Fun

Category: Fun

Meet the Staff, Student Worker Edition: Olav Bjornerud

015 (Medium)As you know, we love our student workers! One of our favorite things about working with them is learning about their many projects and accomplishments around campus. As much as it might appear as if they spend all of their free time perfecting their library duties, in reality they excel in many other areas: performing, producing, and achieving so many wonderful things.

Take Olav Bjornerud for example. In addition to working in the Mudd during his entire academic career, he has also spent the past several summers handcrafting a beautiful Viking ship named Strake, which is now on display in the Buchanan Kiewit Wellness Center. Read on to learn more about Olav, and to see a photograph of his gorgeous craftsmanship. Also, be sure to swing by the Wellness Center to get a real feel for the amount of work and attention that went into building such a large and detailed vessel.

What is your job title at the Mudd and what work does that entail?

The official title of my job is “Student Circulation Desk Assistant.” I check in and out books, movies, music, and course reserves, and preform a wide range of miscellaneous tasks behind the desk.

What’s your major?

I’m a Studio Art / History double major (definitely not Art History, though).

When will you graduate?

As far as I know, I’m graduating in June, 2014.

Where are you from?

I’m actually from Appleton; Lawrence is closer to my house than my high school was.

How long have you been working at the Mudd?

I’ve been able to work at the library all four years, excluding one term when I was abroad in London.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

I’ve loved being able to see the inner workings of the library and all the parts that are essential to keeping it running smoothly.

Share something you’ve done at work that has made you especially proud.

Whenever I’m able help someone, lend a hand in finding an item, or answer some question, it’s always very satisfying.

As a student, where is your favorite (study/relaxation/hang-out) spot in the Mudd?

I particularly like studying (and putting off studying) on the top floors of library, where I can peer out the windows over campus.

What are your hobbies?

I enjoy listening to music, building things in the sculpture studio, and as generic as it sounds, hanging out with friends.

What’s the last book you read that you couldn’t put down?

That would have to be George Mackay Brown’s Greenvoe.  While the book is definitely character driven, and it takes a bit for the plot to gain momentum, I couldn’t get enough of Brown’s prose and lyrical descriptions of the Orkney Islands.

What are your favorite bands or performers?

I completely believe that Bob Dylan is the greatest American artist living or dead.  His output during the 60s and 70s was legendary, and since the 1990s he’s released masterpiece after masterpiece as he continues to redefine himself.  I actually prefer his more recent work—I love his current voice that sounds like he’s been gargling thumbtacks.  I saw him live a few years ago on Halloween and it was by far the best show I’ve ever been to.

What groups and/or organizations are you active in (on or off campus)?

I’m part of the Greenfire Co-op, on the newly formed cross-country skiing team, and also one half of a folk music radio show on WLFM.

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Strake by Olav A. Bjornerud
Ash and painted steel, 2013
On view now at the Buchanan Kiewit Wellness Center!
With its organic and enveloping curves, Strake celebrates Lawrence University’s mascot and is inspired by the Vikings’ expert synthesis of form and function.

Good Ol’ Freda

fredaIn conjunction with the Mudd’s celebration of The Year of the Beatles, the documentary film Good Ol’ Freda will be shown Wednesday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m. in the Warch Campus Cinema. Admission is free.

Freda Kelly was a teenager in Liverpool in 1961 when she was asked to be personal secretary and fan club president for an up-and-coming local band. She stayed with the Beatles for 11 years.

From the Good Ol’ Freda official website: “In Good Ol’ Freda, Freda tells her stories for the first time in 50 years. One of few documentaries with the support of the living Beatles and featuring original Beatles music, the film offers an insider perspective on the beloved band that changed the world of music.”

Meet the Staff: Andrew McSorley

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We are pleased to introduce a recent acquisition to the library–Andrew McSorley, Circulation and Interlibrary Loan Assistant. Andrew works tirelessly to fulfill  Interlibrary Loan (ILL) requests submitted by students and faculty, not only at Lawrence, but from libraries all over the country. He also heads the Circulation desk on Saturdays and helps to coordinate the library’s electronic reserve collection. In addition, he’s proven himself as a real contender for the most hilarious library staff member title, and if you know how funny our music librarian Antoinette Powell is, this is no small feat. Bravo, Andrew! Read on to learn more about Andrew, and be sure to give him a warm welcome if you run into him at the Mudd.

How long have you been working at the Mudd Library?

