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Category Archives: Preservation
Throwback Thursday: August Molzer, Violinist
Listen to some music this #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a promotional piece that describes August Molzer’s musical education and experience in performing for audiences; provides reviews of performances; and, outlines sample concert programs. Photographs of Molzer and two of his professors, Otokar Sevik and Stefan Suchy, have been glued to the item.
August Molzer moved to Wilber, Nebraska, with his family as a boy and studied violin at the Prague Conservatory in Bohemia (Czech Republic) and performed concerts in Europe before returning to Lincoln to teach at both Nebraska Wesleyan University and the University School of Music. Molzer also composed several pieces of music. This piece advertised his performance availability in Nebraska and the area, and Molzer did perform at such places as the Shelby Opera House and the Kerr Opera House in Hastings.
This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.
Throwback Thursday: Samuel W. Rising and Polly Rising
We’re looking back on family #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a 4 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ black and white photograph that is a composite of two portraits, one of a man and one of a woman. The man wears a white shirt and a dark coat; he has a long bushy beard. The woman wears a blouse with a bow at the neck and a dark jacket; she also wears eyeglasses and a hat. The two portraits are oval shaped, surrounded by a white borders. At the bottom of the photograph, “Grandfather Samuel W. Rising” and “Grandmother Polly Rising” is written.
This image is owned and published by the Rising City Community Library. The collection of photographs are currently displayed at the library. These images include photographs of businesses on Main Street, the depot, church, post office, a major fire, and portraits of the Rising family.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.
Throwback Thursday: Burlington Depot, Fairmont, Neb.
Catch a train along with this #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a 5-1/4″ x 3-1/4″ black and white postcard featuring men and women stand outside the Burlington Depot waiting for the train. Railroad tracks run next to a one-story brick building. On the left side of the picture are a large pile of boxes and a wagon with milk jugs on it. Printed on the postcard is: 15, Burlington Depot, Fairmont, Neb. The Burlington Depot in Fairmont was built in 1885 and acclaimed as the best depot west of Lincoln in 1886. In 1887, the Burlington Railroad put on a fast train from Chicago to Denver, and Fairmont was selected as the only stopping point between Lincoln and Hastings. Twenty-nine trains ran through Fairmont every 24 hours.
This image is owned and published by the Fairmont Public Library. In partnership with the Fillmore County Historical Society, they’ve digitized photographs from their collections depicting the history of Fillmore County. The photographs in this collection include images of local businesses, schools, and 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 Burlington Depot, Fairmont Nebraska, Throwback Thursday
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Rob-See-Co Announces 2026 Rural Library Grants
For more grants like this one, check out the NLC’s Grant Opportunities for Nebraska Libraries at http://nlc.nebraska.gov/grants/index.aspx
Applications are due June 30, 2026.
Originally launched in 2023 to commemorate the company’s 10th anniversary and honor Agnes Robinson’s dedication to the rural library in Waterloo, NE, the program continues to hold special meaning. Agnes, great-grandmother of Jim Robinson, CEO of Rob-See-Co, was a passionate advocate for rural libraries. Today, the program extends support to libraries across rural communities within the company’s footprint.
Previous grant recipients have used funding to expand book collections, digitize local newspapers, enhance children’s programming, and develop makerspaces.
“The grant funding we received made it possible for us to create a ‘pop-up town,’ a versatile resource we’ve already planned to use in multiple ways,” said Mandy Cook, Marysville Public Library Director. “Encouraging children to engage in imaginative play is incredibly important—it supports speech, overall development, and even early literacy skills. We are truly grateful to Rob-See-Co for providing us with the opportunity to make a meaningful impact through outreach in our small town.”
In 2026, Rob-See-Co will award ten $500 grants for a total of $5,000 to selected rural libraries across CO, IA, KS, MD, MI, MN, ND, NE, OH, OK, PA, SD, TX and WI. Funds may be used for core educational, preservation and interpretive purposes, including collection development, facility improvements, traveling exhibits, guest speakers, staff training, programming, and publications.
“These grants reflect our ongoing commitment to the dealers, distributors, growers, and communities we serve, while honoring my family’s legacy and the history of Rob-See-Co,” said Robinson. “We’re proud to continue investing in rural libraries that play such an important role in our communities.”
Libraries can visit https://rsclibrarygrant.com/ to apply. Applications are due by June 30. Grant recipients will be announced on October 1, 2026.
Throwback Thursday: Omaha Public Library
We’re celebrating #NationalLibraryWeek this #ThrowbackThursday!
