Angela Vanden Elzen

Author: Angela Vanden Elzen

Honoring Earth Day with the Mudd Library

We asked your friends in the Mudd Library, “What do you do to honor Earth Day?” Here’s what we had to share!

  • “Composing, recycling, using/buying less plastic whenever I can, and learning about planting more native plants”
  • “Say a mental ‘thank you’ to Gaylord Nelson, the Wisconsin Senator and Governor who founded Earth Day
  • “I look for more ways I can incorporate the spirit and practices the movement supports into my own life. Learning about the new and creative ways students here are supporting Earth Day inspires me!”
  • “Walk to work!”
  • “Earth Day helps me to renew my efforts in using less plastic, becoming better at composting, making my yard more pollinator-friendly, and helps me remember why I don’t eat meat.”

When you’re in the Mudd Library, don’t forget to recycle your clean plastic film and plastic bags and your batteries in library entryway- and be sure to use the single stream recycling receptacles around the building to properly recycle your trash.

Whatever you do, we hope you all have the opportunity to reconnect with nature this Earth Day and Earth Day weekend!

“A Stone of Hope” Exhibit is Back in the Mudd Library

A Stone of Hope: Black Experiences in the Fox Cities returns to the second floor of the library through February.

We’re so honored to welcome back the exhibit, A Stone of Hope: Black Experiences in the Fox Cities, for the remainder of Black History Month (February). This exhibit explores Black history in the area, dating from the 1700s to present times.

Learn more about this exhibit, or see the complete digital version at the History Museum’s Stone of Hope webpage.

Community members are encouraged to look at the digital exhibit on the History Museum page, as the library is still only open to current LU students, faculty, and staff, due to Covid-19.

We hope everyone takes the opportunity to view this important exhibit, and learn about the contributions of and challenges faced by Black residents and visitors to the Fox Cities.

Winter Term Weeks 1 & 2

Happy winter term, everyone!

The Mudd Library building will remain closed through January 17th. But don’t worry- your friends in the Mudd are still available to help you!

  • Need books, scores, videos, or other physical materials from the library? Log in to your library account when searching the library catalog to request them. They will be sent to you in campus mail (to your SPC or office). See the Requesting Items from the Collection box on the remote resources guide for detailed instructions: https://guides.lib.lawrence.edu/remoteteaching
  • Remote reference services are available! Send us an email, chat, or request form- or set up a Zoom meeting with a reference librarian! Get in touch at https://www.lawrence.edu/library/departments/reference/ask
  • Check out this awesome guide if you need help accessing our resources from off-campus
  • When we open on January 18, we’ll be continuing to require card access to the building and permitting entrance to only current students, faculty, and staff.

We can’t wait to see you all soon!

Winter Break in the Mudd

We’ve made it through fall term, and now it’s time for winter break! Your friends in the Mudd will be here to help out over the following dates and times:

  • Wednesday, November 24, 8 am to 5 pm
  • Closed November 25 through November 28
  • Monday November 29, winter break hours begin: Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm, closed Saturday and Sunday.
  • We’ll be closed from December 18 through January 2
  • The building will remain closed from January 3-9, but we’ll be available through email and chat.
  • For more details, see the library calendar.

To have course reserves ready in time for winter term, please bring them to the library before December 14.

You may have noticed that the winter break campus closure leaves only a few weeks to prepare for winter term. Be sure to stop in an drop off your course reserves, or work on whatever you might need in the Mudd between November 29 and December 17.

Keep in mind that for the first week of winter term, beginning January 3, the library building will be closed (due to campus-wide week 1 COVID precautions)., Your friends in the Mudd will be available to help virtually.

We hope everyone has a joyful, restful, and rejuvenating winter break!

Mudd Library Tips for New and Returning Students

The start of a new school year is always an exciting time- and a great time to learn about all that your friends in the Mudd Library can do to help you succeed here at Lawrence University. To help you out, we’ve compiled some links and information to help you get started. As always, if you have any questions- ask us!

Quick Tips

  • The first floor is usually the noisiest and the fourth is the quietest. There are a variety of study spaces on all floors.
  • Your Lawrence ID is your library card.
  • Again- it’s our job to help you- don’t be afraid to ask!
  • Summer hours are Monday-Friday 8 am to 4 pm.
  • When the school year begins, the library is open Monday-Thursday 8 am to 1 am, Friday 8 am to 11 pm, Saturday 10 am to 11 pm, and Sunday 11 am to 1 am.

Helpful Links

  • Search OneSearch to find things like books and academic articles.
  • Your Lawrence I.D. serves as your library card to check stuff out from the library–be sure to bring it with you. Checkout periods are 28 days for books and scores for students, 14 days for CDs, 7 days for videos and DVDs. The library also circulates a variety of equipment.
  • Take a look at the group and individual study spaces in the library.
  • Find your way around with our mobile-friendly virtual tour!
  • You can print, copy, and scan in the library.
  • Learn about the types of materials, and types of equipment you can check out.
  • Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to learn about the library, events, new items, and more!
  • See who we are– chances are you’ll be seeing a lot of us during your time at Lawrence.
  • Looking for a job? See available jobs in Lawrence Link.

