The author
My name is Amy C. Nickless. I’m a native of the American Midwest. I hold a M.A. in Information Science & Learning Technologies with an Emphasis in Library Science & a B.A. History. I’m currently a librarian to the visually disabled. I have previously served as a graduate reference assistant in an academic library; as a manuscript collection volunteer and intern at an archive; and substitute teacher and librarian. I also completed a couple special collections projects.
As the tag line says, the blog will focus on information, thoughts, and ideas surrounding libraries, archives, and history. I will also blog book reviews for works of history, historical fiction, and historical biographies. All thoughts and ideas written about are mine, not those of my current employer. This will include library and archive practices, historical tidbits, and some genealogy. It will be updated every Monday unless otherwise noted. If you chose, my introductory posts “And it Begins…” and “The Pathway” provide more about my background and my intentions with this blog. To better understand the title I picked, you can opt read my post “Why ‘Amy’s Scrap Bag’?”
I intend to write as I’d talk, so don’t be surprise by the contractions. This will definitely be less formal than my past research papers and publications! While I will be addressing professional level topics, I don’t want to be seen as stuffy, overly formal, or uninviting. I hope this writing style accomplishes this goal.
If you would like to see more about my past research, projects, etc., please see my portfolio at amycnickless.wordpress.com.
Amy's Scrap Bag: A Blog About Libraries, Archives, and History 
I’ve nominated you for an award ’cause I really like your blog! :> http://tkmorin.wordpress.com/awards/
Thank you for the nomination! I appreciate it! I’m glad you enjoy my blog.
I nominated you for the Liebster Award. If you are not inclined toward blog awards, please just accept my compliments on your blog. It’s very well done.
Thank you both for the nomination and the kind words about my blog!
Featured on “Thomas Tutwiler’s Learning Journal: Learning Journal for Social Media in Librarianship” http://trtutwiler.blogspot.com/2015/01/activity-3-wiki.html on Monday, January 26, 2015. Thank you Thomas!
I am going to participate in an exhibition Recycle Art 2020 I am going to focus on Nature and Natives I found your blog when I was googling Recycle and Native Americans. I am from Sweden. I have attended a Pow Wow in Bismarck. I have been in Monument Valley which I found very dramatic and powerful. If you would have any ideas or websites regarding this I would be grateful. Thank for a nice blog.//Jenny
Hi Jenny,
Best of luck in the Recycle Art 2020! I’m glad on a visit to the U.S. you were able to see a Pow Wow and Monument Valley! Off-hand, I couldn’t think of a particular resource that may help you, but I found a few articles on a search that may help generate ideas. This article from National Public Radio talks about recycling today for Native tribes: https://www.npr.org/2015/09/03/437291764/native-american-goes-back-to-his-roots-to-solve-garbage-problem-on-reservations. This article from a museum highlights more about how Native Americans reused materials in the past https://collections.gilcrease.org/articles/article-when-old-becomes-new-recycling-great-plains. Lastly, this one from Time Magazine highlights other ways recycling has been done in the past: https://time.com/4568234/history-origins-recycling/. I know none sound like a perfect fit, but hopefully these articles are helpful.
Amy