Tag Archives: Nebraska

#BookFaceFriday “Chasing Bright Medusas” by Benjamin Taylor

O #BookfaceFriday!

This week’s BookFace is brand new to our collection! Next week, December 7th, we’ll be celebrating Willa Cather’s 150th birthday. What better way to get the party started than with highlighting all of Cather’s works, as well as nonfiction titles about Willa Cather, like “Chasing Bright Medusas: A Life of Willa Cather” by Benjamin Taylor (Viking, 2023.) This title is available as an eBook and Audiobook on Nebraska Overdrive Libraries, we also have several of Cather’s books on Nebraska Overdrive Libraries, including My Ántonia, Death Comes for the Archbishop, and Song of the Lark. NLC also has nine of Willa Cather’s books available as Book Club Kits. Let us know your favorite book by or about Willa Cather as we celebrate one of Nebraska’s most treasured authors.

“…Taylor provides a remarkably revealing account of the life and creative output of Willa Cather…Taylor’s connection of Cather’s personal life and her literary inventions is consistently astute, and the exuberant force of her imagination emerges vividly…the author presents a rewarding and perceptive portrait, providing a valuable assessment of Cather’s intriguing character and the enduring importance of her oeuvre. Keen, insightful commentary on a literary master.”

Kirkus Reviews

Speaking of celebrations, today’s Bookface model is being honored today as she ends her time with us here at the Nebraska Library Commission and begins her retirement! Kay Goerhing, our Senior Readers Services Advisor with the Talking Book & Braille Service, is a 44 year veteran of the Library Commission, and will be truly missed by staff and patrons alike. Congratulations Kay!

Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive! Libraries participating in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Group currently have access to a shared and growing collection of digital downloadable audiobooks and eBooks. 191 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 21,696 audiobooks, 35,200 eBooks, and 3,964 magazines. As an added bonus it includes 130 podcasts that are always available with simultaneous use (SU), as well as SU ebooks and audiobook titles that publishers have made available for a limited time. If you’re a part of it, let your users know about this great title, and if you’re not a member yet, find more information about participating in Nebraska Overdrive Libraries!

Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!

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#BookFaceFriday – “Louise Pound: Scholar, Athlete, Feminist Pioneer” by Robert Cochran

This #BookFaceFriday is a hole in one!

March is Women’s History Month and we’re shining a light on the impressive Nebraska women featured in our collection. Like this week’s #BookFace,Louise Pound: Scholar, Athlete, Feminist Pioneer” by Robert Cochran (‎University of Nebraska Press; Illustrated edition, 2009.) You can find this title in the Nebraska Library Commission’s permanent collection; the Nebraska Publications Clearinghouse receives documents every month from all Nebraska state agencies, including the University of Nebraska Press (UNP). UNP books, as well as all Nebraska state documents, are available for checkout by libraries and librarians for their patrons. Find great reads to celebrate Women’s History Month in all of NLC’s collections, including Book Club Kits, and Nebraska OverDrive Libraries.

“Cochran’s well-researched and well-written book places Louise Pound securely in her time and place and reveals much about the plight of women in higher education in a not-so-distant  past. . . . It is an invaluable work on the history of women in the professions in the early twentieth century.”

—Shirley Anne Leckie, Journal of American History

Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!

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Throwback Thursday: Shrine Circus Trip

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

On March 29, 1946, Fairmont school students traveled over 60 miles in the back of these trucks to see the Shrine Circus and to visit the State Capitol building in Lincoln, NE.

This image is published and owned by Fairmont Public Library. In partnership with the Fillmore County Historical Society, the Fairmont Public Library digitized photographs from their collections depicting the history of Fillmore County. The photos in this collection feature local businesses, schools, churches, as well as the Fairmont Army Airfield, which was used during World War II.

If you like history, check out the Nebraska Memories archive! It’s a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages. Nebraska Memories 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: View Looking Toward Union Depot

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s image features a view looking through fog and steam toward the Union train depot as seen from the Pacific Bridge in Omaha, Nebraska. It was taken on January 12, 1912 and the recorded temperature was -27.

