New Digitized Collection: King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968. Speech in Mankato, Minnesota, 12 November 1961. SMHC Manuscript Collection 259.

As one of the new collections recently added to the University Archives at Minnesota State University, Mankato, we've been especially excited to add the  King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968. Speech in Mankato, Minnesota, 12 November 1961. SMHC Manuscript Collection 259 to University Archives Digital Collections, ARCH just in time for the Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday which will be commemorated on January 15, 2018.

This collection, consists of an audio recording provided by KMSU and a transcript of the speech given by King at Mankato High School, "Facing the Challenge of a New Age" on November 12, 1961, as well as College Reporter articles about King's 1961 event.

The College Reporter, Tuesday,
November 7, 1961, Page 1

We often get asked the following question, "What famous people have visited Mankato or Minnesota State University, Mankato over the years?"  Honestly, we find out about new "famous people" who visited all the time and we expect that those discoveries will continue.  Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1961 visit to Mankato, Minnesota, was one of those extra special discoveries.  MSU Archives digitization efforts over the past decade has revealed, and will continue to reveal, more of our hidden history that we've been able to share with the world through ARCH, University Archives Digital Collections.

Want to visit the Minnesota State Mankato's University Archives! Contact us with any questions or to make an appointment for your visit.

Book Handling: Things Missing from Books

In a previous post, we spent time discussing things found in books. Now let's take a moment to consider the opposite issue.

Patrons return incomplete books often. Sometimes we receive books that have a single word cut out of a page, a paragraph may be missing or a page ripped out. Art and illustrations inside our books disappear and sometimes entire chapters are sliced right out. There have even been a few instances where the entire textblock went missing while the cover was still returned. Though we are happy that our books are being found useful, it makes it very difficult for the next person to enjoy a book that is missing some of its key components. Many times, the Preservation department can restore these items but sometimes the issue isn't caught until it is returned by an innocent and unsatisfied patron.

Image courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/vblibrary/

What You Can Do to Help:

• Contact the Copy Shop located in Memorial Library at Minnesota State University, Mankato for information regarding photocopying.
• Ask the Reference Desk librarians if there are any digital copies of the book that you could read and print out.
• If that doesn't work, contact the Reference Desk for help regarding use of our scanners on first floor to make a digital copy of your desire page(s). 
• Buy your own copy of the book. Check out ours first but if you need it for long term reasons, why not see if you can order it online or at a local bookstore?
• And, most importantly, tell the Circulation staff that parts of the book are missing so we can get it replaced for the next person. **Please do not try to repair books yourself!* And don't forget to tell your friends to do the above steps if you see them attempting to take pages out of books.

Of course, sometimes books just fall apart. It is often times uncontrollable as books age and they may go beyond wear and tear. Let us know so we can resolve the issue for you. The Circulation Office does a wonderful job working with those who have damaged books. Call today at (507) 389-5759.

Take care of your library books so the next person can enjoy them too!
Image courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/83633410@N07/ 

How do you take care of your books? Comment below!

Jamie Dalbey is a Preservation and Government Documents Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato. 

Hall of Champions: Spring 2018 Sesquicentennial Profiles

Minnesota State Mankato is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Starting in 2017 the 18-month Sesquicentennial celebration will culminate on Oct. 7, 2018—a date that marks the 150-year anniversary of the day that the first actual classes were held.  This is the second post in a series of three posts about the Brock Otto Hall of Champions Sesquicentennial Profiles.  The first installment about the Fall 2017 Sesquicentennial Profiles is here.

During the Sesquicentennial the Brock Otto Hall of Champions exhibit located in the Taylor Center will have a series of rotating posters profiling notable Minnesota State University, Mankato individuals.  Profiles currently on display include Clarence L. Crawford, Jane Earley, Herb Whitmore, Georgene Brock and Marie Bruce.

Image:  Clarence L. Crawford poster

Clarence L. Crawford served as President of the Mankato State Teachers College and Mankato State College from 1946-1965.  Crawford led the college in a time of significant change.  Student enrollment grew with the end of World War II and the GI Bill.  In 1946 there were 1,017 students and by 1965 the number of students had grown to around 11,392.  Academic programs expanded with the awarding of the first Bachelor of Arts degree in 1947 and the authorization of the Masters of Science degree in 1953.  In 1957 the Teachers College became Mankato State College. The physical campus expanded from the original campus to two campuses, one downtown (lower campus) and one on the hilltop (upper campus).  This expansion also meant new construction.  The college went from five buildings in 1946 to 17 buildings on lower and upper campus by 1965.  President Crawford resigned in 1965 to teach at Florida Atlantic University.  

Learn more about Minnesota State Mankato's  Presidential history at https://www.mnsu.edu/president/history.html. 

Image:  Jane F. Earley poster

Jane F. Earley, Dean Emerita of the College of Arts and Humanities, first joined Mankato State College as an English professor in 1969. Earley became assistant dean of the School of Arts and Science in 1974, associate dean in 1975, and dean of the new College of Arts and Humanities in 1977. During Earley’s time at Minnesota State University Mankato, she was the university’s first female dean.

Earley’s accomplishments include the successful donation drive that raised funds for Andreas     Theatre, built in 2000. In 2004 the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences honored her for her long years of service as a leader and mentor of college deans across the country. She retired in 2009 after 40 years at Minnesota State Mankato and is considered one of the nation’s longest-serving arts and humanities deans.

