Nebraska Wesleyan Costume library holds 60,000 plus items available for Nebraska theater programs, public

Every day, Ellen Rudd ventures down to the basement of the Nebraska Wesleyan's theater building, Elder Theatre Center. She enters a whole new world – or rather, an infinite amount of worlds. Rudd doesn't have a typical job and this isn't a typical basement. Rudd is manager of the costume library, which holds an inventory of an estimated 60,000 costumes, props and shoes.

Established in 1980, the costume library acts as a significant resource for theater departments in and outside of Nebraska. It rents out costumes and props for theater productions. It is also open to the public for individual use, such as for Halloween.

The costume library is one of Lincoln's best-kept secrets, according to Rudd. With over 1,000 linear feet of floor-to-ceiling rack space, it holds costumes of all eras, from old-school varsity jackets to vintage dresses. One library wall is full of hats and another holds enough shoes to stretch three football fields. Whatever clothing item people can think of and need, it's there. In addition to the costume room, there's another room of equal size full of props.

The idea for the library started when Phyllis and Henry Blanke came to the university in the late 1950s where Phyllis became an adjunct professor. She later became the costume library director in 1965 until 1997. The couple recognized that, to do theater in the way they hoped, they needed a repository of costumes to pull from. As a result, they began to collect and make costumes to create the library.

"The library is called the Phyllis Blanke Collection in honor of her vision and how she impacted students in costume production," said Julie Wilshusen, manager of theater operations at Nebraska Wesleyan and former manager of the costume library. "They are both iconic pillars of Nebraska Wesleyan theater."

The library supports as many theater programs as possible by allowing them to rent items from its inventory. One of the most popular ways it's used is for Nebraska schools participating in NSAA play production, the state's theater competition. Today, the library supports an estimated 25 schools a semester, with some using it multiple times a year.

"There is no way Wesleyan can use all pieces at any given time," Wilshusen said. "So it's a way to share costumes without programs having to break the bank."

According to Rudd, everything in the library is either donated or made for Wesleyan productions, which occur around 10 times a year in addition to student-led shows.

"We rarely buy things if we can make it in-house," Rudd said. "However, we sometimes get so many items that we can't keep everything– those items we give back to the community."

Rudd found the costume library after working at the Lincoln thrift store, Ruby Begonias, during undergrad at UNL where she studied fashion merchandising. While working there, she fell in love with vintage clothes.

"When I went to college, vintage wasn't even on my radar," Rudd said. "But after working at Ruby Begonias, the deal was sealed. I loved vintage and just being around it."

Both Rudd's studies and work at Ruby Begonias prepared her for her position at the costume library in multiple ways, most notably in customer service, which she now uses every day in the costume library.

She also uses her knowledge of clothing styles that she learned in undergrad at the library, such as identifying the time period of clothes.

"I love the older vintage clothes that are like 100 years old," Rudd said. "I like that it's a piece of history. I'm happy to still be able to be around vintage at the costume library."

The prices to rent depend on the item, but the staff tries to make it as affordable as possible, especially for large groups, according to Wilshusen. The rental period is usually around four weeks for schools with individual rental periods being two weeks. The use of the costume library is by appointment only.

Rudd said the staff doesn't know how many pieces there are and doesn't have a catalog –60,000 is likely an underestimate. Workers use their knowledge of the library to help find what a customer needs. There are many unusual items in the library, some made for one show and never seen again.

"We have many strange things here," Rudd said. "For example, we have a mermaid tale made out of wigs!"

The team of workers made up of eight students and Rudd, is also in charge of maintaining and organizing the costumes. According to Fiona Wiberg, a junior at Wesleyan who has worked at the library since she was a freshman, being a student worker has been rewarding in several ways.

"I'm not a theater major, but I enjoy theater, so working here has been a way to still be immersed in the industry," Wiberg said.

According to Rudd, they have antique pieces as old as the 1900s that are used for a lot of shows. These antique items require extra care.

"We try to be delicate with true vintage clothes," Rudd said. "We dry clean when necessary and do washing in-house. It's sometimes a long but rewarding process."

Besides middle and high schools, Wiberg has also been able to work with individuals who use the library for various reasons, including themed weddings, Renaissance fairs, or costume parties. There is more vintage wear than commercial costumes in the library, although they do get their fair share of Halloween enthusiasts.

For Rudd, who has been the manager for two years, the best part of her job is that each day is different, and working with students is the most rewarding part. The relationships with teachers and students she, Wilshusen, and the student workers are building what makes the library special.

"We are giving students a chance to see what it's like in theater," Wilshusen said. "You put a costume on them, and it gives them confidence to perform in front of people. We make them feel supported and will keep doing so for as long as we can."