Angela Vanden Elzen

Author: Angela Vanden Elzen

Summer in the Mudd Library

Your friends in the Mudd Library are here for you this summer! Summer library hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Here are some ways the library can help you out:

  • Doing research or want to learn more about library resources? Our reference librarians are on call 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday all summer. Ask us!
  • Did you know that current students, faculty, and staff who are off campus are welcome to submit interlibrary loan article requests over the summer? Our system delivers these to you electronically, wherever you are!
  • Those who are on campus or in the Appleton area may request interlibrary loan books, which will be picked up from the Mudd Library (as usual).
  • Of course- circulation, ordering, and all of your other favorite library services are available over the summer as well!
  • Details for our annual summer coffeehouse series will be posted shortly! Lots of great resources and information from previous summer coffeehouses are available on our guide.
  • Looking for something fun? The library has a great collection of popular novels and non-fiction, movies and documentaries, and games and puzzles to keep you entertained this summer.

As always, be sure to ask us! We’re happy to help!

Lawrence’s Own Makerspace!

Have you heard about the new Lawrence University Interdisciplinary Makerspace for Engaged Learning? It is an exciting space for hands-on learning and creation, located on the first floor of the Mudd Library. A makerspace is any space that encourages making, tinkering, and creativity. Some are focused more on technology, some on manufacturing, some on building, and some on crafting. Our space is a little of each of those with an academic focus. The LU makerspace includes two 3D printers, a desktop 3D scanner, a handheld 3D scanner, an electronic cutter, a sewing machine, and supplies for painting and making collages (learn more on our guide). The space also houses the digital conversion lab.

Instructional Technologist Arno Damerow, Reference Librarian Angela Vanden Elzen, and Associate Professor of Chemistry Dave Hall oversee the daily use of the space, work with students and classes, and plan makerspace events and speakers.  A large group of Lawrence faculty and staff, including Anna Simeth from the Development office, contributed to the grant proposal to the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) that allowed for the purchase of much of the equipment.

Read more about how this great space came to be (thanks to help from our friends in Technology Services, Facility Services, and Provost Dave Burrows), read about assignments, and view documentation on the makerspace website. Keep up with recent news and uses of the space with the makerspace Twitter account.

Part of the grant from the ACM included funding to bring in speakers to discuss the idea of maker pedagogy, and how to integrate it into higher education. Our first speaker, Matt Sonnenberg from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, will present on March 31st at 11:10 a.m. in the Warch Campus Center Cinema. Matt will share his experiences with integrating 3D printing into classes on the UWSP campus. All are invited to attend this presentation.

Have questions about the makerspace or interested in using the space with your classes or an independent study? Contact us at makerspace@lawrence.edu.

Alumni Librarians: Emily Alinder Flynn ’09

EmilyEditor’s note: We invited Lawrence alumni who have gone into library work to share with us what they do and how they got there. Here’s another in a series.

I got hooked on libraries while working in technical (tech) services at the Mudd Library freshman year at LU and haven’t looked back since. Besides labeling new print books and DVDs, I corrected errors in the online catalog to ensure people could find what they looked for and also shelved rare and special books in the Lincoln Reading Room and Milwaukee-Downer Room. I enjoyed organizing the library but truly loved making sure people could find what they needed with everything being where it should be. In my current job, part of it includes correcting errors and fixing links for eResources which are essential since eBooks and eJournals cannot be stumbled upon like a physical book that is misshelved.

As I neared graduation, I researched graduate programs in library science and ended up at the University of Michigan, a School of Information that offers lots of technology courses in the same degree. Learning coding, database management, heuristic evaluation, etc., in addition to library science has proven to be useful in my career. My first professional job was at ProQuest, cataloging eBooks for Safari Books Online which is mostly computer science and technology related. Cataloging describes the contents of an item and creates a record in an online catalog so that people can find the information and items. LU prepared me as an analytical thinker, furthered my intellectual curiosity, and inspired me to be my best self at all times. All of these traits serve me well as a technology-savvy, detail-oriented librarian.

