Join us in the library meeting room on Wednesday, July 20th from 7:00pm-7:30pm for a presentation about the Raggedy Ann doll! Registration is not required, and light refreshments will be provided. Hope to see you there!
Join us at the library on Wednesday, July 27th from 6:30pm-7:30pm for an Introduction to Photography workshop hosted by Tekamah’s own DT Photography! Registration is required for this event. You can register in person, call (402)374-2453, or email teklibdirector@gmail.com. Bring a DSLR camera, charged battery, and SD card. Hope to see you there!
Named Emerging Visual Artist at the 2022 Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards, Omaha photographer Bekah Jerde grew up on a cattle ranch in northwestern South Dakota. Her story of the years in between will be presented at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 7 at the Chatt Center in Tekamah.
A guest of the Tekamah Public Library Foundation, Bekah is a nonprofit leader, advocate, woman in recovery and artist, as well as an award-winning photographer. She was featured in the Omaha World Herald as part of the Faces of Fearless series in 2019 and as an artist spotlight in Omaha Magazine in 2021.
Please join us in welcoming Bekah to Tekamah! This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Beverly Lydick, Foundation chair, at 402-620-5267.
National Read Across America Day was Wednesday, March 2nd. This annual children’s literacy event is also Dr. Seuss’ birthday. We are celebrating these two events all month at Tekamah Public Library, along with some other fun! Keep reading to learn about the events and displays we have going on this month.
For every book checked out during the month of March, a link will be added to a paper chain. Patrons are invited to decorate and attach links to the chain, which will be displayed at the front desk. We can also add links for you if you’re in a hurry. Help grow our chain by checking out books this month!
We are also displaying our favorite picture books. Each week, a different librarian will display their favorite picture books. Remember, there is no age limit on picture books. Even adults can check them out to enjoy. We won’t judge you!
The local Clover Stars will be decorating the curio cabinet with a 4-H display. They will also be giving a special story time on Thursday, March 10th at 3:30 p.m. Join us for guest readers and a 4-H themed craft.
Several of our weekly story times this month will have a Dr. Seuss theme. If you missed the story time, don’t worry! Stop in any time to see if we have crafts left… We usually do! They make fun, easy after school or weekend projects. Check out the darling Cat in the Hat one of our story time kids made!
Local author Mark Miller will be visiting the library from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, March 28th. He wrote for the Burt County Plaindealer in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Mark Miller currently lives in Genoa, Nebraska. He will be promoting his two books. In Bright Sunshine is a collection of short stories and Sports in a Nebraska Town is a collection of his sports columns. The author has graciously donated a copy of each book to the library!
This month, we are celebrating an important but lesser-known holiday. February is National Bird-Feeding Month. Food and water is scarce during the winter months, and February is the hardest month for wild birds to survive. You can help by placing bird feeders and water sources in safe locations in your backyard. In exchange, you get the beauty and pleasure of watching birds flock to your yard.
We have many birding books that cover every angle of this hobby. Birdwatching, bird feeding, birdhouses… You name it, we have a book about it! Check out our display of books that will be up for the entire month.
From Monday, February 21st to Saturday, February 26th, we will be having a take-home bird feeder craft available for all ages. Everyone is welcome to make this simple bird feeder to hang in their yard. Your feathered critters will surely appreciate it! It’s also a great opportunity to introduce your children to the joy of birdwatching.
Tax season officially begins January 24th. During this time of year, the library is inundated with questions regarding income taxes. This post intends to address some of our most frequently asked questions.
All forms and schedules can be printed from the IRS website. We are happy to print these forms for you. Please come to the library with the name of the form you need.
In most cases, no. We may be able to find basic information online, but it would be best to consult an accountant or use online tax preparation software.
We are not trained to assist in the filing of income taxes. Please consult an accountant or use online tax preparation software.
The deadline to file your taxes is Monday, April 18th. The U.S. Treasury Department is predicting delays in processing refunds, so get your taxes done as early as possible.
We are keeping spirits bright at your local library.
Check out the fun events we have going on in December and beyond!
December 1st to January 31st
Patrons of all ages are invited to compete in our Winter Book Bingo. All patrons have to do is read a library book that fits the criteria of the winter or holiday-themed squares on the card. Participants will be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card! Come to the library to get your bingo card. Specific instructions are listed on the card.
