Collection

Category: Collection

Wisconsin Collection & Wisconsin Documents, Together at Last

Over the summer, an important shift of materials took place- the Mudd’s collection of Wisconsin documents moved from the second floor to the fourth floor of the library, next to our Wisconsin Collection and the Roger Dale Kruse Room.

The Wisconsin Collection contains over 2,500 titles and features books covering a full range of topics about Wisconsin or by Wisconsin authors. As a collection that we purchase into, we have been able to acquire unique holdings of local and regional writers with a special emphasis in poetry. Because Lawrence University was started as a territorial college, we also have early state government documents and early histories of the Fox River Valley and Appleton. We are also a “Selective Depository Library” for State of Wisconsin documents, which means that we receive a portion of the thousands of documents published by Wisconsin state agencies.

Formerly, the Wisconsin Documents were housed on the second floor along with the Federal Documents, but now both collections have been brought together to form a cohesive and impressive collection of Wisconsin history and legacy.  Be sure to head up to the fourth floor to check it out!

 

The Wisconsin Collection

002 (Medium)Are you interested in Wisconsin history, geology, or politics? Do you enjoy reading locally-written literature? Do you love Wisconsin? If so, take some time to peruse our fabulous Wisconsin Collection!

Located on the library’s fourth floor, the Wisconsin Collection features over 2,500 titles related to Wisconsin or written by Wisconsin authors. State and local history titles abound, some dating from the time when Wisconsin was still a territory. Learn about the rich culture of the Native American tribes who have called the state their home, or about the many immigrants who have settled here. Explore the unique culinary and linguistic history of the area, or savor poetry inspired by Wisconsin’s beautiful landscapes and extreme climate.

The Wisconsin Collection features books about the Fox Cities specifically, as well as other interesting cheese-state locales, such as Milwaukee, Madison, and Door County. Enjoy the works of famous Wisconsin authors Edna Ferber, Aldo Leopold, Jane Hamilton, and Michael Perry. Field guides can help you learn about and identify local flora and fauna, and hiking and backpacking manuals abound if you’re looking to experience the diverse and rustic natural beauty of the state. Biographies of famous Wisconsin residents, such as Les Paul, Gaylord Nelson, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Bob La Folette, can be found in the collection as well.

If you’re curious about regional or state statistics, the collection features a plethora of statistical information, including the full collection of the state’s Blue Books. Of course, it could hardly be named the Wisconsin Collection without titles featuring the Green Bay Packers, the Wisconsin Badgers, and beer.

Whether you’re a political activist or an amateur naturalist, a statistics buff or a committed locavore, be sure to spend some time in the stacks of the Wisconsin Collection. You can see a small sampling of titles from this collection by checking out our Pinterest page. Exploring the state of Wisconsin is as easy as a visit to the Seeley G. Mudd!

Scary Movie Month

003 (Medium)Of course you come to the Mudd to calm your fears. Every day, students stop by the Reference Desk for assistance in navigating our seemingly- infinite electronic resources, to set up a research appointment to delve more deeply into an overwhelming project or a looming paper, or to simply study among the safety of our stacks. But when it’s time to put that paper or project aside for the day, and darkness creeps over campus, blanketing the Mudd in shadow, horror fanatics and Halloween fans can also stop by to incite their fears!

We have a wide array of horror films, available for check-out, that are perfect for getting into the spooky spirit of the Halloween season. Check-out all-time favorites like Night of the Living Dead, Halloween, the Friday the 13th series, Poltergeist, The Little Shop of Horrors, and A Nightmare on Elm Street.  Classic horror films like Dracula (we have three versions!), Frankenstein, The Birds, The Bride of Frankenstein, and The Shining are also available. Spine-chilling television series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twin Peaks, and The Walking Dead can also be found in the media center, as well as contemporary hair-raisers such as American Psycho, Scream, House of Wax, and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.

Perhaps your constitution is a tad too delicate to bear subjecting yourself to films from the traditional horror genre. If so, check out the hilarious Shaun of the Dead, a zombie-filled romantic comedy for the most timid of Halloween celebrants. And if the mere thought of watching a scary movie in your dorm room has you filled with dread, take advantage of one of five viewing rooms available on the first floor and creep yourself out in the peaceful sanctuary of the Mudd, where zombies are generally not allowed.

Check out our scary movie Pinterest board to see more of the horror films that we have available for a 7-day circulation period, and as All Hallows’ Eve approaches, gather up some friends to get petrified at the Mudd!

 

 

 

Children’s and Young Adult Resources in the Mudd!