With the opening of Omaha’s new Central Library earlier this week, we thought it would be fun to take a look back! This black and white lantern slide shows the Omaha Public Library in 1898, located on the southeast corner of 19th and Harney Streets. The library is a two-story stone building, with decorative stonework at the top. There are some people on the sidewalk in front of the building and some horses and carriages in the street. The library was designed by architect Thomas R. Kimball. Its construction was completed in 1894. The building was used as Omaha’s main public library until 1977.
This image is owned and published by the Omaha Public Library. The items on the Nebraska Memories archive include early Omaha-related maps dating from 1925 to 1922, as well as over 1,000 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.
Posted in General, Nebraska Memories, Preservation
Tagged Omaha Public Library, Throwback Thursday
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Throwback Thursday: McKinley Bird Lovers Club
Keep your eyes out for some birds this #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a 9-1/2″ x 7-1/2″ black and white photograph featuring school children from McKinley School standing outside holding wooden birdhouses taken in April of 1904. A school pennant is flying on a pole above the children, who are standing on the edge of a brick street. The Nebraska state capitol building is visible behind them. McKinley School was located at 230 S. 15th Street in Lincoln, Nebraska from 1902 to 1927. It was used as an elementary school until 1915 when it became a “special school with grades 1-9 with prevocational and evening classes.” The school building was originally constructed in 1902.
This image is owned and published by the Lincoln Public Schools. Over the past 15 years, the Library Media Services Department has made a deliberate attempt to collect, preserve, and archive the history of Lincoln public schools and make various items available to the staff and also the public.
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 Lincoln Public Schools, McKinley School, Throwback Thursday
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Throwback Thursday: Inside of General Store
Checking out #ThrowbackThursday?
This week’s highlight is a black and white photograph on a postcard of the inside of a store. On the left are greeting card displays and on the right are glass cases filled with miscellaneous merchandise for sale.
This image is owned and published by the Nebraska State Historical Society. They digitized content from the John Nelson and the J. A. Anderson collection. John Nelson came to Nebraska with his parents at the age of seventeen from Sweden. His photographs tell the story of small town life in Nebraska during the first decades of the twentieth century. John A. Anderson was born in Sweden in 1869. He came to Nebraska with his parents and settled in Cherry County. He worked as a civilian photographer for the army at Fort Niobrara (Nebraska) and later worked as a clerk at the Rosebud Reservation (South Dakota) trading post.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.
Throwback Thursday: Nebraska Library Commission Employees as Gangsters
We’re looking back on some Nebraska Library Commission history this #ThrowbackThursday!
In celebration of the Nebraska Library Commission’s upcoming 125th birthday, this week’s highlight is a 5-1/2″ x 4-3/4″ black and white photograph of Nebraska Library Commission employees in 1973 dressed up as gangsters. This PR photograph of Nebraska Library Commission employees was taken when the Commission moved from the Capitol building to 1420 P Street in Lincoln. Rod Wagner, holding a violin case, sits on the running board of a car with a 1929 license plate; Robert Kemper, holding a shotgun, and Dorothy Lessenhop lean against the passenger side; Mary Fran Harvey stands on the other side of the hood, and Nancy Wiederspan stands with one foot on the front fender.
At the time the photograph was taken, Mary Fran Harvey was the Assistant Director for Library Development); Rod Wagner was Planning, Evaluation and Research Coordinator, (Wagner became the Commission’s Director in 1988); Robert Kemper was the Director; Dorothy Lessenhop was NLC Assistant Director of Library Operations; and Nancy Wiederspan was NLC Community Information Specialist for the Elderly. The Commission was located in the basement of the building at 1420 P Street and titled their news publication as “Overtones from the Underground” hence the gangster outfits. The Commission Offices moved again in 1993 to 1200 N Street.
This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.
Posted in General, Nebraska Memories, Preservation
Tagged Nebraska Library Commission, Throwback Thursday
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Throwback Thursday: Postcard of Basketball Players
It’s time for March Madness #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a black and white photograph on a postcard of six basketball players in their uniforms. They facing to the left in a line and the first player in line holds a basketball. At the left side stands a man in a suit who is probably their coach.
This image is owned and published by the Nebraska State Historical Society. They digitized content from the John Nelson and the J. A. Anderson collection. John Nelson came to Nebraska with his parents at the age of seventeen from Sweden. His photographs tell the story of small town life in Nebraska during the first decades of the twentieth century. John A. Anderson was born in Sweden in 1869. He came to Nebraska with his parents and settled in Cherry County. He worked as a civilian photographer for the army at Fort Niobrara (Nebraska) and later worked as a clerk at the Rosebud Reservation (South Dakota) trading post.
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.
Disaster Planning and Recovery
The ongoing wildfires in the western half of the state are a good reminder that having a disaster plan in place is crucial for libraries.
