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Author Archives: Bailee Juroshek
Throwback Thursday: Evelyn Powell
We’re back with another #ThrowbackThursday!
This is a 3″x5″ acetate negative bust portrait photograph of Evelyn Powell, from David City, Nebraska. She is wearing a military uniform with anchor insignia on the jacket collar and stripes on the upper sleeve.
This image is published as part of the Boston Studio Project collection, and is owned by both them and the Thorpe Opera House Foundation. The Boston Studio Collection consists of over 68,000 negatives that record life in and around David City, Nebraska from 1893 to 1979.
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.
#BookFaceFriday “Songs in Ursa Major” by Emma Brodie
Listen to the rhythm of #BookFaceFriday!
This week’s #BookFace is all about chasing your dreams. “Songs in Ursa Major” is a scintillating debut by Emma Brodie (Knopf, 2021), a love story that’s all about music and the trappings of fame. Filled with the heart and vibes of the early 70’s music scene, the novel has a powerful core that asks how much are you willing to sacrifice for your dreams? You can listen to the audiobook yourself through Nebraska OverDrive Libraries!
“Entrancing… This superbly crafted debut novel immerses readers in a story of family, love, and music from the first page. Brodie makes a point about the destructive force of drug abuse, and bears witness to unsavory business practices in the music industry. This book would make a wonderful movie; readers will long for an album of Jane’s songs to go with it.”
— Library Journal, starred
Libraries participating in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Group currently have access to a shared and growing collection of digital downloadable audiobooks and eBooks. 194 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 26,898 audiobooks, 36,794 ebooks, and 5,133 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? We suggest checking out all the titles available for book clubs at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/ref/bookclub. Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
Throwback Thursday: Frances Barbee
Stop and smell the flowers this #ThrowbackThursday!
This 4″x6″ glass plate negative is a portrait photograph of Frances Barbee, from Gresham, Nebraska. She is wearing a long white dress with elbow-length gathered sleeves, v-shaped sheer lace inserts down the gathered sleeves with lace edged cuffs, sheer lace inserts on the bodice with high-stand collar edged with lace ruffle, a bracelet on her arm, ring on her finger, chain necklace with medallion around her neck, sitting in profile in a chair, looking down at several silk roses on a wooden table, her brunette hair pulled up and secured in back with a black ribbon bow.
This image is published as part of the Boston Studio Project collection, and is owned by both them and the Thorpe Opera House Foundation. The Boston Studio Collection consists of over 68,000 negatives that record life in and around David City, Nebraska from 1893 to 1979.
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 Book Available on BARD!
“Vigilante Days: Frontier Justice Along the Niobrara” by Harold Hutton is now available on cartridge and for download on BARD, the Braille and Audio Reading Download service. BARD is a service offered by the Nebraska Library Commission Talking Book and Braille Service and the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled at the Library of Congress.
Covering a period of 15 to 20 years during the late 1800s and mostly focusing on the activities of noted horse thief, Kid Wade, Hutton expands his scope to include all vigilante activity in the lower and middle Niobrara region. This volume tries to present an unbiased factual study. Hutton does not depict the vigilance committees as always right or always wrong, nor does he attempt to glamorize or create sympathy for the thieves.
TBBS borrowers can request “Vigilante Days: Frontier Justice Along the Niobrara” DBC02021 or download it from the National Library Service BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) website. If you have high-speed internet access, you can download books to your smartphone or tablet, or onto a flash drive for use with your player. You may also contact your reader’s advisor to have the book mailed to you on cartridge.
Throwback Thursday: Calumet Cafe
Looking to dine out this #ThrowbackThursday?
This 7-3/4″ x 5-1/2″ black and white photograph shows the interior of the Calumet Cafe, located on the east side of Fairmont Avenue. There are tables with tablecloths in the center of the room, booths along the right wall, and a snack bar with stools near the front. Display cases and shelves with merchandise line the left side of the room, and streamers hang from the ceiling. Several customers sit at the tables and booth. Two male employees stand by the display cases, and a female employee stands by one of the tables. In August 1907, the cafe was purchased by A.B. Tomasek, and it became Mrs. Tony’s Cafe.
This image is published and owned by the 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.
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 Calumet Cafe, Fairmont Public Library, Throwback Thursday
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CCC Library Information Services Classes for Fall 2025
Central Community College announces classes for the Library Information Services program for Spring 2025.
