Friends Forum: A Series for Curious Minds

Lacie McMillin and Lisa Von Drasek discuss the Sonali Dev “Raje Series” on this installment of Read This Book! The Rajes are an immigrant Indian family descended from royalty, who have built their lives in San Francisco. About Lisa Von Drasek and Lacie McMillin Lisa Von Drasek is the Curator of the Children’s Literature Research Collections at the University of Minnesota Libraries. Lacie McMillin is an Undergraduate Services Specialist at the University of Minnesota Libraries. About Read This Book! Read This Book! is produced by the University of Minnesota Libraries. It is available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. The post Dev’s ‘Raje Series’ reviewed on Read This Book! appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Poet Freya Manfred read from her latest book, “When I was Young and Old” during a June 15, 2023 event at the University of Minnesota’s Elmer L. Andersen Library. Manfred is a longtime Midwest­erner who has lived on both coasts. She attended Macalester College and Stan­ford University, and has received a Radcliffe Grant and a National Endowment for the Arts Grant. Her seventh collec­tion, “Swimming With A Hundred Year Old Snapping Turtle,” won the 2009 Midwest Booksellers Choice Award for Poetry, and her poems have appeared in more than a 100 reviews and maga­zines and more than 50 anthologies. Her memoir, “Frederick Man­fred: A Daughter Remembers,” was nominated for a Minnesota Book Award and an Iowa Historical Society Award. Her more recent memoir is “Raising Twins: A True Life Adventure.” The post When I Was Young and Old, a reading by Freya Manfred appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

“Thank you to Marcia Pankake. This is incredible, to dedicate space and time and resources to poetry in our culture.” —Sun Yung Shin The 14th Annual Pankake Poetry reading, named for librarian Marcia Pankake, took place on April 4, 2023. Poet and cultural worker Sun Yung Shin read from her latest book of poetry, “The Wet Hex,” a finalist for the 2023 Minnesota Book Award for poetry. She described it as a book “about what our ancestors are asking of us.” Our audience, both in person and online, listened with rapt attention as she read. “How did God make his hands small enough to form the faces of so many soldiers? / How did he concoct my family—from rope or broth? / A child can be renamed a thousand times, or denied the dignity altogether. / Die without one, live without one.” —Excerpt from An Orphan Considers the Hand of God, by Sun Yung Shin To hear more of her work, please enjoy the event video. Learn more about Sun Yung Shin from her website. Additional photos of the event are available to view and share. Photos by Luke Logan. Support the Friends Forum Thank you to the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries for sponsoring events in the Friends Forum: A Series for Curious Minds. These thought-provoking and intellectually engaging programs enrich both the campus and community. Not a member? Please consider supporting the Friends of the Libraries! The post Pankake Poetry with Sun Yung Shin appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

By Allison Campbell-Jensen While working for the U.S. Forest Service, Michael Dockry taught colleagues, one at a time, about the benefits of building relationships with indigenous people — that it makes sense to take advantage of the wisdom of those who have lived on these lands for generations. At the annual “A Feast of Words” event, held Jan. 26 at the Campus Club, Dockry — wearing a traditional ribbon shirt — said that he came to the University of Minnesota in 2019 so that he could share his experiences and his research more broadly, with hundreds of young people who will work in forestry. With a stronger foundation of building partnerships that last, these foresters and those in the natural resources departments of native nations with whom they work can benefit the generations to come. “A lot of my profession is planning — getting people together to talk about our issues,” said Dockry, an assistant professor of tribal resource management in the University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences. If we can better plan for the future, “we can walk forward in unison.” He added: “We can all admit we are in an unsustainable situation now.” A Feast of Words is an annual event sponsored by the Friends of the University Libraries and the Campus Club. Building connections Mike Dockry at “A Feast of Words.” Along with teaching and research, Dockry is working with the Kawe Gidaa-naanaagadawendaamin Manoomin (Manoomin is an Ojibwe word for wild rice) — a joint Tribal-University Research Collaboration examining the decline in wild rice. The partnership involves tribal nations, intertribal treaty organizations, and the University of Minnesota. Indigenous people are leading the way. For the different agencies