For current students thinking about a career in libraries, my first piece of advice is to work in one. This sounds basic but it’s the best way to tell not only if you want to work in libraries but to determine what you want to do, and sometimes what you don’t want to do which is also important.  Experience working in libraries will make you a stronger candidate for library jobs. Also, the best part about libraries today is the variety of jobs and areas that are available. I currently work at OhioLINK, which is a consortium of 121 Ohio academic libraries and the State Library of Ohio that share materials and purchase eContent together which allows students and faculty to have access to many more resources. In addition to cataloging, I manage an electronic theses and dissertations submission website for 30 of our member libraries. One of my librarian friends works as a curator of children’s literature. Another is a studio librarian, helping students create research and projects with media and software. There are opportunities in government facilities, corporations, museums, and so much more. There truly is something for everyone, you just have to look.

By Emily Alinder Flynn, Class of 2009

Alumni Librarians: Beth Carpenter ’10

Editor’s note: We invited Lawrence alumni who have gone into library work to share with us what they do and how they got there. Here’s another in a series.

When I arrived at Lawrence in the fall of 2006, I knew that I wanted to work in the campus library – it was one of my first stops during Welcome Week. From that moment on, the Mudd became an integral part of my Lawrence experience.

Attending a small liberal arts college meant that I had the chance to get to know the faculty and staff of the college on a more personal level, outside of the classroom. The library was a place where I feel I took advantage of that most, and I found role models in the reference librarians and circulation staff that I interacted with every day.

I knew I wanted to work in libraries early on, but there was one particular reference librarian (who can remain nameless to avoid embarrassment) who truly cemented the desire to be a college librarian in my mind. She truly embodies what a librarian should be, in my mind – full of a willingness to help anyone, knowledgeable about a wide range of topics (and willing to research anything she didn’t know), and an advocate for the library and its services. Other librarians and staff of the library gave their time an energy to teach me things like basic cataloging, or reserve procedures, things that all helped me on my journey towards librarianship.

Working at the Mudd gave me the direction and focus I needed going into my graduate program at Indiana University Bloomington. It was valuable for me to go to such a large school (about twenty times the size of Lawrence) to be able to compare library environments. In graduate school, I worked at three different libraries across the campus, all giving me a variety of experience in circulation and reference work.

I currently am the Liberal Arts Librarian at Bethany College in West Virginia. As glamorous as it sounds, part of the reason for the title is so that I’m not tied to any particular job within the library, which I actually love. I was hired for my experience in cataloging and working with student employees, but my role has grown to encompass our website maintenance, serials management and event planning. Occasionally I also get the opportunity to do some library instruction. I think the advantage of working at a small liberal arts college (and Bethany is particularly small – we have three full-time librarians and a part-time archivist) is that I get to do different things every day – when I’m tired of one project, I can work on another one (luckily, I also learned time management and prioritizing assignments at Lawrence).

If I have any advice for students looking into going for an MLS/MLIS degree, it’s that they should make sure they find a program with opportunities to learn and practice instruction, because that’s becoming an increasingly important part of academic librarianship. Also while in graduate school, make sure to get as much work experience as possible, because it is those jobs that will help bolster your resume. More often than not, those libraries are used to hiring graduate students and will help you mold the job into what you want or need it to be – I went from a reserves assistant to a circulation supervisor and reserves co-coordinator in one position because that library allowed me to grow the role I was hired for.

The best thing to know about libraries is that working in them is never going to be what you expect, but it will always be rewarding, if you have an open mind about whatever is going to come your way. I never would’ve anticipated living in small-town West Virginia, but after a year and half, I’m not sure there’s another job out there that would suit me quite as well!

By Beth Carpenter, Class of 2010

Winter Break at the Mudd Library

It’s winter break, which means the library has switched to break hours. The library will be open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through December 18th. As with the rest of campus, the library will be closed the week of December 21-25, and will reopen on Monday, December 28. See the library calendar for more details.

