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Category Archives: General
#BookFaceFriday “The Calamities of Kalamity Kate”
Yeehaw! Get along, lil’ #BookFaceFriday!
In honor of a true Nebraska legend, today we are highlighting Leta Powell Drake’s memoir, “The Calamities of Kalamity Kate: A History of Nebraska’s Children’s TV Shows” (J & L Lee Co., 2014). Leta Powell Drake was a celebrity in Nebraska and throughout the world of entertainment with a 50-year career in broadcasting. To us, at NLC, she holds a special place as a narrator for our Talking Book and Braille Service. Many of her famous interviews have been archived by History Nebraska and can be found on their YouTube channel. We highly recommend her memoir and as part of our permanent collection, it’s available for check out to anyone. Just ask our amazing Information Services staff! This title is published by the University of Nebraska Press, which we collect from for our state document program. In 1972, the Nebraska Legislature created the Nebraska Publications Clearinghouse. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, and provide access to all public information published by Nebraska state agencies.
“The Calamities of Kalamity Kate is a nostalgic trip into the past that is not only enjoyable but edifying.” — foreword by Ron Hull
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!
Posted in Books & Reading, General
Tagged Book Covers, bookface, bookfacefriday, books, Leta Powell Drake, Memoir, Reading, The Calamities of Kalamity Kate
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Throwback Thursday: Chief Red Cloud and His Wife
Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!
This week, we have a 5″ x 8″ black and white photograph of Lakota Sioux chief Red Cloud and his wife, Mary Red Cloud. This photograph was taken at the city park in Crawford, Nebraska on June 13, 1900.
This image is published by Crawford Public Library and is owned by the Crawford Historical Society and Museum. Working together, the Historical Society and Museum, and the Public Library digitized a number of images of the Crawford area from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The collection features resident portraits, local businesses, and souvenir postcards.
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.
What’s Up Doc? New State Agency Publications at the Nebraska Library Commission
New state agency publications have been received at the Nebraska Library Commission for July through August, 2021. Included are reports from the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources,
the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services, the University of Nebraska Agricultural Extension, and new books from the University of Nebraska Press, to name a few.
Most items, except the books from the University of Nebraska Press, are available for immediate viewing and printing by clicking on the highlighted link above, or directly in the .pdf below. You can read synopses of the books received from the University of Nebraska Press in the Book Briefs blogposts.
The Nebraska Legislature created the Nebraska Publications Clearinghouse in 1972 as a service of the Nebraska Library Commission. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, and provide access to all public information published by Nebraska state agencies. By law (State Statutes 51-411 to 51-413) all Nebraska state agencies are required to submit their published documents to the Clearinghouse. For more information, visit the Nebraska Publications Clearinghouse page, contact Mary Sauers, Government Information Services Librarian; or contact Bonnie Henzel, State Documents Staff Assistant.
United for Libraries Learning Live, Sept. 14 Learning Live: ‘Celebrating National Friends of Libraries Week’
All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.
United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Celebrating National Friends of Libraries Week” on Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. Central / 2 p.m. Eastern. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group and Statewide members. Register here.
Featured presenters will include Jonathan Haupt, executive director at Pat Conroy Literary Center in Beaufort, South Carolina, and Marlena White, president of the Friends of South Carolina Libraries (FOSCL).
Learn about the history of National Friends of Libraries Week and ideas for celebrating, including the upcoming “I Was Born to Be in a Library” Virtual Tour & Discussion led by the Pat Conroy Literary Center in partnership with Friends of South Carolina Libraries (FOSCL). United for Libraries staff will provide resources, tips, and ideas for National Friends of Libraries Week.
The Pat Conroy Literary Center is a registered United for Libraries Literary Landmark.
Jonathan Haupt is the executive director of the nonprofit Conroy Center and the former director of the University of South Carolina Press. He is co-editor with Nicole Seitz of the anthology Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy, the recipient of 17 book awards. He is the host of the Live from the Pat Conroy Literary Center podcast on the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network and an associate producer of the TELLY Award-winning ETV author interview program “By the River.” In 2020, Haupt was recognized with the Doug Marlette Literacy Leadership Award presented by Pulpwood Queens, the largest book club in the U.S.
