Friends of the Golda Meir Library

NewsletterNo. 12 University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Fall 2009

www.uwm.edu/Library/Friends

DANIEL M. SOREF LEARNING COMMONS DEDICATION

Over 200 people attended the dedication of the new Daniel M. Soref LearningCommons on October 23, 2009. Libraries Director Ewa Barczyk opened theceremony with her thanks to all those who contributed to the project, includingthe Friends Board, and especially the Daniel M. Soref Charitable Trust. She notedwith sadness that the advisor to the Trust, Burt Strnad, has recently passed away,but not before visiting the completed Commons and expressing his approval.

Dedication guests were treated to music performed by a UWM Peck Schoolof the Arts student string quartet, tables laden with hors d’oeuvres, and anunveiling of the Commons sign by Student Association President Jay Burseth.UWM Chancellor Carlos Santiago, Provost Rita Cheng, Friends President SarahKimball, and Burseth spoke enthusiastically of the new space and how it willpositively impact student success at UWM.

Audience listens to dedication remarks.

Former Friends’ Presidents Bruce Fetter and Pat

Van Alyea. Photos by Alan Magayne-Roshak

Libraries Director Ewa Barczyk (left) looks on as Student Association

President Jay Burseth unveils Daniel M. Soref Learning Commons sign.

Milwaukee business leader andphilanthropist Sheldon Lubar will offer aspecial lecture sponsored by the Friendson January 14, 2010 at 5 p.m. in thefourth floor Conference Center of theGolda Meir Library. His talk is entitled“Fixing Milwaukee.”

Addressing Milwaukee County’sfiscal crisis, Lubar has previously arguedin favor of dissolving the Countygovernment, with duties such as social services and thecourts handed to the state. New regional authorities, he hassuggested, could be created to oversee parks, transit, airportsand museums.

At his lecture in the library, Lubar says he will outline“the problems facing Milwaukee today, and the possiblesolutions.”

The region’s future, he says, “depends on a publiceducational system that prepares our young people forsuitable employment and a pathway to a middle class life.Milwaukee needs an economic renewal: its economic futureis directly tied to the success of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee becoming a recognized research university.”

Lubar has been chairman of the Board of Lubar & Co.Incorporated, a private investment and venture capitalist firmhe founded, since 1977. He holds a BA in businessadministration and a law degree from UW-Madison, and anhonorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree from UWM.

The lecture is free and open to the public. For moreinformation or special needs, please call (414) 229-6202.

I had the pleasure of participating in the October 23Dedication of the new and beautiful Daniel M. SorefLearning Commons in the west wing of the Golda MeirLibrary. The exciting event capped off over two years ofplanning and construction, and I am proud to say that theFriends Board played a major role in raising the neededprivate financial support of this wonderful public/privately-funded renovation. Of all the projects the Friends haveworked on over the years, this is the jewel in our crown.

The Learning Commons has proven very popular, as ithas been packed with students and faculty from the first day. Iwould like to thank the entire Friends Board for theircontributions, and especially the members of the FriendsRenovation Task Force, led by Marianne Lubar.

Our success with the new Learning Commons hasenergized the Friends and we are hard at work on new ideasfor supporting and promoting the UWM Libraries.

Of course, we will continue to sponsor exciting speakersand events to the Libraries, as we did this past year: In April,the Friends presented our third annual cuisine-related lectureand book signing. Award winning cookbook author KittyMorse presented “Tastes of Morocco” and Chef Rihab of auBon Appétit Catering prepared some delicious treats based onKitty’s recipes. And our Annual Program in May broughtformer Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial cartoonist StuartCarlson to the library for a talk on his career.

Because of the renovation in the library, we held just onebook sale during the 2008-09 academic year, but it was quitesuccessful, setting a new record for money raised in support ofacquiring new materials for the UWM Libraries. This fall’ssale was also a success, and is reported on elsewhere here. Iwant to thank Board member Nancy Laskin for organizing thesales, and all the Friends members who volunteered to staff it.

Despite the economy, the Friends have remainedfinancially stable. We were again able to help support many ofthe Libraries’ excellent programs, including the Morris FromkinMemorial Lecture and UWM’s Academic Adventurers series.We also contributed funding for staff development.

The coming months promise to be busy ones for theLibraries and the Friends, as we will be planning newprograms and events and promoting the new Daniel M. SorefLearning Commons. The Board welcomes your involvementin the organization, as well as your support.

This is my first year as President of the Friends of theGolda Meir Library and I am eager to assist the organizationachieve its ambitious agenda. I invite you to join me andbecome involved with the Friends. If you are interested,please contact me or the Libraries Development Director,Susan Modder (414-229-2811). Thank you.

Sarah Kimballkimballsarah@sbcglobal.net

FRIENDS BOARD AT THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

Friends Board members at the May 21, 2009 AnnualBusiness Meeting. Standing, from left, are Linda JacksonCocroft, Ewa Barczyk (Libraries Director), BeverlyPerlson, Nancy Laskin, Jody Steren, Denise Elfe, andGwen Plunkett. Sitting, from left, are George Mosher,Robert Meldman, Pat Van Alyea, Sarah Kimball, SuzyEttinger, and E. J. Brumder. Photo by Steve Burnham

BOOK SALE UPDATE

This fall’s Friends Used Book Sale, coordinated byNancy Laskin, generated $7,003 in sales, with all ofthe proceeds to be spent on new acquisitions for thelibrary. The Spring 2010 Book Sale is slated for April5-7. If you wish to volunteer to sell books at the nextsale, please email sburnham@uwm.edu.

