Lincoln, NE – 09/18/2024 – The Nebraska State Historical Society (NSHS) will extend the hours of the James E. Potter Research Room, located at 1500 R. Street in Lincoln, beginning Oct. 7. The room will be open weekdays, except Tuesdays, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The expanded hours will increase public access to the world’s largest collection of Nebraska history, genealogy, and other Nebraska research materials.
“Extending the hours of the James E. Potter Research Room gives the public better access to our Library/Archives,” said NSHS Interim Director Cindy S. Drake. “While we have digitized many of the materials in our Library/Archives, a very large portion is only available in person. These new hours better serve researchers, students, and the public as a whole.”
The James E. Potter Research Room is where the public can access items from the Nebraska History Library, including books, maps, and newspapers, as well as the Nebraska State Archives, which includes unpublished manuscripts, photographs, film/audio, and public records. Historian Jeff Barnes emphasizes the value the expanded hours will give researchers and history enthusiasts.
“For researchers, there’s nothing better than a staffed library/archives with accessible hours,” says Barnes. “Online access has the advantage of time and convenience, but I can’t count the number of times I’ve found the information I’ve needed in an unrelated book next to the primary volume I sought or – even more importantly – had a trained, experienced staffer who’s pointed me in a direction I hadn’t considered. And as any researcher knows, you can find yourself on subject not completed when the library closes for the day, which is especially frustrating if it won’t open again for several days or a week. Consistent, continuous days are appreciated by out-of-town researchers who may take up residence in Lincoln for several days or weeks. The expanded hours have been missed and their return is much celebrated by those who want to learn from and share the history of Nebraska.”
For more information on the James E. Potter Research Room and research services provided by NSHS, visit https://history.nebraska.gov.