If your library is looking for information on disaster planning and materials preservation, check out our page of library-specific resources: http://nlc.nebraska.gov/libman/preservation.aspx
If you haven’t already, register for the upcoming NCompass Live webinar on April 22, 2026, “Emergency Management in Libraries,” presented by Brian Kendall, Community Resources Coordinator, Arkansas River Valley Regional Library System. We also have several archived webinars on emergency and disaster planning
If you are helping residents find information on disaster recovery, we have compiled this page of resources on NebraskAccess: http://nebraskaccess.nebraska.gov/emergency.asp. Of note:
- The nonprofit group Watch Duty has a fire-tracking map: https://app.watchduty.org/
- The Nebraska Department of Agriculture Fire Response Resources, including donations needed, how to volunteer, and how to get help for people, livestock, and property damage: https://nda.nebraska.gov/disasterresources
- Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund: https://www.nebraskacattlemen.org/disaster-relief-fund
To follow the status of these wildfires on social media, here are some Facebook pages to watch:
- https://www.facebook.com/cottonwoodfire
- https://www.facebook.com/Morrillfire
- https://www.facebook.com/Road203Fire2026 (no longer updated after 3/19/26)
- https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaForestsGrasslands
We are always updating our pages, so if you notice that we are missing a resource, please reach out to us.
Posted in General, Preservation
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Throwback Thursday: Amelia Thege with Sadie & Emma Makler
Happy #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a 4″x6″ glass plate negative dated 12/1/1910. The negative is a bust portrait profile photograph of three women, Amelia Thege, Sadie Makler, and Emma Makler. All three women are wearing high-necked, long-sleeved dresses with their long, brunette hair in a variety of elaborate styles.
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.
Throwback Thursday: Music Room at Union College
Tune in to this #ThrowbackThursday!
Two grand pianos sit in a classroom in this week’s highlight, a 5-1/2″ x 3-1/4″ black and white photograph from Union College taken around 1911 – 1912. Each piano has sheet music on its music rack. One piano has a wooden chair in front of it, while the other has a wooden stool; both the chair and the stool have rugs under them. There is a wooden desk against one of the walls, with a bust and a framed picture on it. Another bust can be seen between the pianos. A chalkboard hangs on one of the walls, and there are framed pictures of composers on the walls as well. Bare light bulbs hang from the ceiling. The music classroom was located in the administration building.
This image is owned and published by the Union College, Ella Johnson Crandall Memorial Library. The library at Union College is home to an archival collection of books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, photographs, artifacts, and manuscript collections related to the history of Union College and the College View community.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.
Throwback Thursday: Men Cutting Hay
Hay there #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a colorized photograph on a postcard of men cutting hay with horse-drawn machinery including a wooden-frame hay stacker. The photograph was taken by John Nelson between 1907-1917.
This image is owned and published by the Nebraska State Historical Society. They digitized content from the John Nelson and the J. A. Anderson collection. John Nelson came to Nebraska with his parents at the age of seventeen from Sweden. His photographs tell the story of small town life in Nebraska during the first decades of the twentieth century. John A. Anderson was born in Sweden in 1869. He came to Nebraska with his parents and settled in Cherry County. He worked as a civilian photographer for the army at Fort Niobrara (Nebraska) and later worked as a clerk at the Rosebud Reservation (South Dakota) trading post.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.
Throwback Thursday: Public Library, Schuyler, Nebr.
It’s another #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a 3″ x 5″ color postcard of the Schuyler Public Library. A boy with bicycle stands in front of the library and a car is parked at the curb. Library building was funded by Carnegie, designed by architects Fisher & Lawrie of Omaha, and completed in 1912. Original version is from from Marguerite Nesbit collection in Nebraska and Carnegie Libraries.
This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collections include material on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.
Throwback Thursday: Couple and Baby Sitting by River
Love is in the air this #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a black and white photograph on a postcard of a couple and a baby sitting by a river. The man is sitting on the ground holding the baby while the woman is stands facing him.
This image is owned and published by the Nebraska State Historical Society. They digitized content from the John Nelson and the J. A. Anderson collection. John Nelson came to Nebraska with his parents at the age of seventeen from Sweden. His photographs tell the story of small town life in Nebraska during the first decades of the twentieth century. John A. Anderson was born in Sweden in 1869. He came to Nebraska with his parents and settled in Cherry County. He worked as a civilian photographer for the army at Fort Niobrara (Nebraska) and later worked as a clerk at the Rosebud Reservation (South Dakota) trading post.
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.
