Irwin Library Then: Card Catalog, 1963
Butler University students had just returned from summer break to find the campus transformed. Some described the building as a riverboat, some as a wedding cake. The Butler Collegian described it as a “floating palace of light” and “a dream come true for every student” when Irwin Library opened its doors to Butler faculty and students for the first time on Sept. 9, 1963.
Join us as we celebrate Irwin Library’s past and imagine its future with events throughout the 2013-14 academic year. Highlights include:
- an open house at Irwin Library on September 9 with complete with cake and a display of the building’s history from the University Archives;
- two art contests( featuring the library as subject) and displays;
- speaker events focusing on mid-century architectural design and renowned architect Minoru Yamasaki.
Yamasaki, whose most famous architectural achievement was the World Trade Center in New York, designed Irwin Library not only to house knowledge, but also to stimulate thought. He created the central atrium with its large skylight and fountain to provide an “unexpected experience” upon entering the library.
Irwin Library Now: Librarian Teresa Williams and a student collaborate on research
A reporter for the Collegian lauded Irwin Library’s “modern accommodations which serve the student in his every need for academic excellence” in 1963. Today’s students have different information needs, and Irwin Library is changing as well. Print journals and books are being replaced by Web-based databases and e-books, requiring wireless Internet access throughout the building. The library’s classrooms are outfitted with instructional technology. Study spaces designed for collaboration have replaced some of the study carrels for individual study.
Watch Library News for details about Irwin Library anniversary events or contact the Dean’s office at 940-9926 for more information.
During the first-ever IndyPL Library Card Drive on Butler’s campus, 50 Butler patrons were able to apply for and get, or renew, a card for the Indianapolis Public Library. Thank you to those who braved the weather and stopped by to help us celebrate National Library Week in this partnership with our local public library, and congratulations on your new library cards!
For those who were unable to stop by during the event, you may still get a library card for IndyPL, which will give you access to the more than 2 million titles in their collection, including ebooks and song downloads. Simply stop by an IndyPL branch with your student ID and a piece of mail verifying your campus address to get a card, and start taking advantage of the materials and resources available through your Indianapolis community!
The Butler University Libraries are partnering with the IndyPL College Avenue branch library to host a library card drive on Butler’s campus. Students living on campus or in Marion County qualify for a library card through the Indianapolis Public Library.
Students can stop by with their Butler University ID during the following times to get a card:
| Irwin Library |
Science Library |
| Tuesday, April 16 |
Thursday, April 18 |
| 10:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. |
1 p.m. – 4 p.m. |
IndyPL has a collection of thousands of titles, including popular books, music, and movies, as well as e-books for Kindle, iPad, and Nook, and digital music downloads through Freegal. Get your IndyPL card, and get access!
The 9th Annual Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Activity
an Exhibit of Faculty & Staff Publications and Works
For the month of February, Irwin Library will host Butler University’s 9th annual Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Activity. From Feb. 1 – 26, 2010, materials recently written, published, created, and performed by Butler faculty and staff will be on display throughout the main floor of Irwin Library.
A major role of the academic library is to promote scholarship, research, and professional accomplishment within the university. This takes different forms because “professional contributions” vary widely between academic disciplines. In one field it may be publishing a book, while in another it may be the norm to present posters at a conference or have a creative work performed for an audience.
This exhibit is an opportunity for Butler students and employees to find out more about the scholarly and creative activities of the faculty beyond that of just lecturing a few times a week. While some may view this as a showcase for faculty publications of books and articles, it is really much more than that. This is an event to celebrate scholarly and creative accomplishments by both faculty and staff and to see more of the whole person behind them.
Please stop into Irwin Library during the month of February to see what Butler’s faculty and staff have been doing this last year. You can also visit http://www.butler.edu/library/celebration for more information.
The deadline for contributions for the Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Activity is Friday, January 15, 2010.
If you are faculty or staff member and have something to contribute to the exhibit, but won’t be able to get it to the library by January 15, please contact Scott Pfitzinger (spfitzin@butler.edu or 940-9219) right away.
See http://www.butler.edu/library/celebration/ for more information.
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