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Tag Archives: Nebraska Library Commission
Throwback Thursday: Children Looking at Picture Books
How’s your summer reading going this #ThrowbackThursday?
This week’s highlight has four children looking at books next to a dark-colored panel truck in this 2-1/2″ x 4-1/8″ black and white photograph. The door on the side of the truck is open, revealing books on shelves. The bookmobile has “Nebraska Public Library Commission” printed on the door.
This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
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.
Posted in General, Nebraska Memories, Preservation
Tagged Bookmobile, Nebraska Library Commission, Throwback Thursday
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Throwback Thursday: August Molzer, Violinist
Listen to some music this #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a promotional piece that describes August Molzer’s musical education and experience in performing for audiences; provides reviews of performances; and, outlines sample concert programs. Photographs of Molzer and two of his professors, Otokar Sevik and Stefan Suchy, have been glued to the item.
August Molzer moved to Wilber, Nebraska, with his family as a boy and studied violin at the Prague Conservatory in Bohemia (Czech Republic) and performed concerts in Europe before returning to Lincoln to teach at both Nebraska Wesleyan University and the University School of Music. Molzer also composed several pieces of music. This piece advertised his performance availability in Nebraska and the area, and Molzer did perform at such places as the Shelby Opera House and the Kerr Opera House in Hastings.
This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
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.
Nebraska Library Commission Celebrates 125 Years of Service to Nebraska’s Libraries and Communities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 27, 2026
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Timperley
402-471-3434
800-307-2665
Nebraska Library Commission Celebrates 125 Years of Service to Nebraska’s Libraries and Communities
The Nebraska Library Commission (NLC) is marking a major milestone this year: 125 years of strengthening libraries, expanding access to information, and supporting lifelong learning across the state. Established by an act of the Legislature on March 27, 1901 as the Nebraska Public Library Commission, the Commission has grown from a small state agency into a statewide leader in library development, training, and resource sharing.
Established to encourage the growth and spread of public libraries in the state, the agency’s purview has grown to support Nebraska’s public, academic, school, and special libraries, the Commission has long served as a central hub for reference services, professional training, consulting, and statewide resource coordination. Its collections and expertise have supported librarians, state employees, government information seekers, and Nebraskans with print disabilities for more than a century.
Over the decades, the Commission has expanded its mission to meet changing community needs—embracing new technologies, strengthening rural library support, and ensuring equitable access to information for all Nebraskans.
Current Services Supporting Nebraska Libraries
As the Commission celebrates its 125th anniversary, it continues to deliver a wide range of programs and services, including:
- Talking Book and Braille Services (TBBS), provides free audiobooks, audio magazines, and braille materials to Nebraskans with a visual or physical condition, or a reading disability which limits use of regular print.
- NCompass Live, a weekly webinar series offering professional development on emerging library topics, technology, and community engagement.
- Statewide grants and funding opportunities, including annual NLC Grants that help libraries launch new programs, improve services, and expand community impact.
- Reference and resource support, providing access to government publications, research assistance, and specialized collections for Nebraskans with visual or physical disabilities.
- Training and consulting, helping libraries of all types strengthen operations, adopt new technologies, and meet accreditation standards.
- Digital access and statewide resource sharing, including online catalogs, interlibrary loan support, eBooks and Audiobooks through Nebraska OverDrive Libraries, and digital literacy initiatives.
These services reflect the Commission’s ongoing commitment to empowering Nebraska’s libraries as essential community anchors. For more information on the history of the Nebraska Library Commission please visit https://nlc.nebraska.gov/history/.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”
Nebraska’s Regional Library Systems consist of four non-profit corporations governed by boards representative of libraries and citizens in the region. The four systems were established to provide access to improved library services through the cooperation of all types of libraries and media centers within the counties included in each System area.
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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.
Throwback Thursday: Nebraska Library Commission Employees as Gangsters
We’re looking back on some Nebraska Library Commission history this #ThrowbackThursday!
In celebration of the Nebraska Library Commission’s upcoming 125th birthday, this week’s highlight is a 5-1/2″ x 4-3/4″ black and white photograph of Nebraska Library Commission employees in 1973 dressed up as gangsters. This PR photograph of Nebraska Library Commission employees was taken when the Commission moved from the Capitol building to 1420 P Street in Lincoln. Rod Wagner, holding a violin case, sits on the running board of a car with a 1929 license plate; Robert Kemper, holding a shotgun, and Dorothy Lessenhop lean against the passenger side; Mary Fran Harvey stands on the other side of the hood, and Nancy Wiederspan stands with one foot on the front fender.