This black and white photograph is published and owned by Omaha Public Library. The items in this collection include early Omaha-related maps dating from 1825 to 1922, as well as over 1,100 postcards and photographs of the Omaha area.

Check it out 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: Engine Number 3196

All aboard! We’ve got another #ThrowbackThursday coming your way!

This week’s #throwback features a 5″ x 8″ black and white photograph of Engine Number 3196 of the C.B.&Q. Railroad. This engine ran from Alliance, Nebraska to Billings, Montana in the early 1900s.

This image is published by Crawford Public Library and is owned by Crawford Historical Society and Museum. The contents of this collection feature images of the Crawford area from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The collection also includes portraits of Crawford residents, images of local businesses, and souvenir postcards.

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: University of Nebraska Football Team in 1894

Husker football is back and we are celebrating with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

The University of Nebraska first played football in 1890. Four years later, in 1894, the team won the conference championship with a 7-2 record. This image of the 1894 champions is owned and published by Townsend Studio. Townsend Studio has been in continuous operation since it was founded. It holds a collection of glass plate and acetate negatives of early Lincoln and early residents.

Want to see more Husker history? 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. 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Boy Scout

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This image from 1941, shows Pete Williams sitting in the woods next to a fire. Pete Williams was a member of Boy Scout Troop 212 in Crawford, Nebraska.

This image is owned by the Crawford Historical Society and Museum. In partnership with the Crawford Public Library, a number of images from the Crawford area in the late 1800s and early 1900s were digitized.

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. 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Toadstool Park

Greetings from Toadstool Park!

This week’s #throwback features Toadstool Park. This unusual rock formations can be found 16 miles north of Crawford, Nebraska.

This image is owned by the Crawford Historical Society and Museum and is published to Nebraska Memories by the Crawford Public Library. The Crawford Historical Society and Museum, in partnership with the Crawford Public Library, digitized a number of images of the Crawford area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The collection includes portraits of Crawford residents, photographs of local businesses, and souvenir postcards. One notable item is the first “official” photograph of the town, taken on July 1, 1886, the day Crawford was incorporated and named.

Check it out 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Adult Baptism

Check out this week’s #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This early 1900 image shows Rev. Primrose baptizing a man in the Cedar River. The surrounding congregation belongs to the Cedar Valley Church.

This image was created by John Nelson. It is owned and published by History Nebraska. John Nelson was born in Sweden in 1864. He came to Nebraska with his parents at the age of 17. His photos show small town life in Nebraska during the first years of the twentieth century. His subjects include local businesses, community activities, and dearly automobiles.

If you’re someone who likes history, be sure to check out all the material on the Nebraska Memories archive. It’s 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Florence Elementary School

It’s back to school with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This 6 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ black and white photograph shows the interior of the first grade classroom at Florence Elementary School in 1920.

The “old” Florence school, located at 8516 N. 31st Street in Omaha, was erected by the village of Florence. The eight-room brick building was attended by almost 100 students through eighth grade. In 1917, Florence was annexed by the city of Omaha, and the school became part of the Omaha Public Schools family. In 1962, the building was retired.

This image is part of the Omaha Public Schools 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 history.

If you’re someone who likes history, especially history related to Nebraska, check out all the materials 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.

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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.

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Throwback Thursday: Flag Print Clothing

We’re celebrating the 4th of July early with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This black and white postcard of a man and woman wearing flag print clothing was created by John Nelson. It is published and owned by History Nebraska. John Nelson was born in Harestad, Sweden, in 1864. He came to Nebraska with his parents at the age of 17. His photographs tell the story of small town life in Nebraska during the first decades of the 20th century. Hist subjects included local businesses, community activities, and early automobiles.

Are you a history buff? If so, check out all the collections available on the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. It 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. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Baton Twirlers

All smiles for this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This 3-5/8″ x 4-3/4″ black and white acetate negative shows five baton twirlers leading a parade in Columbus, Nebraska in 1939. This image is published and owned by The Durham Museum.

If you like history, check out the Nebraska Memories archive. It 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. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission.

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Regional Library Systems Newsletters

Stay informed with your Regional Library System’s most recent newsletter, or find out what libraries across the state are up to! You can find all archived newsletters on the NLC Regional Library Systems’ Newsletter webpage.













