News from @umnlib

In celebration of Nature Photography Day on June 15, the Libraries encourages students and staff to get outdoors and capture what they see on campus. Library staff have put together a list of photography tips, an exhibit on wildlife photography at the Natural Resources Library, along with managing beautiful collections of wildlife books and nature photography.

University of Minnesota Librarians Megan Kocher and Amy Riegelman faced circumstances turned upside down by COVID in fall 2020, when they were notified they received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to provide in-person training to librarians around the country.  So, instead, they developed a virtual training program that ended up reaching many more participants, earning them acclaim as 2022 Minnesota Academic Innovators.

University of Minnesota design student wins national award with help from the Libraries. The prize? A paid internship at the Kate Spade fashion house in New York City this summer. “Our students have the cutting edge skills that they need” because of the Libraries’ virtual reality studio, says Professor Juanjuan Wu.

Want to get out of town? Your summertime trip might be going to visit Minnehaha Falls or driving to the Black Hills. Or perhaps you’d rather head into parts unknown? You can do that with a book — or several — this summer. Sign up for the Libraries Epic Summer Reading Quest.

The James Ford Bell Library at the University of Minnesota Libraries has acquired a rare, 17th century map of the Java Sea, thanks to generous funding from the James Ford Bell Trust.

As the academic year drew to a close, student entrepreneurs presented their work to an enthusiastic crowd at The Toaster Innovation Hub in Walter Library. The vibrant atmosphere of collaboration and innovation comes through in our photos from the event.

Beginning in January 2023, there will be new data management and sharing requirements when submitting grant funding applications to NIH. Start learning now about what you need to do to be in compliance.

Inquiring minds wanted to know more about author Zakiya Dalila Harris and her writing process at the recent Archie Givens Jr. NOMMO African American Speakers event, made possible by a grant from the Minneapolis Foundation. The more than 175 people in the audience, who had heard her read selections from her best-selling book, “The Other Black Girl,” wanted to know: How long did the book take to write? Did she feel exposed to the world, as much of the book is based upon her personal experiences in the New York publishing arena? What books would she recommend?

An overcast sky did not put a damper on an afternoon of music and dancing. On Friday, April 29, the Libraries hosted a vibrant celebration of the art exhibit, ”Living Masquerades: Blue Lady and the Art of Revelry.” Music by several local groups — Pan Dimensions, Free Range Orchestra and Choir, Heart and Soul Drum Academy, and Batucada Do Norte — was a delight for our attendees, young and not-so-young alike.

“It’s kind of delightful to see someone make something different” with materials from the John R. Borchert Map Library, says Ryan Mattke. Artist Gudrun Lock’s unusual point of view, gathering of visual materials both...

“Anatomy Illustrated: Scientific Images and the Body” showcases some of the most important examples of the Wangensteen Historical Library’s vast collection of historical anatomical illustrations. Central to the exhibit are three of the collection’s flap anatomies, reproduced and made larger so that viewers can interact with them. View this exhibit now through September 2022.

The inaugural Student Advisory Board wrapped up its first year with a "picnic" on April 20, which was moved inside Walter Library due to inclement weather. They had plenty to celebrate and much to reflect upon.

While we await the true spring, let’s take a trip into the commemorations that happen during April. Did you know that this is not only National Poetry Month, April also is Jazz Appreciation Month, and Arab-American Heritage Month (just designated by President Biden in 2022). That’s a lot to unpack — but we have more than a week left in April to appreciate, listen, learn, and read (aloud, preferably).

One of the first things Marlene Zuk does upon moving to a new town is to drop into her local library for a new library card. “Libraries are the linchpin of civilization,” says Zuk, Regents Professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior.

Jody Gray, Evangela Q. Oates, Ph.D., and L. Angie Ohler soon will be joining the University of Minnesota Libraries leadership team as Associate University Librarians (AULs). Lisa German, University Librarian and Dean of Libraries at the University of Minnesota, made the announcement, saying:  “I’m excited to have this leadership team together as we move forward to Power Curiosity, Discovery, and Connection at the University of Minnesota.”

Undergraduate researchers displayed their techniques, knowledge, and connections to the Libraries’ website and expertise on April 13 in the Great Hall.