The 10th Annual Science Quiz Bowl is April 14

More than 100 students will be sweating it out this Sunday to come up with the right answer to such questions as "What do you call the spherical molecule with 60 carbon atoms?"

One of those students will be Scott Miller, a senior at the University of Minnesota College of Science & Engineering. It will be Miller's third year as a participant in the Science Quiz Bowl, an annual event sponsored by the University of Minnesota Libraries for students at the College of Science & Engineering. But Miller sees it as more than a "nerd food fight" with questions limited to quarks and the periodic table.

"I've witnessed teams being appraised of their knowledge from 50 Cent to the human tooth to the Legend of Zelda," said Miller, whose team won the competition in 2011. "Yes, this is Science Quiz Bowl, but we dorks know how to have a fun competition."

Championship round is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The 10th Annual Science Quiz Bowl takes place Sunday, April 14, from 1 to 8 p.m., at Walter Library and kicks off CSE Week, a week of events organized by science and engineering students. The tournament features 32 teams - four students per team, undergraduates and grad students - who compete for fun, prizes, and the coveted 1st place championship. The championship round is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Room 101.

"The Science Quiz Bowl is unique because it's a fun extracurricular activity that still focuses on the essence of CSE students, letting them show how smart they are and how much they know," said Kristine Fowler, Mathematics Librarian and Interim Director, Physical Sciences & Engineering Library. "We love being part of CSE Week."

"It's a great event. It definitely brought out a sense of community," recalled Ryan Peterson, who captained the first championship team in 2004 as a junior with his brother, Grant Peterson, and two friends, Kevin Schmitz and Adam Jungkunz. "People in science and engineering wanted to show off their knowledge and it really struck a chord."

Event builds community among CSE students

Peterson graduated from CSE, but not before winning the Science Quiz Bowl again in 2005. He went on to the University of Minnesota Medical School, earning his M.D. He's now psychiatry resident at Boston University.

The Science Quiz Bowl experience, he said, was a highlight of his years at Minnesota. "I thought it was one of the most successful events of my college career," he said.

Though having fun and building community are key elements of the event, Miller nevertheless compares the intensity of the contest to playing 10 consecutive games of Jeopardy. "These teams pour the insides of their craniums into the event."

"Given the Libraries' role in the campus's intellectual life, hosting an event that celebrates knowledge is a perfect fit," Fowler said. "It's part of the Libraries' outreach to provide positive student experiences, and they obviously enjoy playing in the tournament, which is why it's grown so much over the years."

Posted by Mark Engebretson at 8:56 AM | Permalink

And celebrates 50 years of the Guthrie Theater

Now is your chance, thanks to the thoughtful stewardship of the Performing Arts Archives at the University of Minnesota Libraries. The Libraries is hosting "Behind the Scenes: Twin Cities Performing Arts and 50 years of the Guthrie Theater" April 1 through June 28, 2013. Visitors to this exhibit will get a backstage look at the Twin Cities performing arts community, said Cecily Marcus, Curator, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries.

She said that the exhibit demonstrates how much energy goes into "hiding the gears, logistics, and stagehands" as in showing audiences a well-set world, wondrously brought to life by actors, dancers, and musicians.

Take a peek behind the curtain

50 years of the Guthrie

As the theater world commemorates 50 years of the Guthrie Theater, this exhibit offers the public a tremendous opportunity to pore through the extensive Guthrie Archives, which have been housed at the University of Minnesota since 1967. Marcus said that the archives offer a beautiful legacy, one still being built with each season of plays and programming.

The exhibit explores much more than the Guthrie, however, offering materials from the collections of the Minnesota Orchestra, the James Sewell Ballet, Theatre de Jeune Lune, the St. Paul Philharmonic, the Minnesota Dance Alliance, the Penumbra Theatre, and the personal papers of composers.

"With the close of every season and each production, sets are struck and works of art are dismantled, but there are traces left to be preserved, studied, and displayed," Marcus said. "The Performing Arts Archives sustains these stories, many more than ever graced our stages."

Many local performing arts leaders contributed to this exhibit through commentary. They include: Philip Brunelle, Leah Cooper, Jon R. Cranney, Joe Dowling, Barbara Field, Nancy Mason Hauser, Michael Lupu, Emily Mann, Jack Reuler, and Sally Wingert.

"Behind the Scenes: Twin Cities Performing Arts and 50 Years of the Guthrie Theater" celebrates the work, and the enduring magic, of our extraordinary performing arts community, on and off the stage.

Posted by Mark Engebretson at 1:49 PM | Permalink

The Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest has completed the transfer of all of its historical documents and media collections to the University of Minnesota Libraries.

In 2002, JHSUM founders Nathan and Theresa Berman created a $500,000 endowment for the collections at the University’s Andersen Library, and the archives were named for them as a permanent memorial to their vision. At the time, about half of the collection was moved to the University. Recently, the remaining half was transferred, putting in one place a major research collection on Jewish history, communities, religion, and culture in the Upper Midwest.

The University of Minnesota Libraries has hired archivist Katherine Dietrick to oversee the JHSUM collection. Dietrick most recently was an assistant archivist at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and an archivist at the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in New York City.

Collection is valuable resource for historical research and more

The reunited collections will now comprise more than 1,000 cubic feet of material and will form a valuable resource for historical research, exhibitions, and public programming. The combined collections included the records of the St. Paul and Minneapolis Jewish Federations, Community Centers, Talmud Torahs, the Jewish Vocational Service, Jewish Community Relations Council, Hillel, as well as various synagogue records, and records of the Minnesota Rabbinical Association and women's organizations such as Hadassah, National Council of Jewish Women, and Mount Sinai Hospital Women's Auxiliary.

In addition, they contain a wealth of material collected by individuals about early Jewish settlement and life in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Duluth; out-state Minnesota and North and South Dakota. The collections also include family papers, club and association materials and ephemera, personal narratives of Jewish life in the Upper Midwest, materials documenting family owned businesses in the Jewish community, as well as books and publications.

“Jews make up less than one percent of Minnesota’s population, yet the Jewish community has made a much greater impact in the region than our numbers would lead one to believe,” said Jamie Heilicher, President of the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest. “To have our story housed shoulder-to-shoulder with other holdings of such a great Minnesota institution as the University is a phenomenal testament to the work of our founders.”

The Society’s collections are available for personal and scholarly research as well as educational use and are an invaluable resource for anyone interested in understanding the American Jewish experience from a Midwestern perspective.

About the Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives

The Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives (UMJA) located within the Social Welfare Archives suite at the University of Minnesota's Elmer L. Andersen Library contain the most important archival holdings of the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest. The JHSUM was founded in 1984, and its mission is to promote the vitality and continuity of Jewish culture in the upper Midwest through preservation, interpretation and education.

Posted by Mark Engebretson at 8:15 AM | Permalink

Contacts: Julie Christensen, University News Service, jrchris@umn.edu, (612) 626-1720

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (02/20/2013) — The University of Minnesota will partner with Coursera, a leading massive open online course (MOOC) platform, to develop free online courses as part of the university's efforts to improve teaching and learning through technology.

"We're excited by the opportunity to explore innovative ways of using e-learning to extend the reach of University of Minnesota educational offerings across the state, nation and globe," said University Provost Karen Hanson. "This partnership will give people from around the world the opportunity to learn from the U's world-class faculty at a time when we are working harder than ever to increase access to higher education, reach broader audiences and strengthen our land-grant mission."

Coursera, which launched in April 2012 and was co-founded by two Stanford computer science professors, provides an interactive learning experience. Effective teaching strategies are combined with video lectures, interactive content and a global community of peers to offer students a unique online learning experience. The platform enables professors to teach tens or hundreds of thousands of students per course. To date, Coursera has registered more than 2.7 million users and is seeing approximately 1.45 course enrollments per month.

"I applaud the University of Minnesota for taking advantage of emerging technologies to provide high-quality educational experiences," said Larry Pogemiller, director of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.

Continue reading "University of Minnesota joins with Coursera to offer free courses online" »

Posted by Mark Engebretson at 4:14 PM | Permalink

More information
Cecily Marcus
University of Minnesota Libraries
612-624-8812

Givens Collections of African American Literature

Download the Annotated Bibliophilia by Davu Seru (PDF)

The Archie Givens, Sr., Collection of African American Literature of the University of Minnesota Libraries honors Black History Month with an exhibit from February 1 to 26 in the Hennepin Gallery.

Many of the books on exhibit are rare first editions, some of which have been out of print for many years, and some have also been signed, inscribed, and/or illustrated by the authors. Others include striking covers designed by iconic artists. In this digital age, these books as objects take on new meaning, often carrying new stories told by the wear and tear from a journey across time and through many hands.

The Givens Collection also contains epistolary exchanges, manuscripts, ephemera, music and artworks that represent the heroic accomplishments of lay preservationists who have collected and cared for works as readers and bibliophiles, as well as an interest in documenting African American cultural life as a matter of public good.

The collection of over 8,000 books includes some of the most important literary achievements by African Americans dating back to 1773.

More information about the Givens Collection.

Gallery Hours and Location
The Hennepin Gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Hennepin County Government Center, A Level, 300. S. Sixth St., Minneapolis. The exhibit is sponsored by Hennepin County Administration. The Gallery is a project of Hennepin County Public Affairs.

View a slideshow

Posted by Mark Engebretson at 11:05 AM | Permalink

Painted renderings of backdrops, sketches, and other artifacts from the Performing Arts Archives at the University of Minnesota Libraries will be featured in the exhibit that explores the exotic worlds created by the scenic artists for both public theatres and private fraternal spaces of the Freemasons. The exhibit is guest curated by Professor C. Lance Brockman of the University's Department of Theatre Arts and Dance. It runs from Jan. 15 through March 15, 2013 at the Elmer L. Andersen Library and is free and open to the public.

Continue reading "Exhibit features scenic sketches from early theatre, vaudeville era" »

Posted by Mark Engebretson at 4:28 PM | Permalink

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (Nov. 26, 2012) -- The Minnesota Digital Library, a state-wide collaboration consisting of Minitex, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, and other key institutions, was chosen to be a key early contributor to the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). The groundbreaking project aims to make our nation's collections of significance to the study of American life digital, searchable, and accessible to the public.

With $2.8 million in funding, the DPLA will launch pilot projects in several states. Minnesota and state libraries and regional digital library collaboratives in Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Oregon, South Carolina, and Utah will participate as "service" hubs in the pilot effort.

Continue reading "Minnesota chosen for national digital library project" »

Posted by Mark Engebretson at 8:43 AM | Permalink

Wendy Pradt Lougee, University Librarian and McKnight Presidential Professor at the University of Minnesota, began a one-year term as president of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) on Oct. 11, during the ARL Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C.

The University of Minnesota Libraries system encompasses 14 libraries on the Twin Cities campus, historically rich collections, and nationally recognized model programs in technology development, information literacy, and new models for scholarly communication.

Lougee succeeds Winston Tabb, Sheridan Dean of University Libraries and Museums, Johns Hopkins University. Tabb continues to serve as a member of both the ARL Board of Directors and the ARL Executive Committee as Past President.

Also on Oct. 11, the ARL membership ratified the Board's election of Carol Pitts Diedrichs, Director of University Libraries, Ohio State University, as ARL Vice President/President-Elect.

Three new Board members were elected by the membership to serve three-year terms: Larry Alford, Chief Librarian, University of Toronto; Thomas Hickerson, Vice Provost and University Librarian, University of Calgary; and Olivia M. A. Madison, Professor and Dean of the Library, Iowa State University. And one new Board member was elected to serve a two-year term: Connie Vinita Dowell, Dean of Libraries, Vanderbilt University.

Continuing elected members of the Board are: Deborah A. Carver, Philip H. Knight Dean of Libraries, University of Oregon; Ernie Ingles, Vice-Provost, University of Alberta; Anne R. Kenney, Carl A. Kroch University Librarian, Cornell University; Judith C. Russell, Dean of University Libraries, University of Florida; and Jay Schafer, Director of Libraries, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Also serving on the Board in ex officio capacities are: Carton Rogers, Vice Provost and Director of Libraries, University of Pennsylvania; James F. Williams II, Dean of Libraries University of Colorado Boulder; and Charles B. Lowry, Executive Director, ARL.

The Board is the governing body of the Association and represents the interests of ARL member libraries in directing the business of the Association, including establishing operating policies, budgets, and fiscal control; modifying the ARL mission and objectives; and representing ARL to the community.

• More about Lougee


• View a photo roster of the ARL Board of Directors

Posted by Mark Engebretson at 1:34 PM | Permalink

What: The Play Within a Play: Saving the Story of Your Theater's Productions
When: Thursday-Friday, September 20-21, 2012
Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library, University of Minnesota

Minneapolis/St. Paul (9/13/2012) Representatives from 34 local and national theater companies will convene at the University of Minnesota Sept. 20-21 to explore the value, impact and practice of artistic preservation. This is the second such forum that looks at enhancing current archival practices in theaters, with a special focus on theaters of color.

Read more about this initiative on Minnesota Public Radio.

Continue reading "U of M Libraries convenes national discussion on theater archives" »

Posted by Mark Engebretson at 9:37 AM | Permalink

Hoyle retired in January 2012 after more than forty years as curator of the University of Minnesota Children's Literature Research Collections, one of which is the Kerlan Collection.

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (04/12/2012) --The University of Minnesota Libraries will present recently retired curator Karen Nelson Hoyle with the 2012 Kerlan Award at Elmer L. Andersen Library on Saturday, May 5.

The award presentation and speech by Hoyle will begin at 1:15 p.m. and are free and open to the public. The ceremony is preceded by a noon luncheon (cost: $25; $20 for Kerlan Friends), which requires advance registration by April 23.

Hoyle retired in January 2012 after more than forty years as curator of the University of Minnesota Children's Literature Research Collections, one of which is the Kerlan Collection. The Kerlan Award committee selected Hoyle to recognize her tireless work to build the collections, connect with faculty to incorporate the study of children's literature into the curriculum, and raise awareness of the collections in the larger community. Hoyle's legacy was recognized last year by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, who bestowed her with the Bridge Award for the inspired ways she has brought the art of the picture book to larger audiences.

