Category Archives: Preservation

Throwback Thursday: Apex Cleaning & Dyeing Company

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a 6 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ black and white photograph from 1928, showing the one-story brick building that housed Apex Cleaning & Dyeing Co.

Apex Cleaning built its main office and plant at 123 S. 23rd Street, Lincoln, in 1923. P. M. Plamondon was president of the Apex Cleaning & Dyeing Co. In addition to its main office building, the company had an “Uptown Office” At at 326 S. 13th, a south office at 1520 S. 17th and a north office at 1427 N. 33rd.

This week’s #throwback is published and owned by the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors. The collection of the Heritage Room at Lincoln City Libraries includes digitized items from the Rudolph Umland Papers and images that were scanned from an album titled “Lincoln, Nebraska: A Photograph Album of Business Buildings.”

Check out the full collection 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.

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Throwback Thursday: “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat”

This #ThrowbackThursday is taking center stage!

This week’s #throwback features a color photograph of six actors in costume of the 1994 Omaha Community Playhouse production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.” This production was directed by Charles Jones and was produced by The Nebraska Theater Caravan, which is the professional touring wing of the Omaha Community Playhouse.

This image is published and owned by 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!

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: Silence Required

Shhhh…it’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This week, we have a 5″ x 3″ card explaining Whitin Library’s policy regarding noise in its reading rooms and corridors. Doane College built Whitin Library in 1894. It served as the campus library until 1970, when the college constructed a new library. John N. Bennett served as president of Doane College from 1919-1925, while Nora Hjelm term as librarian lasted from 1918 to 1925.

This image is published and owned by Doane University Library. Doane University Library is home to a vast archival collection containing a variety of items related to the history of Doane University. Founded by Thomas Doane in 1872, Doane College became Doane University in May 2016 and is the oldest private liberal arts and sciences college/university in Nebraska. Featured in this collection are historical images of buildings, people and activities dating back to the founding of the school.

Check out the collection 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Greenhouse at the Immanuel Deaconess Institute

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a black and white photograph, from 1937, showing the interior of the greenhouse at the Immanuel Deaconess Institute, which was located near 34th & Meredith in Omaha, Nebraska.

This image is published and owned by Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center. This collection shows the rich and well documented history of the buildings, people, and artifacts of the Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. An archive of thousands of photo, papers, and items has been maintained for over 120 years and carefully stored and housed on the campus of Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center.

See this full collection and 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Wayne State Homecoming 1965

Celebrate Homecoming with #ThrowbackThursday!

This week, we have a black and white photograph featuring John Neihardt at Wayne State College’s homecoming in 1965.

This image is published and owned by Wayne State College. One of three state colleges in Nebraska, Wayne State College, originally the State Normal College at Wayne, held its first session in September of 1910. Photographs included in this collection feature the buildings and grounds of the campus, athletic teams, the Student Army Training Corps, and other groups.

Check out 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.

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Throwback Thursday: A.O. Thomas Residence

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a 5″ x 3-1/2″ black and white photograph showing a large, two story house that belonged to  Augustus Orloff Thomas. He served as the first President of Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney. This home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and has been remodeled several times. Now, it serves as the Alumni House.

This photograph from 1908 is published and owned by the Calvin T. Ryan Library at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. UNK was founded in 1905 as the Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney. It joined the Nebraska University system in 1991. Images in this collection show faculty, students, buildings and activities from the first dozen years of the school’s existence.

See the full collection 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Allen Valish Orchestra

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a 2″ x 3″ color negative, portrait photograph of the Allen Valish Orchestra. Its members include Mike Palensky, Bill Andel, Bob Palensky, Milo Palensky, Allen Moravec, and Allen Valish.

This image is part of the Boston Studio Project and is owned by the Thorpe Opera House Foundation. The Boston Studio Project consists of over 68,000 negatives that record life in and around David City, Nebraska from 1893 to 1979. Harvey Boston, a professional photographer in David City, owned a portrait studio business from 1893 until his death in 1927. Negatives and ledgers describing each photograph are stored at the Hruska Memorial Public Library in David City.

If you or someone you know likes history, especially Nebraska History, check out the Nebraska Memories archive! It’s a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural materials and make them available to researchers of all ages.

