I L L I N 0 I S University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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H I L L I N 0 I S UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN PRODUCTION NOTE University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Large-scale Digitization Project, 2007. vol. 8, no. 1 Spring $T 6 * THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY FRIENDS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN SN01 ,5 9 m A C.Walter and Gerda B.Mortenson Establish Unique Library Professorship A University of Illinois alumnus, C. Walter Mortenson, and his wife, Gerda, of Newark, Delaware, have made a major gift to the University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign through the UI Foundation. The gift of more than a million dollars will be used to fund a UIUC Library professorship in international library programs. The program will be established as the C. Walter Mortenson and Gerda B. Mortenson Distinguished Professorship for International Library Programs. It is believed to be the first professorship of its kind in the United States. The primary objective of the Fund will be to enhance and stimulate international library programs conducted by the University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign for the promotion of international peace, health, education and understanding. In 1937 Mr. Mortenson earned a B.A. degree at the University of Illinois where he was elected to Phi Beta Announcement Kappa. He received a Ph.D. in was made at the annual Spring Gathering of the University Foundation in Chicago that a gift of more than a million dollars will Chemistry from the University be used by the UIUC Library to establish of the C. Walter Mortenson and Gerda B. Mortenson Distinguished Professorship Wisconsin for in 1940 and worked as a International Library Programs. University and Library leaders were on hand for the research chemist for E.I. Du Pont de announcement. Shown are, from left: Thomas E. Everhart, Chancellor of the Nemours from 1940 to 1945. Urbana-Champaigncampus, University Librarian Hugh C. Atkinson, Mr. Mortenson, and After earning in 1945 a law degree University President Stanley 0. Ikenberry. from Temple University, he worked in Committee. the Du Pont Legal Department from The Mortensons' the development of the Library's 1945 to 1955. In 1955 he founded in gift to the University will, international collections but also the Wilmington, Delaware, a private law for the first time, provide the UIUC Library with a improved access of the collections by practice. He is at present of counsel in scholars and students both on- and the firm of Mortenson and Uebler, position of distinction which will serve as a catalyst off-campus. The UIUC Library will work from which he retired five years ago. for both recognizing and coordinating closely through the Distinguished He is a member of the Delaware Bar current achievements and for developing Professorship with other appropriate Association. In various years from 1951 new library goals and undertakings in the following areas: University departments and units. to 1980 he lectured on intellectual The principal of the gift will be held property law at the University of -International exchanges of library as an endowment, and the net income Delaware. materials from it will be used for the funding of a Gerda Mortenson received her R.N. -Continuation and establishment of faculty position in the University of at Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, new institutional and personal links Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign. and earned a degree in Public Health with libraries and librarians in foreign Support may also be provided for, Nursing from the University of Hawaii countries but not limited to, international & in 1939. She earned a B.A. degree from -Extension of the Library faculty's in- reference services; interlibrary lending; the University of Pennsylvania in 1944 volvement in international library summer research laboratories and and for several years worked as a public programs and activities seminars; exhibits, conferences, lecture health nurse for the State of Delaware. -Promotion of scholarly research, series and symposia, both on- and Both are graduates of Waukegan teaching, and other activities which off-campus; the exchange of librarians; * Township High School in Waukegan, relate to these goals with the primary the preservation of special and valuable Illinois. objective of promoting international international collections; the The Mortensons are both members peace, health, education, and under- establishment of another professorship, of Library Friends, and for the past two standing or research related to the goals of the years Walter has been a member of the Library National Resource Development The goals of the Fund are not only (please turn to page 2) The Library is Looking... For an Apple lile computer with a color monitor for the Curriculum Collection in the Education and Social Science Library. The Curriculum Collection contains student texts, teacher's manuals, kits, audio-visual materials