Author Archives: Kayla Henzel

Nebraska Library Commission Awarded $28,000 for New Books and eBooks by Nonprofit First Book

Contact:
Christa Porter
402-471-3107
christa.porter@nebraska.gov

Melanie Boyer
202-639-0114
mboyer@firstbook.org

Nebraska Library Commission Awarded $28,000 for New Books and eBooks by Nonprofit First Book

LINCOLN, NE (December 23, 2019) – The Nebraska Library Commission’s Books2Kids Learning Initiative has been awarded $28,000 for new books and eBooks by First Book, the nonprofit social enterprise focused on equal access to quality education for children in need. The award is part of First Book’s OMG Books Awards: Offering More Great Books to Spark Innovation, a program that will unlock more than $4.7 million in funding to distribute 1.5 million brand new books and eBooks to children living in low-income communities in 33 states and territories.

The Nebraska Library Commission’s Books2Kids Learning Initiative will use the award to reach out to schools, public libraries, Head Start programs, and Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers in Nebraska to encourage them to register in the First Book Marketplace. By purchasing books and eBooks through the Marketplace, recipients will provide children in need improved access to quality educational materials, programming, and experiences. Recipients will choose their own book and eBook titles, matching them to their specific community needs. Institutions interested in participating can visit the Books2Kids webpage to learn more.

“The Nebraska Library Commission is uniquely qualified to organize and coordinate this program as we work daily with schools and public libraries in communities with children in need. Our goal is to facilitate the improvement of educational opportunities for children across Nebraska.” said Rod Wagner, Nebraska Library Commission Director.

Awardees are using the funding to select books and eBooks from the First Book Marketplace (www.fbmarketplace.com), First Book’s award-winning eCommerce platform, that best meet the needs of the children they serve. Nebraska was among 12 states in the final cycle of awards. First Book estimates the total value of the books distributed will be more than $12 million.

“Education consistently ranks among the highest priorities for Americans, yet school funding is still below pre-recession levels in 23 states, and the need for resources is taking on an acute sense of urgency,” said Kyle Zimmer, First Book president, CEO, and cofounder. “Educators are grossly under-resourced, especially in low-income communities, and working at maximum effort with what they have. With the OMG Books Awards, First Book is not only addressing a recognized national priority, we’re also supporting educators so they can provide the best education possible to kids in need.”

Access to adequate resources is one of the greatest contributors to educational success in the United States. Research indicates that just the presence of books in the home improves educational outcomes, yet low-income communities across the U.S. are plagued by vast ‘book deserts’—with one community having only a single book per as many as 830 children. Additionally, members of the First Book Network, who exclusively serve kids in need, have indicated that without First Book, the children they serve would have access to very few books, if any at all. (References below).

Eligible educators, librarians, providers, and others serving children in need can sign up to receive resources from First Book outside of OMG Books Awards at firstbook.org/join. For more information, please visit firstbook.org or follow the latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

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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.”

About First Book

Founded in Washington, D.C., in 1992 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit social enterprise, First Book is a leader in the educational equity field. Over its 27-year history, First Book has distributed more than 185 million books and educational resources, with a value of more than $1.5 billion. First Book believes education offers children in need the best path out of poverty. First Book breaks down barriers to quality education by providing its network of more than 450,000 registered teachers, librarians, after school program leaders, and others serving children in need with millions of free and affordable new, high-quality books, educational resources, and basic needs items through the award-winning First Book Marketplace nonprofit eCommerce site. The First Book Network comprises the largest and fastest-growing community of formal and informal educators serving children in need.

First Book also expands the breadth and depth of the education field through a family of social enterprises, including First Book Research & Insights, its proprietary research initiative, and the First Book Accelerator, which brings best-in-class research to the classroom via relevant, usable educator resources. First Book Impact Funds target support to areas of particular need, such as rural communities or increasing diversity in children’s books.

