Category Archives: Preservation

Throwback Thursday: Fort Sidney Soldiers

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a black and white photo from 1890. It features a group of soldiers at a temporary camp cooking over an open fire and chopping wood.

This week’s photo was donated by Marcia Tedy. It is owned and published by the Cheyenne County Historical Society and Museum. Located in Sidney, the Cheyenne County Historical Society and Museum worked with the Nebraska Library Commission to digitize items from their collection of historical photographs. Images in this collection feature business districts in the heart of these towns, troops stationed at the fort, and William Jennings Bryan speaking at the Cheyenne County Court House.

Check out this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information

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Throwback Thursday: Print Shop, Fort Street Special School for Boys

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s image features several boys performing different tasks using print shop machinery at the Fort Street Special School for Boys.

In 1914, a new school was opened to accommodate boys who “had no interest in school at all” or were considered to be “mischief makers”, according to OPS documents. This new school provided manual training in printing and agriculture as well as metal and wood working shops. A few boys were selected to attend the new school, located at 30th and Brown Streets. The group then grew to 50 within a short time. This school encouraged the boys to use their creativity. What started as a somewhat punitive program became a sought- after assignment by students in other schools. The program was later moved to the campus of the High School of Commerce.

This image is published and owned by Omaha Public Schools and the Educational Research Library. Historical materials have been located in various departments and school buildings. Many schools still maintain their own collections. In 2003, staff from the Educational Research Library began collecting and organizing these materials in a central location. This collection is a small part of the District’s long history.

If you like history, check out the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information

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Throwback Thursday: Crowd at a Football Game 1915

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a 5 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ black and white photo of a crowd sitting on the bleachers at a football game at the Nebraska Normal School at Kearney.

This picture was created by John A. Stryker. It is published and owned by the Calvin T. Ryan Library at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. UNK was founded in 1905 as the Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney. It became Nebraska State Teachers College in 1921 and renamed as Kearney State College in 1963. In 1991, it joined the Nebraska University system. The images featured in this collection show faculty, students, buildings, and activities during the school’s early existence.

Do you like history? If so, check out all the materials featured on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Call for Speakers: Big Talk From Small Libraries 2023

The Call for Speakers for Big Talk From Small Libraries 2023 is now open!

This free one-day online conference is tailored for librarians from small libraries; the smaller the better!

Small libraries of all types – public, academic, school, museum, special, etc. – are encouraged to submit a proposal. We’re looking for seven 50-minute presentations and four 10-minute “lightning round” presentations.

Do you offer a service or program at your small library that other librarians might like to hear about? Have you implemented a new (or old) technology, hosted an event, partnered with others in your community, or just done something really cool? The Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference gives you the opportunity to share what you’ve done, while learning what your colleagues in other small libraries are doing.

Here are some possible topics to get you thinking:

  • Unique Libraries
  • Special Collections
  • New buildings
  • Fundraising
  • Improved Workflows
  • Staff Development
  • Advocacy Efforts
  • Community Partnerships
  • That great thing you’re doing at your library!

Submit your proposal by Friday, December 16, 2022.

Speakers from libraries serving fewer than 10,000 people will be preferred, but presentations from libraries with larger service populations will be considered.

Big Talk From Small Libraries 2023 will be held on Friday, February 24, 2023 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Speakers will present their programs from their own desktops. The schedule will accommodate speakers’ time-zones.

This conference is organized and hosted by the Nebraska Library Commission and is co-sponsored by the Association for Rural & Small Libraries.

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

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Throwback Thursday: Safety Patrol Officers

It’s time for another #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

In this week’s 9 1/2″ x 7 1/2″ black and white photograph, there are four eighth grade students serving as safety patrol officers. They are gathered outside of Jackson School in Omaha, Nebraska with a police officer.

Safety patrol began in 1924. It was a joint effort between Miss Marie Wetzel, Principal at Farnam Street School, the Police Commissioner, and the Omaha Safety Council. The Omaha Police Department provided training for the student crossing guards and issued badges and identity cards. The program started with seven boys at Farnam and grew to include every elementary school in the district. When Farnam Street School closed in 1926, the students attended the new Jackson School. The safety patrol program was the first of its kind and served as a model for other schools across the country.