Getting stuff from the library

  • Books, DVDs, musical scores, and other materials are sometimes placed on course reserve by professors and are available behind the Circulation Desk. Electronic reserves can be accessed by logging in to your library account.
  • The Makerspace provides all students with access to equipment and tools to enhance the creativity of their academic work. Located on the first floor of the library. See the makerspace guide to learn all about it.
  • A Reference Librarian is available at the reference desk many hours a day during the school year and over breaks. Ask us questions! That’s why we’re here! Reference Librarians are also happy to arrange research appointments with students.
  • Need something from another library? You can place a request electronically by logging in to your interlibrary loan account or by clicking the Find It button when searching our databases.
  • Explore our collections by coming to the library and wandering around or take a look at our collections pages. We have a ton of great stuff to help you with your coursework.

Book & Podcast Recommendations

Looking for something fun to read in the last weeks of summer, a cookbook that will inspire your cooking, or an engaging podcast to help you see the world in a new way? This summer we had a some excellent coffeehouses with members of the LU community, where we shared some of our favorites and compiled some excellent lists of recommendations. We hope they inspire you as well!

Summer in the Mudd Library

It’s time again for summer updates from your friends in the Mudd!

  • Hours: 8 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday (closed Monday, July 5)
  • Building access is still limited to current LU students, faculty, staff with the use of their LU ID card.
  • All floors of the building will be open!
  • Interlibrary loan will be available all summer! Off campus? You can still request articles and receive them electronically!
  • All other Mudd friends are here as well! Circulation, reference support, archives, acquisitions, and all the rest!

We’ll also be hosting events!

Weekly Fiber Arts & Chat: Outdoor Summer Edition

Join us every Monday, starting June 21 at 10 am in the plaza in front of the library for a crafting and chatting break!

Coffeehouses- our annual summer tradition of coffeehouses will take place outdoors this year!

Front of the the Mudd Library with tables, chairs, and umbrellas.
Mudd Library Plaza

Coffeehouses will all take place at 10 am, in the plaza in front of the library. Refreshments will be provided. More details on each event to follow!

  • June 30- Summer Reads
  • July 14- Cookbook Share
  • August 11- Podcasts

Spring Term Events and News

Building:

As the plants outside the Mudd are slowly opening up, so is the library!

  • The first floor has now been reopened for browsing! This means you can select musical scores, DVDs, CDs, and more from first floor collections and bring them right up to the circulation desk to check out! No holds required for first floor collections!
  • Update: Level A (between floors 1 & 2) is now open! This floor has lot of great study spaces and periodicals.
  • Stay tuned to our social media for news on the 3rd and 4th floor collections. These spaces are still closed for safety.
  • We’ve added more chairs to first floor tables, expanding seating to two individuals per table.
  • The building still requires LU ID card access and is limited to current students, faculty, and staff
  • The newly-renovated second floor, home to the Center for Academic Success and Information Technology Services, is open for access to those departments as well as socially-distanced quiet study!

Events:

We’ll be continuing two of our favorite weekly events through Spring term!

LU Reads: Join us on Wednesday evenings from 7-7:30 Central on Zoom. For spring term, we’ll be doing a read-aloud of the Fox Cities Reads title, George by Alex Gino. Learn more on the LU Reads Guide.

Fiber Arts & Chat: **Updated to change date and time** Each Friday, starting at 4:00 PM Central, join your friends from the Mudd and fiber arts enthusiasts from all around campus, for some knitting/crocheting/etc. and fun conversation! This event also takes place over Zoom.

Table inside the library with a sign that reads, "Please limit to 2 persons per table." The window near the table shows many yellow daffodil flowers blooming and the Wriston art galleries building in the background.
It’s springtime in the Mudd!

Winter Break 2020 and the Mudd

Mudd Library building in the snow with text that reads Happy Holidays from your friend at the Mudd

Hooray! We made it through fall term! While you’re all safely navigating to your place to settle in for break, don’t forget that your friends in the Mudd are here for you!

The library will be open from November 30 through December 18, Monday through Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm. Access to the library building is still limited to students, faculty, and staff and your Lawrence ID is required to enter.

We’ll be available to help virtually as well! Many of the ways we were able to help you over fall term will continue into winter term!

The library will be closed (and staff will be off) from December 19th through January 3rd, as the campus will be closed during that time. Please contact us as soon as possible to help with your course reserves, set up research instruction sessions, and other library services. We’ll open again on Monday, January 4th.

Even if when the library is closed, there’s still lots the library can help you with!

  • Streaming media databases: Find documentaries, instructional videos, movies, news clips, operas, theatre performances, and much more from our varied collection of streaming video resources. Our streaming audio resources include a wide variety of music, theatre audio, and more. Many of these resources include permalinks to individual titles and the ability to make clips to use in courses, and most can be accessed off campus with a proxy login.
  • OneSearch and Article databases: Find full text articles by searching in OneSearch and in many of our databases.
  • ArtStor Image Database: Collect images for your courses and projects in ArtStor.
  • Course reserve forms: We have PDF forms of our course reserve cards available that you can fill out at home and print out (or save as and print out later). Find an article in one of our databases? Use this form to simply enter some information, and we’ll add your reading and fill out the card. We’ll still be doing just electronic reserves for winter term.
  • RefWorks citation manager: Don’t have access to a printer? Collect and organize resources in RefWorks that you can easily locate once we’re open again.

We hope everyone has a safe, restful, and happy winter break! Happy holidays from your friends in the Mudd!