FROM THE FRIENDS’ PRESIDENT

SPECIAL FRIENDS LECTURE FEATURING SHELDON LUBAR

Stuart Carlson, award-winning former cartoonist of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,gave a presentation for the Friends’ Annual Program on May 21 entitled “DrawingCriticism: Political Cartoons from Reagan to Obama.”

Carlson showed a number of his best cartoons and related humorous stories aboutoverly cautious editors and indignant readers. Ironically, targets of his satire rarelycomplained, he told the audience of 150 people, and some of those skewered would askfor the original.

Carlson recently donated his large collection of drawings to the Libraries, and theArchives Department exhibited over 100 cartoons at the event.

At the Friends Annual Business Meeting, which preceded the lecture, the Friendselected Sarah Kimball as President, Larry Compton as Vice President, and Jill G.Pelisek as Treasurer. Larry recently stepped down and Anthony Asmuth has replacedhim as Vice President. The Friends would like to thank Larry for all his contributions tothe Board and the organization.

Also at the meeting, Nancy Laskin and Marianne Lubar were re-elected, and GeorgeMosher (who had been serving out a vacant position) elected, to four-year terms.

New members of the Board are John Pinkstone, who was elected to a four-yearterm, and Linda Jackson Cocroft and Lynne Pearson, who joined the Board asrepresentatives of the Alumni Association Board and the Alumni Emeritus Board,respectively.

Pinkstone, a graduate of Kings College, University of London BA (Honors)Geography and University of Westminster MSc Transport Planning and Management, isa Senior International Sales Executive for FedEx.

Cocroft earned a BS in Community Education from UWM, and is founder andpublisher of Black Women 50+ Magazine, a health and lifestyles publication.

Pearson has a BA in Communications and an MS in Administrative Leadership inEducation from UWM. She provides team and leadership development training forcorporate and volunteer organizations.

Outgoing Board member Alderman Michael Murphy was honored with a certificateof appreciation and thanked for his service. He received emeritus status on the Boardfor 2009-10.

I want to begin by thanking Friends’ President Sarah Kimball, the Board ofDirectors, and the membership at large for the many ways that they supportthe UWM Libraries’ mission. I want to especially thank the Friends Boardfor their support, financial and otherwise, of the new Daniel M. SorefLearning Commons. The Friends also contributed generously toward theacquisition of online resources, helped underwrite staff development andrecognition, and supported many Library events. I join with the entire staffin thanking the Friends’ for their many generous and energeticcontributions to the UWM Libraries.

Libraries’ highlights for the last year include– construction and opening of the Daniel M. Soref Learning Commons. We

also renovated a space on the second floor for our cataloging department.– appointment of Susanna Pathak as Associate Director. Susanna was

previously Planning and Assessment Librarian at VirginiaCommonwealth University.

– acquisition of paintings by Milwaukee artists Schomer Lichtner and RuthGrotenrath, through a trust administered by the Kohler Foundation.

If you haven’t already had a chance to visit the beautiful new LearningCommons, I invite you to do so soon, and don’t forget to try out the newcoffee shop!

Ewa BarczykDirector of Libraries

CARLSON CARTOON RAFFLE

Stuart Carlson generouslycontributed an original cartoon tothe Friends for a fund-raising raffle,initiated by Board member RobertMeldman.

The winner of the raffle, heldthis fall, was Tom Van Alyea. Heand his wife Pat have generouslydonated the drawing to the UWMLibraries. The Friends raised $1,375from the raffle.

INAUGURAL GEORGE BRUMDER LECTURE

Attendees of the inaugural GeorgeBrumder Collection Presentation onJuly 30 view an exhibit of materialsfrom the collection. Historian JohnGurda presented a talk, “GermanMilwaukee: World of the Brumders,”in the American Geographical SocietyLibrary. Photo by Steve Burnham

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING

FROM THE LIBRARIES DIRECTOR

Stuart Carlson. Photo by Steve Burnham

Steven Burnham sburnham@uwm.edu

FRIENDS OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERSFriends of the Golda Meir LibraryNewsletter, Fall 2008

Officers

Sarah KimballPresident

Anthony AsmuthVice President and Chair,Development Committee

Jill G. PelisekTreasurer

Deborah Gardner ContaSecretary

Past President

Pat Van Alyea

ParliamentarianRobert Meldman

Board Members, 2008/09

Ewa Barczyk (Director of Libraries, ex officio)

Betty Bostrom

E. J. Brumder (Chair, Program Committee)

Noelle Chesley (Co-Chair, University Library

Committee, ex officio)

Linda Jackson Cocroft (Alumni Association

representative)

Tyrone Dumas (Director Emeritus)

Denise Elfe (Chair, Membership Committee)

Suzy Ettinger

Nancy Laskin

Marianne Lubar (Chair, Nominations Committee)

Lindsay McHenry (Co-Chair, University Library

Committee, ex officio)

Martine Meyer

George Mosher

Alderman Michael Murphy (Director Emeritus)

Lynne Pearson (Alumni Emeritus Board representative)

Beverly J. Perlson

John Pinkstone

Gwen Plunkett

Art Smith (UWM Foundation, ex officio)

Jody E. Steren

UWM LibrariesFriends of the Golda Meir Library NewsletterPO Box 604Milwaukee, WI 53201-0604

The Friends of theGolda Meir Libraryinvite all Friends andalumni who mettheir true love at theLibrary to let usknow who you are.Please sign in at ouronline LibraryLovers page

http://www4.uwm.edu/libraries/shared/alumni_cfmail.cfm

We would love to invite you back tocampus in February 2010 for a specialgathering in the Daniel M. Soref LearningCommons. It will be great to reconnect and wehope you will share your heartfelt stories!

For more information, contact SusanModder (414) 229-2811 orsemodder@uwm.edu

CALLING ALL GOLDA MEIR LIBRARY LOVERS!