This week’s image is published and owned by Omaha Public Schools and the Educational Research Library. Historical materials have been located in various departments and school buildings. Many schools still maintain their own collections. In 2003, staff from the Educational Research Library began collecting and organizing these materials in a central location. This collection is a small part of the District’s long history.

Check out this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Chopping Wood

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a 5 1/2″ x 3″ black and white photograph of a group preparing for a picnic at Kearney Lake. The man swinging the axe is Professor John A. Stryker.

This image is published and owned by Calvin T. Ryan Library at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Working together with the Nebraska Library Commission as part of its effort to maximize access to its collection, the Calvin T. Ryan Library has digitized and made available on the Web selected photos of the early history of the institution.

If you like history, check out the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Cats in the Library

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday is just purr-fect!

This week, we have a black and white lantern slide featuring William Wallace’s cats, Nicholas and Deborah! The two cats are seen in the library of the Wallace residence licking from a bowl on the floor.

This photo was created by William Wallace. He was a vice president of Omaha National Bank, as well as the president of the Omaha Library Board. This image is published and owned by Omaha Public Library. The items from Omaha Public Library featured on the Nebraska Memories archive include early Omaha-related maps dating from 1825 to 1922, as well as over 1,100 postcards and photographs of the Omaha area.

Do you like history? Check out the Nebraska Memories archive for historic materials related to the state of Nebraska!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Girls Gymnastics Class

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a black and white photograph of a girls gymnastics class at Omaha Central High School. This is one of series of photographs taken of the interior of the newly completed high school building in 1912. The building was constructed over a 12-year period to replace the original 1872 structure. The Omaha Central High School building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

The girls in this photograph are wearing gym clothing typical of the time. A note from the 1913 Omaha Public School Annual report on Physical Training stated: “This department employs 2 teachers, one of whom gives her whole time and the other three fifths of her time to this work. There are enrolled 302 girls. The work is optional and may continued for four years. The aim is first of all corrective, then recreative, then for the development of skills, bodily poise and graceful carriage.”

This image is part of the Omaha Public School Archive Collection. Historical materials relating directly to the Omaha Public Schools have been located in various departments and school buildings. Many schools still maintain their own collections. In 2003, staff from the Educational Research Library / Library Services received a small grant to begin collecting and organizing these materials in a central location. This group of pictures and their accompanying stories is but a tiny part of the District’s over 150 year history.

See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Group of Old Time Sidney Residents

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a 3″ x 4″ black and white photograph featuring a group of men in a park east of the Union Pacific Depot. Pictured left to right are: Karl Ziuquiten, Pat McMillan, Earl Durwell, Mike McFadden and Frank Uauth.

This image is published and owned by the Cheyenne County Historical Society. The historical photographs in this collection represent the people and places of Sidney, Fort Sidney, Potter, Dalton and other communities. See more from this collection on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Elementary Students

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday is going back to school!

Union College and College View Elementary School was started by the College View Seventh-Day Adventist Church in 1900. The elementary school was jointly operated by the church and the college for many years as the Normal Department’s model school.

This 5″ x 3″ black and white photograph is owned and published by the Ella Johnson Crandall Memorial Library at Union College. The library at Union College is home to an archival collection of books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, photographs, artifacts, and manuscript collections related to the history of the college and the College View community. Photographs featured on the Nebraska Memories archive include early scenes of the college campus and downtown College View.

If you like history, check out the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission.

If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information!

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Throwback Thursday: Robin Hood Beer Truck

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s #throwback was taken on October 29, 1937. It features a refrigerated Robin Hood Beer truck. Robin Hood Beer was brewed by Fontenelle Brewing Company.

This image was taken by William Wentworth. He worked as a freelance and commercial photographer. His work provided a unique view of architecture, businesses, and community life in Omaha. This image is published and owned by The Durham Museum.

Check out this collection and more on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Aftermath of Fire in Rising City

It’s time for another #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s 5″ x 3 1/2″ black and white photo shows the aftermath of the first major fire in Rising City, which happened on July 8, 1892. It occurred north of the railroad tracks on the east side of Main Street. Businesses such as F.M. Ross’s drug store, a brick hall, Mollie Newcomer’s millinery store, and Mrs. Gates’s furniture store were destroyed along with others. The town’s churches still stand in the background of this image.

