Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

 

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

January 2008

Comments

To access the website, click here: http://historicbuildings.unl.edu/

Abstract

This website illustrates with text and images the dramatic physical development of Nebraska's largest academic institution, the University of Nebraska, and the people who committed their lives to it. This website is devoted in particular to the growth of the Lincoln campuses, now known as City and East.

Much of the information contained in this site is available elsewhere, but it requires a determined researcher to track down the parts that make up the whole. Architectural records are contained at the University's Facilities Management department, other records are held within various files in the University Archives, embedded within the Board of Regents minutes, and scattered throughout various publications touching on the history of Lincoln and the University. Nearly all of this data is in print, that is, on paper. The intention of this work is to bring this vast amount of information together into an electronic publication, interpret and present it in a way that makes it meaningful, and deliver it to the researcher or casual reader in an easily accessible form. The remarkable history of the University of Nebraska deserves nothing less.

Unlike the world of print publications, a website is organic. It grows and morphs as new material is added and old material is enhanced. For now, this site covers roughly 100 years of growth at UNL, from the University's inception in 1869, through the mid 1960s, a period of unprecedented growth, both in enrollment and physical development. Over 60 building descriptions are included, and a significantly larger number of biographical sketches of architects, faculty members, donors, regents, and others. A limited number of maps are included. Lacking are records for post-1965 structures, modern formal campus plans, and Greek Row, which is technically not University property and involves researching an entirely different set of records. Eventually this material will appear as well.

To access the website, click on the "http://historicbuildings.unl.edu/" link above; to view a 1-page description, click "Download the document".

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