In 2011, the Performing Arts Center was dedicated and renamed the Earley Center for Performing Arts.  The center is home to the departments of Theatre & Dance and Music, the Ted Paul Theatre and  Andreas Theatre, as well as the Elias J. Halling Recital Hall.   

Learn more about the College of Arts and Humanities at http://www.mnsu.edu/carts/.  

Image:  Georgene Brock poster

Georgene Brock served as the Director of Women’s Athletics for 33 years from 1965-1998 leading the women's athletic program from intramural status to the formation of 12 intercollegiate teams.  Brock came to Mankato State College in 1964 as a faculty member running women’s intramurals and teaching physical education.  She coached women's bowling from 1964-1969, volleyball from 1967-1980 in which she led two teams to national competition, and women's tennis from 1970-1983.   

Retiring in 1998, Brock was inducted into the Maverick Hall of Fame in 1986, the North Central Conference Hall of Fame in 1996, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Hall of Fame in 2001, and from her home state, the Tempe (Arizona) Union High School Hall of Fame in 1989.  

Learn more about the Mavericks Hall of Fame at http://msumavericks.com/hof.aspx.

Image:  Herb Whitmore poster

In 1954, Herb Whitmore enrolled at Mankato State Teachers College and became the first African-American player on the basketball team.    He also played on the tennis team and graduated in 1960 with a physical education degree.  He would go on to get his masters’ degree from Michigan State and become a teacher.  In addition, he coached tennis, football, and track before retiring in 1992.  Today, he volunteers teaching special needs students.     

Learn more about Minnesota State Mankato's Mavericks at http://msumavericks.com/. 

Image:  Marie Bruce poster

Marie Bruce, identified as the “First Lady of Mankato State” by former Mankato State University, President, Margaret Preska, came to Mankato State Teachers College in 1956 as Dean of Women.  In charge of freshman orientation, her reputation for making new students, from freshmen to veterans as well as non-traditional, feel at home on campus was remarkable.  Miss Bruce organized social programs such as Snow Week, the Charity Carnival, the Mother-Daughter Tea as well as four sororities in the late 1950s and 1960s.  

Following her retirement in 1971, Miss Bruce continued an active career of voluntary service to Mankato State University.  The Student Activities Center in the Centennial Student Union was named in Marie Bruce’s honor in 1981.

Today, the Marie Bruce Outstanding Fraternity Man and Sorority Woman award is presented annually to the fraternity man and sorority woman who most embody the characteristics of what it means to be Greek at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Learn more about Student Activities at http://www.mnsu.edu/activities/.  

Book Handling: Things Found in Books

We have pretty much seen it all.

Things get left in books and we do the best we can to find them.

Things like...photos of pets, family and friends, love letters, paperclips, sticky notes, receipts, doodles, old homework assignments, toilet paper, coupons, membership cards, condoms, lottery tickets, duct tape, playing cards, sugar packets, newspaper clippings, candy and gum wrappers, money, scotch tape, price tags, handwritten notes, phone numbers, squished bugs, drivers licenses, candy, flowers, glue, art projects, jewelry, stickers, Q-tips, phone numbers, origami...

and SO MUCH MORE...

A small sample of things we have found in the books at Memorial Library.
Photo courtesy of J.Myers who worked with the Circulation department to collect things found in books for 1 full year. 

Though we can get a chuckle out of some of the things people leave behind in library books, it is important to remember that many things can damage books if left inside for too long. For instance, office tapes and glues chemically change and damage the paper inside books, paperclips rust and tear paper, acidic papers and sticky notes cause a nasty chemical reaction to occur. Three-dimensional objects and wet items can warp the pages while leftover food and squished bugs can cause their own problems. Eventually the book may begin to deteriorate. All this can bring a book to its untimely end!

An ironic comic strip found as a bookmark in a returned library book. Photo courtesy of J. Myers.

The truth is that bookmarks are not exactly things people have on hand most of the time. If a person picks up a book and reads then gets a little distracted, his or her natural inclination will be to put the smallest closest object inside the book to keep track of where he or she left off.

So, Here’s What You Can Do to Help!:
1. Use a bookmark – Ask the Library and we will gladly give you some!
2. Can't find a bookmark? No problem! Grab some plain white printing paper - most are acid-free!
3. Please avoid dog-earring, use of sticky notes and paperclips!
4. Please do not write or highlight in books.
5. Do not attempt to mend or repair a book, especially with office tapes and glues. This will damage the book even more. We have a Preservation department who will be happy to do it!
6. And, most importantly, take out your “bookmark” before returning a book to the library. This tiny action can make all the difference for others to enjoy this same book in the many years to come!

The smallest changes can make the biggest differences. 

Comment below if you have ever found something interesting inside a book!

Jamie Dalbey is a Preservation and Government Documents Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato. 

New Materials Added to Various Collections!

Additions to the College of Education collection, the University Photograph collection, and the Mankato, Minnesota Young Women's Christian Association collection were recently completed.


College of Education. Collection, 1886-Ongoing. MSU Archives Collection 23. http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/msu/msu23.html

The College of Education is a collection of different reports, as well as meeting minutes, bulletins, and miscellaneous reports generated by the College of Education. This collection also encompasses all the name changes the College of Education had through the years.

The bulk of the recent addition to this collection are the Licensure Records and Practice Teaching Reports from 1967 through 1997.