Saturday, December 4th from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Santa Claus will be visiting the library from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 4th. Tekamah Public Library Foundation will be handing out a gift to each family. We will also have a coloring table to occupy tots while they wait to tell the St. Nick their Christmas wishes.
We are asking that unvaccinated individuals over the age of two please wear a mask while waiting their turn, as social distancing may not be possible at times. Hand sanitizer and disposable masks will be available.
Until December 20th
We are a stop on the 2021 Holiday Stroll Passport this year! Come to the library to pick up your passport and get a special stamp for visiting the us. Instructions on how to win $100 in Chamber Bucks is written on each passport. We are also able to collect completed passports and turn them in. This event runs until December 20th.
This event is sponsored by Tekamah Area Chamber of Commerce.
We have a fun new program at the library. Patrons are able to check out a bag containing three movies and a free bag of popcorn. Spend a cold winter’s night in front of the TV with a hand-picked selection of movies. Miss Megan is a bit of a movie buff and has had a lot of fun curating these themed bags.
This program is currently a permanent addition to the library.
Tekamah Public Library will be celebrating its 105th birthday this month. The original Carnegie structure was dedicated on October 25th, 1916, but Tekamah’s library was already a couple years in the making.
The community’s desire for a library had been known since May 1914, when the Burt County Herald reported that the Tekamah Commercial Club was putting forth efforts to secure the funding via a grant.
This money came from none other than businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie’s foundation. Tekamah Public Library is one of 2,509 libraries that were built with this grant money between 1883 and 1929. There were 69 Carnegie libraries constructed in Nebraska, but only a handful are still standing and even fewer are still used as libraries. What we have in Tekamah is truly a precious jewel.
By October 1914, the mayor appointed the members of the first library board: Mrs. Hattie Hopewell, J. A. Clark, J. E. Cornish, A. H. Dixon, Dr. J. P. Merritt, Mrs. J. W. Tamplin, E. I. Ellis, Dr. A. D. Nesbit, and Mrs. Ed Latta. The board selected the current site of the library and it was reported in the newspaper that there was great community support for the project.
A grant of $8,000 (over $200,000 in today’s money) was awarded on November 17th, 1914. The building was designed by Beatrice architect R.W. Grant. Bids for construction and masonry were granted to local contractors.
In June 1916, the library board appealed to the public for donations of books and magazines. They were concerned they would not have the funds to purchase enough books by opening day. Again, the citizens of Tekamah came through. The library had 1200 pieces of material, most of them donated, by November.
This set the precedent for community support of our library, a strong driving force that has continued over a century. This same effort led to the wonderful renovation and addition project that was completed 97 years after the original building came to be. We think we look pretty good for being 105 years old!
We will be celebrating the library’s birthday on Monday, October 25th from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Please stop by for a cupcake and an entry in our prize drawings! We will be giving away some book totes and other goodies.
The week of September 26th is Banned Books Week. This event is sponsored by the American Library Association, who keeps a record of all reported challenges and bans.
So what is a banned book? This term is used to describe books that have either been challenged or removed from public libraries, school libraries, or school curriculum. These books are often described as offensive or inappropriate for a multitude of reasons.
It is the opinion of the library community that attempting to ban books is a form of censorship and is not acceptable under the First Amendment. Tekamah Public Library adheres to the Library Bill of Rights, which is outlined by the American Library Association. We believe that all patrons should have access to a variety of ideas, viewpoints, and knowledge, including those that some may find offensive or distasteful.
This year, we have a display of 7 books that are on the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2020. However, we have many titles that have been challenged or banned over the years. We encourage patrons to check out these controversial books in an effort to combat censorship.
September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month. If you don’t yet have a library card with us, we would love to get you signed up. To celebrate, anyone who gets a library card this month will be given a free book tote. Read more about our library cards below.
Yes! A library card is free if you live within Burt County or have a Herman, NE address. Anyone outside our service area must pay a $20 yearly fee for a library card.
Come to the library with a photo ID with current address. If you are a new resident or have recently moved, please bring a piece of mail with you that shows name and current address.
Yes! But they will need your signature on their card if they are under 14 years of age.
A library card at Tekamah Public Library not only grants you access to everything in our building, but also 25,000+ digital titles on Nebraska OverDrive. All for free!