Enrollment is open as of April 14, 2025 for classes beginning August 18, 2025. The Library & Information Services Certificate is a 15-credit hour program. All credits can be applied to a Central Community College associate degree.
See details of classes and registration information at https://www.cccneb.edu/lis
Throwback Thursday: Holen Tie Quilt
We’re back with more #ThrowbackThursday!
This 6″ x 4″ color photograph is a close-up of the center of a quilt made out of neckties. The ties are arranged in several concentric circles. “This is the Holen Boys Necktie Quilt” is embroidered on the center of the quilt. This tie quilt was made by members of the Holen family and was part of a traveling display arranged by the Smithsonian Institution.
This image is published by the Holdrege Area Public Library and owned by the Phelps County Historical Society who partnered together to digitize a collection of images portraying the history of Phelps County since the mid 1880’s.
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.
#BookFaceFriday “House of Sticks: A Memoir” by Ly Tran
Get your hands on this #BookFaceFriday!
This #BookFace is a sneak peek at our next Book Club Spotlight! “House of Sticks: A Memoir” by Ly Tran (Scribner; First Edition; 2021), follows Ly’s life from childhood when her and her family immigrate from a small town along the Mekong river in Vietnam to a two-bedroom railroad apartment in Queens and she finds herself torn between two worlds.
A New York City Book Awards Hornblower Award Winner and one of Vogue and NPR’s Best Books of the Year, Ly Tran writes a deeply compelling memoir. We have 8 copies for your reading group to borrow in our Book Club Kit collection, and you can look forward to reading the upcoming spotlight on May 6th!“Powerful … showcases the tremendous power we have to alter the fates of others, step into their lives and shift the odds in favor of greater opportunity”
— Minneapolis Star Tribune
Book Club Kits Rules for Use
- These kits can be checked out by the librarians of Nebraska libraries and media centers.
- Circulation times are flexible and will be based upon availability. There is no standard check-out time for book club kits.
- Please search the collection to select items you wish to borrow and use the REQUEST THIS KIT icon to borrow items.
- Contact the Information Desk at the Library Commission if you have any questions: by phone: 800/307-2665, or by email: Information Services Team
Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
Posted in Books & Reading, General
Tagged book club kit, Book Club Kits, Book Covers, bookface, bookfacefriday, books, House of Sticks, Ly Tran, Reading
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Throwback Thursday: Tree Planting
Happy early Arbor Day #ThrowbackThursday!
In this 8″x10″ glass plate negative from 1915, men pose with two horse-drawn wagons loaded with trees. Behind them trees have been planted along a walkway.
This image is published and owned by the Townsend Studio, which has been in continuous operation since its foundation in 1888 in Lincoln, Nebraska. The studio holds a collection of glass plate and acetate negatives of early Lincoln and its residents.
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 Arbor Day, glass plate negative, Throwback Thursday, Townsend Studio
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Throwback Thursday: History Club
Let’s dive into history this #ThrowbackThursday!
This 5-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ black and white photograph from 1916 shows the History Club posed in a classroom in the Administration Building, Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney. Third from left, back row, is Professor C.L. Anderson.
This image is published and owned by the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Archives, Calvin T. Ryan Library. Their collection includes images that show faculty, students, buildings and activities from the first dozen years of the school’s existence.
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.
Friday Reads: “The Crime Brulée Bake Off” by Rebecca Connolly
I love watching cooking and baking shows. From classics like Masterchef, or more fun shows like Netflix’s Nailed It or Dropout’s Gastronauts, or YouTube content like Tasting History with Max Miller, there’s a plethora of options to choose from with different themes and vibes. But one show takes the cake, and that would be The Great British Bake Off. My friends and I will often have watch parties as the newest season airs, choosing bakers to root for as the season goes on. So when I visited my local library and saw The Crime Brûlée Bake Off by Rebecca Connolly with their new mystery arrivals, I was instantly interested and as soon as I had a chance to sit down and read it I found myself charmed by the parody it creates.
The novel follows Claire Walker, a teacher with a love for history who just learned that she will be one of the bakers on the newest season of Britan’s Battle of the Bakers. This season is set to take place on the estate of Blackfirth Park, where our secondary character and future love interest Viscount of Colburn Jonathan Ainsley lives. Claire’s peppy and quirky energy is juxtaposed with Jonathan’s more serious (and somewhat annoyed) tone every other chapter, swapping perspectives as the show goes on.
