News from @umnlib

University Historian Ann Pflaum — the former Associate Dean of what is now known as the College of Continuing and Professional Studies and author of “The University of Minnesota, 1945-2000” — is now serving on the Board of the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries.

About 10 years ago, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Minnetonka decided to build a new church. By choosing to stay close to their original site, however, the church had to purchase a property with a racial covenant on it. “[I]t was disturbing to us,” says church member Kate Flom, “but we didn’t know what to do about it.” Then Flom heard about the U of M Mapping Prejudice project.

Facts are fun — and they’re just a start. Deepening people’s understanding so they can be better citizens is a goal of the Libraries Civic Engagement Committee, which produces the A Matter of Facts blog and the Civic Engagement & Voting guide.

Arts & Design Librarian Deborah Ultan has been focusing on Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Art and Art History as a liaison advising faculty and students. Now, three areas of study on the St. Paul campus — design, housing design, and apparel — will be added to Ultan’s portfolio.

In seeking rare materials, size matters less than the folding of a book’s pages and arrangement of leaves within the book’s structure. Two scholars of the early modern period came to use our special collections at the Libraries in February 2020. They noted that it was difficult to find information about the bibliographic format of hand-press materials — and that it would be helpful for scholars to have. So, they talked with our catalogers about it, and one of them, kalan Knudson Davis, came up with a solution.

After the insurrection at the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — with hundreds of Trump supporters swarming and entering the Capitol building in opposition to Trump’s presidential election loss — lawmakers are poised to remove Trump from office. The three primary ways we are seeing this unfold is through impeachment, the 14th Amendment, or the 25th Amendment.

Christopher (Chris) Reutershan, a Washington, D.C.-based real estate developer, recently donated The Christopher Reutershan Collection of Computing and AI Literature to the Charles Babbage Institute Archives. “This is a very exciting and significant collection,” says Archivist Amanda Wick.

“It is a miracle how much work so few people could and can accomplish while working behind the scenes," says Anatoly Liberman, about the Libraries Interlibrary Loan team. "I was able to meet all the deadlines only thanks to their dedication and openness to every request, however vague and even obscure." That’s the benefit of a staff and a Libraries without borders.

Gideon Gartner died Dec. 12 at his home in Manhattan. He and his wife Sarah have been generous supporters of the Charles Babbage Institute’s research and archives. The Gartner Group Records that he donated to CBI Archives have already been used by many researchers, reports CBI Director Jeffrey Yost. 

Peg Guilfoyle has a new book out: “Singing All the Verses: Essays from a Mid-American.” Guilfoyle, a member of the Friends of the Libraries board, along with actor Sally Wingert, will hold a free online book launch Jan. 13 at 7 p.m.

Alexa Oswald came to the Health Sciences Library through serendipity — she saw a summer job listed and had enough hours to take it — and has been working there ever since. After she graduates in chemistry, she plans to enter a master’s degree program in nursing and, ultimately, become a nurse-midwife.

A pesky virus cannot stop History Day competitions. They will be happening this year, and the University Libraries will again have a part to play. In recent years, about 3,000 middle- and high-school students typically came to Wilson Library for research field trips. But this year, we're bringing the Libraries to them.

Coping with COVID was the challenge of the year. COVID closed our buildings during spring semester. Dealing with it by working from home forced us to find new ways to do things. And our new circumstances fostered an appreciation for an application with a zany name — Zoom. (For some, it’s more a love-hate relationship.) From student workers to the Dean of Libraries, everyone felt the impact of changes as they tried to stay healthy and to adapt. Here are some of their stories.

Two outstanding local public TV productions used Libraries’ resources in their runs for a Midwest Emmy. One was successful; each is worth a look.

Whether you are looking for a last-minute gift or seeking a wintertime getaway for yourself, you may want to consider these books, recommended by the Libraries Lisa Von Drasek, Amy Riegelman, and Lacie McMillin.

“Being a library staff member teaches students the skills necessary to succeed in their future careers," says Cullen Zimmer, a student who has worked at the Libraries since his freshman year. Zimemr is graduating this December with a double major in mathematics and statistics. Adding to his aptitude for figures and formulas, Zimmer’s work at Wilson Library helped him develop soft skills, he says.