Preserving UNO’s History
The Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library is filled with stories, and an important department preserves the ones that belong to UNO. Archives and Special Collections holds items from across UNO’s history, from well‑worn uniforms to fragile documents and personal stories. Archivists stabilize and protect each, storing materials in climate‑controlled spaces and rehousing them in archival storage. While the archive’s storage rooms are not open for browsing like the book stacks, all material can be accessed when visiting in person or via the UNO Artifact Collection online. Through this ongoing work, UNO ensures that its past remains available for research, reflection and inspiration for generations to come.
The Gateway
The longstanding student newspaper, The Gateway, documents decades of campus life. Once preserved on microfilm and now fully digitized, the original newsprint issues remain in the archives as tangible artifacts remembered by generations of students.
Cheerleader Hat, 1915
One of the earliest surviving student life textiles in the collection, the Omaha University cheerleading hat documents how school identity and color tradition took shape in the university’s first decade when the team’s nickname was the Crimson and Black.
Photographs
UNO’s extensive photo collection includes prints, negatives and slides, each stored individually in protective sleeves. Volunteers have helped archivists rehouse and identify these visual records of campus history.
Daniel Jenkins’s Typewriter and Carved Emu Egg
Items belonging to UNO’s first president, Daniel Jenkins, reflect his university role and personal history. Carved emu eggs are traditionally created by Aboriginal Australian artists and Jenkins earned his bachelor’s degree from Melbourne University. His typewriter remains on permanent display, while the delicate egg is stored with added protection.
Football Uniform, circa 1920
Worn by Omaha University’s early football team, this uniform arrived bearing the marks of the field. As the oldest football artifact in the archives, it is carefully supported with archival materials due to its fragile condition and cannot be mounted for display.
Yearbooks
Published from 1915 to 1975, yearbooks capture student life and campus change across six decades. One archival set is preserved long‐term, with additional copies available for research, exhibits and classroom use.
Joslyn Hall Brick, 1917
This painted brick once formed part of Joslyn Hall, the university’s home from 1917 to 1937. Gifted to early supporters, it survives with minimal deterioration, unlike many mid‑century painted bricks that often show flaking or fading.
Women’s Athletic Jersey, circa 1970
This handmade jersey was worn by multiple women’s teams reflecting a time when women’s athletics relied heavily on shared, self‑made gear. The jersey is stored in an archival box with tissue support to protect its fabric and hand cut and stitched numbers.
OU-NU Merger Sign and Bumper
Sticker, 1967
Used by students campaigning for the 1967 OU–NU merger vote, these pieces represent a pivotal moment in university history. The signs are stored flat to prevent warping, while the stickers are kept separately to protect other materials from their adhesive.
Hockey Jersey, 1997
Worn by James Chalmers when he scored UNO men’s hockey’s first goal in 1997, this jersey connects directly to the program’s debut. When not exhibited, it is housed in an archival box and supported with tissue to preserve its shape.
Course Catalog
The earliest Omaha University catalog shows markings from past library staff who used it as a working tool. Today archivists preserve it without further annotation, storing it in an archival envelope alongside other early university publications.
To see more of the moments preserved across UNO’s history, explore This Day in UNO History! The interactive digital timeline highlights a unique moment from UNO’s story every day of the year.
Interested in funding restoration or volunteering to organize and identify photographs? Contact Archives and Special Collections at [email protected] or 402.554.6046.
