DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The public library in Council Bluffs has turned to everyday people to help link pieces of the city’s past.  Organizers of the Council Bluffs: Proud Past… Bright Future project want residents to look in attics, basements and other corners of their homes for old pictures, letters and other mementos that could be used to tell Council Bluffs’ history.

The project launched in 2010 and has been collecting historical information from local participating museums. Now it’s seeking help from residents, who are being encouraged to bring in personal items to an upcoming event so they can be scanned onto the project’s website. Project director Chad Nation says it’s a unique endeavor that will benefit the community and help local schools teach Council Bluffs’ history.