Dean Max Seel to speak at Annual Meeting of Friends
The Friends will be holding its Annual Meeting on Thursday, October 18 at 5pm in the new Friends Lounge in the Library. The Friends Lounge is located in the northeast corner of the first floor of the Library, near the photocopy machines and the unbound journals. The speaker for the Annual Meeting will be Dr. Max Seel, Dean of the College of Sciences and Arts at Michigan Technological University. Dr. Seel will speak about the new Library/Fisher addition project, which was recently supported by the State. Dubbed CILIT, the Center for Integrated Learning and Information Technology, the CILIT will result in an additional 60,000 gross sq. ft. of space for the Library. The current Library is 80,000 sq. ft., so this will be a considerable addition.
The Annual Meeting is also a time for board elections. Dr. Peck Cho is on the ballot as a candidate for re-election to the board. Others interested in running for a position on the board may nominate themselves at the meeting. Homemade refreshments will be served, and nonmembers are welcome.
Lounge Project Completed
For many students and faculty the Library is our on-campus home. The books are there, the web is there, . . .. if only you could get a cappuccino! Well, with the help of the Friends and Library staff your wish has come true. The new Friends Lounge has opened on the first floor of the Library, sporting attractive and comfortable couches and chairs. Individual lighting makes this corner of the Library inviting for casual reading or serious studying.
The Lounge has been a hit with students, particularly in the evenings, when the couches and comfy chairs are fully occupied. With floor to ceiling windows, this is easily the most attractive place on campus to take a break.
The walls of the Friends Lounge host a changing collection of individual art curated by the Community Arts Center, Hancock. Recent displays have included works by faculty artists Jennifer Daryl-Slack and Ann Wysocki.
Book Cart a Success
The Honor-System Book Cart of the Friends of the Library has been a rousing success. For the last year the Friends have sold used books in the lobby of the Van Pelt Library from a book cart that operates on the honor system - take your book, leave the cash in the box. In 2000-2001 the book cart netted nearly $800 ($797.60 to be exact) for the Friends to be used to support the Library.
The Friends book cart was the brainchild of board member Terry Reynolds, who is also responsible for the sweat equity invested in this project. The board is in negotiations with an on-campus group to help in the restocking work of this successful project.