A ROOM FOR WRITERS: My friend Kate says that I am one of the only people she knows who spends vacation time in libraries. Maybe that's a good thing. We don't want the libraries too crowded since that makes it tough to find a quiet corner for reading and writing. But I'm proud to say I've visited libraries all over this country, from the little Carnegie Library in Lusk, Wyo., to the Library of Congress in D.C. So when I found myself in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Thanksgiving Eve with some time on my hands, my thoughts naturally turned to libraries. I suppose I could have made a pilgrimage to the massive football stadium on the UN-L campus, which was being readied for the Huskers-Buffs Nov. 23 showdown. Or I could have joined the throngs at the local Russ's Supermarket fighting over the last of the frozen turkeys. But, earlier in the day as I scanned the phone book, I had discovered a listing for the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room for Nebraska Writers at the Bennett Martin Public Library. That's the place for me, I decided.

GETTING THERE: The Heritage Room is on the third floor of the downtown library in a room the size of a large living room. Almost as homey as one, too, with its shelves of books by Nebraska authors, and wall art featuring posters of events honoring Mari Sandoz, Willa Cather, John G. Neihardt, et.al. According to Curator Alicia Graybill, the room hosts a reading series and the works of many of Nebraska's writers. A glass case at one end of the room holds books by those Nebraska writers I knew: Brent Spencer, Jonis Agee, Bill Kloefkorn, Ted Kooser; and those that surprised me: Kent Haruf (who lives in Colorado and was nominated for the National Book Award for his most recent novel, "Plainsong"); Ron Hansen, who lives in California but is an Omaha native; poet Karl Shapiro, who taught writing at UN-L in the fifties and sixties; Therese Svoboda, who spent her childhood in Ogallalla; Omaha native Tillie Olsen; Malcolm X (known as Malcolm Little in Omaha); Wright Morris; and others.

NOTED NEBRASKANS: More surprising, maybe, were the names and faces on the "Noted Nebraskans" bookmarks offered free in the room's store. Bet you didn't know that Marlon Brando was born in Omaha. And Henry Fonda began his life in Grand Island. Other notables: Standing Bear, Fred Astaire; Johnny Carson; Dick Cavett. The store also offers the book, "Guide to Nebraska Authors," and a map that combines the state's wildflowers with its authors, a unique (and pretty) combination. The literary map really fascinated me because, for the past three years, I've been on the Wyoming Center for the Book committee charged with producing an anthology/literary map of Wyoming writers (due out in 2001). Not once did anyone bring up merging Owen Wister with blue flax. We hang our collective heads in shame.

DROP ON BY: I spent hours in the Heritage Room. And I could spend many more. If you're into some literary tourism next time you're in Nebraska, check out the library's Heritage Room, 14th & N streets, or call 402-441-8516. The Nebraska Tourism Office offers a brochure on "Nebraska Literary Heritage" featuring historical sites of Cather, Neihardt, Sandoz, and Bess Streeter Aldrich. One of these days I'm going to wander off I-80 at mile marker No. 312 and drive south to Red Cloud to visit the Cather house, as "My Antonia" is one of my favorite novels.