University Photograph Collection. Photographs, 1868-Ongoing. MSU Archives Collection 309. http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/msu/msu309.html

The University Photograph Collection consists of photographs taken on behalf of Minnesota State University, Mankato and its predecessor institutions. These photographs are pictures of students, faculty, buildings, sculptures on campus and the occasional regional location.

A detailed inventory was recently completed for this ever-growing collection. The collection was also divided into three series: Digitized, Semi-digitized, and Undigitized.

Explore ARCH: University Archives Digital Collections, https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/, to see photographs, college newspapers and university publications!


Mankato, Minnesota Young Women's Christian Association. Papers, 1922 - 1976. SMHC Manuscript Collection 1284. http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1284.html

This collection consists of items pertaining to the Mankato, Minnesota Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA). Included in the collection are scrapbooks, financial records, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other miscellaneous items relating to the YWCA and its various programs.

The bulk of the recent addition to this collection include photographs and Cray Mansion materials as well as a sub-series covering the YWCA and its involvement with Mankato Area Healthy Youth (MAHY) and Youth Voice.


Visit the Minnesota State Mankato’s University Archives!
Are you interested in viewing any of these collections? Contact us with any questions or to set an appointment for your visit: http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/info/contact.html.

New Collections: November 2017

We’re highlighting a few of the newly processed collections!

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, 1961-Ongoing. MSU Archives Collection 29. http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/msu/msu29.html

The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences collection consists of meeting minutes, correspondence, publications, and program review documents from the college and its constituent departments. The collection is divided into two series: College Files and Subject Files.


School Progress. Collection, 1919-1971. MSU Archives Collection 128.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/msu/msu128.html

The School Progress Collection is a series of pamphlets sent to current and prospective Mankato State College students from 1919-1971. These informational pamphlets describe the school, sports, classes offered, teachers, and campus life. There are numerous formats of pamphlets in the collection and they all cover different topics.


King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968. Speech in Mankato, Minnesota, 12 November 1961. SMHC Manuscript Collection 259.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc259.html

Martin Luther King, Jr. visited Mankato, Minnesota on Sunday,12 November 1961 as part of the Third Annual Lectureship for the Wesley Foundation, a Mankato State College religious student organization. He gave two speeches at Century Methodist Church, “The Good Neighbor,” and a speech at Mankato High School, “Facing the Challenge of a New Age.” The Martin Luther King, Jr. speech in Mankato collection consists of an audio recording and transcript of the speech given by King at Mankato High School. Also included are newspaper clippings related to his Mankato visit and research into his visit.


Visit the Minnesota State Mankato’s University Archives! Are you interested in viewing the two collections mentioned above? Contact us with any questions or to set an appointment for your visit.

New Oral History Collections: October 2017

We’re highlighting several of our newly processed oral history collections!

Schwartzkopf, Louis A., 1946-. Oral History Interview and Collection, 2017. SMHC Manuscript Collection 260.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc260.html

The Louis A. Schwartzkopf collection consists of an oral history interview conducted between Schwartzkopf and Daardi Sizemore in June 2017. In this interview, Schwartzkopf talks about his career at Minnesota State University Mankato as a Physics faculty member from 1982 through 2010, technology at the university, and historical events. Also included in this collection is a biographical form and photograph of Schwartzkopf.


Wortman, Allen L., 1935-. Oral History Interview and Collection, 2017. SMHC Manuscript Collection 261.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc261.html

The Allen L. Wortman collection consists of an oral history interview conducted between Wortman and Anne Stenzel in June 2017. In this interview, Wortman talks about his career, friends, and experiences at Mankato State University as a Music Department faculty member from 1966 through 1995. Also included in this collection is a biographical form, a photograph of Wortman, and a listing of his theatre performances.


Bernhagen, William R., 1940-. Oral History Interview, 2007. SMHC Manuscript Collection 262.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc262.html

The William R. Bernhagen collection consists of an oral history interview conducted between Bernhagen and Marsha Danielson in April 2007. In this interview, Bernhagen talks about his family, his education, and his career at Minnesota State University Mankato in University Advancement and as a faculty member in the Urban and Regional Studies Institute.


Tiede, Clayton H., 1925-. Oral History Interview, 2007. SMHC Manuscript Collection 263.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc263.html

The Clayton H. Tiede collection consists of an oral history interview conducted between Tiede and Marsha Danielson in April 2007. In this interview, Tiede talks about his family, his education, and his career at Mankato State University as a Music Department faculty member, assistant band director and marching band director from 1960 through 1990.


Berge, Diane A., 1952-. Oral History Interview and Collection, 1993-2017. SMHC Manuscript Collection 264.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc264.html

The Diane A. Berge collection consists of an oral history interview conducted between Berge and Anne Stenzel in June 2017. In this interview, Berge talks about her career, friends, and experiences as a student and Admissions Office staff member at Minnesota State University Mankato. Also included in this collection is a resume, photographs of Berge, and a newspaper clipping.


Preska, Margaret R., 1938-. Oral History Interview, 2012. SMHC Manuscript Collection 265.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc265.html

The Preska collection consists of an audio CD and a biographical form for an oral history interview conducted between Preska and Ashley Portra in 2012. In this interview, Preska talks about her career at Mankato State College as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Equal Opportunity Officer from 1975 to 1979 and President from 1979 to 1992. Specifically, Preska shares memories about Marie Bruce and her own involvement in the Greek community.


