students in 4th through 12th grade to write to authors (living or deceased) about their favorite book or poem about how his or her book affected their lives.

This session will provide helpful information for teachers and librarians interested in the competition. It will also cover the submission process and be an excellent opportunity to ask questions about the entire competition process. Teachers will be interested in this program that will help enhance and extend their classroom instruction.

Presenter: Tessa Timperley, Communications Coordinator,and Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission.

10/05/2026

The annual competition is open!

Young readers in grades 4-12 are invited to write a personal letter to an author for the Nebraska Letters about Literature (LAL) contest, a state reading and writing promotion program. Read more about it on the ➡️ https://buff.ly/hmjPZTB

Teachers, librarians, and parents can download the contest guidelines, free teaching materials, information on the online entry system, and past winning letters on our website ➡️ https://buff.ly/3y9CS92

10/02/2026

What book will all Nebraskans be encouraged to read in 2027? We will all find out on November 14th at the Nebraska Celebration of Books literary festival. A Nebraska family saga, a cross‑country odyssey, a deeply researched historical narrative— all stories with ties to Nebraska — are the finalists for the 2027 One Book One Nebraska statewide reading program. The finalists are:

• The Plain Sense of Things by Pamela Carter Joern, University of Nebraska Press, 2008
• The Lincoln Highway byAmor Towles, Viking, 2021
• Journey to Freedom: Uncovering the Grayson Sisters’ Escape from Nebraska Territory by Gail Shaffer Blankenau, University of Nebraska Press, 2024

Read more about it on the ➡️ https://buff.ly/xwEpIie

09/30/2026

Spooky season is here, and literary events getting seasonal! If you’re looking for something to do in October, check out the 📅 to see some upcoming literary events around Nebraska that may pique your interest! ➡️ https://buff.ly/88cPUSz

09/17/2026

The NCB Board met this past weekend at Omaha Public Library's new Central Branch. Board members were able to discuss Center business, received reports about the National Book Festival, Humanities Nebraska, and program progress for One Book One Nebraska, the upcoming NCOB literary festival on November 14th, Book Awards and more.

Read more about it on the ➡️ https://buff.ly/Ua1tf9j

08/31/2026

Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 Nebraska Book Awards! 🏆 Celebrate the winners with author readings and an awards presentation ceremony at the Nebraska Celebration of Book’s (NCOB) literary festival, held at the UNL City Campus Union on November 14th. See the list of this year's winners on the ➡️ https://buff.ly/XfuS0Xv

08/26/2026

The Nebraska Center for the Book is proud to announce Karen Russell as the featured author for the 2026 Nebraska Celebration of Books literary festival. Russell, an acclaimed novelist, short story writer, and recipient of major national literary honors, will headline the annual statewide event held November 14, 2026, at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s City Campus Union and Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center.

As the festival’s featured author, Russell will deliver the One Book One Nebraska Author Talk during the afternoon program, including a discussion of The Antidote: A Novel, her research travels across Nebraska, and the role of memory, resilience, and community in her work. Russell will be joined by guest speaker Judi gaiashkibos, Executive Director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs. Russell will also participate in the Authors Reception directly after her talk, where she will be available for book signings.

Read more about it on the ➡️ https://buff.ly/ufF12oZ

08/20/2026

This year Nebraskans will have the opportunity to join in the fun with programming featuring our Youth Great Read. The Festival Near You, is a statewide initiative celebrating the 2026 National Book Festival by bringing Nebraska’s Great Reads from Great Places youth book to communities, and offers Nebraskans a chance to engage with literature close to home.

As part of the programming, schools and libraries across the state can check out a free book club kit of Quagmire Tiarello Couldn’t Be Better. The Nebraska Library Commission has 50 books available for checkout, each reservation will include discussion guides, activity prompts, and bookmarks. To further support statewide engagement the author, Mylisa Larsen, will offer eight virtual author visits to Nebraska schools and libraries who check out the book club kits. These interactive sessions give young readers the chance to ask questions, learn about the writing process, and connect directly with the author whose book represents Nebraska on the national stage. Libraries and educators can register for these visits on a first‑come, first‑served basis. Find about The Festival Near You programming and National Book Festival at https://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/nationalbookfestival.html.

08/03/2026

The Nebraska Center for the Book has selected one children’s book and one adult book by Nebraska authors to represent the state at the 2026 National Book Festival. "Quagmire Tiarello Couldn’t Be Better" by Mylisa Larsen and "The Antidote: A Novel" by Karen Russell. Both titles will be part of the National Center for the Book’s Great Reads from Great Places program.

This year Nebraskans will have the opportunity to join in the fun with programming featuring our Youth Great Read. The Festival Near You, is a statewide initiative celebrating the 2026 National Book Festival by bringing Nebraska’s Great Reads from Great Places youth book to communities, and offers Nebraskans a chance to engage with literature close to home.

Read more about it on the ➡️ https://buff.ly/EehQGyv