Marlena White has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management. She was the Director of the Friends of the Lexington Main Library in Lexington, South Carolina for 15 years and now serves as the Financial Services Manager for a nonprofit management firm in Columbia, South Carolina. Marlena is a graduate of several leadership programs and was the 2019 recipient of the United for Libraries/ThriftBooks grant to attend the ALA Conference in Washington, D.C. She has volunteered with the Friends of South Carolina Libraries since 2016 and currently serves as their Board President.
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center is South Carolina’s first affiliate of the American Writers Museum and second American Library Association Literary Landmark. Through its interpretive center, year-round educational programs, and annual literary festival, the Conroy Center preserves and continues the literary legacy of Pat Conroy (1945–2016) as a teacher, mentor, advocate, and friend to readers and writers alike. To learn more about the Conroy Center, please visit in person at 601 Bladen St., Beaufort, South Carolina, or online at www.patconroyliterarycenter.org.
The Friends of South Carolina Libraries is a statewide volunteer-run nonprofit organization created in the late 1980’s to help foster, create, and support local Friends of the Library groups, and to provide networking opportunities for these groups to work together for the support of library services throughout the State of South Carolina. FOSCL hosts both in-person and virtual education and advocacy programs (including an annual conference), and also offers grants and recognition awards in support of Friends of the Libraries across the Palmetto State. Learn more about FOSCL at www.foscl.org.
United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.
United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.
#BookFaceFriday “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman
No need to fret, it’s #BookFaceFriday!
New book club kits alert! The Nebraska Library Commission’s Book Club Kit Collection is constantly growing. either from purchases or donations. One of our newest titles is “Anxious People: A Novel” by Fredrik Backman (Washington Square Press, 2021) and we just couldn’t wait to share it with you! This is one of five Backman titles NLC has available in our Book Club Kit Collection. This week’s #BookFace and Fredrik Backman’s other books can be found on the NLC Book Club Kit webpage. This service allows libraries and school librarians to “check out” multiple copies of a book without adding to their permanent collections, or budgets. NLC also has several of Backman’s titles available to our Nebraska OverDrive Libraries, which one will you check out today?
“[A] tight-knit, surprise-filled narrative… the brisk, absorbing action prompts meditation on marriage, parenting, responsibility, and global economic pressures. Comedy, drama, mystery, and social study, this novel is undefinable except for the sheer reading pleasure it delivers. Highly recommended.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
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 Kits, Book Covers, bookface, bookfacefriday, Reading
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Throwback Thursday: Men Wearing Ladies’ Hats
It’s Thursday and you know what that means…#Throwback!
This week, we have an early 1900s postcard of two men wearing women’s hats, smoking pipes, and holding hands.
This image was taken by John Nelson and is published to Nebraska Memories by History Nebraska. John Nelson was born in Sweden in 1864. When he was seventeen years old, he came to Nebraska with his parents. His photographs tell the story of small town life.
Check out all of his photographs 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.
#BookFaceFriday “Brat” by Andrew McCarthy
If someone doesn’t believe in #BookFaceFriday, I can’t believe in them.
“Blaine!? That’s a major appliance, that’s not a name!” But whatever his name is, we are like totally here for his memoir. Dive into the world classic 80’s movies with “Brat: An 80’s Story” by Andrew McCarthy (Grand Central Publishing, 2021) as this week’s #BookFaceFriday. It’s available as an eBook at Nebraska OverDrive Libraries. New titles, both nonfiction and fiction, are added daily to Nebraska Overdrive Libraries!
“[A] heartful memoir…McCarthy is clear-eyed and unsparing about Hollywood but takes the emotional intensity of the actor’s craft and life seriously. The result is a riveting portrait of the artist as a young man.”
―Publishers Weekly
Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive. 180 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 25,520 audiobooks, 32,303 eBooks, and 3,403 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!
Throwback Thursday: Brower & Dietrick D
It’s another #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!
Brower & Dietrick was the second drugstore in Crawford, Nebraska. It was built in 1887 and demolished in 1892.
This image is owned and published to Nebraska Memories by the Crawford Historical Society and Museum. Together in partnership with the Crawford Public Library, a number of images of the Crawford area have been digitized. The collection spans from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. It features resident portraits, local businesses, and postcards.
Check out more Nebraska-related 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. 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 “All In” by Billie Jean King
It’s match point for this week’s #BookFaceFriday!
