Year in Pictures 2019 December 13, 2019September 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of Wilson Library — home to collections about the arts, humanities, and social sciences — located on the west bank of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends gathered to celebrate the big day. Ann Waltner presented the 55th James Ford Bell Lecture, Watching Weddings in 1735: Two Representations of Chinese Wedding Processions. Waltner is a Professor in the Department of History at the University of Minnesota, where she specializes in Chinese history. She was the founding director of the University’s Institute for Advanced Study.Typewriters were on hand at the Wilson Library 50th anniversary event, which gave today’s students the chance to experience a part of academic life from 1968.At the Friends of the Libraries Annual Celebration, David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States, was interviewed by journalist Tom Weber. Listen to their conversation, Truth, Tweets, and Tomorrows, along with the other 2018–2019 Friends Forum events, on our YouTube channel at z.umn.edu/fol-forum.The ABC of It exhibit included a life-sized replica of the great green room, created by exhibit designer Darren Terpstra (pictured at right), to provide another photo opportunity for guests.Curator Lisa Von Drasek and author Leonard S. Marcus discussed the importance of children’s literature at the exhibit opening celebration for The ABC of It: Why Children’s Books Matter. The lecture was followed by a book signing with Marcus.As part of the Members Appreciation event program, board members of the Friends of the Libraries awarded the 2019 Outstanding Library Student Employee Awards. Pictured below: Kim Tran, Hau Xiong Low, and FOL board member Jake Beard.As part of the Members Appreciation event program, board members of the Friends of the Libraries awarded the 2019 Outstanding Library Student Employee Awards. Pictured below: Benjamin Wiggins, Claire Yang, and FOL board member Amelious Whyte.At the 2018 Twin Cities Book Festival, Lisa Von Drasek shared her love of children’s literature with kids of all ages. Von Drasek is Curator of the Children’s Literature Research Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries.Following the Kirschner Lecture, Chef Sean Sherman signed copies of his cookbook, The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, co-authored with Beth Dooley, published by the University of Minnesota Press, and winner of the 2018 James Beard Foundation Book Award for Best American Cookbook. A copy of the cookbook has been added to the Doris S. Kirchner Cookbook Collection, located at Magrath Library on the St. Paul campus.In September, guests gathered at Elmer L. Andersen Library to hear Julie Schumacher — author of the nationally best-selling Dear Committee Members — read from her sequel The Shakespeare Requirement: A Novel. Schumacher is Professor of Creative Writing and English at the University of Minnesota.The Friends of the Libraries gathered at the Weisman Art Museum on a Sunday afternoon in February to enjoy delicious food and an entertaining talk by editorial cartoonist Steve Sack. Sack, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 2013, shared cartoons from his career at the Star Tribune during his talk, “I read the paper, I crack a joke, and I draw a picture.” Guests enjoyed appetizers and ambience at the Weisman Art Museum.The Friends of the Libraries gathered at the Weisman Art Museum on a Sunday afternoon in February to enjoy delicious food and an entertaining talk by editorial cartoonist Steve Sack. Sack, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 2013, shared cartoons from his career at the Star Tribune during his talk, “I read the paper, I crack a joke, and I draw a picture.” Guests took photos with the poky little puppy at the exhibit opening celebration for The ABC of It: Why Children’s Books Matter. Teaching poetry while in prison, being present at an airport bomb explosion, and traveling internationally have shaped Jim Moore as a writer and pivotal figure on Minnesota’s poetry scene for more than four decades. Moore read from his work for the Pankake Poetry Series in April.A Feast of Words is an annual celebration of food and learning. This year, we heard from David Odde, Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Odde presented Beating Cancer at Its Own Game, a lecture discussing a promising cancer-fighting model based on his research.The second event in the Friends Forum series took place in December 2018. The panel discussion — #MeToo: Monumental or Momentary? — led by Sara Evans, UMN Regents Professor Emerita and Friends of the Libraries board member, generated thought-provoking conversation both before and after the event. Panelists Mariam Mohamed, Simran Mishra (pictured), Carolyn Chalmers, and Lindsey Middlecamp joined Sara Evans in this important discussion.The second event in the Friends Forum series took place in December 2018. The panel discussion — #MeToo: Monumental or Momentary? — led by Sara Evans, UMN Regents Professor Emerita and Friends of the Libraries board member, generated thought-provoking conversation both before and after the event. Panelists Mariam Mohamed, Simran Mishra, Carolyn Chalmers, and Lindsey Middlecamp joined Sara Evans in this important discussion. Pictured, from left: Sara Evans, Mariam Mohamed, and Carolyn Chalmers.Curator Lisa Von Drasek and author Leonard S. Marcus discussed the importance of children’s literature at the exhibit opening celebration for The ABC of It: Why Children’s Books Matter. The lecture was followed by a book signing with Marcus.At the exhibit reception for Such a Big Dream: Edward S. Curtis at 150, guests heard a talk by Curtis expert Christopher Cardozo that examined Curtis’ life and the impact he had on photography. The exhibit featured photographs and text from Cardozo’s republication of Curtis’ work The North American Indian, published between 1907 and 1930.Chef Sean Sherman presented at the 2018–2019 kickoff of the Friends Forum on October 16 at the Bell Museum. His topic was Reclaiming the Culture of Indigenous American Cuisine. Sherman, Oglala Lakota, and founder of the company, The Sioux Chef, shared insights about Native American farming, harvesting, cooking techniques, land stewardship, and cultural history.Chef Sean Sherman presented at the 2018–2019 kickoff of the Friends Forum on October 16 at the Bell Museum. His topic was Reclaiming the Culture of Indigenous American Cuisine. Sherman, Oglala Lakota, and founder of the company, The Sioux Chef, shared insights about Native American farming, harvesting, cooking techniques, land stewardship, and cultural history.CORRECTED CAPTION: Norma Gaffron, Curator Lisa Von Drasek, and author Claudia Mills at the 2019 Kerlan Award Ceremony. Mills was one of two 2019 recipients of the Kerlan Award, along with picture-book creator Lois Ehlert. The award is given annually by the Children’s Literature Research Collections (CLRC) at the University of Minnesota Libraries.Wendy Lougee, David S. Ferriero, Margaret Telfer, and Tom Weber at the Friends Annual Celebration.At the Friends of the Libraries Annual Celebration, David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States, was interviewed by journalist Tom Weber. Listen to their conversation, Truth, Tweets, and Tomorrows, along with the other 2018–2019 Friends Forum events, on our YouTube channel at z.umn.edu/fol-forum.