A luncheon registration form is available at http://z.umn.edu/kerlan2012. For more information, contact the staff of the Children's Literature Research Collections at 612-624-4576 or email clrc@umn.edu.

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Kristin Anderson, University News Service, kma@umn.edu, (612) 280-5196

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 3:35 PM | Permalink

Who: Poet Heid E. Erdrich
What: Third Annual Pankake Poetry Reading
Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library
When: Tuesday, April 24, 2012, 4 p.m.

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Kristin Anderson, University News Service, kma@umn.edu, (612) 624-1690

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (04/09/2012) --Heid E. Erdrich will read from her latest poetry collection at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 24 at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis. A reception will follow the reading, with copies of her works available for sale and signing.

Heid E. Erdrich is the author of four poetry collections, including "National Monuments," which received the 2009 Minnesota Book Award for poetry. Her poem "What Gathers" was a finalist for the 2011 Montreal International Poetry Prize. "Cell Traffic: New and Selected Poems" will be released April 19.

The Pankake Poetry Series was founded in honor of librarian Marcia Pankake, whose love of poetry was demonstrated in the countless readings and poetry events she hosted at the University Libraries until her retirement in 2007.

This event is free and open to the public; reservations are requested by April 17 online at http://z.umn.edu/pankake.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 3:33 PM | Permalink

Media Note: Images of each exhibit are available on request

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Kristin Anderson, University News Service, kma@umn.edu (612) 624-1690

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL ( 3/23/2012 ) -- The University of Minnesota Libraries announce the following slate of exhibits opening over the coming year in the galleries of Andersen, Wangensteen, and Wilson Libraries. All exhibits are free and open to the public. Dates and times for any opening receptions will be listed as they are scheduled at lib.umn.edu/events/.

Bibliophilia: Collecting Black Books
Now through April 20, 2012: Andersen Gallery

As early as the 1830s, free African Americans began collecting books and memorabilia that document the history and literary work of Americans of African descent. In addition to celebrating the beauty, romance, and workmanship of African American material culture, this exhibit from the Givens Collection demonstrates the intimate ties between collecting African American literature and locating African American life in every thread of American history and culture.

Life and Limb: The Toll of the American Civil War
Now through April 25, 2012: Wangensteen Historical Library

The perspectives of surgeons, physicians, and nurses are richly documented in the history of Civil War medicine, which highlights the heroism and brutality of battlefield operations and the challenges of caring for the wounded. Yet the experiences of injured soldiers are less well known. This traveling exhibit from the National Library of Medicine explores the experiences of disabled Civil War veterans and their role as symbols of the fractured nation.

Wild Green Things: The Art of Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden
Now through May 2, 2012: Andersen Horticultural Library

Original artwork and sketches as well as pre-publication mock-ups by popular botanical illustrator Anne Ophelia Dowden, from the collections of the Andersen Horticultural Library, the Children's Literature Research Collections, and the Bio-Medical Library.

Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933-1945
April 2 - May 11, 2012: Andersen Atrium Gallery

Between 1933 and 1945, the Nazi German regime promoted racial health policies that sought to eliminate all sources of biological corruption to its dominant "Aryan" race, including Germany's homosexual men. Believing them to be carriers of a "degeneracy" that weakened society and hindered population growth, the Nazi state incarcerated tens of thousands of men. This traveling exhibition from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum examines the Nazi regime's attempt to eradicate homosexuality, which left thousands dead and shattered the lives of many more.

Pacific Encounters (ca. 1250 to ca. 1850)
April 2 - June 25, 2012: T.R. Anderson Gallery

This exhibit features items from the James Ford Bell collection that tell the story of European encounters with the peoples of the Pacific--from China to Polynesia to the Bering Strait--told by explorers, merchants, missionaries, sailors, naturalists, and cartographers.

Marquees on Main
May 1 - June 29, 2012: Andersen Gallery

Movie theater buildings played an important role in the experience of moviegoers, whether they lived in a small town in central Minnesota or a metropolitan area. The Hollywood "dream machine" often came to life in the lights and sounds of the theater building itself, and the new "streamlined deco" quickly became a popular style. This exhibit from the Northwest Architectural Archives showcases dozens of these by the Minneapolis architectural partnership of Liebenberg and Kaplan.

Proud Heritage: 156 Years of Building Community
June 11 - August 24, 2012: Andersen Atrium Gallery

Before Minnesota was a state the YMCA was active in building community in Minnesota. This exhibit from the Kautz Family YMCA Archives reflects on 156 years of community building throughout Minnesota: from building camps that connect youth to nature, to building University YMCAs that help freshmen orient to life on their own; from transitional housing that help families get back on their feet, to after-school programs that bring out the best in youth.

First Contacts: Native Americans and Champlain in New France
July 9 - September 14, 2012: T.R. Anderson Gallery

Samuel de Champlain first ventured to North America in 1603, as geographer for a French fur-trading expedition. He opened up relations with Native Americans in the region, established the city of Quebec, and served as governor of New France. This exhibition explores the relationships between native peoples and Europeans and the impact of French exploration and settlement in the 17th century and beyond. Produced by the James Ford Bell Library in cooperation with faculty in American Studies, Native American Studies, and Anthropology.

Happy 100th Birthday, Dr. Kerlan!
July 16 - September 26, 2012: Andersen Gallery

Dr. Irvin Kerlan, who in 1945 started collecting children's books as well as the manuscripts and artwork from which they sprang, would have turned 100 on September 18, 2012. Dr. Kerlan started donating his amazing collection to the University in 1949; the balance came in 1963 after a tragic automobile accident ended his life. This exhibit honors Dr. Kerlan's collecting acumen with highlights from the collection.

For the Common Good
September 10 - November 30, 2012: Andersen Atrium Gallery

The Land Grant Agricultural College Act--signed by President Lincoln in 1862--set aside public lands, the sale of which were used to fund public colleges to "promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes." The legislation provided much needed financial support for the University of Minnesota, then a fledgling and struggling institution. This exhibit, based on material from the collections of the University of Minnesota Archives, examines the ongoing question of how the University should fulfill its role as a "land grant" university.

If we can get the beast out of his lair...
October 8 - December 31, 2012: Andersen Gallery

The exhibit of documents, posters, and photographs from the American Social Health Association records in the Social Welfare History Archives will explore how the Association used research, education, undercover investigation, and civic action in an effort to eradicate prostitution and human trafficking and promote the prevention and proper treatment of STDs.

Celebrating Venice: On Land and Sea
October 8, 2012 - January 15, 2013: T.R. Anderson Gallery

At one time, Venice was a major maritime power, a staging area for crusades and pilgrim travel, renowned for early printing, and a flourishing trade center between Western Europe and the rest of the world. This exhibit features items from the James Ford Bell Library that illustrate these aspects and more of the long and richly colored pageant of Venetian history.

Creating the World for the Stage 1893-1929: An Exhibit of Scenic Sketches
January 15 - March 15, 2013: Andersen Gallery

Before movies and television, American audiences filled theatres and vaudeville stages to escape the monotony of everyday life. This exhibit from the Performing Arts Archives explores the exotic worlds created by the scenic artists of both public theatres and private fraternal spaces of the Freemasons.

Feminist Art: Then and Now
January 22 - February 23, 2013: T.R. Anderson Gallery

This exhibit, a collaboration of the Libraries and Katherine E. Nash Gallery, features the women artists from the 1970s that founded the feminist art programs and organizations, and achieved the highest cultural impact with their work. Funded by the Department of Art and the University Libraries, with support from the College of Liberal Arts Freshman Research and Creative Awards Program.

Gallery Locations and Directions

Andersen Gallery is located on the first floor of Elmer L. Andersen Library; the Andersen Atrium Gallery on the second and third floors.
222 21st Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
hours and directions

The T.R. Anderson Gallery is located on the fourth floor of Wilson Library, at the entrance to the James Ford Bell Library.
309 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
hours and directions

Andersen Horticultural Library is located at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
3675 Arboretum Boulevard
Chaska, MN 55318
hours, fees, and directions

Wangensteen Library is located on the fifth floor of Diehl Hall.
505 Essex Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
hours and directions

See a full listing of galleries.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 4:32 PM | Permalink

More than just a translation tool or a dictionary, the Ojibwe People's Dictionary provides context. Within the Ojibwe dictionary, objects "are in conversation with the language..."

Minneapolis-St. Paul (February 29, 2012)--The University of Minnesota Libraries, in partnership with the University's Department of American Indian Studies and the Minnesota Historical Society, have launched a ground-breaking online Ojibwe-English dictionary, The Ojibwe People's Dictionary, at http://ojibwe.lib.umn.edu/.

The Ojibwe People's Dictionary was conceived as a logical expansion of "A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe," published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press and co-authored by John D. Nichols, professor in the American Indian Studies department and one of the foremost Algonquian language experts.

Nichols approached Jason Roy, director of Digital Library Services, to move the print dictionary into a dynamic, online environment, which allowed for many more entries: the printed dictionary contained 7,000 words, but the new online version has 30,000 and is growing.

The Libraries were honored to lead the software and interface development for the dictionary," said Associate University Librarian John Butler. "The project uniquely demonstrates how the Libraries work with faculty and researchers to support new forms of scholarship."

More than just a translation tool or a dictionary, the Ojibwe People's Dictionary provides context. The entry for wild rice, for example, includes audio clips of 4 Ojibwe elders speaking the word manoomin, photos from the collections of the Minnesota Historical Society and Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, and snippets from texts including meeting minutes, reports and research manuscripts dating from 1922.

Within the Ojibwe dictionary, objects "are in conversation with the language," said Brenda Child, chair of the Department of American Indian studies at the University. It's a way of establishing cultural context through language. By merging the academic expertise of University scholars like Professor Nichols with the visual resources of the Historical Society and others, the site is both casual and scholarly, cutting edge and useful to Native people who speak the language.

Significant funding for the Ojibwe People's Dictionary came from the State of Minnesota through the Minnesota Historical Society from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. The project has just been awarded another grant to support phase 2 of the dictionary, which will incorporate feedback from users, enhance the virtual museum and add youth-friendly features.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 1:47 PM | Permalink

Who: Poet Elizabeth Alexander
What: Eighth Annual NOMMO African American Authors Series
When: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Cowles Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Center, University of Minnesota West Bank campus, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis
Tickets: $15. Complimentary tickets available to U of M students and Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Call 612-624-2345 or visit www.tickets.umn.edu
Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Kristin Anderson, University News Service, kma@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL ( 2/2/2012 ) -- Best known for composing and delivering President Barack Obama's inaugural poem "Praise Song for the Day," poet, essayist, playwright, and teacher Elizabeth Alexander will read from and discuss her work on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Center, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, on the University's West Bank.

Alexander is appearing as part of the Eighth Annual NOMMO African American Authors Series, co-sponsored by the Givens Foundation for African American Literature and the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries, and hosted by Alexs Pate, U of M professor and author of the novel "Amistad."

Alexander has published five books of poems, including "American Sublime," which was listed on the American Library Association's 2006 "Notable Books of the Year" and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize that same year. Her first young adult collection (co-authored with Marilyn Nelson), "Miss Crandall's School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Color," received the 2008 Connecticut Book Award. Her two collections of essays are "The Black Interior" and "Power and Possibility," and her play "Diva Studies" was produced at the Yale School of Drama. She has also composed words for musical projects with composers Elana Ruehr and Lewis Spratlan.

More about the NOMMO African American Authors Series
Presented annually since 2004 by the Givens Foundation for African American Literature, the series provides rare opportunities to publicly define the state of the art of African American literature and to locate the work and contributions of national as well as Twin Cities African American writers within the present authoring of our literary tradition.

A Dogon word meaning "the magic power of the word," NOMMO has been co-sponsored since 2007 by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the State's general fund and its arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. Additional sponsors include the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center and the Minnesota Humanities Center.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 10:09 AM | Permalink

The 1611 King James Bible is one of the best known and most frequently printed books in the English language, but most don't know the story behind its creation. A series of exhibits and events at the University of Minnesota Libraries will reveal that story.

"The Word Made Flesh" exhibit, open now through Friday, February 24, 2012, features examples of biblical texts, medieval manuscripts, and facsimiles from the University Libraries' special collections. Highlights include two leaves from the 42-line Gutenberg Bible; the original New Testament portion of the King James Bible; other early printings such as the Geneva Bible and the "Breeches" Bible; and related works stemming out of the Reformation such as publications, broadsides, and pamphlets from Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, and others.

The traveling exhibit "Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible" will be installed from Wednesday, January 25 through Wednesday, February 15, 2012. Organized by the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., and the American Library Association Public Programs Office, "Manifold Greatness" is based on an exhibition of the same name developed by the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, with assistance from the Harry Ransom Center of the University of Texas, to mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible. The traveling exhibition was made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Learn more at manifoldgreatness.org.

Free and open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday (except University of Minnesota holidays) on the 4th floor of Wilson Library, 309 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis. A reception and colloquium, featuring presenters Bernard M. Levinson, David Haley, Michael Hancher, Mark Granquist, and Chris R. Armstrong, will be held on Friday, February 3, 2012, from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m.

Other related local events are listed at z.umn.edu/kjv400mn

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 4:20 PM | Permalink

Who: Actor and writer Charlie Bethel
What: Solo performance of "Gilgamesh"
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8
Where: University of Minnesota, Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Preston Smith, University News Service, smith@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

The deeply flawed king and his wild-man sidekick take on elemental forces and gods in this solo "Gilgamesh" performance by acclaimed actor and writer Charlie Bethel at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, in 120 Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Presented by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries, tickets are $10 for general public, $5 for members of the Friends. Reserve tickets at stangret@umn.edu or (612) 624-9339.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 1:07 PM | Permalink

What: Eighth Annual NOMMO African American Authors Series
Who: Novelist Percival Everett and Poet Elizabeth Alexander
When: Wednesday, November 2, 2011 (Percival Everett); Wednesday, February 8, 2012 (Elizabeth Alexander). Both events begin at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Cowles Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Center, University of Minnesota West Bank campus, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis
Tickets: $15 per event; $25 for the two-event series. Complimentary tickets available to U of M students and Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Call 612-624-2345 or visit www.tickets.umn.edu
Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Preston Smith, University News Service, smith@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

Digital images available on request

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL ( 10/24/2011 ) -- Two widely acclaimed contemporary African American writers have been selected for this year's NOMMO African American Authors series, co-sponsored by the Givens Foundation for African American Literature and the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Percival Everett and Elizabeth Alexander will read from and discuss their work with host Alexs Pate, U of M professor and author of the novel "Amistad" on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011 (Percival Everett) and Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012 (Elizabeth Alexander) at 7:00 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Center, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, on the University's West Bank.