Visit the Minnesota State Mankato’s University Archives! Are you interested in viewing the two collections mentioned above? Contact us with any questions or to set an appointment for your visit.

Book Handling: Spine Damage Prevention

The Preservation department at Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Memorial Library actively receives and seeks out damaged books within the collections every day. Many damaged books that we work with have causes due to typical wear and tear but there are also numerous items in the collections whose damages are entirely preventable…which is why we need your help! This series will cover things our patrons and staff can do to help prolong the life of books so they can keep doing what they do best, be accessed and read by all!

Let us begin with one of our primary culprits of preventable issues: Spine Damage. 

Books with torn, cracked or broken spines come in more often than any other problem. You may be wondering why this is:

Imagine finding the perfect book for your current project, research paper or leisurely reading. Or imagine being a staff member who is assisting a patron with book retrieval. Think about how you pull a book off a shelf. Did you mentally just pull the book by the top of the spine? If yes, you are not alone. Most people do this. Unfortunately, the deceptive little tab on the top of a book’s spine is not very strong. In fact, it will break off completely if pulled on too many times (or even just once!).

The good news is that you can change this destructive habit and still access books easily.

Here’s what you can do:

The general rule of thumb is “Push, Don’t Pull.” What does that mean?

Grasp your book by the center instead of the top of the spine.
Photo courtesy of pixabay.com

In order to save the spine from damage, you can start by pushing in the books on both sides of the desired book. Once you have done so, you can easily grasp the desired book around the center so you are holding onto either side of the book covers rather than the spine. Then you can pull the book off the shelf without causing any damage. Success!

This is one small, simple change will save many books without decreasing their value or cost us money repairing such an avoidable defect so we can keep mending the items that need it most instead!

Do you know another way to prevent spine damage? Comment below!

Jamie Dalbey is a Preservation and Government Documents Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Learn more about Preservation here.

New 2017 Addition to Homecoming Stories

The 2017 Homecoming oral history videos are online and available for viewing! You can view the videos here: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3Ahomecoming.




A screenshot of Homecoming 2017 interviews in ARCH.

The University Archives collects oral histories to preserve the history of Homecoming at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Former and current Minnesota State University, Mankato students, faculty and staff are interviewed at Homecoming events with an iPad on a monopod. Most oral history videos are 1-3 minutes long.

This collection exists in two different locations:

1. The University Archives holds the physical materials created and collected during the course of the project. View the collection guide here: http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1808.html.
2. ARCH, University Archives Digital Collections holds the oral history videos. View the collection here: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3Ahomecoming.

Visit the Minnesota State Mankato’s University Archives! Are you interested in viewing this collection? Contact us with any questions or to set an appointment for your visit: http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/info/contact.html.




Mee Xiong is an Archives Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Hall of Champions: New Maverick Women’s Softball 2017 NCAA Division II National Champions Memorabilia Added

The Brock Otto Hall of Champions, an exhibit located in the Taylor Center reflects the heritage of Minnesota State University, Mankato as well as the big dreams, big opportunities, and big impact that the University has today. The Hall of Champions highlights heritage, academics, athletics, student life, and alumni.

Coley Ries’ Maverick Women’s Softball uniform

Recent additions to the Hall of Champions includes a softball base, ball and glove, a 2017 signed team poster, and pitcher Coley Ries’ uniform.  Ries went 5-0 and threw all 35 innings in five consecutive days at the NCAA Division II tournament, leading her team to the program’s first National Championship title.  Ries was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, the 2017 NFCA Player of the Year, D2CCA Pitcher of the Year, received NFCA and D2CCA All-American First Team accolades, named D2CCA Central Region Scholar Athlete of the Year, and received CoSIDA Academic All-American team honors while fashioning a 3.70 GPA in Mass Media.  

Still have questions?  Never hesitate to contact the University Archives at 507-389-1029 or archives@mnsu.edu.  

New Cornerstone Addition of The Children’s House: A Review of a Decade of Prekindergarten Education in a Laboratory Setting on a University Campus.

Recently added to Cornerstone is a digitized copy of Darlene Janovy’s 1982 thesis titled The Children’s House: A Review of a Decade of Prekindergarten Education in a Laboratory Setting on a University Campus.  This thesis traced the development of The Children's House from its establishment in 1972 to the close of the 1981-82 school year and used historical data to document the development and progress of the program through a combination of sources including records found in the University Archives. 

Children playing on playground, teachers supervising, 

Mankato State College, circa 1970s. 
Image courtesy of University Archives, 

Minnesota State University, Mankato. 

Today, the Children’s House at Minnesota State University, Mankato provides early learning opportunities and all-day care for infants through preschoolers and is nationally accredited by the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). 

A young boy and girl playing at the Children's House,
Mankato State University, 1977. 
Image courtesy of University Archives,
Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Interested in learning more about the Children’s House at Minnesota State University, Mankato?  Contact the University Archives at 507-389-1029 or archives@mnsu.edu.   

Collection Highlight: Homecoming Stories!

A screenshot of Homecoming week interviews in ARCH.

Have you seen University Archives and Library staff walking around with our iPad-on-a-stick?

