A Summer's Reading

One of the interesting and pleasantly-challenging aspects of our work in libraries is to match a library user with the texts that he or she will most want to read, be it for research or entertainment.

If you intend to read for fun this summer, chat with us, check out our campus libraries’ Pinterest Board to "Summer Reads", revisit the 2014 "Book Madness" selection or try some of the tools, below. Each one of these additional resources enables you to explore a genre or factor a recommendation based upon authors, books or themes you already enjoy.

• Fiction Connection (and nonfiction connection)
• Novelry 
• Which Book?

Locate available copies of books on campus or within the UW-System by using the library catalog and its UW System search feature. The Madison Public Library, as part of the South Central Library System, is also an amazing resource for satisfying popular reading interests--search its catalog to locate items of interest.  (Subscribe to its MadReads Daily for book recommendations).

And, if you haven’t yet discovered it, Steenbock Library hosts its very own "Little Free Library" in which you can also freely exchange popular reading materials.

Pinned by Steenbock

Browse Steenbock collections with Pinterest.  Our newest boards will take you from garden to table.

• Compost it!
• Gardening with the Wild
• Garden to Table
• The Potted Garden
• Take Root!

Speak with your librarians for assistance in retrieving these titles and more.  If borrowing from UW-Madison Libraries is not an option for you, be sure to look for available library copies using WorldCat (catalog).

Vote Now! UW Book Madness

Let the voting begin!  Visit the UW Book Madness Tournament site to vote in Round 1.  Round 2 voting will begin on Saturday (March 22) at noon.

Thank you for submitting your brackets in advance. The most accurate bracket, post-voting in the final match-up, will win a gift certificate to the University Bookstore.  See the rules of play here.

Visit the site to learn more about the books in each division, including fun facts and stats.

Voting fine print:

• One vote, per person, per pairing!
• First round voting begins on Thursday, March 20.
• Voting for later rounds begins at approximately noon on these dates:

• Round 2: Saturday March 22
• Round 3: Tuesday March 25 (Sweet 16)
• Round 4: Saturday March 29 (Elite 8)
• Round 5: Tuesday April 1 (Final 4)
• Round 6: Sunday April 6 (Championship)

Pi Day (3.14)

Mathematicians, among others, observe "Pi Day" on March 14 in keeping with Pi as 3.14 (or extended as, 3.1415926535...). While you can commemorate the occasion with some clever calculations, I suggest another formula. Check out some "pie" from Steenbock’s cookbook collection!  

Visit our Pinterest board for a few suggested titles from the collection or stop in to select from a small assortment of 'grab and go' books near our Circulation/Reference desk (second floor, across from entrance)—look for the "Pie for Pi" sign.  Enjoy rationing your slices!

Book Madness

Let the Book Madness begin!  Fill out your brackets for the second, annual UW Book Madness Tournament!

Download or stop by a participating library (including Steenbock!) to pick-up and to return your brackets.  The most accurate brackets, post-voting in the final match-up, will win gift certificates to the University Bookstore.

All brackets must be returned by March 18 in order to qualify; one submission per person.  Click here to read the complete rules of play.

Beginning March 20, you will be able to vote online for which book in each pairing will advance.

Visit the site to learn more about the books in each division including fun facts and stats that may influence your picks.  The divisions this year are: Books in the Movies, Books on TV; Glass Half-Full, Glass Half-Empty; Required Readings, Guilty Pleasures; Stars’ n Stripes, Union Jack.

#UWBookMadness

What we've been reading...

Are you looking to dig into some reading (apart from your required texts)?  If so, take a break and consider the list of titles generated by campus librarians (and via Pinterest) during their annual book discussion.  Use the book list to find something to distract you from the local wintry scene or to take with you as you venture out from campus for the winter semester break.

And, not to be outdone, our student staff has also generated a favorites list.  Visit the Pinterest board, "Our Favorite Books" to discover more reading selections.

Consult with your campus or public libraries to find available copies.

• UW-Madison Library Catalog
  (Don’t forget the option to borrow from UW System Libraries!)

• LinkCat, South Central Wisconsin Library System Catalog (and check-out its “Don’t Miss Lists)
• WorldCat (find library copies nationally, some internationally)

Finals Photo Contest!

Win this one of a kind, special edition Harry!  Show us how you #studystrong at Steenbock.  Share a photo or video of yourself studying at Steenbock, and tag us in it on any of the following:

• @Ask_Steenbock (Vine, Twitter, Instagram)
• Steenbock Memorial Library (Facebook)

Deadline: Midnight on Sunday, December 15
Our judges will pick a winning entry, and notify the winner on Monday, December 16.  We look forward to seeing your submissions!