and software used in the elementary and secondary classroom. The cost of an Apple lie with a color monitor is $1,160. For the 1986 32-volume Encyclopaedia Britannica for the Agriculture Library reference collection. The 1986 edition with the classic brown binding, a bookcase, an atlas, and a dictionary are available now for $1,329. If you can help provide for the purchase of either of the requests, please contact the Library Friends Coordinator, Lucie W. Clark, at 227 Library, 1408 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, or telephone 217/333-5683. Fortnightly Club Records A unique historical source for the Urbana community has been made available to researchers through presentation of the complete records of the Fortnightly Club of Urbana to the Illinois Historical Survey Library of the UIUC Library. The Fortnightly Club, now in its 90th year of continuous operation, presented all of its minute books dating from 1895-96, the first year of its Library Friends and the Mathematics Library on the Urbana-Champaigncampus gave a existence, as well as all of the club's reception this Spring for Kathleen Cairns (right above, shown with Math Librarian Nancy husband, annual yearbooks. Anderson), who contributes annually to a memorial fund in memory of her late mathematics professor from 1948 to 1971. Purchases made possible by Mrs. Cairns' A documentary of the first ninety Stewart, a gifts have helped to maintain the UIUC Mathematics Library's prominence in the nation. years of the Fortnightly Club has been published in a limited edition, and a copy is in the Illinois Historical Survey Slavic 'Survivors' Catalog Wins Award Library, which adjoins the Rare Book in three and Special Collections Library on the A catalog prepared to commemorate The competition was moderate and third floor of the University of Illinois the special exhibition, The Survivors: divisions-expensive, for Library at Urbana-Champaign. An Exhibition of Rare Russian Books, inexpensive, based on unit costs has won an award for exhibition production-and the "Survivors" catalogs sponsored by the American catalog won the moderate-cost division. Mortenson Gift... Library Association's Rare Books and Other winners were "Renaissance Manuscripts Section Committee. It is Painting in Manuscripts: Treasures from (from page one) the first year of the competition. the British Library," submitted by the J. University Librarian Hugh C. Atkinson Paul Getty Museum (expensive), and a professorship. will accept the award June 29 in New tie in the inexpensive division between In announcing the gift by the York City on behalf of the University of "The Mikado: A Centenary Mortensons, University Librarian Hugh Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign. Celebration," from the Pierpont C. Atkinson said, "We in the Library The Survivors catalog was prepared Morgan Library, and "He Has Outlived have a great appreciation for the gift under the direction of Marianna Tax his Century: The 200th Anniversary of made by Walter and Gerda Mortenson Choldin, head of the Slavic and East Johnson's Death," submitted by the and for the confidence they have European Library, Georgy Durman and Houghton Library, Harvard University. expressed in the University of Illinois Alla Barabtarlo, specialists in rare Honorable mention awards in the and in the Library at Russian books. The catalog was moderate division went to the Urbana-Champaign. This endowment produced by the UIUC Office of Public Houghton Library, Harvard University, will make it possible for the Library to Affairs/Office of Publications for the and the Linda Hall Library, Kansas City, develop programs which will increase Library's Office of Development and Missouri. the exchange of information Public Affairs. Private funds were used Criteria for judging were excellence throughout the world. Improved for its printing and production. in the areas of accuracy and consistency communication will lead to better The exhibition was held July 16 of presentation, clarity, quality of international understanding; we are through October 5, 1985, in the UIUC design, and usefulness of catalogs to pleased to participate in the pursuit of Library. the intended audience. this goal." From the Librarian's View * The need for information and for the close to 30,000 items that we have We Need Your Help services of libraries is so great today borrowed through the interlibrary loan that if all those who needed them procedures administered by the Lincoln You can ensure the UI Library's would use them, we would not be able Trail Library System. This means that we continued excellence by: * to handle the crowd. are now borrowing more than 150,000 Part of the answer in meeting the items annually. * telling others about the Library continuing increased usage of library We, of course, lend within Illinois Friends and encouraging them to facilities is in developing networks of close to 100,000 items each year, mostly join libraries. I continue to advise that to public libraries and smaller academic * sending us lists of potential members interlibrary networks will be designed libraries in the state.