A HOME OF THEIR OWN: Exciting News from the Danish American Archive & Library

The DAAL Board of Directors Votes to Purchase Their Current Building – 

Once in a while in the life of an organization, an offer comes along that’s just too good to pass up, and this is one of those times for the Danish American Archive and Library in Blair, Nebraska. John Eriksen, owner of the building the DAAL currently occupies (and a Dane), has agreed to sell the building to the organization at a price that will allow them to thrive in it for years to come.

“Purchasing our own building benefits us in so many ways,” says Executive Director Jill Hennick. “From the location on the main street of Blair to the way the interior is arranged, this building has proved to be a real asset for us.” The DAAL moved into the building located at 1738 Washington Street in October of 2010, after evacuating from the Dana College library before the college closed the previous July. Since moving in, volunteers have devoted uncountable hours installing and populating shelves and file cabinets, creating work spaces, adding newly acquired collections, creating exhibits, hosting Danish American- and Dana College-related gatherings and welcoming researchers and other visitors. It took a full year and a half to get the majority of the boxes they brought out of Dana unpacked and the materials organized.

The long-term future of the DAAL has always been a concern for the board of directors. More than two years ago the board appointed a futures committee to look into their options. At that time, they were approached by Blair Public Library Director Gayle Roberts with a proposal that they become part of a joint building project on land that the city owns. Preliminary figures showed that it would be to the DAAL’s advantage to join in such a plan. Unfortunately as time passed, the costs rose and the amount of space they could afford became unworkable for them. When the opportunity to buy their current building arose, they felt they had to withdraw from the Blair library project and take advantage of an option that is so much healthier for their long-term prospects.

The members of the board and the volunteers are now looking toward a bright future for the DAAL. The Capital Campaign Committee that had begun raising funds for the library building project have contacted donors who had pledged to that effort to see if they would redirect their donations to the purchase price of the current building with nearly 100% agreement. A broader fundraising effort will be launched shortly, and if all goes as planned, they hope to raise enough for the whole purchase price up front, freeing them from any mortgage payments and allowing them to direct their efforts toward improving and advancing the preservation of their priceless documents and books and making them available to the public. Plans are in place to increase the DAAL’s visibility through exhibits and cooperative efforts with other institutions such as the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, Iowa, as well as several universities.

DAAL President Gary Madsen says, “Having passed this milestone, I believe the DAAL will continue to expand and be an asset to not only the city of Blair, but also the Danish American community throughout the country.”

The Danish American Archive and Library is an independent 501(c)(3) corporation that preserves, catalogs and makes available to the public materials that document the history of Danish American immigrants and their descendants. Located at 1738 Washington Street in Blair, Nebraska, it is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information call 402-426-7910 or e-mail info@danishamericanarchive.com.

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