During Homecoming week the University Archives collects oral histories to preserve the history of Homecoming at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Former and current Minnesota State Mankato students, faculty and staff are interviewed at different Homecoming events with an iPad on a monopod. Most oral history videos are 1-3 minutes long.

This collection exists in two different locations:

1. The University Archives holds the physical materials created and collected during the course of the project. View the collection guide here: http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1808.html.
2. ARCH, University Archives Digital Collections holds the oral history videos. View the collection here: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3Ahomecoming.

 

A few notable 2015 videos include:

• Student Events Team member Natalie Garten and Associate Director for Student Activities Greg Wilkins interviewed during the 2015 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A48975
• MSU Dance Team interviewed during the 2015 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A51895
• Alum Dorothy Kiner during the 2015 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A48993

 

A few notable 2016 videos include:

• Student Freeman Colemand and Chase Hilding during the 2016 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A61731
• Alum Ashley Gooler during the 2016 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A62055
• Student Carthan Fears during the 2016 Homecoming week: https://arch.lib.mnsu.edu/islandora/object/MSUrepository%3A61754’

Stay tuned for the 2017 videos!

Visit the Minnesota State Mankato’s University Archives!
Are you interested in viewing this collection? Contact us with any questions or to set an appointment for your visit: http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/info/contact.html


Mee Xiong is an Archives Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Hall of Champions: School of Nursing Cap and Pin

The Brock Otto Hall of Champions is an exhibit located in the Taylor Center that reflects the heritage of Minnesota State University, Mankato as well as the big dreams, big opportunities, and big impact that the University has today. The Hall of Champions highlights: heritage, academics, athletics, student life, and alumni.

A photograph of the School of Nursing Cap and Pin in the Hall of Champions exhibit case.

School of Nursing Cap and Pin bestowed upon graduation. The first capping ceremony was held in 1954 and continued to the 1980s. Caps themselves were worn as part of the student nurse uniform until the 1980s, when most nurses stopped wearing their caps due to cleanliness problems and workday inconveniences. The pinning ceremony first occurred in 1956 and continues to this day. With the caps no longer being an identifying symbol, the pin serves as the lasting and sustainable symbol of all graduates of Minnesota State University, Mankato, School of Nursing.

Information about Nurse's caps and pins obtained from the book Celebrating the first fifty years : an interpretive essay: https://mplus.mnpals.net/vufind/Record/002879357/Holdings.

Learn more about the Hall of Champions at http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/hoc/about.html.

As always, never hesitate to contact the University Archives with any questions you may have.

Hall of Champions: Two Greek Paddles representing Minnesota State Mankato's Greek community

The Brock Otto Hall of Champions is an exhibit located in the Taylor Center that reflects the heritage of Minnesota State University, Mankato as well as the big dreams, big opportunities, and big impact that the University has today. The Hall of Champions highlights: heritage, academics, athletics, student life, and alumni.

A photograph of two Greek Paddles in the Hall of Champions.

Two Greek Paddles representing the Greek community of Minnesota State University, Mankato. These two symbolic paddles are from the Alpha Beta Mu Ma fraternity, founded in 1957 at Mankato State College, and the Kappa Theta Chapter of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority chartered in 1966 at Mankato State College. Information about Minnesota State University, Mankato's Greek community obtained from Our Chapters: Celebrating 50 Years of Leadership, Scholarship, Service and Friendship.

Learn more about Greek Life at http://www.mnsu.edu/activities/greek/.

Learn more about the Hall of Champions at http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/hoc/about.html.

As always, never hesitate to contact the University Archives with any questions you may have.

Hall of Champions: 1979-80 NCAA Division II National Championship Men's Hockey Trophy

The Brock Otto Hall of Champions is an exhibit located in the Taylor Center that reflects the heritage of Minnesota State University, Mankato as well as the big dreams, big opportunities, and big impact that the University has today. The Hall of Champions highlights: heritage, academics, athletics, student life, and alumni.

A photograph of the 1979-80 NCAA Division II National Championship Men's Hockey Trophy in the Hall of Champions.

1979-80 NCAA Division II National Championship Men's Hockey Trophy - Team coached by Don Brose. Minnesota State Mankato has had hockey since the 1969-70 season, when Don Brose started the program. The first teams played outdoors and used old football jerseys for uniforms. But within 10 years, Brose and the Mavericks were celebrating an NCAA Division II national championship. Additional information about the history of the men's Hockey Team is available in the August 2012 issue of Today Magazine.

Women's Hockey jersey #17 worn by Minnesota State Mankato, varsity hockey player Jenna Hewitt (Anoka, Minn.), who scored 2-4--6 in 114 games played.

Learn more about the Hall of Champions at http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/hoc/about.html.

As always, never hesitate to contact the University Archives with any questions you may have.

Hall of Champions: Women's Basketball 2008-2009 NCAA Division II National Championship Trophy and team photo

The Brock Otto Hall of Champions is an exhibit located in the Taylor Center that reflects the heritage of Minnesota State University, Mankato as well as the big dreams, big opportunities, and big impact that the University has today. The Hall of Champions highlights: heritage, academics, athletics, student life, and alumni.

A photograph of Women's Basketball 2008-2009 NCAA Division II National Championship Trophy and team photo in the Hall of Champions. 

Women's Basketball 2008-2009 NCAA Division II National Championship Trophy and team photo. The net from one of the baskets from the championship game (103-94 win over Franklin Pierce University, March 27, 2009 in San Antonio, Tex.)

