Support
Nebraska’s Authors.
“The love of libraries, like most loves, must be learned.”
Preserving Nebraska’s literary legacy is what unifies our efforts.
Since 1983, the Nebraska Literary Heritage Association (NLHA) has celebrated Nebraska’s storytellers—past and present—while safeguarding their work for future generations.
The NLHA was founded to support The Heritage Room, a collection that began in the late 1940s when Ethel Jane Maurer, a reference librarian for Lincoln City Libraries, set aside a single shelf at the reference desk for books by Nebraska authors. By the late 1950s, Ms. Maurer had expanded that shelf into the “Nebraska Author Collection,” filled with first editions and signed copies.
With support from the Foundation for Lincoln City Libraries, NLHA later helped establish the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors. Today, the Heritage Room is home to more than 13,500 items representing over 4,000 Nebraska authors—along with photographs, periodicals, recordings, and artwork. It stands as a living archive of our state’s literary tradition.
Through its programs, NLHA continues to sustain and expand the Heritage Room’s collection. Membership dues and fundraising efforts ensure it remains open to the public—while also fueling initiatives that inspire Nebraska’s next generation of readers and writers.
Items
Nebraska authors
Year the first card was file created for Nebraska authors
Literary Heritage Award introduced
Be a Part of Nebraska’s Literary Legacy
Preserving and celebrating Nebraska’s literary legacy takes a community. Volunteers help bring literary events to life, support special projects, and share their skills behind the scenes. Every hour volunteered strengthens our work and helps ensure that Nebraska’s stories—and the people who tell them—continue to inspire generations to come.
Guiding Our
Literary Heritage.
Kim Sheppard
Mary Brinkman
Lois Todd-Meyer
Ed Bates
Leslie Huerta
Sharon Bishop
Devra Dragos
Rebecca Faber
Melanie Griffin
Erika Hamilton
Jenni Jex
Judy Keetle
Sharon Mohatt
Randy Peters
Rosemary Sekora
Tessa Terry
Joyce Vannier
Bruce Arant
Gail Blakenau
Events
That
Inspire
Explore a variety of programs and gatherings that support our libraries and strengthen community connections.