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: Beet Sugar Factory

It’s time for another #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have an early 1900’s black and white postcard featuring the Beat Sugar Factory in Grand Island, NE. The factory, built in 1889-1890 by local investors, was one of the first commercially successful beet sugar factories in the United States. It became known as the Oxnard Beet Sugar Company for Henry F. Oxnard. He was the first general manager and oversaw its building and then its operations. The company was bought in 1934 by the American Crystal Sugar Company which continued its operations until it closed in 1964.

This postcard is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. See more Nebraska related materials 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.

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Call for Speakers: Big Talk From Small Libraries 2024

The Call for Speakers for Big Talk From Small Libraries 2024 is now open!

Submit your proposal by Friday, December 15, 2023.

This free one-day online conference is tailored for staff from small libraries; the smaller the better!

Small libraries of all types – public, academic, school, museum, special, etc. – are encouraged to submit a proposal. We’re looking for seven 50-minute presentations and four 10-minute “lightning round” presentations.

Do you offer a service or program at your small library that other librarians might like to hear about? Have you implemented a new (or old) technology, hosted an event, partnered with others in your community, or just done something really cool? The Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference gives you the opportunity to share what you’ve done, while learning what your colleagues in other small libraries are doing.

Here are some possible topics to get you thinking:

  • Unique Libraries
  • Special Collections
  • New buildings
  • Fundraising
  • Improved Workflows
  • Staff Development
  • Advocacy Efforts
  • Community Partnerships
  • That great thing you’re doing at your library!

Speakers from libraries serving fewer than 10,000 people will be preferred, but presentations from libraries with larger service populations will be considered. Speakers must be from small libraries or directly partnered with a small library and submitting a proposal to co-present with the library.

Big Talk From Small Libraries 2024 will be held on Friday, February 23, 2024 between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (CT) via the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Speakers will present their programs from their own desktops. The schedule will accommodate speakers’ time-zones.

This conference is sponsored by the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) and the Nebraska Library Commission.

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

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Throwback Thursday: Arlington Hotel

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a 5″ x 3 1/” black and white photograph featuring the Arlington Hotel in Rising City, Nebraska. This hotel stood at the northwest corner of Main Street, north of the railroad tracks. It was razed in 1918. The Morgan Garage was built in its place.

This week’s image is published and owned by Rising City Community Library. Images in this collection include photographs of businesses on Main Street, the depot, church , post office, and portraits of the Rising family.

Check out this collection and 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Candy Window Display

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday is too sweet!

This week, we have a 8″ x 10″ black and white acetate negative of a store window display featuring various types of candy. This image was taken for the SS Kresge Company.

This image is published and owned by The Durham Museum. Check out this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive! It’s a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural materials and make them available to researchers of all ages.

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: Classroom from Brandenburg Hall

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday is going back to school!

This week’s image features an early 1900s classroom in Brandenburg Hall at Wayne State College. It is published and owned by Wayne State College. The Wayne State College Library digitized selected photographs from its archives in a continuing effort to preserve and make accessible photographs depicting the history of Wayne State College and the region it serves. Photographs included in this archive 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 the campus.

See the full collection 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

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Throwback Thursday: Albion Public Library

Shhhh…it’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This week, we have a black and white photograph of the main room in Albion Public Library. In this image are a librarian sitting at the desk and five patrons at another table in the reading room.

This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. This collection includes material on the history of libraries in Nebraska, mainly those built with Carnegie grants. Also included in this collection are items from the 1930s that are related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items that showcase history of Nebraska’s state institutions.

Check it out 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Automobile

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a 5″ x 7″ nitrate negative of an automobile and garage owned by Wade Croft in David City, Nebraska. The car is in the process of being re-painted.

This image was created by Edith Proskovec (Boston). It is owned by the Thorpe Opera House Foundation and is part of the Boston Studio Project. The Boston Studio Collection consists of over 68,000 negatives that record life in and around David City, Nebraska from 1893 to 1979. Harvey Boston, a professional photographer in David City, owned a portrait studio business from 1893 until his death in 1927. The business was later run by his daughter Edith Boston Proskovec and then by his son-in-law Audrey Hurlbert, before being sold in 1973.

Check out the full collection 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Hot Air Balloon

Let’s get carried away with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This black and white photographic postcard was created by John Nelson (1864-1942). He was born in Harestad, Sweden in 1864. He came to Nebraska with his parents when he was 17. His work tells the story of small town life in Nebraska during the beginning of the 20th century. This image published and owned by History Nebraska.