For more information, visit firstbook.org or follow the latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

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Nebraska Library Commission Announces Public Library Accreditation

NLC Logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 10, 2020

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Christa Porter
402-471-3107
800-307-2665

Nebraska Library Commission Announces Public Library Accreditation

Nebraska Library Commission Library Development Director Christa Porter recently announced the accreditation of Sixty-one public libraries across Nebraska. Porter stated, “We are dedicated to helping Nebraska libraries meet Nebraskans’ information needs, opening up the world of information for citizens of all ages. The Library Commission continues to work in partnership with Nebraska libraries and the regional library systems, using the Public Library Accreditation program to help public libraries grow and develop.”

Public libraries in Nebraska are accredited for a three-year period. To learn more about this process and to see a complete list of all accredited Nebraska public libraries, go to http://nlc.nebraska.gov/LibAccred/Standings.asp.

The Nebraska Library Commission congratulates the public libraries listed below as they move forward toward the realization of this vision for the future: “All Nebraskans will have improved access to enhanced library and information services, provided and facilitated by qualified library personnel, boards, and supporters with the knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes necessary to provide excellent library and information services.”

Nebraska Public Libraries Accredited through December 31, 2022:

  • Alliance Public Library
  • Ashland Public Library
  • Atkinson Public Library
  • Rock County Public Library (Bassett)
  • Beaver City Public Library
  • Bellevue Public Library
  • Dundy County Library (Benkelman)
  • Blair Public Library & Technology Center
  • Blue Hill Public Library
  • Garfield County Library (Burwell)
  • Butler Memorial Library (Cambridge)
  • Ceresco Community Library
  • Creighton Public Library
  • Crete Public Library
  • Hruska Memorial Public Library (David City)
  • Jennifer Reinke Public Library (Deshler)
  • John Rogers Memorial Library (Dodge)
  • Elgin Public Library
  • Elwood Public Library
  • Exeter Public Library
  • Fairmont Public Library
  • Falls City Library & Arts Center
  • Gering Public Library
  • Gordon City Library
  • Gretna Public Library
  • Hemingford Public Library
  • Bruun Memorial Library (Humboldt)
  • Grant County Library (Hyannis)
  • La Vista Public Library
  • Leigh Public Library
  • Lexington Public Library
  • Nancy Fawcett Memorial Library (Lodgepole)
  • Lyman Public Library
  • McCook Public Library
  • Mead Public Library
  • Neligh Public Library
  • North Bend Public Library
  • North Platte Public Library
  • Oakland Public Library
  • Omaha Public Library
  • Orchard Public Library
  • Ord Township Library
  • Osceola Public Library
  • Oxford Public Library
  • Paxton Public Library
  • House Memorial Library (Pender)
  • Plattsmouth Public Library
  • Plymouth Public Library
  • Baright Public Library (Ralston)
  • Seward Memorial Library
  • Shelby Community Library
  • Sidney Public Library
  • Stanton Public Library
  • Sutton Memorial Library
  • Lied Tekamah Public Library
  • Valparaiso Public Library
  • Wauneta Public Library
  • Lied Lincoln Township Library (Wausa)
  • Wayne Public Library
  • Wymore Public Library
  • Kilgore Memorial Library (York)

The Nebraska Library Commission would also like to congratulate two of these libraries on earning accreditation for the very first time. Those libraries are:

  • Garfield County Library (Burwell)
  • Plymouth Public Library

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.”

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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.

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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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Throwback Thursday: Breakneck Hill

It’s the first #ThrowbackThursday of the new year!

Southeast of Crawford, Nebraska, a dirt road snakes its way down a steep and rugged hill called Breakneck Hill. The rural road this hill is located on was a primary road for farmers and ranchers in the area. The road still exists today.

This 5″x7″ black and white photograph is owned by the Crawford Historical Society and Museum. 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. Check out more 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. 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: Omaha Community Playhouse

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s #throwback features an 8.5″ x 11″ black and white glossy photograph of the east side of the Omaha Community Playhouse in 1976.

From 1928 until 1959, the Omaha Community Playhouse occupied a building at 40th & Davenport. In 1959, it moved to a bigger and newly-constructed building at 69th and Cass, where it currently resides. The theater was renovated after a tornado hit in 1975. The renovations resulted in a second story and new glass-fronted lobby.