Facts about this team:

• First Minnesota State Mankato women's basketball National Championship in school history
• First appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight
• 2008-09 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Champions - 2nd conference title in school history, first since the 1985-86 season
• Finished with a 32-2 record - 32 wins are the most in a season at Minnesota State Mankato
• Started the season 17-0 passing the previous mark of 16-0 set by the 1985-86 team
• Scored 2,763 points for an average of 81.3 points per game - both Minnesota State Mankato records
• Recorded 16 home wins - most in Minnesota State Mankato history
• Team shot 47.2% from the field - new Minnesota State Mankato record
• Ranked #1 in the USA Today/ESPN Division II National Poll for first time in Minnesota State Mankato history

Learn more about the Hall of Champions at http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/hoc/about.html.

As always, never hesitate to contact the University Archives with any questions you may have.

Hall of Champions: Women's Track shoes worn by Lauren Stelten

The Brock Otto Hall of Champions is an exhibit located in the Taylor Center that reflects the heritage of Minnesota State University, Mankato as well as the big dreams, big opportunities, and big impact that the University has today. The Hall of Champions highlights: heritage, academics, athletics, student life, and alumni.

A photograph of Women's Track shoes worn by Lauren Stelten in the Hall of Champions exhibit case.

Women's Track shoes worn by Lauren Stelten (Cologne, Minn.), who won the 2011 NCAA Division II Indoor championship, becoming Minnesota State Mankato's third female pole vault national champion. She finished her indoor career as a four-time indoor All-American having earned first (2011), second (2008 and 2010) and sixth (2009) at the national meet. She won the NSIC Indoor Championship in the pole vault in 2011 and 2010 and finished second in 2009.

Stelten had just as much success outdoors as she is a four-time Outdoor All-American in the pole vault, finishing first in 2011, second in 2010, fourth in 2009 and 2008. She won the 2010 and 2011 NSIC Outdoor TF pole vault title after finishing second in 2009.

Stelten was selected as Minnesota State Mankato's Senior Female Athlete of the Year for 2010-11.

Learn more about the Hall of Champions at http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/hoc/about.html.

As always, never hesitate to contact the University Archives with any questions you may have.

Hall of Champions: Fall 2017 Sesquicentennial Profiles

Minnesota State Mankato is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Starting in 2017 the 18-month Sesquicentennial celebration will culminate on Oct. 7, 2018—a date that marks the 150-year anniversary of the day that the first actual classes were held.   This is the first post in a series of three posts about the Brock Otto Hall of Champions Sesquicentennial Profiles. The second installment about the Spring 2018 Sesquicentennial Profiles is here.

During the Sesquicentennial the Brock Otto Hall of Champions exhibit located in the Taylor Center will have a series of rotating posters profiling notable Minnesota State Mankato people. The first batch of profiles currently on display include Jim Chalgren, Margaret McCue, Mark Schuck, Principal Julia Sears, and Anna and Emma Wiecking.

Image: Jim Chalgren poster

Jim Chalgren, a then graduate student in the Counseling and Student Personnel program, founded the Alternative Lifestyles Office in 1977, the second center of its kind on at a U.S. college or university. His tireless efforts to challenge prejudice, educate students and fight for change built the foundation for the vibrant presence the LGBT Center has ultimately established on campus and in the community.

Dedicated in Jim Chalgren’s honor in 2008, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Center at Minnesota State University, Mankato provides support, advocacy, referral and a sense of community to LGBTQQA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and allied individuals) students.

Until his death in 2000, Jim lived a heroic life as an activist, garnering state and national attention and continuing to push for gay rights despite battling AIDS. In Jim's memory, the Jim Chalgren Award is presented annually to honor one staff or faculty person who has acted as a visible and courageous supporter of the LGBT community and the LGBT Center.

Learn more about the LGBT Center at https://www.mnsu.edu/lgbtc/.

Image: Margaret McCue poster

Margaret McCue, a four-year starter at middle blocker for the Mavericks (1985-1988), finished her career owning school records for games played (444), kills (1,425), kill percentage (.295) and total blocks (553). An Iowa City, Iowa native, she led the school in kills for four consecutive seasons. McCue was named to the Minnesota State Mankato's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.

Learn more about the Mavericks Hall of Fame at http://msumavericks.com/hof.aspx.



Image: Mark Schuck poster

During Mark Schuck’s 34-year stint as the men’s cross country coach, the Mavericks won ten North Central Conference titles. Schuck was named league Cross Country Coach of the Year nine times and North Central Regional Men's Coach of the Year twice. He led the Mavericks to a NCAA Division II men’s cross country title in 1988. Schuck also served as head coach of the men’s track and field program for 15 years. A native of Nicollet, Minnesota, his awards include three national coach of the year honors: 2006 USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Men's Indoor Track Coach of the Year and 1988 and 1993 NCAA DII Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year. As a student-athlete at Mankato State College (class of 1969), Schuck participated in cross country, track and field and basketball. He began his coaching career at Mankato Wilson High School, where he also served as the athletic director for eight years.

Learn more about Minnesota State Mankato's Mavericks at: http://msumavericks.com/.

Image: Julia Sears poster

Julia A. Sears served as Principal of the Mankato State Normal School from 1872-1873. She came to Mankato in 1871 to teach at the Normal School and was subsequently hired as principal the following year. She served in that role for one year before the State Normal School Board replaced her with Principal David Clarke John. No clear reasons were given for her termination and students and community members were outraged.