The Nebraska 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. Each system offers a variety of services such as regular newsletters, meetings of library staff, workshops, consulting, and planning reflective of the needs within the region. The systems help the Nebraska Library Commission meet its goals on a more localized level.

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Getting Started with NebraskAccess

Learn more about using NebraskAccess databases and share this information with all of your library users!

NebraskAccess provides Nebraska residents with free 24/7 access to premium databases containing thousands of full text popular magazine and journal articles; primary source documents; genealogical, health, legal, small business, and science resources; reading recommendations; and research resources for K-12 students. These resources are available to Nebraska residents at no cost. The Nebraska Library Commission purchases subscriptions for Nebraskans with funding from the State of Nebraska and the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

NebraskAccess also offers ALL site visitors access to a directory of topically-arranged websites evaluated and compiled by Nebraska Library Commission reference librarians, and links to full text Nebraska state government publications and digitized Nebraska historical resources.

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Throwback Thursday: Cochrane-Woods Library

Take a look at what we found on the Nebraska Memories archive!

This 5 1/8″ x 3 1/2″ color photograph shows the front of the Cochrane-Woods Library during the late 1970’s.

Ground breaking for the library was on March 3, 1968. The building opened in early February of 1970. The 55,000 square foot building was built at a cost of $1,436,000. It can hold 400 people and has shelving space for 200,000 books.

This #throwback image is provided by Nebraska Wesleyan University. The archives housed in the Cochrane-Woods Library holds several thousand photographs on various media. In 2008, the archives launched an effort to digitize, catalog, and describe photographs of NWU’s campus buildings. The collections consists of mainly exterior shots of individual buildings, along with several views of the campus layout as it evolved.

If you are someone who likes history, especially materials related to Nebraska, be sure to 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. 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Home Economics Class

This #ThrowbackThursday is going back to school!

This 9 1/2″ x 7 3/4″ black and white photograph features students in a Home Economics class at Whittier Junior High School. The school, named after John Greenleaf Whittier, was located at 22nd and Vine streets in Lincoln, Nebraska. The building was built in 1923 and used until the 1970s as a junior high school. It was then used as an alternative high school until 1980.

This image is provided and owned by Lincoln Public Schools. Historical materials related to the Lincoln Public Schools have been collected and saved in some form in various offices, library sites, and schools since the inception of the first school in the county. Over the past 15 years, the Library Media Services Department has made a deliberate attempt to collect, preserve, and archive the history of LPS and make various items available to the staff and also the public.

If you are 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. 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Snow Sledding

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s #throwback is from the Nebraska Children’s Home Society collection on the Nebraska Memories archive. NCHS founders had a vision for a better future and believed that every child deserved a family. The agency has never charged fees for adoption services, and still today relies primarily on private donations to fund its services.

Want to see more Nebraska history? Check out all the collections 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Charles B. Washington

For this week’s #ThrowbackThursday, Nebraska Memories celebrates Nebraska’s own civil rights activist, Charles B. Washington.

From Omaha, Nebraska, Charles B. Washington was a journalist, mentor, and activist. He is known for his work in the North Omaha area. On September 14, 1986, the North Branch of the Omaha Public Library was renamed after him.

This photo is provided and owned by the Omaha Public Library. The items from Omaha Public Library in Nebraska Memories include early Omaha-related maps dating from 1825 to 1922, as well as over 1,000 postcards and photographs of the Omaha area. Also included is the Charles B. Washington Collection, comprising items relating to his life.

Check out the items in 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. 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Len Franklin

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s #throwback is an 8″x10″ glass plate negative from the Townsend Studio collection on the Nebraska Memories archive. Townsend Studio has been in continuous operation since it was founded in 1888 by Timothy Townsend with his sons, Alva C. and Charles. In 1970, James N. Clark purchased the studio and today it is run by his son, Bradford J. Clark.

The collection includes glass plate and acetate negatives of early Lincoln an early residents including General John J. Pershing, William Jennings Bryan and Mari Sandoz. Images also include University of Nebraska and high school sports teams, state governors and Lincoln mayors.

Are you interested in Nebraska history? If so, check out all the collections 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.

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