About Percival Everett
Percival Everett is the author of nearly twenty novels, three collections of short fiction, and two volumes of poetry, including the recent collection Swimming Swimmers Swimming. Among his novels are Assumption and I Am Not Sidney Poitier, which won the Believer Book Award. Everett is also the recipient of the PEN Center USA Award for Fiction, the Academy Award from an American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, The Vallombrosa Von Rezzori Prize, the PEN/Oakland-Josephine Miles Award for Excellence in Literature, and a New American Writing Award. His stories have been included in the Pushcart Prize Anthology and Best American Short Stories. He has served as a judge for, among others, the 1997 National Book Award for fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction in 1991. He teaches fiction writing and critical theory and is currently Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern California.

About Elizabeth Alexander
Best known for composing and delivering President Barack Obama's inaugural poem "Praise Song for the Day," Elizabeth Alexander is a poet, essayist, playwright, and teacher. Alexander has published five books of poems, including American Sublime, which was listed on the American Library Association's 2006 "Notable Books of the Year" and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize that same year. Her first young adult collection (co-authored with Marilyn Nelson), Miss Crandall's School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Color, received the 2008 Connecticut Book Award. Her two collections of essays are The Black Interior and Power and Possibility, and her play Diva Studies was produced at the Yale School of Drama. She has also composed words for musical projects with composers Elana Ruehr and Lewis Spratlan.

About the NOMMO African American Authors series
Presented annually since 2004 by the Givens Foundation for African American Literature, the series provides rare opportunities to publicly define the state of the art of African American literature and to locate the work and contributions of national as well as Twin Cities African American writers within the present authoring of our literary tradition.

A Dogon word meaning "the magic power of the word," NOMMO has been co-sponsored since 2007 by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the State's general fund and its arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. Additional sponsors this year are the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center, University of Minnesota Creative Writing Program, and the Edelstein-Keller Visiting Writers Series.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 2:35 PM | Permalink

Terra Populus: A Global Population / Environment Data Network will integrate the world's largest population database with global data on land use, land cover and climate change.

Contacts: Catherine Fitch, Minnesota Population Center, fitch@umn.edu, (612) 626-3923
Todd Reubold, Institute on the Environment, reub0002@umn.edu, (612) 624-6140
Jeff Falk, University News Service, jfalk@umn.edu, (612) 626-1720

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (10/06/2011) --Recently funded research at the University of Minnesota will create new opportunities for understanding the relationship between population and the environment on a global scale.

The project - Terra Populus: A Global Population / Environment Data Network, or TerraPop for short - was awarded a five-year, $8 million grant from the National Science Foundation's Office of Cyberinfrastructure.

TerraPop will combine two centuries of census data with global environmental data including land cover, land use and climate records. Beyond the goal of integrating this information into a common database, the team plans to disseminate the newly available data to researchers around the world.

Although a plethora of high quality environmental and population datasets are currently available, they are widely dispersed, have incompatible or inadequate documentation, and include incompatible geographic identifiers. Newly available population data closely integrated with data on the environment will more clearly describe the unfolding transformation of human and ecological systems.

"By creating a framework for locating, analyzing and visualizing the world's population and environment in time and space, TerraPop will provide unprecedented opportunities for investigating the agents of change, assessing their implications for human society and the environment, and developing policies to meet future challenges," said Steven Ruggles, director of the Minnesota Population Center.

The Minnesota Population Center will lead the effort with support from the Institute on the Environment, the U of M Libraries and faculty from the College of Liberal Arts and College of Science and Engineering. Additional partners include the Center for International Earth Science Information Network at Columbia University and the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan.

The organizations collaborating on TerraPop are uniquely qualified to undertake a project of this scale. The Minnesota Population Center is home to the largest collection of census data in the world, while the Institute on the Environment has one of the most extensive databases of global land use in the country. The University Libraries are leaders in digital preservation and data management. The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research is the world's largest social science data archive, and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network is a leading research and data center focused on human-environment interactions.

"This project represents a quantum leap in our ability to see and map the relationships between people and the environment at the global scale," said Jon Foley, director of the Institute on the Environment. "And it represents an exciting new frontier of scientific collaboration - between computer scientists, demographers and environmental scientists - to break down our old disciplinary barriers and focus our collective energy on some of the world's biggest problems."

TerraPop aims to accomplish four specific tasks:
1. Collect, preserve, integrate and describe datasets that measure changes in the world's population and environment over the past two centuries
2. Develop tools and procedures to manage and disseminate the data collections
3. Carry out education and outreach to engage the scientific community and the public and reach the broadest possible audience
4. Establish an organizational structure to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project.

The lead investigators from the University of Minnesota are Steven Ruggles (Minnesota Population Center), Jonathon Foley (Institute on the Environment), Victoria Interrante (Computer Science and Engineering), Wendy Pradt Lougee (University of Minnesota Libraries), Steven Manson (Geography), Jaideep Srivastava (Computer Science and Engineering) and Shashi Shekhar (Computer Science and Engineering).

With this award, TerraPop will be an NSF Sustainable Digital Data Preservation and Access Network (DataNet) Partner. The DataNet initiative aims to provide reliable digital preservation, access, integration and analysis capabilities for science and/or engineering data over a decades-long timeline.

About the Minnesota Population Center
The Minnesota Population Center (MPC) is a university-wide interdisciplinary cooperative for demographic research. The MPC serves more than 80 faculty members and research scientists from eight colleges and institutes at the University of Minnesota. As a leading developer and disseminator of demographic data, MPC also serves a broader audience of some 50,000 demographic researchers worldwide. Learn more at www.pop.umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 2:44 PM | Permalink

Who: Henry Adams, art historian and descendent of presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams
What: Inaugural Nagel Lecture
Where: Cowles Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Center, University of Minnesota
When: Thursday, October 20, 2011, 7:30 p.m.

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL ( 10/3/2011 ) -- Henry Adams, professor of American art at Case Western Reserve University and descendent of presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, will deliver the inaugural Paul and Joan Nagel Lecture at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 20 in Cowles Auditorium at the Hubert H. Humphrey Center, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis. Adams will be introduced by Eric Black, former Star Tribune reporter and current MinnPost blogger.

Adams--an historian who has written about American artists Andrew Wyeth, Thomas Hart Benton, and Jackson Pollock, among others--will speak on the work of noted historian and Adams biographer Paul Nagel.

In 2010, Nagel received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Adams Institute, joining David McCullough and the late Sen. Edward Kennedy as the only three people to receive this award. At that award ceremony, Adams remarked that Nagel's works "cover the family with a depth and from a range of perspectives that's not been equaled by any other historian. . . . No one has written about the Adams family with greater perception or truthfulness."

Sponsored by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries, this event is free and open to the public. Reservations are requested by Thursday, October 13 at 612-624-9339 or stangret@umn.edu.

About Paul & Joan Nagel
The University of Minnesota Libraries created this lecture to honor Dr. Paul Nagel, a devoted friend of the Libraries who died in May 2011. Nagel was a former university professor and administrator, director of the Virginia Historical Society, and best-selling author of several books, including Descent from Glory: Four Generations of the John Adams Family; John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, A Private Life; and The Adams Women. Nagel served on numerous boards, including as senior trustee of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and president of the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. His late wife Joan, a librarian and genealogist, was a collaborator with Paul in many of his historical works. The Nagel papers were donated to the Libraries this past year.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 3:02 PM | Permalink

Legacy funds support project to catalog and digitize rare agriculture records

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (08/12/2011) -- If Norman Borlaug was the father of the Green Revolution, its grandfather was E.C. Stakman of the University of Minnesota's Plant Pathology Department.

Created in 1907 to combat the devastating cycles of crop-destroying wheat stem rust that periodically threatened the state's economy, plant pathology became the premier program of its kind, attracting generations of brilliant young scientists whose work saved millions from starvation worldwide.

The University Archives documented this story in a new exhibit called "Minnesota Roots of the Green Revolution: A Legacy of Greatness." The university's rich historical collections have recently been cataloged and selectively digitized through projects supported by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund of the Minnesota Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment.

The U Libraries are celebrating the completion of these projects with a reception that showcases these rare and unique agriculture records.

"The Green Revolution was an unprecedented human achievement in world history, but was little known in affluent countries. In the developing and underdeveloped countries it literally changed their world, lifting hundreds of millions from poverty, malnutrition and misery," said Richard Zeyen, professor emeritus of plant pathology. "The Minnesota roots of the Green Revolution is the University of Minnesota's greatest story never told--it was and remains our highest impact moment, but is unknown to most."

The reception, sponsored by the University of Minnesota Archives, Friends of the University Libraries, and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, will be held 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30, in Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis. A short program, featuring a preview of the TPT/Department of Plant Pathology documentary film "Saving Wheat: Rusts Never Sleep," will begin at 5:30 p.m.

The "Minnesota Roots of the Green Revolution: A Legacy of Greatness" exhibit is open now through Friday, October 21, 2011; exhibit hours and directions to Andersen Library are available at special.lib.umn.edu/hoursdir.phtml. Learn more about the University Archives at special.lib.umn.edu/uarchives.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 10:11 AM | Permalink

Who: Garrison Keillor
What: Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries Annual Dinner
Where: McNamara Alumni Center
When: Tuesday, May 10, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Preston Smith, University News Service, smith@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL ( 04/5/2011 ) -- American author, humorist, musician, and radio personality Garrison Keillor will appear at the annual dinner of the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries on Tuesday, May 10 at McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak Street S.E., Minneapolis. The evening begins with a 5:30 reception followed by dinner and a program featuring Keillor. Books will be available for sale and signing courtesy of Keillor's independent bookstore, Common Good Books.

Tickets, which cost $46 for members of the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries and $56 for the general public, should be purchased by May 3 at the Northrop Ticket Office: 612-624-2345 or http://z.umn.edu/keillor.

Garrison Keillor is the recipient of Grammy, ACE, and George Foster Peabody awards, and he has been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His many books include "Lake Wobegon Days," "The Book of Guys," "77 Love Sonnets," "Pilgrims: A Wobegon Romance," and "Good Poems; American Places," a third volume of poetry selected by Keillor.

For more information about the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries, or to join, visit www.lib.umn.edu/friends.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 4:25 PM | Permalink

Media Note: Images of each exhibit are available on request

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Preston Smith, University News Service, smith@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL ( 4/5/2011 ) -- The University of Minnesota Libraries announce the following slate of exhibits opening over the coming year in the galleries of Andersen, Wangensteen, and Wilson Libraries. All exhibits are free and open to the public. Dates and times for any opening receptions will be listed as they are scheduled at lib.umn.edu/events/.

Seed Stories: Catalogs of Life and Gardens in America
Now through May 15, 2011: Reedy Gallery and Andersen Horticultural Library, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
August 1 - October 28, 2011: Andersen Atrium Gallery

Seed and nursery catalogs have long used beautiful images to entice customers. Dozens of selections from Andersen Horticultural Library's rich collection of 57,000 catalogs are a testament to their research value as well as their beauty. Stories of local characters, including three Minneapolis seedswomen, regional pioneers, and colonial innovators give a more intimate look at the life and gardens surrounding these publications.

Headwaters of History
April 20 - July 15, 2011: Andersen Gallery

Explore the headwaters of our state's history and witness the ripple effect that people, institutions, and culture have had on the arts, literature, society, and business. From award-winning authors to individuals making a difference; from organizations for social change to multinational corporations, this exhibit documents Minnesota's contributions to the region, the nation, and the world.

Take Two Lyllie Rootes and Call Me in the Morning: Botanicals and Medical Receipt Books in 17th Century Domestic Medical Care
May 15 - September 15, 2011: Wangensteen Library

In pre-industrial times, those ailing often turned to wives of local landowners or wise women who were knowledgeable in the use of plants to create medicines. Recipes were passed down in families, shared with physicians, and recorded in receipt books along with other household information like the care of livestock. This exhibit presents Mary Pewe's books of receipts, complied circa 1630-1690 in England, alongside botanicals that illustrate many of the plants used in the production of her medicines.

Resonance: 21st Century Art Students & the Commerce of the Ancient Mediterranean
May 23 - August 15, 2011: T.R. Anderson Gallery

Oxhide ingots were used in Bronze Age trade--possibly as currency, but certainly as a means of shipping copper for use in the manufacture of bronze. This exhibition pairs images, casts, and molds from a student project to reproduce the processes to make these ingots with materials from the James Ford Bell Library, which is dedicated to documenting the history and impact of international trade before circa 1800.

Minnesota Roots of the Green Revolution: A Legacy of Greatness
July 26 - October 21, 2011: Andersen Gallery

If Norman Borlaug was the father of the Green Revolution, its grandfather was E.C. Stakman of the University of Minnesota's Plant Pathology Department, which was created in 1907 to combat the devastating cycles of crop-destroying wheat stem rust that
periodically threatened the state's economy. Plant Pathology became the premier program of its kind, attracting generations of brilliant young scientists whose work saved millions from starvation worldwide. This exhibit will showcase the rare and unique agriculture records from the University Archives' Green Revolution collections, including the Borlaug and Stakman papers.