Known as the Sears Rebellion, 40 State Normal School students stated they would petition for her return and if denied would withdraw from school. They were instead suspended and later, most were expelled. Meanwhile, community members signed a petition to the State Normal School Board asking to restore Ms. Sears to the position of principal. None of these efforts were successful in restoring Ms. Sears to her position in Mankato. In 1875 she was hired to teach mathematics at the Peabody Normal School (Nashville, TN) where she stayed until her retirement in 1907.

Learn more about Minnesota State Mankato's Presidential history at: https://www.mnsu.edu/president/history.html.

Image: Anna and Emma Wiecking poster

Anna and Emma Wiecking were sisters born and raised in Mankato. Both graduated from Mankato State Normal School and were present at the institution as it developed from Normal School to Teachers College to State College.

Anna Wiecking became assistant principal of the college’s elementary school in 1932 and principal in 1933. She also taught elementary education college students until her retirement in 1956.

Emma Wiecking came to the college in 1922 as assistant librarian and was head librarian from 1924 until her retirement in 1959.

In 1980, in a ceremony celebrating the completion of the campus’ consolidation, Wilson Campus School was re-named Wiecking Center to honor Anna and Emma Wiecking’s 76 years of service in education. The building houses several classrooms and various department offices and is home to the Children’s House, a nonprofit child care center.

Learn more about the College of Education at: http://ed.mnsu.edu/.
Learn more about the Children's House at: http://ed.mnsu.edu/tch/.

New Oral History Collections: September 2017

We’re highlighting several of our newly processed older oral history collections!

Moore, Roy B., 1908-1993. Oral History Interview, 7, 8, and 12 March 1980. SMHC Manuscript Collection 1666.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1666.html
The Roy B. Moore collection consists of three audiocassettes and CD duplicates of the audiocassettes of an oral history interview conducted between Moore and Thomas Dahlen on 7, 8, and 12 March 1980. This interview covers Moore’s recollections of the roles and responsibilities of the teacher during the 1930s and 1940s and the effects of the Depression and World War II on the teacher and the community.


Wigley, Earle J., 1903-1992. Oral History Interview, 2 July 1979. SMHC Manuscript Collection 1670.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1670.html
The Earle J. Wigley collection consists of an audiocassette tape and a CD duplicate of the audiocassette of an oral history interview conducted between Wigley and Joseph J. Loring on 2 July 1979. This interview covers Wigley’s recollections of the roles and responsibilities of the teacher during the 1920s and 1930s.



Visit the Minnesota State Mankato’s University Archives!
Are you interested in viewing the two collections mentioned above? Contact us with any questions or to set an appointment for your visit.


Mee Xiong is an Archives Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

New Collections: July 2017

We’re highlighting a few of the newly processed collections!

KMSU Radio. Collection, 1983-Ongoing. MSU Archives Collection 40.
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/msu/msu40.html
The KMSU Radio Collection is primarily made up of program guides, the  Monitor, and newsletters, Airwaves, which were distributed to subscribers. The Monitor and Airwaves issues contain radio schedules, show descriptions, coming attractions, and often stories at the end or beginning about people or events on the radio. The collection also includes ads and other documents.

Golden Key International Honour Society, Mankato Chapter. Collection, 1998 - 2010. SMHC Manuscript Collection 258
http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc258.html
The Golden Key International Honour Society, Mankato Chapter collection includes membership materials, minutes from the Mankato Chapter and national organization, and financial information from the Mankato Chapter. Photographs taken from Mankato Chapter members of volunteer activities and conferences along with two banners, one t-shirt, and one scrapbook are also included. The Golden Key International Honour Society, Mankato chapter began in 1999 and ended in 2011.

Visit the Minnesota State Mankato’s University Archives!
Are you interested in viewing the two collections mentioned above? Contact us with any questions or to set an appointment for your visit.


Mee Xiong is an Archives Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

New Oral History Collections: June 2017

We’re highlighting several of our newly processed older oral history collections!

Aspelund, Mark M., 1953-. Oral History Interview, 3 and 25 February 1982. SMHC Manuscript Collection 1571. http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1571.html
The Mark M. Aspelund collection consists of one audiocassette tape, a CD duplicate of the audiocassette, a transcript, and a biographical form and interview outline of an oral history interview conducted between Aspelund and Dennis H. Holland on 3 and 25 February 1982. At the time of the interview, Aspelund was studying electronic technology at Mankato Area Vocational-Technical Institute. The interview details Aspelund’s thoughts and opinions on the issues and problems facing education. Issues discussed include: state and federal funding, staff retention, administration quality, minority programs, and facility use.


Carter, Max. Oral History Interview, 27 February and 9 March 1981. SMHC Manuscript Collection 1647. http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1647.html
The Max Carter collection consists of two audiocassette tapes, a CD duplicate of the audiocassettes, a transcript, and a biographical form of an oral history interview and a follow up interview conducted between Carter and Ronald A. Cyphers on 27 February and 9 March 1981. At the time of the interview, Carter was Child Care Supervisor at the Minnesota Braille and Sightsaving School in Faribault, Minnesota. The interview details Carter’s background and his thoughts on the issues and problems facing the Braille and Sightsaving School. Topics include: teacher licensing, the referral system, the importance of the socialization of handicapped children, and effectively communicating with parents and the community what services the Braille and Sightsaving School provides.