This image is provided and owned by the Omaha Community Playhouse. Their collection includes digitized images of the Playhouse and some of its performances. Some of the actors included in these images are Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda, and Dorothy McGuire. 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. 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: “A Christmas Carol”

Christmas is right around the corner and we thought this photograph was perfect for this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

The Omaha Community Playhouse put on its first production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” in 1976. The novella was adapted for the stage by Charles Jones, one of the Playhouse’s directors.

This color photograph from the late 1970s or early 1980s is provided and owned by the Omaha Community Playhouse. The Omaha Community Playhouse collection includes digitized images of the Playhouse and some of its performances. Some of the actors included in these images are Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda, and Dorothy McGuire.

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: Immanuel Children’s Home at Christmas

It’s time for another Christmas themed #throwback!

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday is a black and white photograph that was taken during the Christmas season at the Immanuel Deaconess Institute’s Children’s Home.

This image is owned and published by the Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center. The rich and well documented history of Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska is shown in these images of early buildings, people and artifacts. An archive of thousands of photos, papers and items has been maintained for over 120 years, carefully stored and currently housed at the Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center campus.

Are you interested in Nebraska history? If so, 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: Christmas Wish

We’re getting into the Christmas spirit with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

The young girl in this photo was a resident at the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. Her wish was for a family before Christmas and her wish was granted as she was adopted a week before the holiday.

This 3-3/4″ x 5-3/4″ black and white photograph is published and owned by the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. The NCHS was chartered September 1, 1893 by founders who had a vision for a better future and believed that every child deserved a family.

If you’re interested in seeing more 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Dinner Time

Happy Thanksgiving from NLC! We’re celebrating the holiday with a #ThrowbackThursday!

We’re headed back to the 1950s with today’s #throwback. This image shows several women preparing food in the kitchen of the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. Many women volunteered on a regular basis.

This black and white photo is provided and owned by the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. Founders of the NCHS had a vision for a better future and believed that every child deserved a family. The agency has never charged fees for adoptions services, and still today relies primarily on private donations to fund its services.

Are you interested in Nebraska history? Check out the Nebraska Memories archive to see many more historical images digitized from photographs, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books, and other materials.

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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Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 25, 2019

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Terry
402-471-3434
800-307-2665

Young Readers Invited to Write to Favorite Authors

Young readers in grades 4-12 are invited to write a personal letter to an author for the Nebraska Letters about Literature (LAL) contest, a state reading and writing promotion program. The letter can be to any author (living or dead) from any genre-fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic-explaining how that author’s work changed the student’s view of the world. Nebraska Letters About Literature is coordinated and sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission, with support from Houchen Bindery, Ltd., Humanities Nebraska, and Chapters Bookstore in Seward.

The Nebraska Center for the Book’s panel of judges will select a winner and alternate per competition level (Level I for grades 4-6, Level II for grades 7-8, and Level III for grades 9-12) to be honored in a proclamation-signing ceremony at the state capitol during National Library Week in April 2020. Their winning letters will be placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. Nebraska winners and alternates will receive state prizes.

Teachers, librarians, and parents can download the contest guidelines, free teaching materials, information on the online entry system, and past winning letters on the Nebraska Center for the Book website. Get inspired by listening to past Nebraska winners, Ashley Xiques and Sydney Kohl, read and talk about their letters on NET Radio’s All About Books (netnebraska.org/basic-page/radio/all-about-books). Submissions must be completed online by January 15, 2020. For more information contact Tessa Terry, 402-471-3434 or 800-307-2665.

The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.

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.”

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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 .

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Throwback Thursday: Magee’s

Check out this #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s #throwback features the Magee’s building on O Street in Lincoln back in the 1930s. This three-story building still stands today and is occupied by Pearl Vision and other tenants.

This 5″x8″ acetate negative is owned by Townsend Studio. Townsend studio has been in continuous operation since it was founded in 1888. The studio holds a collection of glass plate and acetate negatives of early Lincoln and early residents. Images also include University of Nebraska and high school sports teams, state governors and Lincoln mayors.