CRANtastic!

Did you know that the cranberry, ubiquitous during this time of year given its association with traditional Thanksgiving holiday feasting, is Wisconsin’s leading fruit crop?!
(See the NASS, USDA Cranberry production reports and the annual Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Bulletin for data tables).

Consult Steenbock’s research guide to the American Cranberry to explore more about cranberry cultivation, marketing, and use (including links to growers and online recipe sites).  Steenbock Library maintains this guide as a partner in AgNIC, a portal to agricultural news, events, libraries and research centers.

Should you wish to savor this fruit in your fall harvest menu, we also invite you to browse a selection of titles from our collection with Pinterest guide, "CRANtastic".

Wicked Reading

Ever wonder what goes bump in the night?  Feed that imagination with a selection of the creepy books haunting the shelves of campus libraries.  The SpookyUW Pinterest board exhibits some popular titles suggested by library staff--and guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.  Click on each cover to pursue the link to campus library holdings.

For more fun library discoveries, follow our boards: UWMadLibraries or Steenbock Memorial Library!

Get your Gatsby On!

Vintage fashion is all the rage.  Find inspiration from the pages of the library’s selected titles featuring fashions and interiors from the Roaring Twenties.  Browse these books at our entrance level display table or from your desktop with our Pinterest board, "Fashions from The Great Gatsby".

With thanks to Rebecca L for sparking the Gatsby in all of us with this selection of texts and board.

Pinned!

Browse Steenbock collections with Pinterest!  Library staff is merrily "pinning" to connect you with selections from our stacks. In keeping with the summer mood, take a peek at our newest boards.

Learn more about consuming, growing and preserving small fruit, try mixing a refreshing cocktail, or other beverage, during a hot afternoon, or simply enjoy time appreciating what is local, seasonal and sustainable. 

Speak with your librarians for assistance in retrieving these titles and more.  If borrowing from UW-Madison Libraries is not an option for you, be sure to look for available library copies using WorldCat (catalog).

• Liberry Literature
• Happy Hour 
• Local Flavor

Book Discovery Tools

One of the interesting and sometimes challenging aspects of our work in libraries is to match a library user with the texts that he or she will most want to read, be it for research or entertainment.

If you intend to also read for fun this summer, chat with us, check out our Pinterest Boards, or try some of the tools, below. Each one enables you to explore a genre or factor a recommendation based upon authors or books you already enjoy.

Fiction Connection

Novelry (New! Sign up for its July launch)

Which Book?

Goodreads and Shelfari (for those who appreciate the added social networking)

Locate available copies of books on campus or within the UW-System by using the library catalog and its UW System search feature. The Madison Public Library, as part of the South Central Library System, is also an amazing resource for satisfying popular reading interests--search its catalog to locate items of interest. 

And, if you haven’t yet discovered it, Steenbock Library hosts its very own "Little Free Library" in which you can also freely exchange popular reading materials.

UW Family Gardening Day (May 11)

Put some spring in your step with a visit to our neighborhood this Saturday.  From 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM, the D.C. Smith Greenhouse and the Allen Centennial Gardens will welcome campus and community guests to find inspiration for gardens, large and small, with tours, demonstrations, and hands-on activities.

As Steenbock Library dwells handsomely between these two destinations, our staff will be ready to supply guests with information about the collections and services we supply to those with--and those who aspire to have--a green-thumb.  Partners in this endeavor to share information and resources of interest to campus and community include library staff from Wisconsin’s Water Library and the Dane County Master Gardeners.

Look for our information kiosks, outside, near the front entrance to the library.  In case of rain, you will find us in Room 240.  When you enter our building, you will also have an opportunity to browse a modest selection of titles from our gardening collections.  We also have some gardening-themed Pinterest boards to showcase selected titles.  Do note that these boards supply a visual teaser to what we have and not every item in our collection.  Speak with our library staff for assistance finding more!

Read the Gardening Day press release!

Steenbock Library | Seed Saving

Steenbock Library | Enabling Gardens

Steenbock Library | Community Gardens

#UWRightNow Audio Booth (Apr 17)

Come, share your story!  University Archivists are looking to record your experiences of life at UW-Madison.  Visit the audio-booth in Room 240, Steenbock Library from 1:00-3:00 PM.  Your short story and photo will be uploaded to the UWRightNow site.  All students, faculty, staff and alumni are welcome!  And, we look forward to hearing from you.
#UWRightNow

Share Steenbock on Instagram

If a picture is worth a thousand words, I guess an Instagram photo is worth at least a couple of likes. 

