Memorial Library celebrates 50 years with exhibit, lecture
Memorial Library will celebrate its 50th anniversary Sept. 17 in
grand fashion, with an exhibit documenting its rich history, tours of
the building, a speech by Libraries Director Kenneth Frazier
and even free cake. The construction for what has become Wisconsin's largest
library began in 1950 and was not completed until 1954, although the building
opened for patrons Sept. 17, 1953, during New Student Programs and Registration
Week. At the time, the library could hold 1.5 million volumes, although
it actually contained less than half of that. Two expansions later, the
library now holds more than 3.5 million volumes. Here is a look at some
of the events honoring Memorial's golden anniversary.
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Wisconsin's Largest Library
Memorial Library Lobby
Sept. 8-Nov. 1
- University Archivist David Null created an exhibit
in Memorial Library's lobby parading the library's history, including
the two expansions in 1974 and 1990. Photographs,
documents
and memorabilia from the 1950s reveal Memorial's past. The exhibit presents
reports commissioned by Gilbert Doane, the university librarian, and
Edward P. Alexander, the superintendent of the State Historical Society
in 1943 that examine the need for a larger library, building's partial
collapse in 1951, and the library's first book, the Coverdale Bible.
Other photographs show the building during and immediately after construction,
floor plans and students enjoying the smoking lounge in the basement
of the building. While the exhibit primarily showcases Memorial Library's
history, Null displays other bits of UW-Madison history as well, including
an idealistic map of campus, photographs from junior proms in the 1950s
and a list of events in television, music and books from the time. In
1953, for example, the Academy Award for best film went to From
Here to Eternity while Audrey Hepburn took home an award for her
role in Roman Holiday.
Memorial Library celebrates with variety of activities
- Frazier will present a speech, "Remembering Our Past & Envisioning
Our Future: Memorial Library at Fifty" Sept. 17 at 4:30 p.m. in
the Phillips Auditorium, L160 Elvehjem Museum of Art. Frazier will discuss
Memorial's birth and growth into a 20th century research library, documenting
the library's past and present and propelling it into the future.
- Memorial Library will open its doors to the general public from 8
a.m.-5 p.m. without checking for identification, allowing all of the
Madison community to celebrate the library's anniversary.
- Library staff members will offer four tours of Memorial Library throughout
the day, including a visit to Central Technical Services. Tours are
at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and are open to the general public.
- What would a celebration be without cake? Beginning at 11 a.m., Memorial
Library will serve an anniversary cake that can feed 500 in the west
corridor on the first floor.
- The library has created a commemorative
bookmark documenting the history with a photo and facts about the building.
Check it out online: Memorial library honors the anniversary with a virtual exhibit
- Coming Soon: Tony Krier, reference librarian and Memorial Library Web coordinator, is creating an exhibit online similar to the exhibit in the lobby. This exhibit is accessible through Memorial's' Web site. Simply look for a banner that celebrates Memorial's 50th anniversary and click to enjoy a virtual tour of the library's past.
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