Now is a great time to stop in the Mudd Library and ask our reference librarians to tell you more about the new OneSearch library resource search. OneSearch allows searching of both items in the library and electronic resources from one search bar! We’ll also help you learn when OneSearch is right for your research, and when more in-depth searching in individual databases is the right choice. Off campus, but want to learn more? Take a look at our Searching Library Collections page or contact a reference librarian by email or phone.

Remember, the library has a great selection of popular movies, novels, games, and music in addition to our vast selection of scholarly materials. Now that you may have time for leisure materials, stop in and discover something fun!

Learn About the Funding Information Network

The Mudd Library is proud to be a Funding Information Network site. This resource provides access to Foundation Center subscription databases where users can search for scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other funding opportunities for individuals as well as nonprofit organizations. Training is a joint service of the Development Office and the Mudd Library.

Multiple opportunities to learn more about this fantastic resource are coming up soon!

Wednesday, August 12: Coffeehouse- Introducing the Funding Information Network
10:00-10:40 a.m.
Seeley G. Mudd Library, first floor
Our last coffeehouse of the summer will be all about the Funding Information Network. Come get a brief introduction to these resources while enjoying coffee and treats.

Introduction to the Funding Information Network Training Sessions: (registration required)

Monday, August 24, 9:00-10:30 am
UW Oshkosh Sage Hall Computer Lab, Room 1208
Seating is limited.

Thursday, August 27, 1:00-2:30 pm
Seeley G. Mudd Library 214 (ITC)
Seating is limited.

Reserve your seat for the FREE hands-on training sessions by emailing Anna Simeth with your name and the date of the workshop you wish to attend.

Gifts to the Mudd Library

It’s that time of the year when we start gathering a variety of statistics to help us sum up the previous academic year. One such statistic is the number of items that were gifted to our library. When Director of Technical Services, Jill Thomas, compiled these numbers, she felt compelled to share and thank our donors.

This year the library faculty and staff would like to thank our many donors who have contributed to our collection. Donations are treated like new acquisitions and are evaluated by the same standards as new purchases to safeguard quality, consistency, and relevance to the needs of the Lawrence University community.  Our donors are faculty members current and retired, alumni, parents of past and current students, and Appleton community members with no ties to the university at all.

This year, from donations alone, we added into our collections over 2,000 books, DVDs, musical CDs, and journals. That number does not include two gifts we have not finished going through of over 4,000 music CDs, and over 40 boxes of books from a retired faculty member. These gifts help stretch our budget that never seems to go far enough.  If you are considering donating to the library, please check our out gift page.

So here’s to all of our donors; thank you for thinking of Lawrence and giving to the Seeley G. Mudd Library.

Summer Events at the Mudd Library

Summer is a great time to learn about new, interesting things. With this in mind, the Mudd Library is happy to be hosting an exhibit as well as our annual coffeehouse series this summer. As always, we encourage everyone still on campus to stop in and check out our great selection of novels, non-fiction, and movies.  Keep in mind, we have begun our summer hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The crowd listens at last year’s “Films from the Archives” coffeehouse.

For just a few more days, the library will be hosting the exhibit, “A Stone of Hope: Black Experiences in the Fox Cities.” Learn more about this fascinating exhibit at the History Museum website, then stop in and see it for yourself. The exhibit will be on display through June 30th.

We will also be hosting our annual summer coffeehouse series. The first session is entitled, “Lawrence and Diversity,” and will take place on Wednesday, July 1 at 10 a.m. At this coffeehouse, Archivist Erin Dix will discuss the history of how fostering greater diversity and greater appreciation for diversity has been, and remains, a priority for Lawrence University. See our guide to learn more about this, and our other exciting coffeehouses.

We hope to see you in the library this summer!

Microform Magic with the ViewScan II

Professor Frederick with the ViewScan II

If you have used the microform readers of the past, you may remember having to squint to see poor quality images and putting a substantial amount of effort into reading the material. Our new ViewScan II digital microform reader adds digital magic* to your microforms! The ViewScan II allows you to edit and crop frames, resulting in content that possibly looks better than when it was first printed back in 1900 (or whenever)!