At Steenbock Library, we have just created an account on the filter-friendly mobile app, and we're very excited for what its potential can be. Whether you first heard about the newest social media craze being referenced in a rap song, an article in the Huffington Post, or seen a photo on Facebook, it sure looks like Instagram is here to stay.

Now here at the library, not only is the account going to be used to connect students to the library, I believe that it can show the university and the world, that there are more to libraries than we think. Before joining the ISIP Program (Information Specialist Internship Program) which is part of the UW Library System, I was truly unaware of how much work goes into the library.  After being in the program for two semesters now, I can attest to the interesting and important work the librarians at this school do and hopefully our Instagram will shed some light on this.

So if you have any suggestions for photos or just want to follow someone new on Instagram, remember to look up ASK_Steenbock, give us a like, and talk about what you want to see from us next.

With thanks to ISIP Intern, Matthew J, for this blog post.

Top 10 Things to Know: UW-Archives

10. We’re right here on campus! Located on the fourth floor of Steenbock Library, the Archives is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8:00-4:30! Planning a trip to the Archives? Call 262-5629 or email in advance.

9. Researching a topic related to campus history? Many of our collections are cataloged into the library’s online catalog. Click here to begin a search.

8. Some of our most useful "foundation" resources have been digitized and are available online through the UW Digital Collections Center’s UW-Madison Collection.

7. Our collections include approximately 3,500 films, 1,200 oral history interviews and almost 1.5 million photos. That’s a whole lotta campus history! We can provide digital copies or facilitate viewing/listening to the original item depending on the format and your project needs.

6. Is your department or group celebrating an anniversary? Hosting a retirement event for an honored faculty or staff member? Planning a reunion? The UW-Madison Archives can help! Find out how, here.

5. Although we LOVE working with our colleagues over the hill, we’re not the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS). Located on Library Mall, the WHS archives collects and shares materials that document Wisconsin history. It’s importation to note that their collections do include materials related to campus so check both the UW-Madison Archives and WHS Library-Archives when researching such a topic.

4. We are actively collecting! In general, we collect materials that document UW-Madison, UW Extension, and UW System and Colleges administration history. As faculty and staff retire or move out of office space, sometimes materials of historic value are left behind. Feel free to call us (or share our contact information with colleagues) if you discover something "archives worthy". We are more than happy to meet and review your materials for potential inclusion in our collections.

3. Did you know we have a records manager who works with University departments to curate and manage "official business records" of the University? Contact Records Management or visit for more information.

2. Love social media? So do we! We’re on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and more. Follow us from the Archives home page.

1. We love a good history mystery! Got a question? A research challenge? Shoot us an email and we’ll do our best to find the answer. For more information about the UW-Madison Archives, visit our home page.

With thanks to Vicki T. for this blog post.

Travel Reading

Would you like to recommend a particular travelogue or story that examines the highs and lows of the travel experience?

If so, UW-Madison Libraries are looking for your recommendations about great reads. This week, post your favorite travel account on the Libraries’ Facebook page to be entered into a drawing for a $25.00 UW Bookstore gift card.  Some suggestions, thus far, have included Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Into the Wild, and A Room with a View.  What will you suggest?

Keep visiting our sites. Throughout the summer, the Libraries will be making additional calls for your recommendations about great summer reading.

Summer Camp Reading

Be it campy or about camp, what would you recommend?

UW-Madison Libraries are looking for your recommendations about great reads (or even films)!  This week, post your favorite camping read (or film) on the Libraries’ Facebook page to be entered into a drawing for a $25.00 UW Bookstore gift card.

Keep visiting our sites.  Throughout the summer, the Libraries will be making additional calls for your recommendations about great summer reading.

Summer Reading, Road Trips

On the road again!

UW-Madison Libraries are looking for your recommendations about great reads!  This week, post your favorite "road trip" read on the Libraries’ Facebook page to be entered into a drawing for a $25.00 UW Bookstore gift card.

Keep visiting our sites.  Throughout the summer, the Libraries will be making additional calls for your recommendations about great summer reading themes.

Summer Reading

What have you been reading lately?

UW-Madison Libraries are looking for your recommendations about great reads!  This week (by Friday), post your favorite beach-worthy read on the Libraries’ Facebook page and be entered into a drawing for a $25.00 UW Bookstore gift certificate.

Stay tuned.  Throughout the summer, the Libraries will be making a call for more suggestions on various summer reading themes.