We’re serving up “All In: An Autobiography” by Billie Jean King (Knopf, 2021.) for this week’s #BookFaceFriday, just in time for the start of the U.S. Open next week. It’s available as an eBook and Audiobook at Nebraska OverDrive Libraries. New titles, both nonfiction and fiction, are added daily to Nebraska Overdrive Libraries! Don’t fault us if you find yourself in “love-love” with your next great read!
“A constant role model in my life, Billie Jean King is a leading example of integrity in the face of adversity. The book’s powerfully honest and unapologetic candor is a reflection of King’s brilliant mark on the world and the glass ceilings she shattered. It’s a story about the personal strength, immense growth, and undeniable greatness of one woman who fearlessly stood up to a culture trying to break her down.”
—Serena Williams
Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive. 180 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 25,520 audiobooks, 32,303 eBooks, and 3,403 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!
Posted in Books & Reading, General
Tagged Audiobook, Autobiography, Billie Jean King, bookfacefriday, Nebraska OverDrive Libraries, nonfiction, Reading
1 Comment
Throwback Thursday: Nebraska Football Team, 1897
Nebraska football returns this weekend and we’re celebrating with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s #Throwback features the studio portrait of the 1897 University of Nebraska football team. The school’s first football team played in 1890. The teams were known by various nicknames until the “Cornhuskers” won out.
This image was taken by Alva C. Townsend. It is owned and published by Townsend Studio. Founded in Lincoln, Nebraska, Townsend Studio has been in continuous operation. The studio holds a collection of glass plate and acetate negatives of early Lincoln, residents, state governors, Lincoln mayors, and sports teams.
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. 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 “The Perfume Thief” by Timothy Schaffert
We’d let this #BookFaceFriday steal us away any day!
Nebraska’s very own Timothy Schaffert has just released his latest book, “The Perfume Thief” (Doubleday, 2021) and we just couldn’t wait to share it with you! This historical fiction novel, set in Paris at the beginning of WWII, is one of six Schaffert works NLC has available in our Book Club Kit Collection! This week’s #BookFace and Timothy Schaffert’s other books can be found on the NLC Book Club Kit webpage. This service allows libraries and school librarians to “check out” multiple copies of a book without adding to their permanent collections, or budgets. Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Meet the author and hear him talk about his work this Saturday, 4:30-6:00 pm, at Francie & Finch Bookshop in downtown Lincoln!
“[An] intoxicating blend of decadence and intrigue . . . Schaffert’s evocation of Paris and its wartime demimonde is sensual and alluring, but the heart of his novel is Clementine’s demonstration through her own adventures of how every life is its own heady perfume. . . This is a rich and rewarding tale, as original and unique as the handiwork of its eponymous character.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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 Kits, Book Covers, bookface, bookfacefriday, Nebraska Author, Reading, Timothy Schaffert
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Throwback Thursday: Birds Eye View, O Street
Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!
This week, we have an early 1900s colored 14 x 9 cm postcard of O Street in Lincoln, Nebraska. Alphabetical and numerical streets intersect in downtown Lincoln, with O Street being one of the main roads through town. The old Omaha-Lincoln-Denver Highway ran down O Street and currently Highway 34 is located on O Street as well.
This image was created by the Omaha News Company. It is published and owned by Omaha Public Library. The items included in this collection feature Omaha-related maps, postcards, and photographs on the Omaha area.
Visit the Nebraska Memories archive to see 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.
#BookFaceFriday “Sidekicked” by John David Anderson
We love a good back-to-school #BookFaceFriday!
Ahh, the smell of freshly sharpened pencils and new erasers, makes us want to go out and buy school supplies! This week’s #BookFace is a reminder that a Book Club Kit is the perfect back-to-school supply too. This service allows libraries and school librarians to “check out” multiple copies of a book without adding to their permanent collections, or budgets. We have a great selection of kids/YA titles for you to choose from, like “Sidekicked” by John David Anderson (Walden Pond Press, 2014). Even better, this book club kit is available for your next read! You can search for books based on grade level, genre, the number of copies available, or keywords, helping librarians and teachers find great reads for their YA book clubs.
“From memorable characters to a complex yet accessible plot, this [is a] superhero story that any comics fan will enjoy.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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, Youth Services
Tagged back to school, Book Club Kits, Book Covers, bookface, bookfacefriday, John David Anderson, Kid Lit, Reading, Sidekicked, YA books
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Throwback Thursday: Brown Park School
A new school year is almost here and we’re celebrating with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!