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Are you working with children or young adults this summer? Have your own children uttered the word ‘bored’ one time too many? Are you a kid at heart? You may be surprised to hear that the Mudd circulates a comprehensive collection of children’s and young-adult literature! From classics like Sounder, Heidi, and Charlotte’s Web, to contemporary award-winners such as The One and Only Ivan and Song and Dance Man, the Mudd’s collection of juvenile literature has something for even the pickiest of young readers. Fables, myths, and legends have stood the test of time and are sure to inspire hours of imaginative dreaming, while story and picture books like Frog and Toad Are Friends and Inch by Inch are perfect for downtime in the heat of the midday. Fantasy lovers can feast on the works of Ursula Le Guin and J.R.R. Tolkien, while toddlers and preschoolers will learn valuable skills through the gentle guidance of story books, including When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry and My Many Colored Days. If summer vacation has you or the children in your life longing for some academic rigor, check out a controversial and award-winning title like Speak or The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, or sink your teeth into All Shakespeare’s Tales, Gulliver’s Travels, or Johnny Tremain. Best-selling series are available, too, from Harry Potter to Twilight. Foreign-language enthusiasts will be pleased to find an abundance of youth literature in languages from German to Japanese, as well as books fostering cultural literacy such as the Story of the Chinese Zodiac and Great Swedish Fairy Tales. My Side of the Mountain, Caddie Woodlawn, or any of the books from the captivating Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder are perfect read-aloud choices to pack for your next camping trip, or to welcome some natural adventure into your home. Fiction and nonfiction titles are available in a variety of topics, too, from horses to music.

Front CoverYou’re sure to be amazed by the multitude of children’s and young adult titles available for check-out from the Mudd. All of the books from our juvenile literature collection have call numbers beginning with PZ, and are housed on the third floor of the library. So whether you’re babysitting preschoolers, hoping to encourage your reluctant teenage reader, or looking for some fun summer reading for yourself, make sure to visit the library’s third floor to take advantage of our extensive juvenile literature collection.  The youngsters in your life are sure to be pleased by what you found in the Mudd!

Start Your Summer Off with a Cozy Mystery

One of the great things about summer is all the reading a person gets to do! Going to exotic locales and using the heat as a means of escape are one of the things we enjoy! A great summer read includes The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith. It takes place in a small town in Botswana and follows Precious Ramotswe as she opens an amateur detective agency and solves cases. This belongs to a genre called “cozy mysteries” because the story does not focus on sex, violence or nitty gritty details; just good, old-fashioned sleuthing. Pull up a chair and a cup of red bush tea and spend an afternoon with Precious Ramotswe. You can find her in the library along with many other great mysteries and summer reads!

The Mudd Welcomes Martha Nussbaum to Campus

Lawrence University will recognize Martha Nussbaum, one of the world’s pre-eminent scholars, public intellectuals and an award-winning author, with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree Sunday, June 9 at the college’s 164th commencement.

Nussbaum, the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, also will serve as the principal commencement speaker.

The full press release can be found here: Lawrence University to Honor Martha Nussbaum.

Interested in doing some preliminary research on Ms. Nussbaum before her arrival on campus? We’ve gathered a few links to help get you started:

For further research assistance regarding the life and work of Martha Nussbaum, or any other topic, please contact our friendly and knowledgeable reference librarians. The Seeley G. Mudd Library will be open during commencement from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Eating Disorder Resources

The library has recently acquired many new resources regarding eating disorders. These include workbooks, books about communication for family and friends, and even a book about the neuroscience behind eating disorders. Finding up-to-date information was not an easy task, as eating disorders are still misunderstood and under-researched.

These books are not meant to cure a person with body image issues, nor are they meant to replace professional help. If you or someone you know has body image or disordered eating issues, please consult the Counseling Center. There are no better resources available to you than the counselors.

To learn more about eating disorders and how to talk to someone about their eating disorder, please stop by the library’s new book shelf to pick up a brochure and browse the new arrivals (most start with call number RC). For more information please visit the National Eating Disorder’s website.

Roger Dale Kruse Room

Thanks to a generous gift from Judge D. Michael Lynn, LU class of ’65, the library has a beautiful new space. The Roger Dale Kruse room is a place for quiet study and reflection, as well as a meeting space for students, classes, and student organizations interested in diversity issues. The room was named in honor of Judge Lynn’s late partner.

The art hung in this room is from the personal collection of Mr. Kruse, and includes Post-Impressionist paintings by French artists. A special collection of books has been added to this room, pertaining to diversity and social justice. Additional artwork and books, as well as audiovisual resources will continue to be added to the room’s collection.

For more pictures, including some from an early phase of construction, take a look at the library’s flickr page.

Next time you’re in the library, head up to the fourth floor and take a look at this wonderful space.

Highlighted CD: Grace by Jeff Buckley

Have you ever heard of Jeff Buckley? He was a rising star in the 90’s before his untimely death on this day in 1997. He had the voice of an angel and was able to seamlessly flow between rock, pop and soul. If you haven’t had a chance to check him out we have his only album released while he was alive called Grace under call number M1630.18 .B83 G73 1994 CD. Here’s a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” from Grace.