Classified! Naturalists on the Voyages of Discovery
August 29 - November 18, 2011: T.R. Anderson Gallery

Swedish Botanist Carl Linnaeus is considered the father of modern taxonomy--the finding, describing, and naming of species. Seventeen of his most promising students became known as his Apostles, and he sent them out into the world to collect and organize new plants, animals, and minerals according to his own classification system. This exhibition features work by Linnaeus himself, as well as that of others intent on drawing European attention to the natural world.

The Literature of Prescription: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and "The Yellow Wall-Paper"
September 18 - October 29, 2011: Wangensteen Library

In the late 19th century, women were challenging traditions that excluded them from political and intellectual life as medical experts drew on notions of female weakness to justify inequality between the sexes. This traveling exhibit from the National Libraries of Medicine features artist and writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman, who was discouraged from pursuing a career to preserve her health. Her famous short story "The Yellow Wall-Paper" indicts the medical profession and social conventions restricting women's professional and creative opportunities.

Winter Holidays in Children's Literature
November 1, 2011 - January 28, 2012: Andersen Gallery

Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hannukah, and the New Year's holidays will be explored through picture books, series books, and original art from the Children's Literature Research Collections. Highlights will be Clement Moore's The Night Before Christmas and the many artists who have illustrated Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol, including some who have interpreted the poem through a specific ethnic lens.

The Word Made Flesh
November 28, 2011 - February 24, 2012: T.R. Anderson Gallery

To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible, this exhibit will feature examples of biblical texts, including medieval manuscripts and facsimiles. Highlights will include two leaves from the 42-line Gutenberg Bible; the original New Testament portion of the King James Bible; other early printings such as the Geneva Bible and the "Breeches" Bible; and related works stemming out of the Reformation such as publications, broadsides, and pamphlets from Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, and others.

Gallery Locations and Directions

Andersen Gallery is located on the first floor of Elmer L. Andersen Library; the Andersen Atrium Gallery on the second and third floors.
222 21st Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
hours and directions: andersen.lib.umn.edu/visitors.html

The T.R. Anderson Gallery is located on the fourth floor of Wilson Library, at the entrance to the James Ford Bell Library.
309 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
hours and directions: wilson.lib.umn.edu | lib.umn.edu/bell

Reedy Gallery and Andersen Horticultural Library
Both are located at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
3675 Arboretum Boulevard
Chaska, MN 55318
hours, fees, and directions: www.arboretum.umn.edu

Wangensteen Library
The Wangensteen Library is located on the fifth floor of Diehl Hall.
505 Essex Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
hours and directions: hsl.lib.umn.edu/wangensteen/about/location

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 3:59 PM | Permalink

Judge Denny Chin of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued this week a long-awaited ruling, rejecting a proposed settlement between Google and the plaintiffs (publishers and authors) in the Google Books lawsuit.

The University of Minnesota is not a party to the Google Books lawsuit, and the ruling in that suit does not affect the University of Minnesota participation in the Google scanning project, which is part of a 2007 joint agreement with the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC). It is the CIC's understanding that Google will continue scanning CIC library materials, including from the University of Minnesota Libraries, under the terms of the CIC/Google agreement.

Earlier this year, the CIC celebrated a major milestone: Google has digitized and returned a million volumes from member libraries. The CIC intends to fulfill the original agreement to scan up to 10 million volumes--public domain material will be returned to HathiTrust Digital Library and made publicly accessible, while in-copyright content will be indexed so users can more easily find relevant print content in our libraries.

Judge Chin ordered a status hearing in the Google Books case in late April, by which time the CIC expects to know more about how Google and the plaintiffs plan to move forward, and what the implications might be for member libraries.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 10:52 AM | Permalink

Who: Poet Louis Jenkins
What: Second Annual Pankake Poetry Series
Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library
When: Tuesday, April 12, 2011, 4 p.m.

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL ( 03/21/2011 ) -- Louis Jenkins will read old and new poems at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12 at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis. A reception will follow the reading, with copies of available for sale and signing by Jenkins.

Louis Jenkins' poems have been published in a number of literary magazines and anthologies, including The Best American Poetry and Great American Prose Poems. Jenkins, who has been featured on A Prairie Home Companion and The Writer's Almanac, received the 1995 Minnesota Book Award for Nice Fish and the 1997 Northeastern Minnesota Book Award for Just Above Water. His most recent books are North of the Cities (2007), European Shoes (2008), and Before You Know It: Prose Poems 1970-2005 (2009), all published by Will o' the Wisp Books.

The Pankake Poetry Series was founded in honor of librarian Marcia Pankake, whose love of poetry was demonstrated in the countless readings and poetry events she hosted at the University Libraries until her retirement in 2007.

This event is free and open to the public; reservations are requested by April 5 at 612-624-9339 or stangret@umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 10:46 AM | Permalink

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, 612-625-9148
Preston Smith, University News Service, smith@umn.edu, 612-625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL ( 3/15/2011 ) -- The University of Minnesota Libraries will present children's literature author Jane Kurtz with the 2011 Kerlan Award at Elmer L. Andersen Library on Sat. April 2.

The award presentation and speech by Kurtz will begin at 1:15 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The ceremony is preceded by a noon luncheon (cost: $20; $15 for Kerlan Friends), which requires advance registration by March 25.

Kurtz is the author of many books, including Lanie's Real Adventures, American Girl's 2010 Book of the year; River Friendly, River Wild, about the 1997 flooding of the Red River in Grand Forks, North Dakota; and Do Kangaroos Wear Seat Belts? Several of her books are set in East Africa, where she and her siblings were raised by their missionary parents. Kurtz--who still travels and teaches in Ethiopia and actively supports the literacy project "Ethiopia Reads" and the Ethiopian Children's Book and Educational Foundation--now lives in Lawrence, Kansas.

Attendees will be eligible to enter a drawing for an American Girl Lanie doll, sets of the Lanie books, and other American Girl merchandise donated by the company's store at the Mall of America.

Kerlan friends membership information and the luncheon registration form is available at: http://special.lib.umn.edu/clrc/whatsnew.php

The Kerlan Award is presented annually "in recognition of singular attainments in the creation of children's literature and in appreciation for generous donation of unique resources to the Kerlan Collection for the study of children's literature."

For more information, please contact the staff of the Children's Literature Research Collections at 612-624-4576 or e-mail clrc@umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 1:42 PM | Permalink

What: Seventh Annual NOMMO African American Authors Series
Who: Poets Gary Jackson and Yusef Komunyakaa
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, February 24, 2011
Where: Cowles Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Center, University of Minnesota West Bank campus, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis
Tickets: $15. Complimentary tickets available to U of M students and Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Call 612-624-2345 or visit www.tickets.umn.edu
Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, 612-625-9148
Preston Smith, University News Service, smith@umn.edu, 612-625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL ( 02/9/2011 ) -- Gary Jackson and Yusef Komunyakaa will appear at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24, in Hubert H. Humphrey Center, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, on the University's West Bank campus. Both Jackson and Komunyakaa will read from and discuss their works with series host Alexs Pate, University of Minnesota professor and author of the novel "Amistad."

The event is part of the annual NOMMO African American Authors Series. This is the fourth year the series has been co-presented by the Givens Foundation for African American Literature and the University of Minnesota Libraries. Additional sponsors for this event are the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center, Cave Canem, and Graywolf Press.

"Nommo" is a Dogon word meaning "the magic power of the word."

"Too many vital African American writers, and I count myself among them, find our work sprouting shallow roots on the periphery of public awareness. My conversations with these authors present rare opportunities to publicly define the state of the art of African American literature and to locate our work and contributions within the present authoring of our literary tradition," Pate says.

More about Gary Jackson and Yusef Komunyakaa
Winner of the 2009 Cave Canem Poetry Prize for his manuscript "Missing you, Metropolis," Gary Jackson was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas. He received his MFA in Poetry from the University of New Mexico in 2008 and his poems have appeared in "Inscape," "Magma," "The Literary Bohemian" and local chapbooks. Published by Graywolf Press, "Missing you, Metropolis" is lauded by critics such as Yusef Komunyakaa, who writes that the book "embodies and underscores a voice uniquely shaped and tuned for the 21st century." Jackson currently teaches English as a Second Language in Seoul, South Korea.

Yusef Komunyakaa is the critically acclaimed author of 14 books of poetry, including "Copacetic" and "Neon Vernacular: New & Selected Poems 1977-1989," for which he received the Pulitzer Prize. His latest book of poems, "Warhorses," was published in 2008. His prose is collected in "Blues Notes: Essays, Interviews & Commentaries," and he coedited "The Jazz Poetry Anthology." In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, his honors include the 2004 Shelley Memorial Award, the 2001 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, the Hanes Poetry Prize, and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. He is Professor and Distinguished Senior Poet at New York University.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 1:59 PM | Permalink

Who: noted medievalist Stephanie Cain Van D'Elden
What: Lecture
When: 7:00 p.m., Thursday, February 17, 2011
Where: University of Minnesota, Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Avenue South, Minneapolis
Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, 612-625-9148
Preston Smith, University News Service, smith@umn.edu, 612-625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL ( 01/24/2011 ) -- In a month focused on love and romance, noted medievalist Stephanie Cain Van D'Elden will examine one of the original love stories, the legend of Tristan and Isolde. On Thursday Feb. 17, Van D'Elden will present a sneak preview of her forthcoming book, which reveals the popularity and influence of the Tristan and Isolde romance during the Middle Ages through depictions of the tragic and often retold tale in wall paintings, tapestries, manuscripts, household objects, and more.

"The Pictures Tell the Story: Tristan and Isolde in Medieval Illustrations " will begin at 7 p.m. in the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Avenue South, Minneapolis, and will be followed by a reception.

Stephanie Cain Van D'Elden received her bachelor's degree and PhD from the University of Minnesota. She has held administrative positions at the U in the Immigration History Research Center and the Department of Independent Study and has also been on the faculty of Hamline University, the College of St. Thomas, and the University of Southern California. Van D'Elden has published widely in medieval studies, Germanic literature, and the verse romances of Tristan and Isolde.

Presented by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries and co-sponsored by the Center for Medieval Studies, the event is free and open to the public. Reservations requested by Thursday, February 10 at 612-624-9339 or stangret@umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 11:20 AM | Permalink

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Preston Smith, University News Service, smith@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

Ten years ago, GLBT community leader Jean-Nickolaus Tretter donated his personal collection of books and other artifacts to the University of Minnesota Libraries. Since then, the Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies has continued to grow, now with more than 40,000 items providing a record of GLBT thought, knowledge and culture for current and future generations.

The U Libraries are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the arrival of the Tretter Collection with an exhibit and two special events in the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis, all free and open to the public.

The opening reception for the "Saving Our Lives" exhibit will be from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m on Friday, Nov. 5. A presentation highlighting the importance of preserving GLBT cultural heritage and the significant impact it can have on the lives of individuals and our community will begin at noon.

A Community Open House will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13, featuring:

• Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra Chamber Group performing from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• KARE 11 News reporter Jana Shortal will present from 12:30-1 p.m.
• Calliope Women's Chorus will perform from 1-1:30 p.m.
• Guided tours of Andersen Library archival caverns throughout open house
• Collection of items for the Tretter Time Capsule (see contribution guidelines)
• A video recording station for individuals to share memories, stories and insights

The exhibit will remain open through Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011; exhibit hours and directions to Andersen Library are available at special.lib.umn.edu/hoursdir.phtml. More about the Tretter Collection is at special.lib.umn.edu/rare/tretter.phtml.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 4:26 PM | Permalink

What: Seventh Annual NOMMO African American Authors Series
Who: Poets Patricia Smith, Gary Jackson and Yusef Komunyakaa
When: Wednesday, Nov. 3, (Patricia Smith); Thursday, Feb. 24, (Gary Jackson and Yusef Komunyakaa). All events begin at 7 p.m.
Where: Cowles Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Center, University of Minnesota West Bank campus, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis
Tickets: $15 per event; $25 for the two-event series. Complimentary tickets available to U of M students and Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Call (612) 624-2345 or visit www.tickets.umn.edu

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Preston Smith, University News Service, unews@umn.edu, (612) 624-5551

Three widely acclaimed contemporary African American writers have been selected for this year's NOMMO African American Authors series, co-sponsored by the Givens Foundation for African American Literature and the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Patricia Smith, Gary Jackson, and Yusef Komunyakaa will read from and discuss their work with host Alexs Pate, U of M professor and author of the novel "Amistad" on Wednesday, Nov. 3, (Patricia Smith) and Thursday, Feb. 24, (Gary Jackson and Yusef Komunyakaa) at 7 p.m. in Cowles Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Center, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis, on the University's West Bank campus.

About Patricia Smith

Lauded by critics as "a testament to the power of words to change lives," Smith is the author of five acclaimed poetry volumes. "Blood Dazzler," which chronicles the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Katrina, was a finalist for the 2008 National Book Award. Smith's work has been published in "Poetry," "The Paris Review," "TriQuarterly" and other literary journals/anthologies, and performed around the world. A four-time individual champion in the National Poetry Slam -- the most successful slammer in the competition's history -- Smith has also been a featured poet on HBO's "Def Poetry Jam" and has performed three one-woman plays, one produced by Nobel Prize winner Derek Walcott. Smith teaches in the Stonecoast MFA program at the University of Southern Maine and is a professor of creative writing at the City University of New York/College of Staten Island.

About Gary Jackson and Yusef Komunyakaa

Winner of the 2009 Cave Canem Poetry Prize for his manuscript "Missing you, Metropolis," Jackson was born and raised in Topeka, Kan. He received his MFA in Poetry from the University of New Mexico in 2008 and his poems have appeared in "Inscape," "Magma," "The Literary Bohemian" and local chapbooks. Published by Greywolf Press, "Missing you, Metropolis" is lauded by critics such as Yusef Komunyakaa, who writes that the book "embodies and underscores a voice uniquely shaped and tuned for the 21st century." Jackson currently teaches English as a Second Language in Seoul, South Korea.