At first it seems like a simple re-imagining of the classic Bake Off show, with a few changes such as a cash prize. But after the first round of baking one of the bakers is found dead in the estate’s mill, the body found in the exact same way as the 10th Viscountess who had died mysteriously many years ago. The novel becomes a very fun murder mystery where the suspense grows alongside the budding romance between Claire and Johnathan, who are helping the lead detective look into the death and the various suspects. Some say it was the ghost of the Viscountess herself, the local government and showrunners are more than happy to say it was an accident, but they’re convinced it was a murder. But they need to prove it before the show ends, and hopefully before Claire gets sent home for a bad bake.
If you love The Great British Bake Off and enjoy a good romance mystery novel, The Crime Brûlée Bake Off makes for a fun and lighthearted read. Claire’s silly exclamations such as “crepes alive!” had me giggling, and the mystery of the murder kept me guessing. Plus, once you’re finished with the story there are six recipes in the back, each a story-relevant bake from the book. I certainly can’t wait to give one of them a try!
Connolly, Rebecca. The Crime Brûlée Bake Off. Shadow Mountain. 2025.
Posted in Books & Reading, Friday Reads, General
Tagged Book Review, books, Friday Reads, Novel, Reading, Rebecca Connolly, The Crime Brulee Bake Off
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Throwback Thursday: Children’s Room, Kearney Public Library
Happy National Library Week #ThrowbackThursday!
This 9.5″ x 7.5″ black and white photograph of the children’s room of the Kearney Public Library shows model sailing ships sitting on top of bookcases, tables with built-in lamps, and view of circulation desk. Library building was funded by Carnegie, and completed in 1904.
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.
#BookFaceFriday “On the Trail: A History of American Hiking” by Silas Chamberlin
Take a hike with #BookFaceFriday!
Take in the sunshine and breath some fresh air. “On the Trail: A History of American Hiking” by Silas Chamberlin (Yale University Press, 2016) is the first history of the American hiking community and its contributions to the nation’s vast network of trails.
Delving into unexplored archives, including those of the Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Green Mountain Club, and many others, Silas Chamberlin recounts the activities of hikers who over many decades formed clubs, built trails, and advocated for environmental protection. It’s available as an eBook through Nebraska OverDrive Libraries and is currently featured in the “Take a Hike!” curated collection, along with many other novels about hiking and the wilderness.“This winning, thought-provoking book offers insight into a relatively unknown aspect of environmental history.”
— Library Journal (starred review)
Libraries participating in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Group currently have access to a shared and growing collection of digital downloadable audiobooks and eBooks. 194 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 26,898 audiobooks, 36,794 ebooks, and 5,133 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? We suggest checking out all the titles available for book clubs at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/ref/bookclub. Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
Throwback Thursday: C.P. Coy & Co. Seed House
It’s a corny #ThrowbackThursday!
In this 5-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ black and white photograph, “C.P. Coy Son & Co. Wholesale Seeds – Sweet, Flint & Dent Corn” is painted on the front of a three-story wood frame building next to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. A St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad freight car sits at the side of the building. Printed on the photograph is: “No. 11, C.P. Coy & Co seed house, Valley, Nebr.”
The Coy Seed House was an important industry for Valley, Nebraska. The building built in 1903 was one of the largest seed houses in the country. Many kinds of seeds were packaged and sold around the country, including beans, corn and pumpkin. The seed packets were sold in hardware stores, grocery stores and nurseries. In later years, the building became the Midwest Popcorn Company. In 1947, it was destroyed by fire.
This image is published and owned by the Valley Public Library. The Friends of the Valley Public Library, Valley, Nebraska, have digitized and described a collection of photographs depicting businesses and members of the local population between the late 1800s and 1900s in Valley.
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.
New Book Available on BARD!
“Panther!” by Roger A. Caras is now available on cartridge and for download on BARD, the Braille and Audio Reading Download service. BARD is a service offered by the Nebraska Library Commission Talking Book and Braille Service and the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled at the Library of Congress.
A panther of the Florida Everglades survives Hurricane Dora only to confront the deadly fangs of a diamondback rattlesnake, the jaws of an alligator, the hug of a hungry bear, the trap of an obsessed human hunter, and the bullets of boys on a lark.