Check out all of the Nebraska related materials 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Telephone Office

Listen up! It’s #ThrowbackThursday!

In 1882, the telephone exchange owned by the Nebraska Telephone Company was established in Fairmont. By 1884, 30 instruments were in use in Fairmont, with the central office attending to an average of 300 calls per day. This picture was taken in 1923 with Lawava Abrams, Mae Crooker McMahon, May Walker, Bess Storm and Alice Crooker Peters.

During this time, there was also an Independent Telephone company and the rivalry between the two companies was high. Cedar Hill Telephone Company and Scott Telephone Company were also vying for a part of the telephone interest. The Nebraska Telephone Company was bought out by Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph Company on January 22, 1912.

This black and white photograph is published and owned by Fairmont Public Library. In partnership with the Fillmore County Historical Society, photographs depicting the history of Fillmore County were digitized. Included in this collection are images of local businesses, schools, churches, and 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.

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Throwback Thursday: Rotunda – Douglas County Court House

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s throwback features a color postcard with an interior view of the Douglas County Courthouse in Omaha, Nebraska.

In July of 1908, Omaha architect, John Latenser Sr. was hired to design Omaha’s third courthouse. Architectural plans were completed in 1909 and the Columbus, Indiana, firm of Caldwell & Drake were hired to construct it. The atrium above the rotunda shown in this image rises 110 feet and is topped by a large skylight. The courthouse opened on October 1, 1912.

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

If you or someone you know likes history, especially Nebraska History, check out the Nebraska Memories archive! It’s a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural materials and make them available to researchers of all ages.

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: Badminton Game

It’s time for another #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have a 9 1/2″ x 7 1/2″ black and white photograph of a summer badminton game at the Nebraska Children’s Home during the 1920s.

This image is published and owned by the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. The founders of the Nebraska Children’s Home believed that every child deserved a family. NCHS offered support and assistance to parents committed to keeping their family together, and provided foster and adoptive homes for children who could not stay with their families. The agency has never charged fees for adoption services and still today relies primarily on private donations to fund its services. NCHS has committed itself best practices based on the welfare of a child.

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.

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NCompass Live: A Library Centennial Celebration in Photos and Memories

Hear how Baright Public Library created ‘A Library Centennial Celebration in Photos and Memories’ on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, July 12 at 10am CT.

Using a qualitative research methodology termed “photovoices,” oral histories, memories, and reflections were gathered from Ralston community members for Baright Public Library’s centennial celebration. Long-time and recent residents were interviewed to gather personal stories and photographs provided by the interviewees. Participants were asked to share photographs that showed something meaningful in relation to the Ralston, Nebraska community or the library and to talk through why they chose that photo and what it means to them. This session focuses on the research process including participant recruitment and staff time, the research methodology, and the value of this type of project for a centennial celebration.

Presenter: Amy Jo Ellefson, Adult Programs Coordinator, Baright Public Library, Ralston, NE

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • July 19 – Nebraska Open Meetings Act: 2023 Overview and Updates
  • July 26 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Internet Filtering For E-Rate CIPA Compliance And Cybersecurity

To register for an NCompass Live show, or to listen to recordings of past shows, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website.

The show is presented online using the GoTo Webinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoTo Webinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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Throwback Thursday: Bunker Hill Baseball Team

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

Bottom row, left to right: Oakley Osborn, Marty Ross, Leonard Steffens, Alfred Jung, Bob Steffens, Richard Schaffert. Top row, left to right: Norman Rushman, Norman Steffens, Arvin Nielson, Roy Choan, Elmer Jung, Elmer “Butch” Schubarth. Standing: Coach Anton Steffens

This black and white photograph shows the 1952 players on the Bunker Hill Baseball Team. Home games were played on the Brownson baseball field that was located seven miles west of Sidney, Nebraska. The players on this team came from five different precincts: Bunker Hill, Potter, Gurley, Dalton, and Brownson.

This week’s photograph is published and owned by the Cheyenne County Historical Society and Museum. Items in this collection represent the people and places of Sidney, Fort Sidney, Potter, Dalton, and other communities and sites in the county.

Check out this collection 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.

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