Brown Park School, located at 19th and U Streets opened in 1892. It became part of the Omaha Public School District when the City of Omaha annexed the area in 1915. The school was closed and razed in 1962.
This image is owned and published by Omaha Public Schools. 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 only a small part of the District’s history.
See more 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. 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 “The Lake” by Natasha Preston
This #BookFaceFriday knows what you did last summer!
Pack up your marshmallows and bug spray because we’re headed to summer camp with “The Lake” by Natasha Preston (Random House Children’s Books, 2021.) It’s available as an eBook and Audiobook at Nebraska OverDrive Libraries. This YA thriller sounds like the perfect tale to tell around the campfire. New titles are added daily to Nebraska Overdrive Libraries, including children, YA, and adult fiction!
“[T]he strong buildup…leads to a shockingly satisfying finale. An eerie thriller reminiscent of summer horror movies that will keep readers on edge.”
—Kirkus
Find this title and many more through Nebraska OverDrive. 180 libraries across the state share the Nebraska OverDrive collection of 25,520 audiobooks, 32,303 eBooks, and 3,403 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!
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Youth Services
Tagged Audiobook, bookfacefriday, Natasha Preston, Nebraska OverDrive Libraries, Reading, The Lake, Thriller, YA
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Friday Reads: Post Office
Charles Bukowski was a lowbrow writer. On the one hand, some can certainly relate to his pessimistic and unpretentious philosophies of life, while others surely look upon him with disdain. The thing is, he probably would not have cared either way. Perhaps he would have even relished in the thought that someone looked upon him with disdain, as this was often the case in his writing career. Frequently, he read his poetry in various settings (frequently college campuses), had too much to drink, and then arguments with those attending often ensued or the reading quickly devolved into chaos. A long time alcoholic, who for years lived on skid row in L.A., Post Office recounts his years with the agency, first as a substitute mail carrier, then after a gap in service, a full-time postal employee. Overall, Bukowski worked for the Postal Service for 14 years. The main character in Post Office, based on Bukowski himself, is Henry Chinaski, who appears in many of Bukowski’s novels. Think of Chinaski as synonymous with Bukowski. Post Office details the personal life of Chinaski, packed with heavy drinking and subsequent hangovers, gambling, and an overview of what working for the Post Office was like in the 50’s and 60’s in L.A. I imagine some parts are the same today, others much different. Bukowski has a way of telling a story in a direct and uncensored manner that is not only appealing but also refreshing for the lowbrow reader. This particular story has a second anti-hero, namely Chinaski’s postal supervisor, Johnstone. The interaction between Chinaski and Johnstone, aka “The Stone” provide comic relief in a sadistic sort of way. Here’s a taste of what to expect:
“The post office, or any world of work, is only one institutionalized system of control that is designed to beat people, to condition them into accepting that humiliation and failure is the norm. Those who do not rebel against this lose any ability to think for themselves. The workers are robbed of power whilst the bosses have only a small amount of it and can only use it arbitrarily, which is to say, pointlessly.”
–Charles Bukowski, Post Office
Bukowski, Charles. Post Office. Black Sparrow Press. 1971.
Throwback Thursday: Movie Advertising
It’s Thursday and you know what that means…#Throwback!
In this black and white acetate negative, five men are wearing sandwich board signs outside the Orpheum Theatre to advertise Ginger Rogers in the movie “Roxie Hart.”
This image was taken in 1942 by William Wentworth. It is owned and published by The Durham Museum. The William Wentworth Collection consists of over 4,500 negatives that document life in Omaha from 1934 through 1950. William Wentworth worked as a freelance and commercial photographer. He provided unique views of architecture, businesses and community life.
See more of his work 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.
Friday Reads: “Alright, Alright, Alright: The Oral History of Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused” by Melissa Maerz
I enjoy celebrity biographies and behind-the-scenes stories, and those two things come together quite groovily in Melissa Maerz’s oral history of the 1993 cult-classic Dazed and Confused.
Maerz interviews everyone involved with the movie, from Richard Linklater, to the costume designer, casting director, the casts and their families, even Linklater’s high school classmates, many of whom were inspirations for the characters (however unflattering they may find that fact). I learned all sorts of fun facts about the movie and it’s cast, as did my family and friends, because I would constantly share what I was reading as I went along (sorry guys!). I couldn’t help it – this movie was on constant VCR rotation when I was in high school and I can still quote whole scenes without fail. This book was a fun trip down memory lane.