This week’s #throwback is published and owned by the Rising City Community Library. The collection of photographs are currently displayed at the library. These images include photographs of businesses, portraits of the Rising family, and the major fire that took place.

Check out this collection and more on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Burlington Northern Freedom Train

All aboard for this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This week, we have a 4″ x 4″ color photograph of the Freedom Train stopped in McCook, Nebraska in 1975.

This photograph is owned by the High Plains Historical Society and Museum. It is published by McCook Public Library. Images in this collection document early growth of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in McCook and the surrounding area.

See all the materials in this collection on the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission.

If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Grand Island

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a 5 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ colorized postcard providing an overview of Grand Island, Nebraska. This postcard is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. This collection includes material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, mainly built with Carnegie grants. The collection also includes items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.

Check out this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission.

If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information!

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Throwback Thursday: Winner’s Circle

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday is a real winner!

This black and white acetate negative features a jockey, wearing the number 3, sitting on his horse in the winner’s circle at the Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack in Omaha, Nebraska. This image was captured by William Wentworth, who was both a freelance and commercial photographer in Omaha. It is published and owned by The Durham Museum.

See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission.

If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Preparing to Hunt Cows

The hunt is on in this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This week, we have an 1890s image from the Rosebud Reservation. The Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation is located nine miles north of Valentine, Nebraska, in South Dakota. The men featured in this photograph are preparing to hunt cows that will be turned out of the corral one by one, in order to simulate a buffalo hunt.

This image was created by John Alvin Anderson. It is owned and published by History Nebraska.

Are you a history buff? If so check out all the materials featured on the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission.

If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Road in Elmwood Park

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a black and white photograph of a dirt road in Elmwood Park, located in Omaha. Elmwood Park was established in 1890 with land donated by Lyman Richardson and other citizens of Omaha. The city of Omaha added more property and by 1895 the park covered 210 acres.

This week’s image is owned and published by Omaha Public Library. Items in this collection include early Omaha-related maps dating from 1825 to 1922. Also included are over 1,100 postcards and photographs of the Omaha area.

Check out this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission.

If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information

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Throwback Thursday: Athletic Field and Grandstand

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday is a home run!

This week, we have a 5 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ black and white photograph of the athletic field and grandstand at the Nebraska State Normal School in Kearney. The grandstand, built in 1906, is filled with people while other spectators sit in cars to watch a baseball game in 1915.

This image is published and owned by the Calvin T. Ryan Library at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. As part of its effort to maximize access to its collection of photographs that feature early history of the institution, the Calvin T. Ryan Library is working with the Nebraska Library Commission to digitize and make selected photos available on the Web. Images featured on the Nebraska Memories archive show faculty, students, buildings and activities from the first dozen years of the school’s existence.

See this collection on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission.

If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information

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Throwback Thursday: Crib of Sunbeams

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday is too cute!

This week, we have a 6 1/2″ x 4″ black and white plate. Featured in this image are 11 infants in an iron-frame crib at the Nebraska Industrial School in Milford. In the 1915-1916 biennium, the babies were provided with two new large sun nurseries. 64 babies were born at the home during the biennium.

This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. This collection includes material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, mainly libraries built with Carnegie grants. This collection also features items from the 1930s that are related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.

If you like history, check out all the material featured on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission.

If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: 1921 Freight Train Wreck – Benkelman, NE

It’s another #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This 3 x 5 black and white photograph shows destroyed freight cars from a derailed freight train at the train station in Benkelman, Nebraska. The derailment resulted in total destruction of 3 freight cars and 13 others badly demolished.

This image is owned by the High Plains Historical Society and Museum. It is published by McCook Public Library. The High Plains Historical Society and Museum and the McCook Public Library worked together in partnership to digitize photographic images from the historical society’s collection. These images document early growth of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in McCook and the surrounding area. The collection spans from the early 1880s through the 1960s.

See the full collection on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission.

If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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