of federal, state, county, and indigenous nations’ governments to work well together, however, he says they need to pay attention to principles for strategic partnerships. Acknowledge past and present harms; Collaborate as equals; Create formal agreements that outlast individuals; and, Foster personal relationships. Among the past and present harms to be acknowledged is the U of M’s focus on cultivating wild rice. Public historian Chris Rico, who trained at the University of Minnesota and was in the audience, spent years in the University Archives tracing the evidence of this seemingly well-intentioned research by U of M scientists. Presenting the scientists’ point of view, Dockry said: “It could be more efficient.” But to the nations who came to the Upper Midwest because of wild rice, the Anishinabe (Ojibwe) peoples, wild rice is not only food; wild rice is a spiritual relative, a sovereign being. Some tribes with this family relationship say to scientists: “You have no right to do that,” to breed a type of wild rice that provides larger harvests. That sort of research, Dockry added, is not being done to support wild rice. As a parallel, Dockry said: “Nobody would change Grandma so that she would cook soup for 15 hours a day.” The tribes are showing us how to lead: “If Grandma’s sick, let’s have a family discussion.” And one of the ways to build trust for that family discussion is to build connections. “We have to canoe the waters together; we have to walk the lands together,” Dockry said. Indigenous wisdom “[A]ll lands in the United States were tribal lands. For generations after generations, we’ve been managing them.” — Michael Dockry Wilderness is a myth dreamed up and inculcated by the colonial settlers. Land “untrammeled by Man” does not and did not exist in North America, Dockry says. Today, there are 574 federally recognized tribes who formerly (and currently) steward the lands, waters, and forests. The tribes who were photographed at the beginning of the 20th century by Smithsonian ethnographers to capture their ways “before they vanished”? They have not vanished. “We are still here,” Dockry says. Despite removals of most of the peoples from their original territories to reservations in remote areas, “all lands in the United States were tribal lands. For generations after generations, we’ve been managing them.” In what is now Wisconsin, the Menominee Tribe have always been living in what is now Northeast Wisconsin. Their lands have been managed according to the formula advanced by Chief Oshkosh in the 19th century and rights solidified by treaty with the U.S. government. More than 100 years later, in contemporary satellite images, the Menominee reservation stands out as a green, forested space in an otherwise patchworked landscape. Their successful forest management, which benefits the local economy as well as the ecology, is just one example of how indigenous people can help all of us address the challenges we face in the 21st century, from social changes to climate change. After land management by native peoples, original prairie plants returned. “Big Bluestem came back after these burns,” Dockry said. “The soil has memory.” As do the indigenous peoples of what is now North America. The post Let indigenous people lead appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Giving speech to the spirit of formerly enslaved person Eliza Winston, poet and dancer Mary Moore Easter offered a captivating presentation on Dec. 6. With her co-presenters — Joan Hepburn, a retired Professor of English, with a concentration of West African theater, from St. Olaf College, and Siddeeqah Shabazz, actor at Pillsbury House Theater and the Guthrie Theater, as well as Executive Director of Kulture Klub Collaborative — Easter quoted from Winston’s brief court testimony, along with her own poems, to recreate the life of a woman who escaped to freedom in Minnesota. Watch the event The book of poems by Easter, “Free Papers: Poems inspired by the testimony of Eliza Winston, a Mississippi slave freed in Minnesota in 1860,” were partly explained by Easter and partly enacted with Hepburn and Shabazz. The powerful poems jolted the attendees in the Andersen Library audience and those who joined online with a collective electricity. Mary Moore Easter is an award-winning poet and author, whose books and poetry and articles can be accessed at the U of M Libraries, online or in-person. She also is the founder and Director of Carleton College’s dance program. Become a Friend of the U of M Libraries, and don’t miss another memorable gathering. The post Keeping the Past appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

David Mura was the featured poet at the 13th Annual Pankake Poetry on April 7, 2022 at the University of Minnesota’s Elmer L. Andersen Library. reading featuring Mura has written four books of poetry, has won numerous awards for his writing, and has taught at several colleges and universities, including the University of Minnesota. Following the reading, poet Ed Bok Lee and Mura engaged in conversation. The post Pankake Poetry Reading featuring David Mura appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

