Category: Local Interest

Imagine putting your grandmother’s name in a search box and finding out that in 1921 she caught the biggest fish in a fishing contest in Sargent. Then you could type in your grandfather’s name and discover that he was the best speller in Custer County in the 5th grade. This could be the future for Sargent Library patrons.

Frequently people will come in the library and ask about information on a deceased relative. We don’t have many resources at our library that can help them. Usually they are told that they can go to the Sargent Leader office and look through old newspapers. The other option is to go to the historical museum in Broken Bow or Lincoln and look through rolls of microfilm. These are all nice options. The only problem is that in order to find any information, you need to know specific dates. Some people come searching for information when all they know is that their uncle lived in Sargent in the 1940s. Looking through all rolls of microfilm pertaining to the 1940s would take months of tedious research.

That is why our local paper, the Sargent Leader, needs to be digitized. If the local newspaper was digitized, all of the history of Sargent from the years 1900 to 2000 would be on one simple external hard drive that could be plugged into a library computer. People could search the database by typing in a name or event. Immediately any article or picture that ever mentioned that name would come up on the computer screen in PDF form. If patrons found an interesting article, it could be easily printed from one of our computers and taken home.

There are 33 reels of microfilm from years 1900 to 2000 that need to be converted. The cost is $125 per reel for a total of $4325. The Custer County Foundation has offered us a grant for $500, so this leaves $3825 yet to raise. This is doable. If every resident of Sargent gave $8, we would have more than enough to complete the project. Some donors may want to “adopt a reel” of microfilm for $125 and specify which years they would like to sponsor. Donations can be given in your name or in memory of a loved one. These names can then be placed onto the hard drive.

Donations (checks made out to “Sargent Library”) can be sent directly to the library at P.O. Box 476, or it can be sent to the First National Bank of Sargent for the library’s account. If you would prefer to give by credit card, you can call the Sargent City Offices at 308-527-4200, and they will accept donations for the library. Finally, you can give online though PayPal by simply clicking on the “donate” button on our website. Let’s keep Sargent’s history alive so that it can be shared with many generations to come. Thank you!

I have just added to our website a page that shows all of the cake pans available here at the library. They are all ready and waiting to be checked out.

Sargent Library Cake Pans

Thanks to a scholarship from the Nebraska Broadband Initiative, I am currently attending the Broadband Connecting Nebraska Conference. There was a lot of good information presented today, but I felt the talk by Ryan Mead (CEO/founder, Vitru, Inc.) was the best and most inspiring. Times have changed. No longer do people always have to move to where their job is. With a good broadband connection, people are able to do their jobs from anywhere in the world. According to Mead, small communities should not focus on bringing in a big employer with 100 jobs.  Instead the communities should focus on becoming more friendly and attractive to young families (good broadband access, child care, quality education, etc.) Try to bring back into the town those who may have graduated from your local high school 15-30 years ago. Our world is quickly changing, and we need to update our strategies for community growth.

Today I took a class in Kearney on how to increase your business presence online. Some very helpful ideas were presented. The first thing we learned was “claiming your bubble.” According to the instructor, maps are the new phone book. If anyone wants to find a business today, they don’t use a phone book. Instead, they Google it. Go to Google Maps and do a search for Sargent, Nebraska. You may be surprised to find out that very few businesses are listed on the map of our town, and some of those listed may not be that accurate. You can add your business or update your business with more accurate information.  Let’s make it Sargent’s goal to make every business visible on the maps of all the major search engines. If you would like help updating or adding your business, come to the library and I will assist you. 

The first day of our Junk Jaunt book sale went well. Many books were taken out. We still have lots of books though for those who weren’t able to make it here today. Our book fundraiser is at the Church of Christ in Sargent, NE. We will be there tomorrow and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Books are great for reading, but they can also be used for interesting crafts. Here are some stars that I made using pages out of an old book.  You can follow this link for a tutorial on how to make them. Woven Star Tutorial

Shirley, Lowell, Dennis, and I were busy today getting ready for the huge book fundraiser coming up September 25 – 27 during Junk Jaunt.  In case you thought I was exaggerating on the number of books, here’s a few pictures to prove it. It is a book lover’s paradise – ten banquet tables full of books. Be sure to come and let your friends and relatives know about it too. Since we have so many books, we are holding the book sale at the Church of Christ in Sargent, NE. We will be there Thursday to Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All proceeds will go toward new windows at the library, so give generously.  We are vendor #11.

 Here is another incentive to read this summer.  The Nebraska Educational Savings Trust (NEST) will deposit $529 into NEST 529 college Savings Plan accounts for 15 lucky summer readers, five in each of Nebraska’s three congressional districts selected randomly among children registering for and completing the Nebraska “Summer Reading Program.”  Each winner’s library also wins $250!

 For the Sargent area, this would require children to read or have read to them 600 pages. Those who complete the summer reading program will be automatically entered in the drawing. However, it you read the small print, it is also possible to enter the drawing without participating in a reading program.  Therefore, every child ages 3-18 needs to send in an entry. Ask at the Sargent Library for more details. 308-527-4241 or sargentlibrary@gmail.com