Associate Professor of History, Jake Frederick, has been visiting the Mudd Library to use the ViewScan II quite often as he prepares for a publisher’s deadline. After trying to read a microfilm reel for years on machines at other libraries, Professor Frederick was ecstatic to discover how readable the ViewScan II made his microfilm copy of a document from the 18th century.

Here is what he had to say about his experiences with the ViewScan II:

Normally using microfilm is like trying to read badly printed newsprint in a moving car at night. It’s blurry, dark, never focuses on the whole page at the same time, and is likely to make you seasick. I have had some microfilm sitting in my office for the last nine years that I could hardly bring myself to look at because it’s usually so terrible to use. The new scanner in the library is awesome. It has literally taken away everything that made using microfilm awful. I can’t believe how much better it is.

Interlibrary Loan Assistant Andrew McSorley has noticed a number of students, many of whom have never used microfilm technology in the past, have become quite comfortable with using microforms on the ViewScan II. Andrew explained, “With the ViewScan, otherwise rare items on old-fashioned media can now be sifted through easily on state-of-the-art, intuitive technology. Basically, between ILL and this microfilm reader, there are now far fewer barriers between our students and access to just about any material they could think of.”

In addition to editing, the ViewScan II allows patrons to save microform images (from microfilm reels, microcard, etc.) to a USB flash drive, or to print directly to the nearby laser printer. If you’d like to use the ViewScan II, the Mudd has a variety of microform materials, including The New York Times newspaper dating from 1851, as well as the Milwaukee Journal and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel starting from 1884.

Have questions about using microforms? Contact our friendly reference librarians, or ask us at the reference desk!

*No actual magic is used in this machine, however the technology is quite useful.

Mozart Visits the Mudd Library

The Mudd Library was recently given the unique opportunity to exhibit an original Mozart manuscript. Technically speaking, it was an autograph (meaning Mozart wrote it himself) leaf (one page, double-sided) from one of his compositions.

To share this artifact with Lawrence students, Music Librarian and Associate Professor Antoinette Powell, and Director of Technical Services and Assistant Professor Jill Thomas put together a presentation focusing on not just the manuscript, but also historical background to put it in context. Antoinette explains:

“By researching and examining the leaf, Jill and I were able to talk about Mozart’s compositional style, the types of materials he used, the history of western Europe at that time and daily life in Salzburg. It was an extraordinary opportunity for students and faculty to see something Mozart touched.”

All of the books Antoinette and Jill used to conduct the research about the score and its historical context came from the Mudd’s collection. Their extensive research revolved around:

  • the work itself
  • the circumstances of its creation. Mozart wrote it for a family friend who was graduating from college. It was Finalmusik, which is music to be performed outdoors to honor the professors at the end of the school year.
  • how the owner acquired it
  • Mozart’s life at this time (he was 17 when he wrote it in 1773)
  • European and American history in 1773. In what is now the U.S., people were wearing hats made out of raccoons and dumping tea into Boston Harbor, while in Salzburg people were wearing elegant clothes and listening to Mozart  in a refined outdoor setting.
  • the paper and ink with which the work was created, including the differences in paper over the past 400 years

The title of the work is Serenata (Serenade in D major, K. 185.) The leaf we had on loan is from the fourth movement, Menuetto – Trio.   It contained the final 10 measures of the menuetto on one side and the first 16 measures of the trio on the other.

Over 60 people viewed the item over four days in the Milwaukee-Downer room in the Mudd Library. The students and faculty  were primarily from music composition and theory classes in the Conservatory. The students saw the autograph and were able to compare it to a modern published edition, as well as other pieces that were published around the same time and after to analyze the differences in paper making. Antoinette and Jill also showed the students what can be learned about Mozart’s process of composition by examining the leaf, including:

  • he worked fast
  • the composition was completed in his head before he put the pen to paper
  • at this time he was traveling a lot and preferred using small-format paper

The thoughtful owner of the leaf is a Lawrence University alum from the class of 2010. Although it has been returned to its owner, we are grateful to have had this unique opportunity to share such a rare piece of history with students at Lawrence.