At the time the photograph was taken, Mary Fran Harvey was the Assistant Director for Library Development); Rod Wagner was Planning, Evaluation and Research Coordinator, (Wagner became the Commission’s Director in 1988); Robert Kemper was the Director; Dorothy Lessenhop was NLC Assistant Director of Library Operations; and Nancy Wiederspan was NLC Community Information Specialist for the Elderly. The Commission was located in the basement of the building at 1420 P Street and titled their news publication as “Overtones from the Underground” hence the gangster outfits. The Commission Offices moved again in 1993 to 1200 N Street.
This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
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.
Posted in General, Nebraska Memories, Preservation
Tagged Nebraska Library Commission, Throwback Thursday
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Throwback Thursday: Public Library, Schuyler, Nebr.
It’s another #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a 3″ x 5″ color postcard of the Schuyler Public Library. A boy with bicycle stands in front of the library and a car is parked at the curb. Library building was funded by Carnegie, designed by architects Fisher & Lawrie of Omaha, and completed in 1912. Original version is from from Marguerite Nesbit collection in Nebraska and Carnegie Libraries.
This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
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.
Throwback Thursday: Bridge Across Waste Way, Tri-State Canal
It’s a #ThrowbackThursday postcard!
This black-and-white photographic postcard shows a 108 ft. long cement bridge structure over a water way, Tri-State Canal near Morrill, Nebraska. The Tri-State Canal diverts water from the North Platte River close to the Wyoming border for irrigation in western Nebraska. According to The Irrigation Age November 1905, Howard G. Leavitt was the president of the Tri-State Land Company which building the “canal 100 miles long, forty feet wide at bottom, and twelve feet deep.” According to the Nebraska Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics December 1907 Bulletin, the canal was partly financed by “several New York millionaires” to “irrigate between 75,000 and 100,000 acres.” A postmark and one-cent green Benjamin Franklin stamp are on the reverse.
This image is published by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
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.
Throwback Thursday: Nebraska Corn
Have you been to a corn maze this season #ThrowbackThursday?
This black and white stereoscopic photograph is on a postcard, and pictures a close-up of ears of corn. Information printed on item: 506 Nebraska Corn, 1905; John Nelson, Commercial Photographer, Ericson, Neb. U.S.A.
This image is published and owned by the History Nebraska. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
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.
Throwback Thursday: Chief American Horse (Wasicu Tasunke)
We’re celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day this #ThrowbackThursday!
This black and white studio photograph shows Chief American Horse (Wasicu Tasunke) wearing an animal skin shirt and a feathered headdress. He wears both a presidential peace medal and a bear claw necklace around his neck. The photograph was taken at the Rosebud Reservation. During the Ghost Dance Uprising of 1890, American Horse tried to diffuse confrontations between Native Americans and whites. In 1891, he led a delegation of Sioux chiefs to Washington, D.C., to try to bring about better treatment of his people. The Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation is located nine miles north of Valentine, Nebraska, in South Dakota.
This image is published and owned by the History Nebraska. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
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.
Throwback Thursday: Library and Reading Room, State Industrial School, Kearney
Are you reading this week #ThrowbackThursday?
This 6-1/2″ x 4″ black and white plate from around 1916 shows the library and reading room in the State Industrial School located in Kearney, Nebraska. A number of boys in uniform sit in chairs reading while others look at books in wooden bookcases that line one long wall. The remodeling and refurbishing of the library in the 1915-1916 biennium (at a cost of $287.40) included new bookcases. At the end of the biennium, the collection included “1,080 volumes of choice literature.
This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
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.
Throwback Thursday: Bookmobile at Nehawka Public Library
Let’s take a drive down memory lane this #ThrowbackThursday!
This 4-1/8″ x 2-1/2″ black and white photograph dated 11/09/1937 shows several woman standing beside a bookmobile parked on Maple Street outside of the log cabin building of Nehawka Public Library, which continues to serve as a library to this day. The panel doors on the truck are open, showing books on shelves inside, and several of the woman are either reading or posing with a book. Among the woman are Isadore Sheldon Tucker on the far left and Evelyn Wolph on the far right. Isadore Sheldon Tucker’s father built Sheldon General Store in 1888 and Miss Wolph was a long time 4-H leader in Cass County.