It was especially fun to look at the cast and how far they’ve come since 1993 – this was Matthew McConaughey’s first movie, and his bit part grew and grew until he became the breakout star. Mila Jovovich, who was the biggest name of the cast at the time, saw her part shrink considerably as she got caught up in an on-set romance and neglected her role; her boyfriend Shawn Andrews effectively got himself blackballed from Hollywood for a time due to his attitude and behavior during filming. Texas native Renee Zillweger wanted to be in the movie badly enough that she took a non-speaking, uncredited roll as “Girl in Blue Truck”.
If you’re in need of a slow ride down memory lane while school’s out for the summer, this book will help you rock and roll all night long. Just don’t forget your reading glasses, because if this was your favorite movie in high school, you’re now old like me.
Maerz, Melissa. Alright, alright, alright: the oral history of Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused. Harper, 2020.
Posted in Books & Reading, General
Tagged Alright alright alright, Dazed and Confused, Friday Reads, Melissa Maerz, movies
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Throwback Thursday: Friends at the Playground
It’s Thursday and that means another #Throwback from Nebraska Memories!
This week, we have a 4 3/4″ x 3″ color photograph of five children at the Nebraska Children’s Home Society in 1969. Many children found close friendships with others in similar situations.
This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. Chartered in 1893, the founders had a vision for a better future. They challenged the practice of placing abandoned, abused, and neglected children in orphanages with the belief that every child deserved a family. The Nebraska Children’s Home Society offered assistance and support to parents who were committed on keeping their family together. It also provided foster and adoptive homes for the children who were unable to stay with their families. The agency has never charged fees for adoption services and still today relies primarily on private donations.
See the agency’s full collection on the Nebraska Memories archive.
Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.
United for Libraries Learning Live, June 27 – Gift Acceptance Policies Part 2: Advice From the Pros
All Nebraska public libraries are members of United for Libraries through the Statewide Group Membership purchased by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Commission provides this membership to ensure that public library staff members, Friends, Trustees, and Foundations can take advantage of United for Libraries’ services to enhance fundraising, advocacy, and public awareness.
United for Libraries’ monthly virtual series, Learning Live, will continue with “Gift Acceptance Policies Part 2: Advice from the Pros for Writing Your Policy” at 2 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, July 27. The Learning Live program is presented free to United for Libraries group and Statewide members.
This session is a follow-up to June’s Learning Live, “Gift Acceptance Policies I: When ‘Free’ Isn’t Free.” Featured presenters will include Alan T. Shuckrow, shareholder at Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, and Clare D. Membiela, library law consultant at Library of Michigan.
United for Libraries members can register for this session, and for access to the recording of Part 1, at https://airtable.com/shrNWC0KRwvDL5Zv8
Find out how to craft or revise your library or group’s gift acceptance policy and legal considerations associated with such policies. Participants will learn how to ensure they are prepared for navigating how to handle proposed gifts and donations. The presenters will conduct a Q&A session, so bring your questions on this topic.
Alan T. Shuckrow is a shareholder at the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania law firm Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky (“SMGG”). From 2014-2019, he served as SMGG’s president and managing shareholder and currently serves on the Executive Committee as the firm’s counsel. His experience ranges from municipal and education law to civil litigation and real estate. His clients include non-profit and for-profit organizations and governmental entities. SMGG represents the two largest libraries in the Greater Pittsburgh area.
As the library law consultant at the Library of Michigan, Clare Membiela helps public libraries understand and manage legal issues that impact library services. Before joining the Library of Michigan in 2016, Membiela was the associate director for library and instructional support for the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Libraries. Before moving to Michigan, she worked at the University of Miami Law Library as the head of reference services. Prior to her academic library work, she worked for two major law firms as a librarian in its Miami offices. She has an MLS. from Southern Connecticut State University, a JD from the University of Miami, and 30 years of law library experience. She is excited about helping public libraries by connecting them to the legal information they need.
United for Libraries Learning Live sessions take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Each month’s session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees, Friends and/or Foundations, followed by a Q&A and/or discussions. Sessions are open to all personal and group members of United for Libraries.
United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association with approximately 4,000 personal and group members representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. United for Libraries supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries, and brings together library trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ala.org/united/ or call 312-280-2160.