“Humanities on the Front Lines: Public Partnerships and Transforming the University” was the title of the Jan. 27, 2022 presentation for A Feast of Words, an annual event presented by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries and the Campus Club. Professor Jigna Desai and Associate Professor Tracey Deutsch discussed the important work of Minnesota Transform, a higher education initiative funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation that addresses decolonial and racial justice in the University, Twin Cities, and state through public humanities projects. Both Desai and Deutsch emphasized the community-led nature of Minnesota Transform’s work and philosophy. Mike Hoyt, who leads Pillsbury House + Theatre’s creative community development work, spoke about the artistic projects that have been fostered in collaboration with Minnesota Transform. Librarian Kat Nelsen discussed how the University Libraries and Minnesota Transform have worked in partnership to support paid student internships. The post A Feast of Words: Minnesota Transform appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

By Allison Campbell-Jensen “You can’t be what you can’t see,” said Larry McKenzie, award-winning coach, speaker, and author, during the Nov. 18 Friends of the Libraries event Amplifying Black Narratives: The Creation of Black Narratives. Among the important resources for creating Black narratives are people who serve as “mirrors” that reflect possibilities yet may be scarce in the community. When Sheletta Brundidge published her first children’s book, “Cameron Goes to School,” her uncle Tim was especially moved by it. He revealed that 40 years ago, he had written a book for his daughter, but he put it away because he was told no one would buy it because its main character was Black. Had his work been received differently, “we could have had two or three authors in my family,” says Brundidge, who has also published “Daniel Finds His Voice” and hosts a podcasting platform. Black American Muslim poet, arts educator, and performance artist Sagirah Shahid is a writer-in-residence in a program for Minnesota State Colleges called Write Like Us to mentor students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. It’s a way to overcome invisibility. Each of these participants has overcome the destructive idea from the past, described by moderator Dara Beevas as “our stories as Black storytellers are not as important.” During the conversation, they shared ways for creators of Black narratives to battle doubt, celebrate excellence, and share stories throughout the year. Fighting doubts Beevas, as the co-founder of Wise Ink publishing, has found that many Black and brown people do not feel worthy of being published. The doubt can be instilled early. When she asked her middle school teacher in a journal how to become a writer, her question was dismissed; the reply was to only write about things that were important. To fight doubt in one’s abilities, Shahid said writers must find their community, whether in family, peer group, or even one other person who will support you. McKenzie, author of “Basketball: Much More Than a Game,” went further: “You have to learn to be your biggest cheerleader.” Advising creators of Black narratives to “shake it off,” Brundidge added that “we have to remember what we’ve overcome. … If you believe in yourself, there’s nothing that can stop you.” Beevas noted that McKenzie has said: “If our kids really knew our ancestors were kings and queens, it would lead to radical change.” There’s an absence of books that tell the story of Black ancestors in Africa, Beevas said, a gap that needs to be filled. Standing out Celebrating excellence means telling stories of Black people like baseball’s Jackie Robinson and basketball’s Bill Russell, McKenzie said, who were successful yet couldn’t stay in the same hotels as their teammates. They may not have started as excellent, but they achieved it. In his work, he strives to build young people into champions in every arena. While some might criticize her for bragging, Brundidge noted that she does not want to dumb down her achievements. The outstanding NASA scientist Katherine Johnson didn’t speak up and did not have her story told for 50 years, until “Hidden Figures” came out. Brundidge is not apologetic: “I come into a room with my own spotlight.” “We are the ancestors for the next generation,” Shahid said. Requiring Black people to be excellent in order to be appreciated for their value, humanity, and creativity, even to enjoy basic dignity, is a result of our inequitable society. Pushing back against these circumstances in a joking way, she said being our awkward ordinary selves should be celebrated, too. (Her upcoming children’s activity book is “Get Involved in a Book Club.”) Creators of Black narratives can convey the truth of being excellent in their own ways, she said. Being inspired “Ordinary people did extraordinary things over time,” Beevas said; that’s the Black story. From the spirituals that transcended despair to create joy to the creativity shown in dressing up for church, she said, “Black narratives are so powerful because we make everything dope.” Yet, they still can be caught up short, as when Brundidge and her daughter were doing a school exercise that called for filling in blanks in a story with emojis representing family members. But there were no Black emojis on the school computer they were using; they couldn’t cut and paste a Black grandfather emoji. Unable to complete the story, they decided to pass on doing that exercise. Everyone should notice when representation is overwhelmingly white. To be better supporters of Black writers, non-Black people need to move from being allies to being co-conspirators, inviting Black leaders to their homes and libraries to talk, for instance, McKenzie said. And, Beevas added, the Black leaders need to be paid to be part of the un-learning of those who are not Black. Shahid asked co-conspirators to consider what they would risk to place Black emojis on school computers or to gain representation of people of color in other places where they have been erased. Appropriate recognition is important. Brundidge said when asked to speak at a Black History Month event, she would expect to be paid and not do it just for the offer of “exposure.” She said: “Those days are done.” Moreover, Black writers and leaders should be recognized every month of the year — and beyond. Inviting, investing in, and celebrating creators of Black narratives every day of the year — that is what will make a difference in amplifying Black narratives and writers. The work of our panelists Works by participants in Amplifying Black Narratives: The Creation of Black Narratives Sheletta Brundidge has a podcasting platform and has published two books: “Cameron Goes to School” and “Daniel Finds His Voice.” Larry McKenzie can be found via his website; he has written two books: “Basketball: Much More Than a Game” and the upcoming “365 Days of Hope.” Sagirah Shahid has a website, a book of poetry, and an upcoming children’s activity book “Get Involved in a Book Club” Dara Beevas is a co-founder of Wise Ink publishing. The post Deserving recognition appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

The Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries hosted an online panel discussion on Oct. 28, 2021, which featured Mélina Mangal, Rekhet Si-Asar, Dionne Sims, and panel moderator Kate McCready. The panel discussed the challenges faced by black authors, librarians, independent publishers, and bookstore owners in getting books by black authors on the shelves and ultimately in the hands of readers. The post Amplifying Black Narratives: Black Publishers and Black Bookstores appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Jokeda (JoJo) Bell, Tia-Simone Gardner, and Catherine Squires joined moderator Cecily Marcus for a conversation about the preservation of Black art and culture in community-based archives and the University collections. Please watch this lively conversation with experts who share a passion for keeping historical archives not only accessible, but alive. The post Amplifying Black Narratives: Past, Present, and Future appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

The 12th annual Pankake Poetry reading features poet Deborah Keenan, the author of 10 collections of poetry. Her book, “Willow Room, Green Door: New and Selected Poems,” received the Minnesota Book Award for Poetry. Following the reading, there will be a discussion with Keenan led by James Lenfestey. The post Pankake Poetry featuring Deborah Keenan appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, the Mapping Prejudice project has attracted media attention from across the globe. What began here has exploded into the largest protest in American history. The whole world was watching as our community was ripped apart, partly as a consequence of decades of unjust and discriminatory housing practices. Learn how community researchers are mapping the hidden histories of race and privilege in your neighborhood — and how you can join them. The post Mapping Prejudice appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Please join the University of Minnesota Libraries for an international virtual book launch for “The Selected Letters of John Berryman,” edited by Philip Coleman (Trinity College Dublin) and Calista McRae (New Jersey Institute of Technology). The editors and invited guests — including Eve Cobain, Henri Cole, Ray Gonzalez, Patricia Hampl, and Richard J. Kelly — will read from Berryman’s letters and consider his legacy in a discussion moderated by poet and critic Peter Campion. Bringing together scholars and poets from both sides of the Atlantic, the launch will explore how the letters shed light on Berryman’s life and work. The post John Berryman’s Selected Letters appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Emeritus Professor Dr. John S. Wright discusses his intellectual forebearers and the African American renaissance men and women who inspire his work. Dr. Wright will be joined by Cecily Marcus, Curator of the University Libraries’ Givens Collection of African American Literature, the Performing Art Archives, and the Upper Midwest Literary Archives. The post A Feast of Words: John Wright — the Unapologetic Omnivore appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

At a time when immigration is at the forefront of national news, we hear the singular voice of Wang Ping, a poet, writer, photographer, multimedia artist, and activist reading from her new book “My Name Is Immigrant.” Drawing from her own experiences and those of the immigrants she has met along the way, her poignant renderings are both moving and inspiring. Following the reading, there was a discussion with Wang Ping led by Cecily Marcus, curator of the Upper Midwest Literary Archives. The post Pankake Poetry featuring Wang Ping appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

The Secret Life of Libraries was a smash hit to a crowded room of Libraries friends on Monday, December 9 at Coffman Memorial Union Theater. It truly was an evening of radio antics with A Prairie Home Companion veterans, Sue Scott, Tim Russell, and Richard Dworsky, who wrote the radio play based on the collections and the intrigue at the University of Minnesota Libraries. Want to keep up on fun and informative programs like this? Join the Friends of the Libraries! Learn more about the Friends of the Libraries The post ‘The Secret Life of Libraries’ now on YouTube appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Watch or listen to Truth, Tweets, and Tomorrows — featuring Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero in conversation with journalist Tom Weber. Ferriero, the 10th Archivist of the United States, is responsible for the vast holdings of the National Archives which contains both the treasures of democracy and the everyday correspondence of presidents and public servants — the momentous and the mundane and even the Presidential Libraries. Tom Weber has been an award-winning journalist for two decades, most recently for Minnesota Public Radio news. In his 10 years at MPR, he covered education and co-hosted the talk show “The Daily Circuit” before becoming host of his own show in 2014. That show, “MPR News with Tom Weber,” focused on important issues in the news in Minnesota. This event, held May 17, 2019 at the University of Minnesota, was sponsored by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. [powerpress_playlist category=”398″] The post Ferriero talks about archiving presidential records appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Writing a Life: The Poetry of Jim Moore Jim Moore Photo by JoAnn Verburg Teaching poetry while in prison, being present at an airport bomb explosion, and traveling internationally have shaped Jim Moore as a writer and pivotal figure on Minnesota’s poetry scene for more than four decades. Moore read from his works at the 2019 Pankake Poetry event on April 3 at the University of Minnesota. [powerpress_playlist category=”398″] The post Pankake Poetry reading with Jim Moore now online appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Sara Evans, Regents Professor Emerita at the University of Minnesota, led a panel of powerful women that considered the rise of the #MeToo movement in historical context: What is its breadth and depth? Will it result in lasting cultural change? The December 5, 2018 “Friends Forum” event was sponsored by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries and held at Coffman Memorial Union Theater. [powerpress_playlist category=”398″] About Sara Evans Sara Evans, Regents Professor Emerita, spent her career teaching women’s history at the University of Minnesota. Her research on the history of feminism as a social movement grew from her own involvement in civil rights, anti-war, and women’s rights activism. Her publications include Personal Politics: The Roots of Women’s Liberation in the Civil Rights Movement and the New Left, Born for Liberty: A History of Women in America, and Tidal Wave: How Women Changed America at Century’s End. About the Panel Carolyn Chalmers is former Director of the Office for Conflict Resolution at the University of Minnesota. Previously she was a partner at the Leonard Street and Deinard law firm where she litigated employment discrimination cases including sex discrimination claims at the U of M. Lindsey Middlecamp is a Special Assistant United States Attorney. She worked as a civil litigator in private practice, later as an Assistant City Attorney for Minneapolis, and serves on the board of Stop Street Harassment, national nonprofit. Simran Mishra is a fourth-year student at the University of Minnesota majoring in Finance with minors in Global Studies, Math, and Business Analytics. She is currently serving as President of the Minnesota Student Association, the undergraduate student government. Mariam Mohamed has more than 30 years professional experience working with nonprofits, foundations, and public and private organizations. She is co-owner of Hoyo, a company founded on the goal of employing and empowering Somali women. The post #MeToo event video now online appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Chef Sean Sherman presented at the 2018-2019 kickoff of the Friends Forum on October 16 at the Bell Museum. His topic: Reclaiming the Culture of Indigenous American Cuisine. Sherman, Oglala Lakota, and founder of the company, The Sioux Chef, shared insights about Native American farming, harvesting, and cooking techniques, land stewardship, and cultural history. The Friends Forum is sponsored by the University of Minnesota Friends of the Libraries. The October 16 event , which also served as the 2018 Kirschner Lecture — was co-sponsored by the Bell Museum. [powerpress_playlist category=”398″] The post Chef Sherman presentation now on YouTube appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Joseph Haj, the Guthrie’s eighth artistic director and his Associate Artistic Director, Jeffrey Meanza, discussed the value of the western canon, its continuing relevance, and its agency for social change May 2 at the University of Minnesota Friends of the Libraries’ annual celebration. Haj also talked about the history of the Guthrie and its longstanding importance to Minnesotans. “The original Guthrie was built with 8,000 discreet gifts gathered from all over the state,” Haj said at one point, noting one gift of $6.37 from a Sunday school in Mankato. “This theater was built by the citizens of Minnesota as a gift to themselves. And this is what we try to honor over a half-century later in guiding the Guthrie.” To watch and listen to the entire conversation — including Q&A at the end, click on the video above. About the Guthrie Archives The Libraries’ Performing Arts Archives holds the records for the Guthrie Theater. The theatre has regularly deposited records in the Performing Arts Archives since 1965. And every play performed on the Guthrie mainstage since its first season in 1963 is represented by prompt books, production notes, costume bibles, photographs, audio tapes containing background music or sound effects, and set designs. For some productions, there are also video tapes of portions of the productions themselves. [powerpress_playlist category=”398″] The post Joseph Haj: A Conversation appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Margaret Hasse read from her most recent publication, Between Us, as well as other works at the Pankake Poetry Reading on April 11, 2018 at the University of Minnesota’s Andersen Library. [powerpress_playlist category=”friends-forum”] The post Pankake Poetry Reading with Margaret Hasse appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Alan Page has had an extraordinary career trajectory. Discover his motivations and passions in this conversation with Gary Eichten, known and revered for his many years as an MPR host and news editor. The discussion took place May 9, 2017 at the University of Minnesota’s McNamara Alumni Center as part of the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries annual celebration. The post Alan Page, in conversation with Gary Eichten appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

J. Ryan Stradal and food writer Beth Dooley embarked on a delightful excursion through today’s food scene with stories of farmers, cheese makers, butchers, home cooks, chefs, sommeliers, and restaurateurs at the 3rd Kirschner Lecture December 1, 2016 at Cowles Auditorium at the University of Minnesota. The post 3rd Kirschner Lecture with Beth Dooley and J. Ryan Stradal appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Joseph Ellis presented ‘The Second Founding: Four Men Who Created a Country’ on September 28, 2016 at the University of Minnesota’s Ted Mann Concert Hall. Ellis, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author of The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783–1789, discussed one of the most crucial periods in American history — the years between the end of the Revolution and the formation of the federal government — and the men most responsible for the creation of the United States: George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. The event, attended by nearly 700 people, was sponsored by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries. The post Joseph Ellis – The Second Founding: Four Men Who Created a Country appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Kevin Kling takes a look at stories of stories, the role of stories in our lives, and memories as alibis or evidence. Why do we need stories? Are stories medicine? And, of course, there will be stories. All this and more at the University of Minnesota Friends of the Libraries annual celebration on May 4, 2016. The post Kevin Kling: Books Cast Their Spell on Me appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Pop Wagner, a mainstay of the Minnesota music community, performs at a special event, sponsored by the University of Minnesota Friends of the Libraries. As his fans know, Pop is also a storyteller, songwriter, poet, and fingerstyle guitarist extraordinaire. In addition to sharing a wonderful evening, we’ll celebrate our new and growing Minnesota folk music archives – already a treasured part of the Performing Arts Archives. Event Details What: Pop Wagner: Rolling on a Winter’s Night When: Wednesday, December 9, 7:00 p.m. Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library, Room 120 Free but reservations requested The post Pop Wagner: Rolling on a Winter’s Night appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Celebrated lion researcher and conservationist Craig Packer takes us into the complex, tooth-and-claw worlds of lion conservation and behavior in this September 30, 2015 event at Coffman Memorial Union at the University of Minnesota. Packer is Distinguished McKnight Professor of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior at the University of Minnesota and the Director of the Lion Research Center and co-founder of Savannahs Forever, Tanzania. The post Lions in the Balance: Man-Eaters, Manes, and Men with Guns appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Noted cookbook author and internationally acclaimed proponent of vegetarian cooking, Deborah Madison will be the featured guest at the Friends’ annual celebration. Formerly the manager of the farmers market in Santa Fe and co-founder of the Monte del Sol Edible Kitchen Garden, Madison has a long-abiding passion for local/regional foods and those who produce them. She has worked as a chef, teacher, consultant, and cookbook author. Her first restaurant job was at Chez Panisse, after which she opened Greens restaurant in San Francisco, one of the earliest farm-to-table restaurants. She is the author of 14 books, including Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from Americas Farmers’ Markets, The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, and Vegetable Literacy. The post Deborah Madison on Garden Paths, Recipes, and Building One’s Library appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Michael Dennis Browne, poet and University of Minnesota Emeritus Professor, read from his new book, “The Voices,” and Kathy Saltzman Romey led a musical performance by the University Singers at the annual Pankake Poetry Reading event on April 16. The post Pankake Poetry reading with Michael Dennis Browne appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Richard Moe presents Roosevelt’s Second Act: The Election of 1940 and the Politics of War on November 18, 2014 at the Paul and Joan Nagel Lecture in Cowles Auditorium at the University of Minnesota. About Richard Moe Richard Moe served as Chief of Staff for Vice President of the United States Walter Mondale, was a partner at the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, and served as President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation from 1993 to 2009. He is a native Minnesotan and a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School. Moe’s other books are, “Last Full Measure: The Life and Death of the First Minnesota Volunteers,” the story of the Minnesota regiment that played a crucial and tragic role in the battle at Gettysburg; and “Changing Places: Rebuilding Community in the Age of Sprawl.” The post Richard Moe presents Roosevelt’s Second Act appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Wendy Lehr, the celebrated Twin Cities actor, director, and teacher presented “My Life in the Theater: I Always Said Yes!” at the University of Minnesota Friends of the Libraries Annual Celebration on May 12, 2014 at the University of Minnesota Rarig Center. The post My Life in the Theater: I Always Said Yes! appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Will Shortz: An Evening with the Puzzle Master was presented September 12, 2013 by the Friends of the University of Minnesota Libraries at Ted Mann Concert Center. The post Will Shortz: An Evening with the Puzzle Master appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.

Ed Bok Lee was the featured speaker at the April 17, 2013 Pankake Poetry Reading at Elmer L. Andersen Library. The post Pankake Poetry Reading with Ed Bok Lee appeared first on UMN Libraries News & Events.