I have been here for about three months now, and I love it!

What’s your favorite part of your job?

I really enjoy knowing that I’m an integral connection between the faculty, students, staff, and their research. Being at the front lines (in a sense) of a lot of the scholarship for the university is incredibly rewarding.

Share something you’ve done at work that has made you especially proud.

I haven’t been here long enough to really shake things up yet, but I’m proud every time I can lend someone that article or book they’ve had a difficult time finding. I’ve also been really pleased with the rollout of our new software, ILLiad. I’m happy I could add my input into that transition. I’ve made some pretty sweet thank you slips for libraries that lend us materials, as well. So far they have featured Boba Fett, Underdog, Totoro, and The Big Lebowski. The Dude abides.

Where did you get your degree?

I have a Bachelor’s degree from Valparaiso University, and I finished my MFA in Creative Writing at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale in May. Go Salukis!

What are your hobbies?

I write poetry often and on occasion some of it gets accepted to a literary journal, and submitting for publication is a hobby unto itself. I’m finishing up my first manuscript for publication right now. I also enjoy sports of any kind, though I’m particularly an ice hockey fanatic (Go Wild!).

What’s the last book you read that you couldn’t put down?

I always have a few books going at once. The last few I’ve devoured have been The Midlife Crisis of Commander Invincible by Neil Connelly, The Big Smoke by Adrian Matejka, and Your Invitation to a Modest Breakfast by Hannah Gamble.

What are your favorite bands or performers?

I absolutely love Pearl Jam, but I can enjoy just about anything, as long as it’s not country (no offense to Osh Vegas and its epic country love).

List your favorite blogs and/or magazines.

I used to work for Crab Orchard Review, so they obviously have awesome taste and everyone should get a subscription. But, I also really dig Revolution House, Gingerbread House Literary Magazine, and the brand new Psychopomp Magazine. They’re all publishing emerging authors and pretty atypical, ferocious stuff. You can check out all of them online.

What groups and/or organizations are you active in (on or off campus)?

Does fantasy football count as an organization? I’m actively seeking any orgs related to creative writing, so any suggestions are welcome.

Tell us about your family.

My wife works here at Lawrence, as well. She is the director of International Student Services. We both feel really blessed to be working here because we grew up in Appleton, and our families are still in the area. I won’t tell you too much more about my family because I’d have to lie on a couch.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I’m reminded of that scene in Woody Allen’s Stardust Memories where aliens visit the town where a film festival is being held. Woody’s character asks them, “Shouldn’t I stop making movies and do something that counts, like helping blind people or becoming a missionary or something?” And, one of the aliens says, “You want to do mankind a real service? Tell funnier jokes.”

That’s kind of what you meant, right?

 

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!

 

 

 

The Year of The Beatles at the Mudd Library

Year of The Beatles displayIf you’ve visited the Mudd this past week or so, you may have noticed a semi-permanent exhibit titled “The Year of the Beatles.”  This coming year we will document the 50th anniversary of the rise of the Beatles’ fame in the United States beginning in the fall of 1963 and ending September 4, 1964 with their first and only appearance in Wisconsin.

Artifacts will include reproductions of documents, such as the program from the 1957 garden fete of St Peter’s Church, Woolton, Liverpool, the studio log book documenting the Quarrymen’s first professional recording in 1958, as well as contemporary items, including 45s and LPs and Beatles memorabilia and also scrapbooks complied in 1964.  There will also be some groovy events on campus such as speakers, presentations, and maybe even a trivia contest.  Keep watching for updates!

We’ll be documenting each of the library’s exhibits all year long on our Year of the Beatles Flickr photoset. We’ve also created a Beatles Pinterest board, containing images of Beatles-related materials available at the Mudd Library.

Meet the Staff, Student Worker Edition: Dakota Williams

As summer break winds to a close, all of us at the Seeley G. Mudd Library are readying ourselves for the upcoming academic year and are looking forward to welcoming our students back to campus. Of course, a few students have been hanging around the library all summer long–our incredible student workers! Dakota Williams has been working as a Circulation Assistant; his duties include circulating and shelving library items and assisting with the arduous task of cataloging CDs. He’s also facilitated some projects for the Archives. For a few weeks this summer, he worked tirelessly to convert  piles of commencement and convocation speeches from audio and video cassettes into newer formats. He’s cataloged scrapbooks, photocopied articles, done data entry, and created a comprehensive listing of Lawrence faculty. Dakota does all of this work while continuously sharing one of the biggest and brightest smiles on campus!

Dakota’s hard work and great attitude have landed him the Night Supervisor/Course Reserves Assistant position for the upcoming academic year. Once the term starts, his responsibilities will grow to include the supervision of circulation desk workers during the Mudd’s hectic evening hours, and the processing and maintaining of course reserves. We feel so lucky to have this dynamic student worker behind the circulation desk! Read on to learn more about Dakota:

What’s your major?

My major is BM Horn Performance.

When will you graduate?

I will be graduating in June 2014.

Where are you from?

I grew up in southwest Missouri, but my family lives in Milton, Wisconsin now.

How long have you been working at the Mudd Library?

I have been working at the Mudd library for 3 years, since my Freshman year.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

In my work in Archives, I enjoy finding concert programs collected by Milwaukee-Downer Alumnae in their scrapbooks.

Share something you’ve done at work that has made you especially proud.

Strange as it sounds, I am proudest of the signs that I created, advertising different aspects of the Mudd’s collection of which I believe patrons may be unaware.

What are your hobbies?

I enjoy reading (especially short stories and music literature), doing crosswords and other word puzzles, arranging music for chamber ensembles, and collecting and drinking tea.

What’s the last book you read that you couldn’t put down?

Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice.

What are your favorite bands or performers?

The Berliner Philharmoniker, Audra McDonald, Sutton Foster, and  the American Horn Quartet.

List your favorite blogs and/or magazines.

The Horn Call (magazine), Horn Matters (blog), Broadway.com (blog).

What groups and/or organizations are you active in (on or off campus)?

Lawrence University Quizbowl, GLOW, and NAfME.

What are your post-graduation plans?

I plan to go to graduate school for a dual-masters in musicology and library science.

Meet the Staff, Student Worker Edition: Thomas Malm

001 (Small)For the summer editions of Meet the Staff, we thought it was high time we featured some of the most valuable employees that we have here at the library, our student workers! The Seeley G. Mudd employs about 50 students each year to help in Circulation, Technical Services,  Archives, and Media Services. Student workers are fundamental to the fulfillment of our mission, and their work provides invaluable support to library staff, and as a result, to the entire campus community. They also serve as unofficial liaisons between the library staff and the student body, helping us stay attuned and connected to the needs and interests of our student population, as well as making the library feel welcoming, friendly, and familiar to the students we serve. The Mudd library would not be the same without their input and presence. We love our student workers!

Thomas Malm had spent four years as a library student worker before graduating this past June. Currently, he’s happily awaiting his student-teaching stint by spending the summer as a Student Circulation Desk Assistant. Whether helping patrons with materials or taking photos for our flickr page, Thomas is a capable and industrious employee. And while it will be difficult for all of us to see this intelligent, hard-working, and outright hilarious employee move on at summer’s close, we are looking forward to hearing about his future success!  And now, without further ado, more about Thomas:

What’s your major?

Bassoon Performance and Music Education, emphasis in Conducting.

Where are you from?

Olympia, Washington

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Helping patrons and the occasional shelving project.

Share something you’ve done at work that has made you especially proud.

Check out the Interactive Seeley G. Mudd reference here!

What are your hobbies?

Being from the NW I love backpacking, hunting, mountain (especially volcano) climbing, but I also like watching Star Trek TNG, doing Lord of the Rings research (it’s a thing!), and I’m an avid video gamer.

What’s the last book you read that you couldn’t put down?

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion.

What are your favorite bands or performers?

Coldplay, The Beatles, Herbert von Karajan, M.T.T., and many other conductors. I’m also very partial to the music of David Maslanka.

List your favorite blogs and/or magazines.

The Double Reed (IDRS Journal), National Geographic, IGN.com, and CNN for my news.

What groups and/or organizations are you active in (on or off campus)?

The National Association for Music Education, International Double Reed Society, the National Band Association, the Conductor’s Guild, and even the International Practical Shooting Confederation.

What are your post-graduation plans?

I will be student teaching in Pulaski, WI through February and then going to graduate school to pursue master’s degrees in wind band conducting and bassoon performance.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I am eternally grateful to all of the professors that I’ve had here at Lawrence for their guidance and for inspiring me to be better every day. Lawrence is a unique institution and I’m proud to call myself a Lawrence Alumnus!

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!