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: Bridge to Omaha

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This black and white photograph from the 1890s shows an unidentified bridge, thought to be looking west over the Missouri River toward Omaha from Iowa.

This image is provided and owned by the Omaha Public Library. The items from this collection on 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.

Want to see more Nebraska history? Check out the Nebraska Memories archive to search for or browse through many more historical images digitized from photographs, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books, and other materials.

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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“All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor’s Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor” Chosen as 2020 One Book One Nebraska

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 12, 2019

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Terry
402-471-3434
800-307-2665

All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor’s Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor
Chosen as 2020 One Book One Nebraska

People across Nebraska are encouraged to read the work of a Nebraskan —and then talk about it with their friends and neighbors. All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor’s Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor (William Morrow, 2016) by Donald Stratton, with Ken Gire is the 2020 One Book One Nebraska selection.

All the Gallant Men is the first memoir by a USS Arizona survivor. Born in Inavale, Nebraska and raised in Red Cloud, Donald Stratton joined the Navy in 1940 at the age of eighteen. On December 7, 1941 he was a Seaman First Class on the USS Arizona. Stratton’s account of the Pearl Harbor attack is seventy-five years in the making, as he finally shares his personal tale at the age of ninety-four. His story is one of survival and determination as he recovered from the severe injuries he sustained in the attack, and ultimately re-enlisted to fight again.

The Nebraska Center for the Book selection committee found All the Gallant Men to be a valuable part of our understanding of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Because it was written by a survivor of the attack on the USS Arizona, the book includes details that most readers have never encountered in either history classes or through other books about the subject. The book is not only an integral part of our knowledge of December 7, 1941, but it is also well written. As we approach the 80th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, the committee felt that it was a timely choice for Nebraskans to read this account written by one of their own.

Libraries across Nebraska will join other literary and cultural organizations in planning book discussions, activities, and events that will encourage Nebraskans to read and discuss this book. Support materials to assist with local reading/discussion activities will be available after January 1, 2020 at http://onebook.nebraska.gov. Updates and activity listings will be posted on the One Book One Nebraska Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/onebookonenebraska.

2020 will mark the sixteenth year of the One Book One Nebraska reading program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book. It encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss one book, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting. The Nebraska Center for the Book invites recommendations for One Book One Nebraska book selection year-round at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/obon-nomination.asp.

One Book One Nebraska is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and the Nebraska Library Commission. The Nebraska Center for the Book brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at and supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.

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.”

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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.    

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Throwback Thursday: Student Army Training Corps

We honor Nebraska Veterans with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This black and white photograph shows eight members of the Student Army Training Corps. The SATC was approved by the War Department in 1917 to train young men for military service.

This photo is owned by Wayne State College. In a continuing effort to preserve and make accessible photographs depicting the history of Wayne State College and the region it serves, the Wayne State College Library is digitizing selected photographs from its archives. Photographs from the early 1900s included in Nebraska Memories show the buildings and grounds of the campus, athletic teams, the Student Army Training Corps, and other groups while slightly later images show famous visitors to campus.

Interested in seeing 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. 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: Halloween Party

Happy Halloween from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday features a 9 1/2″ x 7 1/2″ black and white photograph of a Halloween party for the Nebraska Children’s Home Society in 1951. The Omaha North High School Red Cross provided this Halloween party with games and treats for the children.

This picture is provided and owned by the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. The Nebraska Children’s Home Society was chartered September 1, 1893. NCHS Founders had a vision for a better future and believed that every child deserved a family.

Interested in Nebraska 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. 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: Dance Class

Dancing our way towards the weekend with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This black and white photograph from the early 1900s is provided and owned by Wayne State College. In a continuing effort to preserve and make accessible photographs depicting the history of Wayne State College and the region it serves, the Wayne State College Library is digitizing selected photographs from its archives. Photographs from the early 1900s show the buildings and grounds of the campus, athletic teams, the Student Army Training Corps, and other groups while slightly later images show famous visitors to campus.