TBBS borrowers can request “Panther!” DBC02201 or download it from the National Library Service BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) website. If you have high-speed internet access, you can download books to your smartphone or tablet, or onto a flash drive for use with your player. You may also contact your reader’s advisor to have the book mailed to you on cartridge.
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Talking Book & Braille Service (TBBS)
Tagged BARD, Books on BARD, Panther!, Roger A Caras
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Throwback Thursday: Bandstand in Hanscom Park
Enjoy the sunshine this #ThrowbackThursday!
Dated around 1907, this black and white photograph pictures a portable bandstand that has been assembled on the grass at Hanscom Park, located at 3201 Woolworth Avenue in Omaha, Nebraska. The bandstand has wheels underneath, so that it can be transported easily. There are chairs and lamps on the surface of the bandstand. Many trees can be seen in the background
This image is published and owned by the Omaha Public Library. They have a large collection of 1,100+ postcards and photographs of the Omaha area.
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.
#BookFaceFriday “Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman” by Robert K. Massie
It’s the reign of #BookFaceFriday!
Happy Woman’s History Month! “Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman” by Robert K. Massie (Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2012) is a narrative biography that delves into the story and history of Catherine the Great.
It’s available as an eBook and Audiobook through Nebraska OverDrive Libraries and is currently featured in the “Woman’s History” curated collection, along with many other novels highlighting woman throughout history.“[A] meticulously detailed work about Catherine and her world. . . . Massie makes Catherine’s story as gripping as that of any novel. His book does full justice to a complex and fascinating woman and to the age in which she lived.”
— Historical Novels Review
Libraries participating in the Nebraska OverDrive Libraries Group currently have access to a shared and growing collection of digital downloadable audiobooks and eBooks. 194 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 26,898 audiobooks, 36,794 ebooks, and 5,133 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? We suggest checking out all the titles available for book clubs at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/ref/bookclub. Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
Throwback Thursday: Immanuel Nursing School Basketball Players
March Madness is upon us #ThrowbackThursday!
In this black and white photograph, three team members of the Immanuel Deaconess Institute’s School of Nursing Basketball Team perform a jump shot on the basketball court in Bloom Hall. They are wearing basketball uniforms, knee pads, and sneakers. The letters “ISN” can be seen on the players’ shirts. This picture was taken in Bloom Hall, which was constructed in 1937 for the School of Nursing Athletics.
This image is published and owned by the Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center, located in Bellevue, Nebraska. They have a mission to preserve, collect, display, and document objects and records related to the history of Sarpy County.
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.
#BookFaceFriday “Very Bad at Math” by Hope Larson
You can always count on #BookFaceFriday!
Everything is adding up! This week’s #BookFace, “Very Bad at Math” by New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award–winning author Hope Larson (HarperAlley, 2025) is a colorful middle grade graphic novel. Verity “Very” Nelson can do it all, except math! All seems lost until a teacher helps her discover the truth: Verity has dyscalculia, a learning disability that causes her to mix up numbers.
“Graphic novelist Larson has aimed her latest story at middle-grade readers who…will make a lot of readers feel seen. A solid addition.”
—Booklist
The Nebraska Library Commission receives a large number of children’s and young adult books sent to us as review copies from book publishers. When our Children and Young Adult Library Services Coordinator, Sally Snyder, is done with them, the review copies are available for the Library System Directors to distribute to school and public libraries in their systems. You can see some of her favorites of the past year in the recent NCompass Live webinar episodes: Best Teen Reads of 2024 and Best Children’s Books of 2024.
Love this #BookFace & reading? Check out our past #BookFaceFriday photos on the Nebraska Library Commission’s Facebook page!
Throwback Thursday: Agnes and Christina Hilger
It’s a beautiful #ThrowbackThursday!
A 4″x6″ glass plate negative, portrait photograph of Agnes and Christina Hilger, from David City, Nebraska. Agnes and Christina Hilger were the two youngest daughters of John and Florence Hilger. Agnes was born in Missouri, July 1881. Agnes married Allen B. Smith. Christine was born in Missouri, September 23, 1877, and died May 25, 1968, in David City, Nebraska, where she is buried in St. Mary’s cemetery.
This image is published as part of the Boston Studio Project collection, and is owned by both them and the Thorpe Opera House Foundation. The Boston Studio Collection consists of over 68,000 negatives that record life in and around David City, Nebraska from 1893 to 1979.
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.
