Rediscover Nebraska authors in downtown Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The Lincoln library system features a Heritage Room on the third floor of Bennett Martin Library. It features many books by authors with Nebraska ties.

10/11 NOW caught up with Traci Glass, who is the Assistant Director of Lincoln Public Libraries to talk about the Heritage Room.

“It’s a celebration of Nebraska and Nebraska authors,” Glass said. “We have everything from cookbooks to philosophy books. Weldon Kees is a Nebraska author who is featured here. His whereabouts are unknown. But he produced an intense amount of screenplays, short stories, photography works and novels. He was a jack of all trades, and we are lucky to have many of his personal items here. We have other Nebraska authors, cartoonists, and illustrators, too. People can come here and find a hidden gem.”

“The materials in the room are non-circulating,” Glass said. “But the good news is, many of the materials here are in our general collection. So, if you find something here you like, you can go downstairs and find it on our shelves. The Heritage Room also offers some great programming. We have our “Writer’s Write” program, where students are mentored by writers. The student works then end up in the Heritage Room, and they can come back later and see their works. We have a program called ‘Lunch at the Library’, and we have a reading series, where Nebraska authors come in to discuss the writing process. Our curator here also runs a Nebraska writers database.”

The Heritage Room is funded through the Nebraska Literacy Heritage Association, and the Foundation for Lincoln City Libraries.

The hours for the room are Monday through Thursday, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

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