Holly Tuyls

Author: Holly Tuyls

Meet the Staff, Student Worker Edition: Allison Wray

003 (Large)We are pleased to introduce Allison Wray, the library’s new Student Social Media Assistant! In the short while that she’s held this position, she’s impressed us with her skill and talent, and we are so grateful to have her social media acumen here at the Mudd. You may have already noticed that Allison has been writing some wonderful posts for this blog, and she is also helping us maintain all of our social media sites.  She recently shared with us that Lawrence students tend to use tumblr more than any other social media site; thanks to her insight, we’re now aiming to reach more of the Lawrence community through our tumblr page.

We’re looking forward to continued collaboration with Allison, who also shares her talents at the Circulation desk. Read on to learn more about this multifaceted and talented student worker.

What’s your major?

English, but I’m thinking about adding art history as well.

Where are you from?

West Bend, Wisconsin

How long have you been working at the Mudd?

Fall term of this year.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

I really like being a part of the “behind-the-scenes” work of a central campus spot. It’s so cool to see how the library operates!

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

I redesigned the theme on the tumblr page! It’s not awfully difficult, but I’m really glad with how it turned out. Designing a nice theme is very satisfying for me.

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

I don’t usually stick to one spot, but as long as there’s a big window, I’m happy. I am a fan of the upper floors, though.

What are your hobbies?

Knitting, watercolor and oil painting, reading, sleeping, and binge watching television on Netflix.

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

It’s been so long since I read a book for fun! I can’t name one, but I just started Full Bloom: The Art and Life of Georgia O’Keeffe and I’m excited to get into it.

What are your favorite bands or performers?

I really enjoy folk and indie music; some of my favorites are Andrew Bird, Bon Iver, Laura Marling, and Johnny Flynn.

List your favorite blogs and/or magazines.

I really love Autostraddle.com and Nylon magazine.

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

I’m involved in Tropos (the literary magazine) and the Downer Feminist Council, and I adore both!

When will you graduate? What are your post-graduation plans?

2017. I don’t know yet, but I think I’d like to go to grad school for library sciences or museum studies.

 

 

 

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!

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.

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!

 

 

 

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!

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.

Meet the Staff: Amanda Lee

This installment of ‘Meet the Staff’ brings us deep into the hidden recesses of Technical Services, located on the East end of the library building, just beyond the Media Center. There, amidst vast piles of the latest titles to grace the Mudd,  you will find Amanda Lee, our Acquisitions Assistant, who orders and receives all of our new materials. She is also available to help faculty assess and improve the collection to better serve the voluminous intellectual needs of the university.  This is a hefty task, which Amanda fulfills with grace and aplomb.  She’s been known to brave the mean streets of Appleton to painstakingly accrue faculty-requested materials as quickly as possible. Amanda is also a compassionate animal lover; in fact, in lieu of wedding gifts for their recent nuptials, Amanda and her husband selflessly requested donations for the local Humane Association.  We are so glad to have this driven, talented Acquisitions expert here at the Mudd.

How long have you been working at the Mudd Library? Since March of 2005 – almost 8 years!

What’s your favorite part of your job? Seeing all of the material that comes into the library; it’s really interesting to see what professors and students are studying.

Share something you’ve done at work that has made you especially proud. I’m proud every time someone thanks me for getting a book into their hands quickly.

Where did you get your degree? From UW Green Bay, an English degree with a Creative Writing emphasis.

What are your hobbies? Reading, writing, and running.

What’s the last book you read that you couldn’t put down? IQ84. I love Haruki Murakami.

What are your favorite bands or performers? It depends on the day!  The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground, Iggy and the Stooges, The Ramones, The Cure, Opeth, and on and on and on.

What groups and/or organizations are you active in (on or off campus)?  I try to take food or supplies to the Fox Valley Humane Association every couple weeks.