Komunyakaa is the critically acclaimed author of 14 books of poetry, including "Copacetic" and "Neon Vernacular: New & Selected Poems 1977-1989," for which he received the Pulitzer Prize. His latest book of poems, "Warhorses," was published in 2008. His prose is collected in "Blues Notes: Essays, Interviews & Commentaries," and he co-edited "The Jazz Poetry Anthology." In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, his honors include the 2004 Shelley Memorial Award, the 2001 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, the Hanes Poetry Prize and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. He is professor and Distinguished Senior Poet at New York University.

About the NOMMO African American Authors series

Presented annually since 2004 by the Givens Foundation for African American Literature, the series provides rare opportunities to publicly define the state of the art of African American literature and to locate the work and contributions of national as well as Twin Cities African American writers within the present authoring of our literary tradition.

A Dogon word meaning "the magic power of the word," NOMMO has been co-sponsored since 2007 by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Additional sponsors this year are the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center and Cave Canem.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 9:15 AM | Permalink

Matteo Ricci's 1602 Kunyu wanguo quantu, or "Map of the 10,000 Countries of the Earth," will be the focus of a series of events this fall at the University of Minnesota, including an appearance by Jonathan Spence, renowned China scholar and 2010 presenter of the National Endowment for the Humanities' (NEH) prestigious Jefferson Lecture.

Jonathan Spence, Sterling Professor of History Emeritus at Yale University and the author of several books including "The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci," will deliver the 48th Annual James Ford Bell Lecture at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 7, in Willey Hall, 225 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis. Tickets are available at www.tickets.umn.edu or 612-624-2345. Individual tickets are $15 for the general public; $10 for Associates of the James Ford Bell Library or Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries; free to students with ID. Group discounts are also available.

Spence's lecture, entitled "Ricci's Map: Its Place in His China Strategy," is part of a celebration of the arrival of the Ricci Map at the University of Minnesota's James Ford Bell Library after being on exhibit at the Library of Congress and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts earlier this year.

Purchased by the James Ford Bell Trust for the benefit of the James Ford Bell Library, the map will be featured in the exhibit "Matteo Ricci and the Jesuits in China" from Wednesday, Sept. 15 through Wednesday, Nov. 10, at the Bell Library, located on the 4th Floor of Wilson Library, 309 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis. The exhibit is open to the public Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

An exhibit opening reception, featuring Ann Waltner, U of M professor of Ming History, will be held on at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23. The reception is free and open to the public, but reservations are required by Friday, Sept. 17, at (612) 624-1528 or jfbell@umn.edu. update: as of 9/14/10, the exhibit opening reception is full and staff are no longer accepting reservations. Tickets for the Spence lecture are still available.

About the Map
The 1602 Ricci Map, printed with wood blocks on six scrolls of native paper, measures almost 6 feet by 12 feet and is the oldest surviving Chinese map to depict the Americas. Also called the "Impossible Black Tulip" because it is so rare, the map is among six known complete examples of the 1602 printing and the only one in North America. The legendary map is the second most expensive printed rare map ever sold; the first was the Waldseemüller world map, the first to name America and owned by the Library of Congress. The James Ford Bell Library owns a globe gores version of the Waldseemüller -- a small map printed from a single woodblock, intended to be cut out and affixed to a globe. More about Matteo Ricci and the Ricci map is available at www.lib.umn.edu/bell/riccimap.

About the James Ford Bell Library
The Bell Library makes history come alive through its collection of rare books, maps, and manuscripts that focus on trade and cross-cultural interaction before ca. 1800. The Bell Library's collection and innovative programs support scholarship and education at all levels, enriching our community by advancing understanding of this global heritage, making the world we live in more meaningful. Learn more at www.lib.umn.edu/bell.

About the James Ford Bell Trust
The Trust was established by James Ford Bell, founder of General Mills, to benefit the library that bears his name. The acquisition of the Ricci map by the Trust is the result of a two-year search for an important enhancement to the collection in keeping with its founder's vision and complementing other major holdings. Trustees of the James Ford Bell Trust are Dr. Ford W. Bell, President of the American Association of Museums, and Diane B. Neimann, noted philanthropic advisor.

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University of Minnesota Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Preston Smith, University News Service, smith@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 3:10 PM | Permalink

Contact: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (09/01/2010)--The University of Minnesota Libraries have announced the appointment of Timothy J. Johnson as the first E.W. McDiarmid Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Collections. Johnson has served as the Curator of Special Collections and Rare Books for the Libraries since 1998.

The Sherlock Holmes Collections comprise the world's largest collection of material related to Sherlock Holmes and its creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The collections contain over 60,000 items, including books, journals, and a wide variety of other forms, through which the transformation of the Holmes character from the printed page to a cultural icon can be traced. It is an invaluable resource to students and admirers of Sherlock Holmes and has been consulted by scholars and screenwriters alike.

The curatorship was created in honor of E.W. "Mac" McDiarmid, former University Librarian and a Holmes enthusiast since boyhood. The Sherlock Holmes Collections are housed in the Elmer L. Andersen Library at the University of Minnesota and are open to the public upon request.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 9:09 AM | Permalink

Media Note: Digital images available on request

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Patty Mattern, University News Service, mattern@umn.edu, (612) 624-2801

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/17/2010) -- The University of Minnesota Libraries has announced that the papers of Robert Bly -- internationally recognized poet, translator, social critic and author -- are now open to the public.

Appointments to use the Robert Bly Papers in the Elmer L. Andersen Library reading room (open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.) can be made by contacting mssref@umn.edu or (612) 624-8812. A detailed finding aid of the collection is at http://special.lib.umn.edu/findaid/xml/mss081.xml. Selected materials are available online at http://digital.lib.umn.edu/pachyderm/robertbly.

When purchased by the Libraries in 2006, the appraiser John Wronoski of Boston assessed Bly as "by any account among the most important of living poets" and his archive as "among the most extensive and complete we have encountered or of which we are aware for any author of his generation (or a subsequent generation)."

Now fully processed, the collection includes manuscripts, journals, his extensive correspondence with many writers including James Wright, Donald Hall and James Dickey, audiovisual items, photographs, publisher proofs, news clippings, scrapbooks, school assignments from childhood through Harvard and the State University of Iowa, his service in the U.S. Navy, as well as materials from his career in writing, translating and publishing poetry, prose and plays.

This comprehensive collection provides an invaluable resource to scholars and admirers of Bly's distinguished body of work and preserves the legacy of one of the world's greatest living writers. The primary source materials provide opportunities for research in many subjects, including the artistic process of creating poetry, prose, and plays; analysis of changes in 20th century poetry; Vietnam War protest documentation; Men's Movement development and continuation; translation of poetry from various original languages; and the history of 20th century publishing.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 10:59 AM | Permalink

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Patty Mattern, University News Service, mattern@umn.edu, (612) 624-2801

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (04/20/2010) -- The University of Minnesota Libraries are sending the first shipment of books to Google this month, to be digitized as part of the Google Books project (books.google.com). When complete, the multi-year project will have digitized more than 1 million volumes (books and bound journals) from the Libraries' general collections.

Among the volumes included will be selections from Minnesota's distinctive collections related to forestry, bee-keeping and Scandinavian literature and area studies. Other titles identified as candidates for digitization are the 1916 document "A preliminary survey of the more important archives of the territory and state of Minnesota," a 1918 book "Minnesota election laws in theory and practice," and an undated volume titled "Economic development of Minnesota: 1849-1873, from the messages of the governors."

The scanning project is part of a 2007 agreement between Google and the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC, the academic arm of the Big Ten Conference) to digitize upwards of 10 million unique volumes from the collections of CIC libraries that signed the agreement.

When the works scanned are determined to be in the public domain, Google will provide the libraries with copies of the digital files created through the project, which will be archived in the HathiTrust (www.hathitrust.org), a non-profit shared digital repository launched by the CIC with an ever-expanding number of supporting institutions.

According to Peggy Johnson, associate university librarian, "This initiative is an example of the kinds of cooperation -- both among peers and with outside parties--that will further access to the collective resources held in our libraries. The Google project, coupled with programs to coordinate preservation of print collections, offers promise for effective and sustained access to library collections in the future."

Learn more on the Google Digitization Project Website.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 2:15 PM | Permalink

Who: Quincy Troupe, American Book Award-winning author of 17 books, co-author of "The Pursuit of Happyness," and recipient of the Peabody Award
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 28
Where: Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis
Tickets: $15. Complimentary tickets available to U of M Students and Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Call 612-624-2345 or visit http://www.tickets.umn.edu
Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Patty Mattern, University News Service, mattern@umn.edu, (612) 624-2801

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (04/15/2010) -- Quincy Troupe--American Book Award-winning author of 17 books, co-author of "The Pursuit of Happyness," and recipient of the Peabody Award--will appear at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 28,in Coffman Union, University of Minnesota, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis. Troupe will read from and discuss his work with series host Alexs Pate, University of Minnesota professor and author of the novel "Amistad."

The event is part of the annual NOMMO African American Authors Series annually. This is the third year the series has been co-presented by the Givens Foundation and the University of Minnesota Libraries.

"Nommo" is a Dogon word meaning "the magic power of the word."

"Too many vital African American writers, and I count myself among them, find our work sprouting shallow roots on the periphery of public awareness. My conversations with these authors present rare opportunities to publicly define the state of the art of African American literature and to locate our work and contributions within the present authoring of our literary tradition," Pate says.

More about Quincy Troupe
Troupe is the author of seventeen books, including American Book Award winners "Snake-Back Solos" and "Miles: The Autobiography." In 1991, he received the prestigious Peabody Award for "The Miles Davis Radio Project," broadcast in seven parts on National Public Radio. Troupe co-authored the best seller "The Pursuit of Happyness" with Chris Gardner, which chronicled Gardner's journey from homelessness to success on Wall Street. The book became the basis of an award-winning movie of the same name, starring Will Smith. Troupe is professor emeritus of creative writing and American and Caribbean literature at the University of California, San Diego, and the founding editorial director for Code Magazine. He is currently editor of Black Renaissance Noire, published by the Institute of African American Affairs at New York University.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 12:37 PM | Permalink

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (03/25/2010) -- Poet James Lenfestey will read from A Cartload of Scrolls: 100 Poems in the Manner of the T'ang Dynasty Hermit Poet Han-Shan 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 13 at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis. A reception will follow the reading, with copies of available for sale and signing by the author.

In 1974, Lenfestey came upon the book Cold Mountain: 100 Poems of the T'ang Dynasty Poet Han-shan. The result 33 years later is his collection of poems inspired by the form and sensibility of that 1,200-year-old Chinese hermit poet, yet brimming with Lenfestey's own humor. Lenfestey will also show a short film of his pilgrimage to China where he paid homage to Han-Shan at his hermit cave.

Lenfestey is the first poet to appear in a new annual Pankake Poetry Series, founded in honor of librarian Marcia Pankake, whose love of poetry was demonstrated in the countless readings and poetry events she hosted at the University Libraries until her retirement in 2007.

This event is free and open to the public; reservations are requested by April 6 at 612-624-9339 or stangret@umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 3:31 PM | Permalink

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (03/23/2010) --The University of Minnesota Libraries will present prominent local children's literature author and illustrator Nancy Carlson with the 2010 Kerlan Award 1:15 p.m Saturday April 24 at Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis.

The award presentation and speech by Carlson is free and open to the public. The ceremony is preceded by a noon luncheon (cost: $20; $15 for Kerlan Friends), which requires advance registration by April 16.

Kerlan Friends membership information and the luncheon registration form is available at: http://special.lib.umn.edu/clrc/whatsnew.php

The Kerlan Award is presented annually "in recognition of singular attainments in the creation of children's literature and in appreciation for generous donation of unique resources to the Kerlan Collection for the study of children's literature."

For more information, please contact the staff of the Children's Literature Research Collections at (612) 624-4576 or e-mail clrc@umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 11:32 AM | Permalink

Media Note: Images of each exhibit are available on request

Contacts: Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552
Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (03/01/2010) --The University of Minnesota Libraries announce the following slate of exhibits opening over the coming year at the Elmer L. Andersen and Wilson libraries. All exhibits are free and open to the public. Information about exhibit opening receptions will be available as they are scheduled at http://blog.lib.umn.edu/lib-web/events/

Ritual of Reading: Religion and the Illustrated Book
March 22 - May 14
T.R. Anderson Gallery

Throughout history, the illustrated book has served a significant role in the practice of religion and the expression of religious beliefs. Visual images are incorporated into written texts to nurture a greater understanding of religious narratives and evoke acts of spiritual contemplation. Ranging from bibles to codices to examples of great literature and reproductions of master paintings, the books in the Francis V. Gorman Rare Art Book Collection and the University's Special Collections demonstrate the key role art and artists play in the cultivation and promotion of religion, faith and spirituality.

Below the Surface: Ten Years of Archives and Special Collections in Elmer L. Andersen Library
April 5 - June 25 (note opening date changed from March 26 due to circumstances beyond our control)
Andersen Gallery

Join us in celebrating the first decade of the Elmer L. Andersen Library as we look deeper into the archives and special collections held in the caverns below. Explore unexpected themes and untold stories from the rich archives of our collective past. Learn more about the building and how archival materials are found, processed and made available for research. Come and discover the treasures kept below the surface.

Images with Impact: Propaganda through Popular Media
May 3 - July 31
Andersen Atrium Gallery

Governments and social agencies seek to effect change on populations through the use of vivid imagery. This exhibit, which draws from the East Asian Library, Special Collections and Rare Books, and the Kautz Family YMCA Archives, explores the propaganda of health, education and political identity in China, Japan, and Korea in the twentieth century.

The Spirits of Sherlock Holmes
June 1 - August 29
T.R. Anderson Gallery

July 12 - October 15
Andersen Gallery

The Sherlock Holmes Collections present two exhibits in conjunction with its triennial conference. The Andersen Library exhibit will explore the many meanings of the word "spirits" and how they relate to Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Victorian Era. The concurrent exhibit in the T. R. Anderson Gallery will highlight items from the collection of the late Allen Mackler, whose replica of the sitting room at 221B Baker Street is on permanent display adjacent to the exhibit gallery.

Matteo Ricci and the Jesuits in China
September 15 - November 10
T.R. Anderson Gallery

Jesuit missionaries often led the way for political and cultural contacts with other peoples and the Jesuits in China were no exception. Manuscript letters as well as publications by and about these missionaries will be the focus of this exhibit, which will feature the famous 1602 world map by Zhang Wentao and Jesuit Matteo Ricci. For more information on the map, visit bell.lib.umn.edu.

50th Anniversary of the University of Minnesota Women's Center
September 1 - October 30
Andersen Atrium Gallery

The first women's campus center in the nation when it opened in 1960, the Women's Center at the University of Minnesota catered to "Rusty Ladies," women who wanted to maintain their knowledge and abilities between college graduation and empty nesting. This exhibit traces the history of the Women's Center from its origins as the Minnesota Plan for the Continuing Education of Women to today, using artifacts from the work of memorable and influential people, curriculum and program innovations, and personal and professional development activities.

Saving Our Lives: Ten Years of the Tretter Collection at the University of Minnesota
November 1, 2010 - January 28, 2011
Andersen Gallery

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Tretter Collection's arrival at the University, this exhibit reflects on the importance of collecting the GLBT community and the range of materials we are able to make available for research--everything from medieval manuscripts to the latest Pride t-shirt.

All the Queen's Men: Elizabeth I and the Foundations of Empire
November 10, 2010 - January 22, 2011
Andersen Atrium Gallery

Queen Elizabeth I of England planted the seeds of Britain's future empire through the expeditions of men like Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Sir Martin Frobisher. England's overseas expansion in the Elizabethan Age will be the backdrop for this exhibition, which will highlight the exploits of the intrepid explorers that were the "queen's men."

At the Center of the World: Istanbul Past & Present
November 18, 2010 - February 11, 2011
T.R. Anderson Gallery

Istanbul has been declared the European Union City of Culture for 2010. The James Ford Bell Library will celebrate with an exhibition showcasing different perceptions and aspects of this amazing city--often the center of both a global economy and global politics--from its ancient past to its conflicted present.

A Heart Connects Us: The Experience of Migration and the 'Minnesota School' of Immigration History
February 2 - April 30, 2011
Andersen Atrium Gallery

In pursuing his dream of a collaboration that would collect immigrant letters in Europe and America, Theodore Blegen worked to reveal "grassroots history" through his scholarship at the University of Minnesota and other institutions. The Immigration History Research Center makes that dream come alive in a multi-media project that constructs emotional portraits of immigrants through Finnish, Italian, Russian, and Ukrainian letters from the IHRC's ethnic collections. The exhibit includes selections from Blegen's personal papers drawn from the collections of the University Archives.

Exhibit Locations
Andersen Gallery is located on the first floor of Elmer L. Andersen Library; the Atrium Gallery on the second and third floors, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis. Hours and directions are available at http://andersen.lib.umn.edu/visitors.html.

The T.R. Anderson Gallery is located on the fourth floor of Wilson Library, at the entrance to the James Ford Bell Library, 309 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis. Hours and directions are available at http://wilson.lib.umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 11:00 AM | Permalink

The papers of renowned plant pathologist and humanitarian Norman Borlaug will continue to be a valuable learning and teaching resource in Minnesota, with improved accessibility worldwide, thanks to a Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grant.

The University of Minnesota Libraries have been awarded funds to digitize the papers of Norman Borlaug and related historical materials from the University Archives.

Borlaug--who received his BA (1937), MS (1941), and PhD (1942) at the University of Minnesota, won the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his development of the high-yield, disease resistant wheat that is credited with saving billions of people from starvation. Borlaug is known as the father of the "Green Revolution," a term coined in the 1960s to describe the transformation of agriculture that began in the 1940s with rapid advances in food crop production developed to keep pace with worldwide population growth. He passed away in 2009.

"The Borlaug Papers are among our most heavily used materials," said Elisabeth Kaplan, head of University Archives and project director. "They are especially popular with local high school students who use them in History Day projects. Digitizing these materials will make them accessible to an international community of scholars and researchers of all ages."

Fifty-eight boxes of archival material will be digitized, including five decades of field notebooks, the pocket-sized books in which Dr. Borlaug documented his travel and work in the field in Mexico, South America, Africa, the Middle East, South and South East Asia and Eastern Europe. Other items include Borlaug's correspondence with colleagues, mentors, and world leaders, talks and writings, multiple drafts of his Nobel acceptance speech, and over 7,500 photographs from the late 1940s through 2000.

Papers from some of Borlaug's contemporaries will also be included in the digital collection, including correspondence and photographs from E. C. Stakman, Borlaug's mentor and longtime head of the U plant pathology department; the papers of Helen Hart, U of M alumna and faculty member, and expert of cereal rust disease; and portions of the John Gibler Papers, U alumnus and colleague of Borlaug's at the Rockefeller Foundation.

The project, to be completed by May 2011, is supported by a $27,667 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grant, a program supported by the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment. Approved by Minnesota voters in November 2008, the state constitutional amendment provides for an increase in Minnesota state sales tax to support outdoor heritage, clean water, parks and trails, as well as arts, history and cultural heritage. For more information about Norman Borlaug, read "A tribute to Norman Borlaug."

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 12:40 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, DC (January 12, 2010) -- Today at the Library of Congress the James Ford Bell Trust unveiled for the first time in North America, Matteo Ricci's 1602 "Impossible Black Tulip," a massive map showing the world with China at its center. It is the first map in Chinese to show the Americas, and the first printed map to incorporate both Eastern and Western cartography.

"Matteo Ricci's Map is one of the most significant cartographical documents ever produced," said Dr. Ford W. Bell, Trustee of the James Ford Bell Trust and President of the American Association of Museums. "The map brings together the best of western science, mathematics and geography to show China, the western hemisphere and the five continents in their relative positions.

The map was created at the request of Emperor Wanli and was designed to incorporate as much Jesuit knowledge as possible, in combination with some of the great works of Chinese scholars, demonstrated both graphically and in Chinese characters surrounding the map. The legendary map is the second most expensive printed rare map ever sold; the first was the Waldseemuller world map, the first to name America.

"The map represents the momentous first meeting of East and West as drawn by Jesuit Matteo Ricci, the first Westerner to enter Peking," said Ti Bin Zhang, First Secretary for Cultural Affairs Embassy of the People's Republic of China. "This historic map was the catalyst for commerce and the subsequent relationship between the East and West."

The Ricci Map is one of only seven known examples and there is no other known example in either the United States or China. The map will be on display at the Library of Congress alongside the Waldseemuller from January 12 to April 10, 2010. The Library of Congress rarely exhibits artifacts it does not own, but it has made an exception in this case due to the rarity, history and cultural significance of the Ricci Map. "The juxtaposition of the Ricci Map to the Waldsemueller signifies the importance of these maps and their place in world history, culture and geography," said Dr. Deanna Marcum, Associate Librarian for Library Services, Library of Congress.

Diane B. Neimann, Trustee of the James Ford Bell Trust, who managed the acquisition of the Ricci Map, acknowledged the importance of making the map available at the largest library in the world. "The Library of Congress will scan the Ricci Map for the World Digital Library, thereby making an image available to scholars and students on a global basis once the exhibition has ended," said Neimann.

The Ricci Map was recently sold to the James Ford Bell Trust by London's renowned rare book seller, Bernard J. Shapero for the benefit of the James Ford Bell Library at the University of Minnesota. It measures 12 feet by 5 feet, is printed on rice paper from six enormous wood blocks and is designed to be mounted on a folding screen.

"My grandfather James Ford Bell, the founder of General Mills, established the James Ford Bell Library in order to illustrate the historical background and knowledge of the great economic force of trade and to make those exciting discoveries available for appreciation and study by generations of citizens, students and scholars," Bell said. "It should be noted that my grandfather acquired the earliest Waldseemuller map of the world showing America, partner to the one hanging at the Library of Congress."

After the exhibition at the Library of Congress, the Ricci Map will be displayed for a limited time at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts before moving to its intended home in the James Ford Bell Library at the University of Minnesota.

# # #

About The James Ford Bell Library: The James Ford Bell Library documents the history and impact of international trade prior to ca. 1800 C.E. Its premier collection of rare books, maps, and manuscripts illustrates the ways in which cultural influences expanded worldwide, with a special emphasis on European interactions. The James Ford Bell Library, its collection, and its innovative programs support scholarship and education at all levels, and enrich our community by advancing understanding of this global heritage, making the world we live in more meaningful.
The James Ford Bell Library
The Associates of the James Ford Bell Library

About the Library of Congress: The Library of Congress, the nation's oldest federal cultural institution, is the world's preeminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled collections and integrated resources to Congress and the American people. Many of the Library's rich resources and treasures may also be accessed through the Library's website, and via interactive exhibitions on a personalized website at myLOC.gov.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 11:10 AM | Permalink

With the latest version of Sherlock Holmes hitting theaters on Christmas Day, a resurgence of interest is expected in the stories of the London based consulting detective. Those looking for the most complete collection of Holmes artifacts need only to turn to the University of Minnesota Libraries, where the Sherlock Holmes Special Collections constitutes the world's largest gathering of Holmes material in the world.

From manuscripts and rare books to Holmes related toys and games, this collection of nearly 16,000 volumes and 60,000 artifacts is a must stop for any Holmes enthusiast.

About the Sherlock Holmes Collections

Curator Tim Johnson highlights treasures from the collections

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 4:12 PM | Permalink

Project provides model for virtual communities of scholars

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, (612) 625-9148, welshons@umn.edu
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, (612) 625-0552, mathre@umn.edu

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (11/17/2009) -- A new research and collaboration Web site for scholars working in the field of ethics has received a 14-month, $264,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, aimed at capitalizing on the site's emerging success.

EthicShare, a partnership of the University of Minnesota Libraries, Center for Bioethics and Department of Computer Science and Engineering, aggregates relevant resources and provides an easy, accessible way for ethics scholars to share and collaborate with each other.

During the project's planning process, scholars identified the shortcomings of existing services. "Ethics scholars often find discovery of resources challenging because materials and resources in our fields are dispersed in multiple, diverse databases," said Jeffrey Kahn, director of the Center for Bioethics and project co-principal investigator. "Gathering relevant resources into one repository is a tremendous asset to scholars who can then use EthicShare's social features to connect with others interested in the same issues."

The grant, the third from Mellon, will support further development of the bibliographic database and enhanced collaborative features. Additional support for the project has been provided by the Council on Library and Information Resources and the National Science Foundation.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 2:12 PM | Permalink

Who: Lewis H. Lapham, author, editor emeritus of Harper's Magazine, and founding editor of Lapham's Quarterly
What: Lecture and Book Signing
When: 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 3
Where: University of Minnesota, Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (11/04/2009) -- The New York Times has likened him to H.L. Mencken; Vanity Fair has suggested a strong resemblance to Mark Twain and best-selling author Tom Wolfe compared him to Montaigne. On Thursday Dec. 3, author and editor Lewis H. Lapham will speak at the University of Minnesota about the tribulations of the printed word in the wilderness of cyberspace.

"Mixed Media" will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis, and will be followed by a reception and book signing.

Lewis Lapham is editor emeritus of Harper's Magazine and the founding editor of Lapham's Quarterly, a journal of the history of ideas. The author of 13 books, among them Theater of War and Money and Class in America, Mr. Lapham is the host of Bloomberg Radio's weekly program, "The World in Time."

Presented by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries, the event is free and open to the public. Reservations are requested by Nov. 25 at 612-624-9339 or stangret@umn.edu

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 3:43 PM | Permalink

What: Exhibit opening, "Celebrating 40 Years of African American and American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota"
Where: Room. 120, Elmer L. Andersen Library 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis
When: 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (10/22/2009) -- In 1969, the University of Minnesota established the first American Indian Studies and second African American Studies departments in the United States. To celebrate the anniversary of this historic event, the University Libraries are exhibiting archival materials that chronicle the establishment of these pioneering programs. An opening reception will be held from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis.

The program will feature remarks by Nancy "Rusty" Barceló, vice president and vice provost, Office for Equity and Diversity; Carolyn (Carrie) Schommer, retired Dakota Instructor, department of American Indian Studies; and John S. Wright, Morse-Amoco distinguished teaching professor, departments of African American & African Studies and English.

The exhibit is open to the public now through Saturday, Dec. 5; exhibit hours and directions to Andersen Library are available at http://special.lib.umn.edu/hoursdir.phtml.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 9:49 AM | Permalink

What: Sixth annual NOMMO African American Authors Series
Who: Series host Alexs Pate, U of M professor and author of "Amistad";
Ishmael Reed, poet, publisher, editor, and author of 25 books, including "Conjure" nominated for a Pulitzer Prize;
Quincy Troupe, American Book Award-winning author of 17 books, co-author of "The Pursuit of Happyness," and recipient of the Peabody Award
When: Wednesday, Nov. 11, (Ishmael Reed); Wednesday, April 28, 2010 (Quincy Troupe). Both events begin at 7 p.m.
Where: Coffman Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis
Tickets: $15 per event; $25 for the two-event series. Complimentary tickets available to U of M Students and Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Call (612) 624-2345 or visit http://www.tickets.umn.edu

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (10/20/2009) -- The Givens Foundation for African American Literature and the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries are pleased to present the NOMMO African American Authors Series, featuring two widely acclaimed contemporary African American writers: Ishmael Reed and Quincy Troupe. Each event features a writer reading from his or her work and engaging in spirited dialogue with host Alexs Pate, University of Minnesota professor and author of the novel Amistad. The events take place on Wednesday, Nov. 11, (Ishmael Reed) and Wednesday, April 28, (Quincy Troupe). Both events begin at 7:00 p.m. in Coffman Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis

Background
The Givens Foundation has presented the NOMMO African American Authors Series annually since 2004. This is the third year the series has been co-presented by the Givens Foundation and the University of Minnesota Libraries.

"Nommo" is a Dogon word meaning "the magic power of the word."

"Too many vital African American writers, and I count myself among them, find our work sprouting shallow roots on the periphery of public awareness," said Pate. "My conversations with these authors present rare opportunities to publicly define the state of the art of African American literature and to locate our work and contributions within the present authoring of our literary tradition."

