Although Porter gained familiarity with the
Omaha area during his time at the Joslyn Museum, at the Joslyn
Museum, it was Richard and Janyce Hunt of Blair who suggested
he donate his collection to Dana. The Hunts are long-time friends
of Porter as well as strong Dana supporters.” “I’ve
always been very appreciative of the work Lutheran colleges
do,” Porter said. “I just thought Dana would be
good home for my books.”
Nielsen said he was delighted
at the prospect of the books, and even more so
when they arrived.
“ It’s amazing that the majority of them are published
from 1990 on. There were many still in plastic wrapping,” he
said. “Together with collections we received from the
estates of Professor Emeriti Norman Bansen and Luella Nielsen,
we have seen significant increases in our collections this
year.”
Nielsen is especially happy with the American Indian collection,
one of Porter’s favorite topics. As a boy growing up
in the Upper Midwest, Porter attended a one-room grade school
next to his father’s farm and frequently met Winnebagos
and Blackhawks. The collection of books on the tribes means
that any Dana student can pick nearly any of the more than
400 groups native to the United States to study and find resources.
The C.A. Dana-LIFE Library is one of the largest private-college
libraries in Nebraska, with 115,000 books available to Dana’s
620 students. Nielsen expects that Porter’s collection
will also raise the amount of Dana books requested through
inter-library loan from high schools, colleges and universities
around the region.
Porter said he still has an impressive library
of books at home, especially on the Sioux and Crow, as he
is preparing to write and history of leader Crazy
Horse. He even hopes to come back to visit his donated collection soon.
“ I’m extremely glad to have donated the collection
and hope it will enrich the studies of students there,” he
said.
Dana College President Myrvin Christopherson said he was very
appreciative of Porter’s gift.
“ This is a magnificent gift,” Christopherson
said. “I first met Joe Porter through Richard and Janyce
Hunt. They are among Dana’s best supporters. Porter is
a first-rate scholar and educator. When he called to offer
his library I was thrilled, but I had no idea how comprehensive
it is. His gift makes our collection extraordinary. Students
for generations will be enlightened thanks to this gift.”
Dana College is a place where all students actively participate.
They make things happen — in their own lives and in the
lives of others. Through a highly supportive faculty and campus
community, Dana students develop interpersonal skills, leadership
abilities, and other important values and knowledge as they
make choices about their future. Dana’s outstanding academic
programs in business, education and social work, among others,
ensure that students have the knowledge, skills and experience
necessary to pursue challenging careers or placement in graduate
school.
Dana College is a private, liberal arts institution in Blair,
Neb. To learn more, visit www.dana.edu.
Dana College: Develop talents, Take charge, Build a future — We’re
with you all the way.
— END—
For more information contact:
Sarah Cavanah
Communications Coordinator
Dana College
(402) 426-7216
scavanah@dana.edu |