This image is published by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
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.
Throwback Thursday: Two Oaks
It’s the #ThrowbackThursday before Arbor Day!
This sepia-toned 5-3/8” x 3-3/8” postcard is dated October 26, 1911; but the photograph of the two tall oak trees framing the view was likely from several years earlier. It appears to be taken from Mount Vernon Cemetery on Cemetery Hill to the east of Peru, Nebraska. You can see Mount Vernon Hall on the State Normal School campus in the distance. There is a one-cent Benjamin Franklin profile postage stamp on the back, along with this letter:
Peru Nebr.
R. E. Bailey
Oct 26 1911
7 AM
Miss Edna Livingston
Elgin
Nebr.
Hello! Am still in this vale of times[?] and sorrow. How is everything at Elgin? I am working hard this year, at present am carrying twenty four hours. Am teaching Phys Geo. in the ninth grade. Also getting some drill in making plans. I suppose the C.C. is still in Antelope Co? Have you played beast, bird or fish lately?
These images are published by the Nebraska Library Commission. Their collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
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.
Throwback Thursday: Beet Sugar Factory
It’s time for another #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!
This week, we have an early 1900’s black and white postcard featuring the Beat Sugar Factory in Grand Island, NE. The factory, built in 1889-1890 by local investors, was one of the first commercially successful beet sugar factories in the United States. It became known as the Oxnard Beet Sugar Company for Henry F. Oxnard. He was the first general manager and oversaw its building and then its operations. The company was bought in 1934 by the American Crystal Sugar Company which continued its operations until it closed in 1964.
This postcard is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. See more Nebraska related materials on the Nebraska Memories archive.
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.
Throwback Thursday: Oats field, State Industrial School, Kearney
Happy #ThrowbackThurdsay from Nebraska Memories!
Like many other state institutions, the State Industrial School at Kearney raised most of its own food. Some of that food was sold to help support the institution. Today, the institutions exists as the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center.
This week’s image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. This collection includes material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, many built with Carnegie grants. This collection also includes items from the 1930s related t the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
Check out 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.
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!
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.
Throwback Thursday: Court House Rock
Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!
This week, we have a 5 1/2″ x 3 3/8″ black and white photographic postcard featuring two rock formations: Courthouse Rock on the right and Jail Rock on the left. These two formations are located south of Bridgeport and could be seen in the distance for several days by pioneers traveling the Oregon Trail.
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 those built with Carnegie grants. Also included in this collection are 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 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.
Throwback Thursday: WPA Water Diversion Project
It’s another #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!
This week’s image documents the Works Progress Administration construction of the Keystone Diversion Dam and the Sutherland Canal and Reservoir in the mid-1930s. The Sutherland Reservoir and Keystone Diversion Dam are now managed by the Nebraska Public Power District as part of its hydro-power system.
This image is owned by Robin Clark and is published to the Nebraska Memories archive by the Nebraska Library Commission. The NLC’s collection includes material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska. It 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.
If you’re interested in Nebraska 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.
Throwback Thursday: Peru State Normal School
The month of April is National Poetry Month and to celebrate, we are featuring this poem for this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!
This 5-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ postcard features a poem about the town of Peru. Postcards like this were likely supplied to students and visitors to promote the school.
This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collection includes material on the history of libraries in Nebraska, mainly libraries built with Carnegie grants. Also included in the collection are 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 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. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.
Throwback Thursday: Children Looking at Picture Books
Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!
This image of Nebraska history is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collection includes material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, mainly those 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.
If you like history, especially Nebraska history, check out the Nebraska Memories archive!
The Nebraska Memories archive 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.
Throwback Thursday: Ezra Meeker at Chimney Rock
Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!
This early 1900’s postcard shows Ezra Meeker standing in front of an oxen-drawn wagon with Chimney Rock in the background.
In 1852, Ezra Meeker traveled the Oregon Trail with his wife and newborn son by wagon. In 1906-1908, Meeker traveled back along the Oregon Trail to bring attention to the importance of the trail and the people who traveled it. Chimney Rock was one of the most important landmarks on the trail.
This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission’s collection includes material on the history of libraries in Nebraska, items related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, and items showcasing Nebraska’s state institutions. See all the materials on the Nebraska Memories archive.
Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.