About Ishmael Reed
Ishmael Reed is the author of 25 books, including "New and Collected Poems, 1964-2006," which was listed as one of the four best books of poetry in 2006 by The New York Times Book Review, and "Conjure," which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He is also a publisher, television producer, radio and television commentator, teacher and editor of numerous anthologies and magazines. He is the founder of the Before Columbus Foundation, which annually presents the American Book Awards; the Oakland chapter of PEN; and There City Cinema, an organization that furthers the distribution and discussion of films from throughout the world. For over 30 years, Reed taught creative writing courses in the English Department at the University of California, Berkeley, before retiring in January 2005.

About Quincy Troupe
Quincy Troupe is the author of 17 books, including American Book Award winners "Snake-Back Solos" and "Miles: The Autobiography." In 1991, he received the prestigious Peabody Award for "The Miles Davis Radio Project," broadcast in seven parts on National Public Radio. Troupe co-authored the best seller "The Pursuit of Happyness" with Chris Gardner, which chronicled Gardner's journey from homelessness to success on Wall Street. The book became the basis of an award-winning movie of the same name, starring Will Smith. Troupe is professor emeritus of creative writing and American and Caribbean literature at the University of California, San Diego, and the founding editorial director for Code Magazine. He is currently editor of Black Renaissance Noire, published by the Institute of African American Affairs at New York University.

About the Series Sponsors
For more than 20 years, the Givens Foundation for African American Literature has been the only organization in the Twin Cities exclusively dedicated to advancing and celebrating black literature and writers. The Givens Foundation's literary arts education programs, African American author series, and writers retreats enrich the quality of education, cultivate literary minds, and promote the crafting of excellence in African American literature. Each year, the Givens Foundation's programs connect more than 4,000 youth and adults in the Twin Cities with the unfolding treasure of African American literature. Learn more at http://www.givens.org.

The University of Minnesota Libraries are among the university's and the state's greatest capital and intellectual assets. With a collection of more than 6.8 million volumes, the University Libraries rank as the 15th largest research library in North America. Located in Elmer L. Andersen Library, the Givens Collection includes rare books, literary manuscripts, correspondence, pamphlets, photographs, playbills, ephemera, magazines, audiovisual media, and the like. It consists of over 5,000 items dating from the late 18th century to the present and covering such literary periods as the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement. The collection is available for research by students, faculty, staff, and the general public. The Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries is a vibrant group that combines advocacy for the University Libraries with an exciting outreach program celebrating a love of books, authors, knowledge, and curiosity. More information is available at http://www.lib.umn.edu.

The University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center anchors the University's presence anchor in the North Minneapolis community; coordinates and facilitates new and existing University research, outreach, and engagement activities related to North Minneapolis; and creates inter- and multi-disciplinary teams able to foster sustainable partnerships. Learn more at http://www.uroc.umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 4:43 PM | Permalink

Who: Leonard S. Marcus, writer, literary historian, and children's literature critic
What: Kerlan Collection 60th Anniversary Celebration and Exhibit Opening
Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library, Rm. 120
When: 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (10/06/2009) -- Children's literature critic Leonard S. Marcus will help the University of Minnesota commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota Libraries, 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15. at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis.

The lecture will be followed by a dessert reception and a viewing of a new exhibit highlighting the treasures in the Kerlan Collection, which contains over 110,000 children's books, as well as original manuscripts, artwork, galleys and color proofs for more than 18,000 titles. Featured in the exhibit will be materials from notable children's and young adult literature authors and illustrators, including Goodnight Moon illustrator Clement Hurd; National Book Award finalist Walter Dean Myers; Newbery Medal winners Kate DiCamillo, Katherine Paterson, and Lois Lowry; and Caldecott Medal winners Stephen Gammell and Chris Van Allsburg.

The exhibit will be open to the public from Thursday, Nov. 12 through Thursday, Dec. 31; exhibit hours and directions to Andersen Library are available at http://special.lib.umn.edu/hoursdir.phtml.

The Marcus lecture is free and open to the public; reservations are encouraged by Nov. 6 to 612-624-9339 or stangret@umn.edu

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 11:23 AM | Permalink

In less than two months, the sights and sounds of on-campus football will return to the University of Minnesota with the opening of TCF Bank Stadium. While a stadium in the heart of campus will be a new experience for some fans, many others recall the rich history of Memorial Stadium, the home of Golden Gopher football for 57 years. Gopher fans can now relive many of these memories through an interactive digital archive "Memorial Stadium 1924-1992." It can be viewed by going to http://brickhouse.lib.umn.edu.

To watch a video highlighting the exhibit go to http://www1.umn.edu/urelate/newsservice/Multimedia_Videos/memorial_stadium.htm

Developed by the University Libraries, "Memorial Stadium 1924-1992" features historical photos, game footage, programs, correspondence, reports and blueprints from the University Archives. The collections were scanned by the Libraries’ Digital Library Development Lab and uploaded into Omeka, a free, open source, interactive Web-based publishing platform that allows visitors to the site to share their own recollections of Memorial Stadium.

"Watching enthusiasm grow as TCF Bank Stadium came to life these past three years inspired University Libraries staff to explore how the rich archival resources and the digital technology expertise of the Libraries could be channeled to capture, share and honor the history of Memorial Stadium from an institutional perspective," said university archivist Beth Kaplan. "From the start we knew we wanted to capture personal perspectives as well. It's our hope that visitors to the site will be inspired to share their own stories, photos, even audio or video clips to transform this into a dynamic and living archive."

Built in 1924 to pay tribute to the men and women of Minnesota lost in World War I, Memorial Stadium stood for nearly 70 years, hosting not only Gopher football but also track and field, the marching band, cheerleaders, commencement, research experiments and even a production of the opera "Aida." The Golden Gophers had a stellar record in Memorial Stadium, including six national championships and 12 unbeaten seasons at home.

Among the many features of the exhibit include live game footage of 28 Golden Gopher football games -- highlighted by a 1953 "Game of the Week" television broadcast in which All-American Paul Giel leads the Gophers over Michigan and sets a Big Ten record by handling the ball 53 times on offense. It also includes full-length programs from numerous Gopher football games and letters from community and university leaders debating a move to the newly built Metrodome.

In conjunction with the online exhibit, selected materials will be installed and available for viewing from July 20 through September 26 in the Andersen Atrium Gallery of the U’s Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis.  For directions and exhibit hours go to http://special.lib.umn.edu/hoursdir.phtml

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 10:58 AM | Permalink

What: 100th Birthday Celebration Honoring Elmer L. Andersen, Former Governor and U of M Regent
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 17
Where: University of Minnesota: Willey Hall, 225 19th Ave., S., Minneapolis; and Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave S., Minneapolis

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (06/01/2009) -- The life and legacy of former governor and University of Minnesota regent Elmer L. Andersen will be the focus of a 7:30 p.m. celebration Wednesday, June 17, the 100th anniversary of his birth. Throughout his 95 years, Andersen's vision and perseverance was applied to a wide range of endeavors--from government, business and education to agriculture, journalism and philanthropy.

A successful businessman, Andersen owned H.B. Fuller Company, a St. Paul manufacturer of industrial and home use adhesives, and ECM Publishing, which continues to produce 24 weekly newspapers in central Minnesota. As Minnesota's 30th governor, he was responsible for the creation of several new state parks, the landmark Fair Housing Bill and highway safety legislation that resulted in a substantial drop in fatal accidents. After losing his re-election bid by 91 votes out of more than 1.2 million cast, Andersen continued serving the state he loved through volunteerism and public service.

Andersen's tireless efforts to persuade landowners, timber industry leaders, politicians and citizens of the value of preserving the forests and lakes along Minnesota's northern border led to the 1975 establishment of Voyageurs National Park. He served on the boards of many organizations, including the Minnesota Historical Society, the Charles Lindbergh Foundation and the Child Welfare League of America. A 1931 graduate of the University of Minnesota, he was a great advocate for and benefactor of the institution, serving on the Board of Regents and as president and chair of the University of Minnesota Foundation. In 1999, he donated the major portion of his rare book collection--nearly 12,500 volumes--to the university. Andersen died in 2004 at the age of 95.

Festivities will begin in Willey Hall, 225 19th Avenue S. Minneapolis, with music by VocalEssence Ensemble Singers. Remarks by university Librarian Wendy Pradt Lougee, Andersen's son Julian Andersen, and Star Tribune columnist and Andersen biographer Lori Sturdevant will preface the showing of "Legacy of a Leader: Elmer L. Andersen," a new TPT documentary.

Following the film will be an opening reception for "A Man's Reach: A Transforming Life," a new exhibit at Elmer L. Andersen Library exploring Andersen's broad interests, his philosophies regarding government and business practices, and his impact on the university, the state and the nation.

The event is free and open to the public; reservations are requested by Wed., June 10 at stangret@umn.edu or 612-624-9339.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 3:37 PM | Permalink

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (04/14/2009) -- Minitex, an information and resource sharing program of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the University of Minnesota Libraries, has launched a new portal, MnKnows - Dig Deeper @ Your Library (www.mnknows.org) to give Minnesotans one-stop access to statewide library services.

Leveraging state, local and federal funds to supplement the resources of local libraries, MnKnows (read as "Minnesota knows") functions through the cooperation of libraries, school media centers and cultural heritage organizations throughout the state. Visitors to MnKnows.org will find a variety of resources available to satisfy most information needs:

• Find books, CDs, DVDs, articles and more through the MnLINK Gateway and have them delivered to a local library.
• Search trusted information resources in the Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM) to find online articles and electronic books on a vast array of topics.
• Discover photos, documents and maps related to Minnesota history through Minnesota Reflections.
• Get real-time answers from a librarian 24/7 at AskMN.
• Use the Research Project Calculator to create sensible timelines for student's homework.

When visitors wish to dig deeper at their local library, MnKnows.org provides a link to the Minnesota Library Directory, which lists public, academic, and other libraries in a specified area. The directory is maintained by State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 10:03 AM | Permalink

The University of Minnesota Libraries are bringing in the cupcakes and trumpets to celebrate winning this year's prestigious Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. The Libraries have received the award, a national tribute to a library and its staff, in recognition of their success integrating their expertise and resources into the life of the campus. Sponsored by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL, a division of the American Library Association) and Blackwell’s Book Services, the $3,000 award and a plaque will be presented by ACRL President Erika Linke to Provost Tom Sullivan and University Librarian Wendy Pradt Lougee at a 3:00 p.m. ceremony on Wednesday, April 22 in Walter Library.

The recognition culminates a multi-year process of transformation. “The libraries understand the importance of the process of conducting scholarship and have implemented programs to support behaviors rather than product,” said Pamela Snelson, chair of the 2009 Excellence in Academic Libraries Selection Committee and college librarian at Franklin & Marshall College. “By ‘getting in the flow of users,’ the libraries have moved out of their comfort zone and shifted into an engagement-centered model for all library services and programs.”

“Through careful planning, creative energy, and hard work, we now have a highly visible and highly valued position on campus and strong reputation for leadership in the profession. To have our staff’s innovative work recognized by the ACRL community is quite simply wonderful," said Lougee.

Refreshments will be served beginning at 3:00 in Walter Library's Great Hall; the award presentation will begin at 3:15. The campus community and members of the public are welcome to attend.

Download the award nomination (PDF; 2.2MB) ...
Read the complete ALA press release ...
Read more about ACRL Award program ...

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 3:58 PM | Permalink

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (03/31/2009) -- The University of Minnesota Libraries will host two prominent children's literature authors in April.

From 1:30-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, Jane Yolen will discuss her work in "Loving the Lyric Line: A Children's Poet Talks About a Lifelong Love Affair with Poetry." Yolen is the author of more than 300 children's and young adult books and the 1988 recipient of the Kerlan Award for her generous manuscript donations to the libraries' Kerlan Collection. This event, which is free and open to the public, will be followed by a book signing courtesy of the Red Balloon Bookshop.

At 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25, author and illustrator Jeannette Winter will receive the 2009 Kerlan Award at a ceremony and luncheon. Winter's speech, is free and open to the public. Advance registration for the noon luncheon is requested by April 8 (cost: $20; $15 for Kerlan Friends).

Registration and Kerlan Friends membership information is available at: http://special.lib.umn.edu/clrc/whatsnew.php.

The Kerlan Award is presented annually "in recognition of singular attainments in the creation of children's literature and in appreciation for generous donation of unique resources to the Kerlan Collection for the study of children's literature."

For more information, please contact the staff of the Children's Literature Research Collections at (612) 624-4576 or e-mail clrc@umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 1:01 PM | Permalink

The University of Minnesota Libraries have received the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) 2009 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. Sponsored by ACRL and Blackwell’s Book Services, the award recognizes the staff of a college, university and community college library for programs that deliver exemplary services and resources to further the educational mission of the institution.

“Receiving an Excellence in Academic Libraries Award is a national tribute to a library and its staff for the outstanding services, programs and leadership they provide to their students, administrators, faculty and community," said ACRL Executive Director Mary Ellen K. Davis. “It is wonderful to learn of the innovative programs and services being offered by these three exemplary institutions."

The University of Minnesota Libraries, winner of the university category, was praised for developing excellent strategies to successfully transform and rebrand the libraries to secure a highly valued position on campus.

“The libraries understand the importance of the process of conducting scholarship and have implemented programs to support behaviors rather than product," said Pamela Snelson, chair of the 2009 Excellence in Academic Libraries Selection Committee and college librarian at Franklin & Marshall College. “By ‘getting in the flow of users,’ the libraries have moved out of their comfort zone and shifted into an engagement-centered model for all library services and programs."

"We’re immensely proud of the success we’ve had in integrating our expertise and resources into the life of the campus," said Wendy Pradt Lougee, university librarian and McKnight presidential professor at the University of Minnesota. “Through careful planning, creative energy, and hard work, we now have a highly visible and highly valued position on campus and strong reputation for leadership in the profession. To have our staff’s innovative work recognized by the ACRL community is quite simply wonderful."

