Memorial Library Staff Join worldwide bloomsday celebration
On June 16, 1904, Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom took epic journeys through Dublin via the pen of James Joyce in Ulysses. June 16 marked the 100th anniversary of that great journey on what is now known as "Bloomsday" and involves celebrations by Joyce enthusiasts in various cities throughout the world. Some Bloomsday participants even dress like characters from the novel.
Memorial Library staffers joined in the celebration by gathering in the staff lounge to enjoy beautifully decorated cakes and to discuss the holiday itself. Jane Rosenshield of Special Collections helped organize the event and put together a display of some Joyce books for staffers to peruse. She also read from an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel which detailed area events for the holiday. Director of UW-Madison Libraries Ken Frazier spoke to the group about the holiday and his own experiences reading Ulysses and Yvonne Schofer shared her knowledge about Bloomsday.
The Libraries are not a stranger to the works of Joyce. The Parallel Press published A First-Draft Version of Finnegans Wake in 2002. The book includes copies of Joyce's manuscripts and various edits throughout the writing process. David Hayman, professor emeritus of comparative literature, edited and annotated the book.
A beautifully decorated cake from Lanes' Bakery put the bloom in Bloomsday for Memorial Library staff.
Various books by Joyce were available for browsing.
Ken Frazier cut the cake while Jill Rosenshield admired the beautiful frosting blooms.
Jean Looze of Administrative Services also celebrated a birthday June 16. She is pictured here holding up the Bloomsday cake for all to see.