Brown, Arline, 1924-. Oral History Interview, 1 November 1980. SMHC Manuscript Collection 1651. http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1651.html
The Arline Brown collection consists of one audiocassette tape, a CD duplicate of the audiocassette, a transcript, and a biographical form and interview outline of an oral history interview conducted between Brown and Phyllis M. Wisen on 1 November 1980. Brown was a faculty member at Mankato State University and taught Economics from 1957 to 1977. This interview deals with Brown’s perceptions of Mankato State University during the years she taught there including, but not limited to, issues concerning female faculty members and the growth of the Economics Department.


Macias, Rometo (Rummy), 1922-. Oral History Interview, 9 February 1979. SMHC Manuscript Collection 1678. http://lib.mnsu.edu/archives/fa/smhc/smhc1678.html
The Macias collection consists of 2 audiocassette tapes and duplicates of the audiocassettes of an oral history interview conducted between Macias and Mark Fleming on February 9, 1979. In this interview, Macias recollects the roles and responsibilities of the teacher during the era 1945 to 1957, Mankato Teachers College during the 1950s, and the Mankato area after World War II.



Visit the Minnesota State Mankato’s University Archives!
Are you interested in viewing the two collections mentioned above? Contact us with any questions or to set an appointment for your visit.


Mee Xiong is an Archives Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

How to Keep Paperback Books in Good Condition

Who doesn't love paperback books?

They are cheap, easy to pack and lightweight. Unlike hardcover books, paperbacks have thick paper covers and the textblocks are glued together instead of stitched or stapled. Paperbacks were designed to be affordable, not to last. Often times, you will find that the paper used in these softbound books are highly acidic. Not to mention all of the other issues that are less customary for our hardcover companions...

Here are some tips and tricks to keep your (or your library's) paperback books in the best shape possible:

Ways to Keep Paperbacks in Good Shape (Structurally):
1) Get it Hardcover Bound - This is a great first resort if you don't mind changing the structure of the book but if your paperback book is fragile or you want to keep it as is, move on to a better option for you.
2) Pamphlet Bind - If the paperback book is one signature vs multiple signatures, the single section can be sewn into a hard, easily removable binder. There are several other types of binding that may be better suited for your book such as spiral binding, velobinding, etc.
3) Book Box - Buy or custom make an "archival" quality acid-free, lignin-free box that you can keep your book in. This may make the book stand on the shelf without worries of dust, light damage, or other environmental factors affecting it. You can decorate the box if you want, too. Bonus!
4) Wrapper - Buy or custom make an "archival" quality acid-free, lignin-free four flap enclosure (wrapper) for your book for the same reasons as a book box without all the bulk.
5) Buy a New One - Many paperback books are relatively inexpensive. This is a good option if the content is more valuable than the specific copy you are working with. If it's still in print and you have an acidic or damaged book on your hands, you may want to get a new one instead.

Other Care Techniques that Seem Obvious but Aren't Always:
1) Hygiene - Wash your hands before handling a book. Even lotions can cause harm.
2) Drink Coffee First - If you snack or drink next to a book, don't be surprised if your book gets a little taste of what you're having! Food and water can cause staining, warped pages, and mold growth.
3) Use a Bookmark - As pages get older and slowly begin to deteriorate, folds in those pages tend to tear off easily. Even a piece of printing paper is better!
4) Close the Book when not using it - This sounds easy but how many of us actually do that? I sometimes find myself setting a book upside down on the page I'm reading if I can't find a bookmark which is not good for the text block.
5) Storage - Store in cool, dry place upright on a shelf, closely packed with other books that are similar in size. Not too tight, not too loose.
6) Chemicals - Writing in books with pens/highlighters increase the acidity of books. Repairs using office materials have lasting negative effects (office glue, tape, post it notes, etc.).If your goal is to preserve the life of your book, write in pencil and use "archival" quality materials.
7) Keep out of the Sun- Sun damage will change the color of your pages to yellow, brown, etc. and your pages will fade.

Take a moment to consider how it will be used in the years to come and it will help determine the best way to preserve it.

Hopefully these tips help!

Now let's hear from you. What do you do to preserve your paperback books? Comment below!

Damaged Book Display

Preservation is one of those things that most Library patrons don't think about. They also don't think about some of the things they can do to prevent the typical damages we see from day to day. The goal of this display was to bring awareness to Library users that things happen to books and we have special staff who are here to make Library books usable once again!

Thanks to Valentine's Day and Archives' wonderful plexiglass display case that I borrowed, this small display is a good reminder to those who come into the Library that "Library Books Need Love Too!"

Featured in this display are books with damages such as: water damage, office glue damage, tears from dog earring, loose pages, torn spines and more!

Bookmarks are made available as part of this display to eliminate some of the use of paperclips, post-it notes, rubberbands and other odd things that patrons leave in books (I will write a post about this in the near-future). The bookmarks were made available for free from the Library of Congress here.

I also inserted a little bit of my love for Harry Potter for a more personal touch and posted this on the Library's Instagram page. It received ample "likes" for Valentine's Day: 



I think the key is to have a little fun with it!

How do you bring awareness about damaged books and preservation to your library?!

Jamie Dalbey is a Preservation and Government Documents Technician at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Learn more about Preservation here.