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. 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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Shortlist for 2020 One Book One Nebraska Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 22, 2019

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Terry
402-471-3434
800-307-2665

Shortlist for 2020 One Book One Nebraska Announced

What book will all Nebraskans be encouraged to read in 2020? We will all find out on November 9th. A Pearl Harbor memoir, a Midwest family saga, and an American/refugee cultural narrative—all stories with ties to Nebraska and the Great Plains—are the finalists for the 2020 One Book One Nebraska statewide reading program. The finalists are:

  • The Plain Sense of Things by Pamela Carter Joern, University of Nebraska Press (2008)
  • All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor’s Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor by Donald Stratton (with Ken Gire,) William Morrow (2016)
  • The Middle of Everywhere: Helping Refugees Enter the American Community by Mary Pipher, Mariner Books (2003)

The One Book One Nebraska reading program, now in its fifteenth year, is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Humanities Nebraska, and Nebraska Library Commission. It encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss the same book, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting. A Nebraska Center for the Book committee selected the three finalists from a list of twenty-four titles nominated by Nebraskans. In the coming weeks, Nebraska Center for the Book board members will vote on the 2020 selection.

Nebraskans are invited to attend the Celebration of Nebraska Books on November 9, where the choice for the 2020 One Book One Nebraska will be announced at 5:30 p.m. at the Nebraska History Museum, 131 Centennial Mall North, in downtown Lincoln. This year’s One Book One Nebraska selection, This Blessed Earth: A Year in the Life of an American Family Farm (Norton & Company, 2017) by Ted Genoways will be featured in a keynote presentation by the author at 2:45 p.m. See http://onebook.nebraska.gov or https://www.facebook.com/OneBookOneNebraska for more information about ongoing 2019 One Book One Nebraska activities.

The November 9 Celebration of Nebraska Books is scheduled for 2:30 – 6:30 p.m., with the Nebraska Center for the Book Annual Meeting to be held at 1:30 p.m. Awards will be presented to the winners of the 2019 Nebraska Book Awards, and some of the winning authors will read from their work. A list of Nebraska Book Award winners is posted at http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards.html. The Celebration of Nebraska Books is sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book and Nebraska Library Commission with support from History Nebraska’s Nebraska History Museum. Humanities Nebraska provides support for the One Book One Nebraska keynote presentation.

The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the national Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and the Nebraska Library Commission.

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.”

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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.    

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Throwback Thursday: Brainard Fire Truck

Check out the first fire truck to make its way to Brainard, Nebraska!

The first fire-fighting equipment to arrive in Brainard was a hose cart that was purchased in 1889. At that time, there were no fire fighters. When the fire bell rang, all the townsmen would help in any way they could.

In 1923, a meeting took place and organized a fire department. In 1925, they converted this 1924 Oldsmobile chassis with over $1,000 worth of fire-fighting equipment into the town’s first fire engine.

This image is owned by the Thorpe Opera House Foundation and published as part of the Boston Studio Project.

Interested in checking out more Nebraska history? Visit the Nebraska Memories archive to see this photo and many more!

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: Castelar School

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday takes a look at Nebraska education!

This black and white photograph shows students and teachers in front of Castelar School. Located at 18th and Castelar streets in Omaha, the school was opened in 1912. It served students from kindergarten through 8th grade.

The building pictured replaced the original structure in 1885 in the same location. The building went through multiple renovations. It was closed during the 1980s, remodeled and reopened in 1999. Currently, the school serves a new generation of South Omaha students.

This image is owned by the Educational Research Library and is part of the Omaha Public School Archive Collection.

Want to see more Nebraska-related materials? Visit 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: Taking it Easy

Take it easy, it’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This black and white photograph was taken by John Nelson during the early 1900s. Nelson’s photographs tell the story of small town life in Nebraska during the first decades of the twentieth century. His subjects included local businesses, community activities, and early automobiles.

This photo is published and owned by History Nebraska.

Interested in Nebraska history? Check out Nebraska Memories for more Nebraska-related materials.

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.

Posted in General, Nebraska Memories, Preservation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment