Library News

Category: Library News

It’s BubbleWrap Day!

Bubblewrap!

We get a lot of mail here at the Mudd and so we see a lot of packaging material. Our favorite, of course, is bubblewrap so we were delighted to discover that today, Monday, January 31 is BubbleWrap Appreciation Day!

There’s nothing like popping a pristine sheet of bubblewrap to relieve the stress of, say, a Freshman Studies midterm. So: have at it!

Now — back to work….

Fox Cities Reads


Fox Cities Reads has announced the books for this year’s community read. They are Into the Beautiful North and The Devil’s Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea. The Fox Cities Reads is a program sponsored by local libraries to start a conversation within the community about a common book. This year there are two books to choose from so that you can read fiction or non-fiction. To find out more go to

History of the Book exhibit

Students from Professor Garth Bond’s fall-term English 527: History of the Book class will be exhibiting their term projects in the Mudd Library. The exhibit opens Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 4:30pm. Come join us for refreshments and interesting conversation about the research the students have done on books housed right here in the Mudd.

IPA, With a Twist

musicYou say “IPA” to most people around here and they think “India Pale Ale.” Mmmmm. Beer. But singers are different. Their IPA is the International Phonetic Alphabet, that mysterious combination of other-worldly symbols that only singers can decipher. It’s their secret handshake. Now the Mudd has access to IPA Source, a database of phonetic translations of songs and arias. And with 24/7 access on and off campus, sopranos in their kerchiefs and tenors in their jammies can just settle down to O! ne finis jamais.

Founders Day at the Library!

There’s been a library at Lawrence since its founding lo, these many years ago. The first Lawrence catalog from 1850-51 says this:

“A commencement for a good Library and Cabinet has been made, and 250 volumes or more secured for the former. Additions will continue to be made and the friends of the institution are hereby requested to make donations to the Library and Cabinet that they may speedily take rank with those which grace and benefit similar institutions in the East.”

Sam AppletonIn 1854, Amos Lawrence’s uncle-in-law, Samuel Appleton died and left $10,000 in his will for the “the increase of the Library” at Lawrence. In Uncle Sam’s honor, the library was called the “Appleton Library of Lawrence University.”

Before 1906, the library was in Main Hall. MH interior According to the 1855 catalog, access to the library was limited to one visit and one book per week, but by 1859, the Faculty Library Committee voted that “no students except those of the Senior Class shall be allowed to go into the Library to consult books.”

Catalog The library catalog was handwritten and listed books as they were added to the collection. To check out a book,
“On a slip of paper write the title of the book desired, the letters and number, according to the Catalogue, together with the name of the person drawing, and hand it to the Librarian, or his assistant. It would be well to put down several, in the same way, so that if the 1st be not in, the 2nd, or if the second be not there, the third may be drawn, and so on.”

Zelia Zelia Anne Smith, class of 1882, was Lawrence’s first full-time librarian and she served in that role from 1883 to 1924. This painting of her (to the right), commissioned by alumni on her death, hangs in the University Librarian’s office.

The Carnegie In 1905, Lawrence received a donation from Andrew Carnegie for the construction of a new library building. That building, located on the site of the current library, was torn down in 1974 to make way for the Mudd.

Special Library Hours for Finals!

Friday, Nov. 19 8:00am-midnight
Saturday, Nov. 20 8:00am-midnight
Sunday, Nov. 21 8:00am-2:00am
Monday, Nov. 22 8:00am-2:00am
Tuesday, Nov. 23 8:00am-9:00pm
Wednesday, Nov. 24 8:00am-5:00pm

Regular library hours during break will be:

Monday-Thursday 8:00am-5:00pm
Friday-Sunday Closed

In addition, the library will be closed from December 23 through January 1.

Good luck with finals and have a great break!

National Gaming Day 2010

National Gaming Day is an initiative of the American Library Association, created with the purpose of educating the public about the many opportunities provided by libraries- including gaming.  Libraries around the world are invited to sign up to host gaming events on Saturday, November 13, 2010.  As of November 1st, more than 1,800 libraries have signed up to participate in this event.  For more information about National Gaming Day, see the official American Library Association Press Release.

We at the Mudd Library encourage gaming for fun, as a way to socialize, and even as a topic of study.  We will, of course, be participating in National Gaming Day.  We will have board games including Scrabble, Twister, and Wits & Wagers, as well as Mario Kart Wii available to play on Saturday from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.  So, bring a friend and take a gaming break @ the Mudd.

Remember to vote!

There’s an important election in Wisconsin on Tuesday November 2, 2010. There will be voting shuttles leaving the Career Center Circle 8am-8pm. Where you vote depends on where on campus you live. Check this handy chart to find out the location of your polling place. Bring photo ID.

It’s your right. It’s your responsibility. Vote.

For more information about the candidates and the election, see WisconsinVote.org

Candidates for office:
(Names in alphabetical order)

U. S. Senate:
Russ Feingold (D)
Ron Johnson (R)
Rob Taylor (C)

U.S. House of Representatives:
Steve Kagen (D)
Reid Ribble (R)

Governor:
Tom Barrett (D)
James James (I)
James Langer (I)
Scott Walker (R)

Lieutenant Governor:
Rebecca Kleefisch (R)
Tom Nelson (D)

Secretary of State:
David King (R)
Doug LaFollette (D)

Attorney General:
Scott Hassett (D)
J. B. VanHollen (R)

Treasurer:
Dawn Sass (D)
Kurt Schuller (R)

State Senate District 1:
Monk Elmer (D)
Frank Lasee (R)

State Assembly District 57:
Chris Hanson (R)
Penny Bernard Schaber (D)

Ray Suarez at Lawrence

Ray Suarez

Award-winning journalist Ray Suarez discusses the cultural shift that is changing the face of the United States and why that change reflects a positive continuation of a robust immigrant tradition in an address at Lawrence University.

Suarez, a senior correspondent for PBS’ “The NewsHour,” presents “The Browning of America,” Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 11:10 a.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel. Suarez also will conduct a question-and-answer session at 2 p.m. in the Warch Campus Center cinema. Both events, part of Lawrence’s 2010-11 convocation series, are free and open to the public.

Read the press release: “‘NewsHour’ Correspondent Discusses “Browning of America” in Lawrence Convocation”

Library resources: