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Reunion 2022: Mann Library Open House

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In November 1952 a new library opened its Art Deco doors on Cornell’s upper campus, and the Ag Quad has never been the same since. We warmly invite Cornell alumni and their families to drop by Mann Library’s Open House to help us celebrate our 70th anniversary and all the ways this library has grown, thrived, and yet stayed true to its classic roots through the big changes of the digital age. Sun-dappled study corners, flexible hi-tech collaborative spaces, rich collections, rare book treasures, engaging exhibits featuring soil bioart and a look at soil as living treasure–you’ll find it all here, along with an early birthday cake and other treats, served for this special occasion at our circulation desk! Family-friendly—all are welcome.

 

Activities include:

The Good Old (& New) Books

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As classes wrapped up for the spring 2022 semester and students hit the books, class notes, and computers in the library for their home stretch through final exams, Mann’s spring 2022 stressbuster raffle challenged them to name three books or book series they loved reading as children. Over three hundred responses later, we have a sweet view of both the common threads and special experiences that made up the literary landscape of childhood for the 2021/2022 crop of Cornell students who’ve spent time in our library spaces this year. Below we’ve put together a little summary to describe some of the fun features of this wonderfully lettered terrain—a nice insight into some of the important influences shaping the minds of our rising generation of engaged thinkers, impassioned doers, wickedly good-humored adventure lovers, and future leaders of the world. Thanks for participating, students–we love what you shared with us!

 

Five most cited books:

  • The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein (1964)
  • Winnie the Pooh, by A. A. Milne; illustrated by E. H. Shepard (1926)
  • Good Night Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1947)
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle (1969)
  • Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak (1963)

Five most cited series:

  • The Magic Treehouse, by Mary Pope Osborne
  • Harry Potter, by J. K. Rowling
  • Percy Jackson and the Olympians, by Rick Riordan
  • Junie B. Jones, by Barbara Park
  • A Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket (pen name of Daniel Handler)

Most common author cited:

  • Dr. Seuss (pen name of Theodore Seuss Geisel)

International titles:

  • Swami and Friends, by R.K. Narayan (author of Indian literature in English, 1906-2001)
  • The Story of the Root Children, by Sybille von Olfers (German language author, 1881-1916)
  • The Adventures of Tintin, by Belgian cartoonist Hergé Georges Remi (1907-1983)
  • Rodhatten og ulven (Red Hat and the Wolf), by Fam Ekman (Norwegian, 1946-)

Honorable mention: Rin Rin the tripping Tadpole, aka Rin Rin Renacuajo, a well-known character appearing in Colombian children’s stories and nursery rhymes created by poet Rafael Pombo (1833-1912).

 

Books of poetry:

  • Light in the Attic, by Shel Silverstein
  • Where the Sidewalk Ends, also by Shel Silverstein

Five oldest books cited:

  • Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carol; illustrated by John Tenniel (1865)
  • Heidi, by Johanna Spyri (1880)
  • Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up (also known as Peter and Wendy), by J. M. Barrie; illustrated by Francis Donkin Bedford (1911)
  • The Velveteen Rabbit, or, How Toys Became Real., by Margery Williams; illustrated by William Nicholson (1922)
  • Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey (1948)

Other frequently cited popular classics (cited multiple times):

  • Curious George series, by Hans Augusto (H. A.) Rey and Margret Rey (launched 1941)
  • The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1943)
  • The Snow Day, by Ezra Jack Keats (1962)
  • Berenstain Bears series, by Stan, Jan, and Mike Berenstain (launched 1962)
  • Frog and Toad series, by Arnold Lobel (launched 1970)

Five newest books/series cited:

  • The Day the Crayons Quit, by Drew Daywalt; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (picture book, 2013)
  • Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo (teen/young adult fantasy/fairy tale series launched 2012)
  • The Familiars, by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson (children’s fantasy & magic chapter book series launched 2010)
  • Jane in Bloom, by Deborah Lytton (teen/young adult fiction, 2009)
  • Dork Diaries, by Rachel Renée Russell (illustrated children’s chapter book series launched 2009)

Other cited new books that Mann staff members wish had been around when they were young:

  • Chasing Vermeer, by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist (children’s art mystery novel, 2004)
  • Mysterious Benedict Society series (children’s mystery/detective series launched 2007)
  • Sheep, by Valerie Hobbs (children’s book about a dog, 2006)
  • The Sisters Grimm series, by Michael Buckley; illustrated by Peter Ferguson (children’s fantasy series launched 2005)
  • The Miraculous Journal of Eduard Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo (2006)

Congratulations to our 2022 Elevator Art Contest Winners!

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Our annual Elevator Art Contest gives Cornell undergraduate, graduate, or professional school students the chance to showcase their creative talents, win a Cornell Store prize, and inspire others along the way!

 

Prompted by our 2022 theme, contestants were invited to interpret what “connection” meant to them and submit a piece of artwork of their authorship to be featured on the elevators in both Mann and Olin Libraries. The students were also asked to describe how the art related to the proposed theme and to include a paragraph with some basic information about themselves.

 

The entries received were stunning and after some careful debate, we have selected our winners! Read on to learn more about these talented students and their submissions, and don’t forget to stop by and admire these wonderful creations in person! For the full article on all the winners, visit: www.library.cornell.edu/about/news/archive/congratulations-our-2022-elevator-art-contest-winners

Student artist Wenjia Zong standing in front of elevator design

Wenjia Zong MA ’22, College of Human Ecology

Wenjia is a graduate student in Apparel Design with research focused on body shapes, style, and fit in virtual technologies. With years of professional working experience, she is well experienced with fashion production, design, and retail management. Wenjia was born and raised in Yunnan, China, and attended California State University, Long Beach, as an undergraduate major in fashion merchandising and design.

 

“This photo was taken in Huntington Beach Central Park in the spring of 2021, one year from when the first pandemic hit the US. Family, friends, and colleagues have been physically separated since then. Spring is here again—just like this bee—with the sunshine and water from winter. Everything will bloom again, and he can collect pollen like in all other springs. With hope, we will get over the pandemic soon and be able to connect, reunite, and live/travel like before.”

Student artist Elizabeth Hughes standing in front of elevator design

Elizabeth Hughes ’25, College of Arts and Sciences

Elizabeth is a freshman studying Environment & Sustainability with a concentration in Environmental Biology and Applied Ecology. She is originally from Texas, but now lives in Annapolis, Maryland and will be spending this upcoming summer working on a small, organic farm in northern New Hampshire. Elizabeth currently works in a plant pathology lab on campus but is excited to expand her understanding of sustainable agriculture and soil science over the coming years.

 

“Grief can be an overwhelming thing to handle. The thoughts and emotions that come with it seem to span all aspects of our lives at times, knotting everything within us together. Over the past few years, I have been learning to slowly come to terms with my grief and grow from it, finally loosening and untying the knots while connecting with myself on a much deeper level than I ever have before. While the piece represents the struggles I have processed and the understanding I finally have of myself and my place within the world, I chose to depict this through symbols rather than being completely straightforward. I would like the viewer to take what they want from the piece, while at the same time coming out with a sense of the importance of understanding and connecting with oneself.”

May Stressbusters @ Mann

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Feeling stressed? Mann Library has extended hours during study week, as well as a wide assortment of events and activities planned to help you rest and refocus!

 

Hortus Forum Spring Plant Sale  

Friday, May 6, 9am to 3pm

Tsujimoto Family Plaza

Love plants? So do we! Join us for a Hortus Forum Spring Plant Sale on the Tsujimoto Family Plaza (outside the Mann Library entrance on the Ag Quad).

 

Stressbuster Raffle

Keep an eye out for the Mann end-of-semester raffle! Starting this Friday, May 6, stop by the library and share your most beloved children’s book with us and be entered into a raffle for fun library and campus prizes. The drawing will be on May 13th, and you’ll be notified if you’re one of our lucky winners!

 

Snacks in the Stacks

Friday, May 13, noon to 2pm

Tsujimoto Family Plaza

Mann Library will be giving out free snacks on the Ag Quad during study week! Take a study break and join us for treats, button-making, lawn games, and pep talks! You’ve got this, and we’ve got your back 🙂

 

Late-night hours

Mann Library has extended hours during study week and finals. From Wednesday, May 11 through Thursday, May 19, Mann Library will have the following hours:

  • Monday – Thursday, 8am to midnight
  • Friday, 8am to 8pm
  • Saturday, 11am to 7pm
  • Sunday, Noon to midnight

Night owls – don’t forget that about our new(ish) 24/7 study space in Mann 112, off the lobby! We’ll be putting out some fun, stressbusting activities in this space throughout the week.

 

See our full hours online: mann.library.cornell.edu/full-hours. You can find the hours for the Mann Café, or order online, via the Cornell Dining website.

If you create it, we’ll elevate it! Elevator art contest at Mann & Olin Libraries

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Cornell students, enter our elevator art contest for a chance to showcase your creativity for a chance to win a Cornell Store prize, valued at $100 (with gift receipt)! The winning entries will be displayed on the 1st floor elevator doors in both Mann Library and Olin Library and will be judged both by visual appeal and by how well they fit our theme for 2022: “Connection.” You must be a currently enrolled undergraduate, graduate, or professional school student at Cornell.

 

Use the submission form (Cornell login required) to provide basic information about you and a paragraph describing how your entry supports the theme. Upload a high-resolution, digital file of your artwork. You must also attest that your work (including all images contained in it) is original and solely made and owned by you. Any inaccurate information could disqualify your submission. Multiple submissions are allowed.

 

Deadline: April 11, 2022. The winners will be chosen by April 18. 

 

Image file requirements and recommendations

  • File name must include your net ID, for example “cd58_TitleOfWork.jpg”.
  • Final size of decal is 88 inches high x 42 inches wide (split down the middle to allow doors to open).
  • Portrait orientation works best.
  • File format must be vector (e.g. PDF, EPS, AI or SVG), or high-resolution raster, larger than 20MB (e.g. JPEG, TIFF, PSD).

If your image is a photograph, please provide the location where your photograph was taken (city, country, and landmark). Consideration will be given, in part, to the location where the photograph was taken and any legal restrictions on the use of images of individuals from that location.

Exhibit Expo @ Mann Library

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Mann Library is pleased to announce a spring 2022 Exhibit Expo highlighting our two newest exhibits:

 

Join us at the Library anytime between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 24 to browse the exhibits, meet the artists and contributors, and enjoy a public reception. Free and open to the Cornell community.

Mann Welcomes New Staff Members

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You may have seen some new faces (under those masks) at the library recently, so let us introduce our newest team members who joined Mann over the past six months!

Staff profile picture of Yue Hao

Yue Hao, Evening & Weekend Supervisor

Yue joined the Mann Library team in September 2021. Prior to coming to Mann, Yue worked at Ithaca College Library as an evening and weekend supervisor, gaining experience in access services and student supervision. She has a Bachelor of Education in Physical Education from Beijing Sport University. Her other professional experiences range from supervising a team of students volunteering at the Summer Olympics in Beijing in 2008, to helping with the creation of a webpage for East Asia Scholars at the Cornell Kroch Asia Library.

Peggy Tully, Gallery & Outreach Spaces Coordinator

Peggy was hired as our interim Gallery & Outreach Spaces Coordinator in September 2021. She has a Masters in Landscape Architecture from Cornell, and recently worked with Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services. As a research fellow with Syracuse University’s School of Architecture, she managed the production of a design book series and a large group exhibit focused on sustainable, affordable housing and land use for underserved populations in the Syracuse metro area. Since 2007, Peggy has also been an active partner in an Ithaca-based environmental and cultural landscape design practice.

Picture of Natasha Bishop

Natasha Bishop, Information & Public Services Assistant

Natasha joins us from the Arnot Art Museum in Elmira, NY where she has been responsible for planning exhibits, leading accessibility and inclusive design initiatives, and building partnerships with community members and artists. Prior to working at the museum, Natasha was a special collections reference assistant and research assistant for the Syracuse University Libraries. She has MA in History of Art from Syracuse University.

Photo of Liam Murphy

Liam Murphy, Information & Public Services Assistant

Liam comes to us from across campus where they worked at Olin Library as a Senior Circulation Assistant. Liam has worked as a teaching assistant in Cornell’s Anthropology department, a lab assistant in a Cornell Archaeology lab, a Public Program and Exhibits Coordinator for an Indiana University Archaeology Lab, and a museum educator. Liam holds an M.S. in Anthropology, and a Professional Certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Photo of Carson Williams

Carson Williams, Collection Development Librarian

Carson served as Youth Services Librarian at the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library in Las Cruces, New Mexico and was previously the Adult Services Librarian at Benson Memorial Library in Titusville, PA. In both libraries Carson did collection development work and ensured that the collections were as diverse and inclusive as possible through data-driven diversity audits. While earning his MLIS at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Carson gained a great deal of real-world social sciences experience while working in a psychiatric hospital. Carson has presented on LGBTQIA+ representation in collection development and has published in Library Journal.

Library Update Round 2 (For our now Somewhat-More-Normal Spring 2022 Semester)

A student descends the staircase of Mann Library.
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Yay!  With the COVID/Omicron infection rate at Cornell being held at manageable levels to help ensure the safety of the vulnerable members of our community, we’ve made it back to in-person classes on campus. Well done, friends! Below, a quick update on what this means for Mann Library services and spaces.

 

First we’ll start off with what hasn’t changed: 

  • Approved masks must be worn at all times when inside our library building. What are approved masks you ask? Find those important details here: bit.ly/Cornell-approved-masks
  • Our policy on no eating and drinking inside the library policy continues until further notice. Food and beverages are restricted to the Mann lobby and the Mann Café only.

So, what is different for the rest of the semester? 

  • We are returning to normal semester hours, which is to say 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Fridays, 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. Saturdays, and 12:00 – 10:00 p.m. Sundays. For full hours info on all campus libraries, see library.cornell.edu/full-hours
  • The Mann Library building is back to being open to all visitors. You no longer need to swipe your Cornell ID card at our front doors to gain access to the library.
  • Seminar and meeting rooms—Mann 102 and Mann 100—as well as the Stone Computer Classroom are open for reservations again. We welcome campus group meetings, seminars, and special instruction sessions in those spaces.  Links to reservation requests for these different rooms can be found here: library.cornell.edu/find-a-space
  • The Mann Lobby is a designated eating area on the Ag Quad, and café tables and chairs will return to that space as of Monday, Feb. 7. Enjoy…..and many thanks to all of you working so hard to stay healthy and safe with your community!

Spring Workshops @ Mann Library

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With the spring semester well underway, it’s time to think about building those research skills, and what better way than by exploring our wide selection of pre-recorded workshops? Visit our Workshops page for our full listing of asynchronous workshops, including help with searching and literature reviews, citation management software (Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote), the nuts and bolts of systematic reviews, and research data management. Check out these workshops at a time and place that’s most convenient for you!

 

And be sure to check out our live workshops this semester, which are being offered in a hybrid format:

 

Making Scientific Posters with Illustrator (2-part series)

  • Tuesday, February 22, 4:30 – 6pm
  • Tuesday, March 1, 4:30 – 6pm

Intro to QGIS

For the full listing of Cornell University Library workshops, visit the CUL Workshops calendar.

 

Don’t see something you need? Complete our workshop request form to let us know if you need a specialized instruction session on additional topics such as business research (e.g. Bloomberg), specific databases (e.g. PubMed), data management tools (e.g. Open Science Framework, Excel), or design (e.g. Adobe products, poster design).

Welcome Back! (And a Few Updates for Our Not-Yet-Quite-Normal New Semester)

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With the Cornell campus gearing up for the spring 2022 semester these frosty early weeks of the new year, Mann Library extends a warm welcome to all new and returning students. We’re looking forward to seeing you in the Library—despite the curve balls that the COVID-19 pandemic keeps throwing our way! The challenges of a not-yet-quite-normal semester are making a few changes in our operations necessary for now. Below we give you an overview of those adjustments. And while some of the ways we usually do things have to be different for now, please know we continue to be here for any questions or concerns you may have. Get in touch with us 24/7 any way you prefer: library.cornell.edu/ask

 

  • Mann Library hours will be reduced for the first part of the semester. Until further notice, our hours of operation are Monday – Wednesday, 8am to 8pm, Thursday & Friday, 8am to 5pm, Saturday & Sunday, 12-5pm (Full hours can be found at mann.library.cornell.edu/full-hours.
  • The Mann Lobby and contactless pickup area (Mann 112) will follow our building hours for the first part of the semester (i.e. 24/7 access to these spaces has been suspended for the time being).
  • In line with current public health requirements, seating facilities in the library have been adjust to ensure a safe level of occupancy at any given time of day.
  • Cornell requires that an approved mask must be worn indoors at all times in campus buildings, including the libraries, unless you are in a private, non-shared space (e.g. our individual study rooms). Approved masks include masks with any of the following certifications: ASTM (procedure or surgical), KN95, FFP2, FK94, or NIOSH N95. Cloth masks are not approved unless worn in conjunction with an ASTM medical mask. More information on mask guidelines may be found at covid.cornell.edu/prevention/face-coverings/.
  • At this time, there is no eating or drinking allowed in any Mann Library spaces, including the Mann Lobby and Café, which is grab & go only (café hours can be found here: scl.cornell.edu/residential-life/dining/eateries-menus/cafes-food-courts-coffeehouses/mann-cafe. If we see you eating inside the library, we will ask you to leave to eat elsewhere. Though we understand that good coffee and snacks make any study routine better, it is important to ensure the wider public good on campus right now by being conscientious of the university’s health & safety guidelines!

Mann is undertaking these adjustments with the goal of helping the Cornell campus community manage an effective response to the current stage of the COVID pandemic. Together, we can stay healthy and successful as a learning community. Good luck, friends – be in touch if you need help (remember, just ask!) and here’s to a good semester ahead!