Lawrence University Archives

05/20/2026

On this day 50 years ago, the Seeley G. Mudd Library was formally dedicated. Though the Mudd Library had been open since September 25, 1975, the dedication in 1976 not only marked the Mudd's grand opening, but also the completion of the old Samuel-Appleton library remodel, which the Mudd Library was built around.

Pictured is one of the dedication speeches given on May 20, 1976. This speech was by Dennis Ribbens, who was the University Librarian. In his address, he dedicates the Seeley G. Mudd Library to Anna Minerva Tarr, who was a librarian at Lawrence starting in 1926. He says "...I prefer to dedicate this building to the spirit of the person who, in my judgement, reflects best what this building is all about in the first place... I would like to dedicate the Seeley G. Mudd Library to Anna Minerva Tarr and her commitment to placing the library at the vital core of all teaching and learning at Lawrence and her commitment to a librarianship oriented to people and their needs."

Fifty years later, the Seeley G. Mudd is still embodying Dennis Ribbens's dedication and the spirit of Anna Minerva Tarr.

Images are from the Library Buildings Collection (LU-RG08-013).

05/15/2026

As part of celebrating the Seeley G Mudd Library at Lawrence University 50th, the Archives put together an exhibit about the history of the Mudd and it's predecessors! Come check it out while you're celebrating with us! 🎉📚

Huge shout out to Alex, the Student Archives Assistant, who helped put this exhibit together.

05/11/2026

We had a full house today in the Archives! Lawrence University students came to do primary source research for their classes and their student organizations. It was so much fun to see them all engaging with the materials!

05/08/2026

Hark! Verily, in the month of May of the year nine hundred and seventy and three (1973), was held a most esteemed Renaissance Faire at the hallowed green of Lawrence University, with great merriment and joy amongst the sundry attendees.

The idea was brought forward by a theatre-drama major, who began organizing the faire in the Fall of 1972 for a senior comprehensive examination requirement. The event received financial support from Lawrence University’s Committee on Experimental Grants and the Special Events Committee, as well as many local organizations such as the Appleton Chamber of Commerce and the Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

The day included a wide variety of events, such as jousting, fencing, archery, puppet theatre, dunking stands, a maze, and even a human chess match! Music and performances were provided not only by Conservatory students (who just happened to be studying Renaissance music that year!), but local high school students, area Girl Scouts, and even performers from the University of Michigan. The opening processional, which had 170 people in renaissance garb, was reviewed by the president of Lawrence, Thomas Smith, as well the mayor of Appleton, James P. Sutherland. The day was covered by Lawrence University’s radio station, WLFM.

Images are from the Lawrence University Subject Files.

04/30/2026

It's gonna be MAY!

At Lawrence, May Day was celebrated from 1906 to 1966, with one revival in 2007. The May Pole dance footage is from the 1929 celebration, with the old Carnegie Library in the background.

04/28/2026

The Seeley G. Mudd is celebrating it's 50th anniversary since being formally dedicated on May 20, 1976! Come celebrate with us!

Here's a sneak peek of the week of festivities coming up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mudd Library! Note, Wednesday's open house will be open to the public! Read all the week's details at: https://blogs.lawrence.edu/library/2026/04/50-years-of-the-mudd.html

04/21/2026

It's National Library Week and National Library Worker's Day! To honor this celebration, the Archives wanted to share this fun ditty, written for the librarians at the Chapman Memorial Library at Milwaukee-Downer College sometime in the 1950s or 1960s.

"The Library Song" was written by Jo Smith, who was secretary to the Milwaukee-Downer College Dean starting in 1950. The song was composed in order to bolster and sooth the librarians, who were a bit frustrated by all the non-library activities that were interfering with their library work at the time. According to the donor of this song, the librarians "did seem to feel better about their lot after a few of us (who could sing) gathered and sang this song with appropriate feeling."

Maybe the Lawrence University - Conservatory of Music could give this tune a try? 👀

"The Library Song" is from the Marjory Irvin Papers (MDC-MS-066).

04/16/2026

For National Poetry Month, we're highlighting the poetic works Douglas Knight, President of Lawrence University from 1954-1963. In addition to being the President, and prior to that an assistant professor at Yale, he was also a published poet. In his papers at the Archives, we have several of his poems. Some of these poems reflect his academic interest in Alexander Pope, the 18th-century poet and translator of Homer.

Poems are from the Douglas Knight Presidential Papers (LU-RG03-008).