The Libraries will receive $3,000 and a plaque, presented at an award ceremony to be scheduled on campus in the spring, as well as special recognition at the ACRL President’s Program during the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, July 13, in Chicago.

Download the award nomination (PDF; 2.2MB) ...
Read the complete ALA press release ...
Read more about ACRL Award program ...

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 10:26 AM | Permalink

What: Exhibit opening, "Celebrating 40 Years of African American and American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota"
Where: Room. 120, Elmer L. Andersen Library 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis
When: 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (02/04/2009) -- The career of Minnesota's first Poet Laureate Robert Bly -- internationally recognized poet, translator, social critic and author -- is the subject of an academic and creative conference to be held at the University of Minnesota April 16-19, 2009. Keynoted by acclaimed scholar-poet and U of M alumnus Lewis Hyde, "Robert Bly In This World" will bring renowned scholars, editors, poets and translators from around the world to the Twin Cities to discuss and celebrate Bly's wide-ranging achievements and influence.

A highlight of the conference will be three evening public performances at Willey Hall, 225 19th Avenue S. Minneapolis:

--Hyde's keynote address will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16. Hyde will be introduced by local poet Jim Moore.

--Seattle author, storyteller, and musician Daniel Deardorff will perform on Friday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m., accompanied by New York author and storytelling pioneer Gioia Timpanelli, both long-time Bly collaborators.

--The conference concludes Saturday, April 18 with a festive evening of poetry by Robert Bly and friends, including poet and renowned Rumi translator Coleman Barks, accompanied by musicians Marcus Wise on tabla and David Whetstone on sitar.

From a family farmhouse in Madison, Minn., Bly changed the way Americans write and read poetry. By editing the influential magazines, The Fifties, The Sixties, and The Seventies, Bly challenged old forms and introduced readers to poets from around the world. In addition to translating the work of 23 poets from Norwegian, Swedish, French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Latin, Urdu and Persian languages, Bly has published more than 20 groundbreaking volumes of his own poetry, prose and anthologies, including the New York Times bestseller Iron John.

Lewis Hyde, who earned a MacArthur Fellowship for his ground-breaking book The Gift, has known Bly since 1964 when as an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota, Hyde met Bly on a bus to a Vietnam War protest march. Hyde later worked with Bly on a translation of Spanish poet Vicente Aleixandre. When Aleixandre won the Nobel Prize in 1977, their book of his poetry was one of the few editions of the work available in English.

The conference will feature other scholars of Bly's poetry and storytelling as well as the history of the Minnesota Men's Conference and Great Mother Conference (both founded by Bly), including:

--Anne Wright, widow of Pulitzer Prize-wining poet James Wright, will discuss the close relationship between Bly and Wright.

--Ray Gonzalez, poet, translator and chair of the Creative Writing Department at the University of Minnesota, will discuss the influence of Bly's translations on contemporary American poetry.

--Hugh Van Dusen, Bly's long-time editor at HarperCollins, will discuss the development of the powerful poetry anthology, The Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart.

--English scholar of Persian and Sufism Leonard Lewisohn with discuss the process of translating with Bly the poems of iconic 14th century Persian poet Hafiz.

Daytime conference sessions will be held in the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Avenue S. Minneapolis, which houses the Robert Bly archives and which will present a special exhibition of Bly materials. Fee for the conference is $125 ($150 after 4/1/09); student rate is $25 ($40 after 4/1/09). For more information or to register, visit http://www.lib.umn.edu/bly/.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 1:15 PM | Permalink

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (11/20/2008) -- An exhibit surveying the evolution of the Minnesota Dance Theatre will open with a program featuring remarks by Lise Houlton and brief preview performance of the company's "Nutcracker Fantasy," to begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11 at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis. "Houlton's Legacy: The Magic of Dance" will run from Dec. 11 through Feb. 20, 2009 in the Elmer L. Andersen Library Gallery.

In 1962, Loyce Houlton founded a small dance school near the University of Minnesota that has since become the Minnesota Dance Theatre (MDT). Known for blending classical with contemporary dance, resulting in passionate and theatrical choreography that demands meticulous technique, MDT engages the community and cultivates young dancers. For four decades, the company has performed the "Nutcracker Fantasy," originally choreographed by Houlton and one of the most sought after holiday events in Minnesota.

The exhibit features selections from the University of Minnesota Libraries' Performing Arts Collection and includes personal notes and choreographic sketches from Loyce Houlton, photos of the company, original costumes, props, set designs, and continuous viewing of live performances from the past to the present.

This event is free and open to the public, but reservations for the opening reception are required. Call 612-624-9339 or e-mail stangret@umn.edu for more information.

Refreshments at the opening reception are courtesy of the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries.

Exhibit hours are from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 2:18 PM | Permalink

What: Lecture: How to Remember the Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals
When: Friday, Nov. 21, 2008 from 5:30-7 p.m. (reception to follow)
Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis, Rm. 120

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (11/7/2008) -- Andreas Pretzel of the Magnus Hirschfeld Society in Berlin, will present a lecture at the University of Minnesota from 5:30-8:00 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Pretzel, one of the world's leading authorities on the Nazi persecution of the GLBT peoples of Europe, will present ways to remember the persecution by telling individual fates and love stories. Other topics include the Berlin Memorial and its dedication and recent desecration; the so-called "Stolpersteine" (memorial street stones) which face the former residences of persecuted homosexuals; the first religious service to remember murdered homosexuals; and Pretzel's recent research in Lobetal, a Lutheran enclave in Germany that was the only religious organization to hide and protect GLBT people from the Nazis during the Holocaust. A brief question and answer period will follow the presentation.

Presented by the University Libraries' Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies and the U of M GLBTA Programs Office, this event is free and open to the public. For additional information please contact Beng Chang at schochet@umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 8:51 AM | Permalink

What: Lauren Stringer, children’'s book author and illustrator
When: Saturday, Nov.15, 2008, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis, Rm. 120

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (11/06/2008) -- Children's book author and illustrator Lauren Stringer will be at the University of Minnesota, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 to share insights into her creative process with a special focus on her new picture book, Snow. The event will occur at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis. Copies of Snow will be available for sale and signing by the author.

Attendees will also be able to create their own snowflakes, enjoy refreshments and a special holiday treat from Maid of Scandinavia, receive free Snow posters, and be granted a tour of the Andersen Library caverns.

Presented by the Friends of the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota Libraries, this event is free and open to the public. Children are encouraged to attend the event. To attend, RSVP to 612-624-4576 or clrc@umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 11:05 AM | Permalink

What: Fifth annual NOMMO African American Authors Series
When: Wednesday, Nov. 5 (Sonia Sanchez); Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009 (John Edgar Wideman); Thursday, April 23, 2009 (Ntozake Shange). All events begin at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Cowles Auditorium, Hubert H. Humphrey Center, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (10/21/2008) -- The Givens Foundation for African American Literature and the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries are pleased to present the NOMMO African American Authors Series, a three-event series featuring three widely acclaimed contemporary African American writers: Sonia Sanchez, John Edgar Wideman and Ntozake Shange. Each event features a writer reading from his or her work and engaging in dialogue with host Alexs Pate, U of M professor and author of the novel Amistad. The events take place on Wednesday, Nov. 5, (Sanchez), Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009 (Wideman), and Thursday, April 23, 2009 (Shange), 7 p.m. at Cowles Auditorium in the Hubert H. Humphrey Center, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis.

The Givens Foundation has presented the NOMMO African American Authors Series annually since 2004. This is the second year the series has been co-presented by the Givens Foundation and the University of Minnesota Libraries. Tickets are $10 per event or $25 for the three-event series. Complimentary tickets are available to U of M students and Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries.

For more information on tickets call 612-624-2345 or visit http://www.tickets.umn.edu

"When I was asked by the Givens Foundation to list the writers I would love to talk with about writing and the state of African American literature, Sonia Sanchez, John Edgar Wideman and Ntozake Shange were at the top of the list," said Pate. "It is an honor to have the opportunity to engage these writers in a public discussion that will explore issues of excellence in the craft of writing and in the nature and significance of African American expression. Each of these writers has made monumental contributions to our culture and will bring vast experience, knowledge and wisdom as well as exuberance to our discussion."

Sanchez is the author of over 16 books, including the 1985 American Book Award winner "Homegirls and Handgrenades" and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist "Does Your House Have Lions?" She has received other prestigious honors including the Langston Hughes Poetry Award in 1999, the Poetry Society of America's 2001 Robert Frost Medal and was named a Ford Freedman Scholar from the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Sanchez was the first Presidential Fellow at Temple University, where she held the Laura Carnell Chair in English.

Wideman is the author of more than 18 books of fiction and nonfiction. He was the first writer to win the PEN/Faulkner Award twice, in 1984 for "Sent for You Yesterday" and in 1990 for "Philadelphia Fire." His memoir, "Brothers and Keepers" received a National Book Critics Circle nomination, and his memoir "Fatheralong" was a finalist for the National Book Award. In addition, he has won the Rea Award for the Short Story, the Lannan Foundation Fellowship for Fiction and the MacArthur grant. Wideman's articles on Malcolm X, Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, Michael Jordan, Eminem, Thelonious Monk and others have appeared in The New Yorker, Vogue, Esquire, Emerge, and the New York Times Magazine. Wideman is on the faculty of the African Studies department of Brown University.

Shange is author of the play "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf: a Choreopoem," which won an Obie and was nominated for Tony, Grammy and Emmy awards. Shange has also published four novels including Pen-Faulkner nominee "Indigo." Her poetry collections include: "A Daughter's Geography," "Nappy Edges," "Ridin the Moon in Texas," and "The Space Love Demands." Among her many awards are a Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Poetry, and a Pushcart Prize. She has taught at California State College, the City College of New York, the University of Houston, Rice University, Yale, Howard and New York University.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 4:47 PM | Permalink

What: Lecture and Book Signing with Leslie Klinger
When: 7:00 p.m., Monday, Oct. 27
Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave S., Minneapolis

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (10/15/2008) -- Leslie Klinger, one of the foremost authorities on the twin icons of the Victorian era--Sherlock Holmes and Dracula--will be at the University of Minnesota, 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 27 for a signing of his new work, The New Annotated Dracula. The event will occur at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Dracula has gripped readers since its first publication in 1897. While the book has been studied by scholars in virtually every academic discipline, none have accepted Bram Stoker's declaration that the work was based on historical fact. For the first time, Klinger examines all of the evidence, both internal and external, including contemporary travel books, scientific texts, Victorian encyclopedias, as well as Stoker's notes for the narrative and the original manuscript itself (privately owned by Paul Allen, Klinger is one of only two researchers to have seen it in recent years).

Klinger is the editor of the three-volume collection of the short stories and novels, The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes. He is the winner of the Edgar Award for Best Critical/Biographical Work and nominated for every other major award in the mystery genre.

A reception will follow with author signing; books available for sale courtesy of Once Upon a Crime Bookstore.

Presented by The Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections, this event is free and open to the public. Attendees in costume will be entered for a chance to win a free signed copy of The New Annotated Dracula.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 11:07 AM | Permalink

What: Dialogue and Book Signing with Acclaimed literary historian Samuel Hynes
When: 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 7
Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave S., Minneapolis

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (10/01/2008) -- University of Minnesota alumnus and acclaimed literary historian Samuel Hynes will join former Minneapolis Star Tribune book review editor Dave Wood to discuss his time at the University of Minnesota and what it means to be an expatriate of the Midwest. The conversation and book signing will take place 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 7, at the Elmer L. Andersen Library, 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis.

A World War II pilot and Princeton faculty member, Hynes is perhaps best known as a featured commentator in Ken Burns' 2007 PBS documentary The War. He is the author of several major works of literary criticism, including The Auden Generation, Edwardian Occasions and The Edwardian Turn of Mind. The Soldiers' Tale, Hynes' book about soldiers' narratives of the two world wars and Vietnam, won a Robert F. Kennedy Award.

Hynes has said that he and others of his generation had a special relationship with universities, but not just because of the GI Bill. "The war took people like me from the corner of University and 16th Avenues to unimaginable places like Okinawa, giving us a sense of the world and of opportunity that changed us. When we came home, the universities were there to feed our new curiosities about the wonders of the world," Hynes said.

A reception will follow with author signing; books will be available for sale courtesy of the University of Minnesota Bookstore.

Presented by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries, this event is free and open to the public.

Reservations are recommended by calling 612-624-9339 or stangret@umn.edu.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 10:10 AM | Permalink

What: Book talk and signing
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 8
Where: University of Minnesota Elmer J. Andersen Library, 222 21st Avenue S., Minneapolis
Who: David Hajdu, author of The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How It Changed America

Contacts: Marlo Welshons, University Libraries, welsh066@umn.edu, (612) 625-9148
Ryan Mathre, University News Service, mathre@umn.edu, (612) 625-0552

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (07/03/2008) -- The Friends of the University Minnesota Libraries and the Children's Literature Research Collections will host an appearance by David Hajdu, author of The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How It Changed America. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Anderson Library 222 21st Avenue S., Minneapolis.

The event with Hajdu is part of an evening celebration honoring John Borger and his gift of almost 40,000 comic books to the Children's Literature Research Collections at the University Libraries.

Dessert reception follows the book talk with books available for sale courtesy of Red Balloon Bookshop. Hajdu will be signing books during the reception.

Hajdu's The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How It Changed America comprises the last book in an informal trilogy about American popular culture at mid-century, and radically revises common notions of popular culture, the generation gap, and the divide between "high" and "low" art.

The book argues that comic books, not rock-and-roll, created the generation gap and discusses an era when teachers, politicians, priests, and parents were lining up across from comic-book publishers, writers, artists and children at bonfires and senate hearings decrying the evil that was the "ten-cent plague."

Along with being an author of three books, Hajdu is the music critic for The New Republic and a professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. His first two books were finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and both books won the ASCAP Deems-Taylor Award. His books have also been finalists for the LAMBDA Literary Award and the Firecracker Book Award.

Posted by Marlo Welshons at 9:28 AM | Permalink