Discovering State Docs: Explore “The Antidote” through Nebraska Public Documents
The Antidote by Karen Russell is the 2026 selection for One Book One Nebraska, the annual statewide reading program coordinated by the Nebraska Center for the Book. Although set in a fictional Nebraska town, Russell bases much of her story on real events, places, and people in Nebraska during the first few decades of the 20th century. Russell includes a list of resources on her website, but I thought I would see what I could find in our Nebraska Public Documents collection:
The Prairie Witch/Antonia was confined to the Milford Industrial Home around 1907-1908. The biennial report for that time period lists details such as the daily schedule, farm and kitchen labor outputs, and infant mortality rates. It also mentions that 3 children were transferred to the Nebraska Home for the Friendless in Lincoln. The 1907-08 biennial report for that institution laments that its name is misleading; in 1909 it was changed to the State Public School, and again changed in 1911 to the Home for Dependent Children.
The 1935-36 Annual Report for the State Board of Agriculture mentions drought, dust storms, the Republican River flood, and the effects this severe weather had on Nebraska’s farms, as well as a plea for renewed use of cover crops and soil conservation practices.
The 1935-36 Biennial Report for the Department of Roads and Irrigation describes the damage to roads and bridges from the Republican River flood in spring 1935, as well as mentioning the loss of live from the flood and tornado.
These documents are just a few of the thousands of historical annual reports (1870s through 1956) from Nebraska state government agencies that are available in the Nebraska Public Documents database. This free and publicly-accessible collection is result of a collaborative digitization effort between the Nebraska Library Commission, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and the Nebraska State Historical Society. (Read more about the project here!)
Historical government documents provide a glimpse into how our Nebraska forebears lived, worked, and governed. Primary sources such as the ones found in the Nebraska Public Documents database help researchers, students, and the general public understand the important issues and events of the day, and what motivated our elected officials to make decisions and the impacts those choices made. Take a look – what will you discover?
Posted in General, Information Resources, Preservation, What's Up Doc / Govdocs
Tagged annual reports, digitization, Government documents, historical documents, Historical Fiction, Karen Russell, Nebraska History, Nebraska Public Documents, Nebraska Publications Clearinghouse, One Book One Nebraska, primary sources, state documents, The Antidote
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Throwback Thursday: Charles B. Washington Accepting Nebraska Football Hall of Fame Award from Bob Devaney
It’s the first #ThrowbackThursday of Black History Month!
In this week’s highlight is an 10″x 8″ black and white photograph, Charles B. Washington is holding 1980 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame award with “Charles Washington” inscribed on it. On the left, Bob Devaney holds another award.
This week’s image is provided and owned by Omaha Public Library. The items on the Nebraska Memories archive include early Omaha-related maps dating from 1925 to 1922, as well as over 1,000 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.
Throwback Thursday: Benson High School Student Newspaper Staff
Breaking news, it’s #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is an 8″ x 10″ black and white acetate negative of the Benson High School student newspaper staff gathered in a classroom, sitting at wooden desks, dated 3/3/1947. The classroom has shelves with books on them, framed pictures on the walls, and wooden floors. The five male students are wearing military uniforms, and the girls are wearing skirts and blouses with bobby socks. The male teacher stands in the corner, wearing a white shirt, an argyle vest, and a tie.
This image is published and owned by the The Durham Museum. The William Wentworth Collection at The Durham Museum consists of 4663 negatives of images that document life in Omaha, Nebraska from 1934 through 1950. William Wentworth worked as both a freelancer and a commercial photographer, providing a unique view of architecture, businesses, and community life in Omaha.
See this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive!
The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.
Throwback Thursday: Interior, Burlington Station, Omaha, Neb.
Take a look around this #ThrowbackThursday!
This week’s highlight is a color postcard with a view of the interior of the Burlington Railroad Station, located at 925 S. 10th Street.
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.
Posted in General, Nebraska Memories, Preservation
Tagged Burlington Station, Omaha, Omaha Public Library, Throwback Thursday
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Throwback Thursday: Display of Crosley Appliances
Take a look at this #ThrowbackThursday display!
This week’s highlight is a 8″ x 10″ black and white acetate negative featuring two women standing on a stage with eight refrigerators. The doors of the refrigerators are open, and there is a banner hanging behind that reads: “Crosley Radio, Televisions, Appliances”. This image was taken for Crosley Radios and TV’s, located in Omaha, Nebraska.
This image is published and owned by the The Durham Museum. The William Wentworth Collection at The Durham Museum consists of 4663 negatives of images that document life in Omaha, Nebraska from 1934 through 1950. William Wentworth worked as both a freelancer and a commercial photographer, providing a unique view of architecture, businesses, and community life in Omaha.
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 Crosley Radios and TV's, Omaha, The Durham Museum, Throwback Thursday
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