About Friends of the University Libraries and
Faculty Scholarship Week – April 15-19

As a support group for about 10 years, the Friends of the University Libraries (FOL) has sponsored public programming including honorariums as needed and provided poinsettias for McWherter Library, and visited community groups to spread “good news” about the library and the university. In recent years, FOL encouraged and supported faculty scholarship by giving an average of $5000 to the library to purchase books requested by faculty for their research and that of graduate students. And the group has raised over half the goal of $100,000 for an endowed fund. In June of 2006, they helped sponsor a one-day conference – Everything Delta – that had attendees and participants clamoring for seats at this sold-out event. With the obvious interest, it is now to be an annual event.

These activities have made FOL realize the quantity and quality of the scholarship on the campus – what they perceive to be a hidden treasure. The group had wanted to find a way to shine a spotlight on this scholarship. Spring of 2006 provided two such opportunities. Dean John Pepin of the Fogelman College of Business invited FOL to set up displays of works from faculty of other colleges during on Open House Gala. The many community members in attendance were often amazed at what they saw produced by the business faculty as well as from others throughout the campus. This same display was then placed in the Rose Theater Lobby for viewing during Spring convocation. Both events were met such enthusiasm that FOL decided they would like to sponsor an annual event highlighting research and creative activities of individual faculty members. So Faculty Scholarship Week was born.

Friends of the University Libraries (FOL) have wanted to call attention to the extent of faculty scholarship – the quantity and quality of books, articles, CDs, film, art, etc. produced annually. The obvious time to do this would be in conjunction with Spring Convocation. This spotlighting of scholarship could be done via actual physical displays of such works on tables or in video, as well as by having public programming using individual faculty members. For obvious reasons, it is impossible to physically show all such production and to have all faculty speak about their work. Therefore, a suggestion from Academic Affairs became the foundation.

Works from winners announced during Convocation as well as those designated for awards within the various colleges will be displayed, with additional works as suggested by the deans. These displays will be in McWherter Rotunda on April 16-18, and will be moved to the lobby of Rose Theater on April 19. Featured speakers and panelists, also suggested by the deans, will participate in noon programming in the McWherter Rotunda on April 16-18.

This year FOL has the happy circumstance of being able to dovetail with, and promote, some already-planned activities that feature faculty. These include Music concerts and the Great Conversations Dinner sponsored by Arts and Sciences.

Further information: Sue Williams, President, FOL , 276-6092

Tom Mendina, Asst. Prof., University Libraries, 678-4310

Related Links:

Faculty Scholarship Week Event Calendar

Faculty Scholarship Week and Convocation 2007 Information