Milligan Library Life

by the staff of P.H. Welshimer Memorial Library & Seminary Library

Library “micro café” gets new look

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Welcome to The Coat Closet Café!

For the last year or so the Library has provided a self-service coffee kiosk in the old coat room on the Main Floor across from the desk of the Public Services Librarian. Recently, the room got a fresh paint job (including a red accent wall) and we’ve hung a sign over the doorway to give our “micro café” a more official coffee shop look and feel. We are calling our space The Coat Closet Café.

The self-service kiosk is open Monday through Friday, and offers two blends of coffee fresh brewed twice a day, and hot water for tea. The price for coffee and tea is only fifty cents a cup. You can also purchase Coke products and snacks from machines in this space.

The Library is pleased to offer this service, and it has worked hard in recent years to remove long-standing barriers to allowing food and drink in the building. Says Library Director Gary Daught, “This is one way to make the Library a more welcoming and inviting place for students. The only thing we ask is that persons clean-up after themselves before they leave.” Trash cans are provided in various places throughout the building.

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Public Services Librarian Jeff Harbin enjoys a cup of joe.

In many ways the presence of The Coat Closet Café is a gesture pointing to an eventual goal that will see a full-service coffee shop within the Library building. The Library renovation plan, which is a key component of the new capital campaign, actually includes space for a coffee shop. “This is part of a changed philosophy of what libraries are and do today,” says Daught. “A library is no longer only about warehousing information resources. Yes, libraries will always include information resources, in both print and electronic formats. But libraries today, and academic libraries in particular, are expanding their role to include welcoming spaces for teaching and learning. This philosophy appreciates that teaching and learning happens best in a relaxed, inviting atmosphere, which includes both social interaction and a ‘domestic’ dimension. That’s where the coffee comes in. The Coat Closet Café is one step toward putting this philosophy into practice.”

1st Annual Homecoming Library Book Sale a success!

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booksaleThe P.H. Welshimer Memorial Library teamed-up with the Phi Alpha Theta history honor society on October 23-25 to put on the 1st Annual Homecoming Weekend Library Book Sale. The sale got off to a wonderful start with a two hour faculty preview on Thursday afternoon that raised over $350. (What college professor can resist buying more books?!) Continuing all day Friday, and concluding at noon on Saturday, the sale raised over $960. A quarter of the proceeds was given to Phi Alpha Theta for their assistance with the sale, and the balance of the money goes back into the Acquisitions budget for the purchase of new books and media for the Library.

books5The books and media collected for the sale over the course of several months came from duplicates and other titles “weeded” from the Library collection, and titles donated by individuals that did not fit Library collection guidelines. Old Milligan College yearbooks that had been stored in the Library over the years were also offered for sale.

Library Director Gary Daught hailed the sale a success, with special thanks offered to Public Services Librarian Jeff Harbin, several Library student workers, and members of Phi Alpha Theta (including our Archivist Ginger Dillon) for helping with organizing, setup, and manning the cash box. “This was a fun event,” said Daught. “It connected the Library to the Homecoming Weekend activities and gave us some visibility. It was a great opportunity to meet people, and raise a little money for the Library and Phi Alpha Theta. We look forward to putting on a sale again next year!”

Founders’ papers now open for research!

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Josephus and Sarah Eleanor Hopwood in 1886

Josephus and Sarah Eleanor Hopwood in 1886

The Milligan Archives has just completed processing work on the Josephus and Sarah Eleanor La Rue Hopwood Collection and is excited to announce that it is open for research!

The Hopwood Collection contains financial paperwork, correspondence, student assignments, and artifacts spanning from 1865 to 1935 – the majority of the Hopwood’s lifetimes and the entirety of their marriage, ministries, and careers as Christian educators.

When Josephus and Sarah Eleanor came to the Buffalo Male and Female institute in 1875 the campus consisted of a single building on an acre of land. The Hopwoods worked tirelessly to build the little Institute into a place where young men and women could be educated in the arts and sciences, could develop good habits and useful skills, and gain a strong knowledge of the Bible. Six years later the school received its state charter and became Milligan College. This collection provides a glance into the everyday work undertaken by the Hopwoods, their supporters, friends, and students on behalf of not only Milligan College, but also of Virginia Christian College (now called Lynchburg College), Lamar College, and Mountain Mission School. We hope that the Josephus and Sarah Eleanor La Rue Hopwood Collection, as well as the Hopwood Correspondence Collection, will provide a unique and valuable resource to researchers interested in the Hopwoods, the history of Christian education and the Stone-Campbell Movement in Northeast Tennessee, and Milligan College. Contact us for more information!

NEW local alumni borrowing privileges

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Milligan Library is now providing extended library borrowing privileges to local alumni. Alumni may now borrow media—DVDs, videos, and CDs—in addition to books. These privileges extend beyond those of community patrons, who may check out books only.

Local alumni may check out DVDs, videos, and CDs for a period of three days, with one renewal per item. Both alumni and community borrowers may check out up to 20 items at one time.

In order to encourage the prompt return of items for Milligan students, faculty, and staff, we have also begun charging daily fines for overdue items on both community and alumni accounts–$0.25 per day per item, with a $5.00 maximum fine per item. The Library Handbook has been edited to reflect these changes.

We hope to see you soon!

Photos from the Phoenix Release Party!

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Photos from the Phoenix release party have been posted to Milligan Library’s brand new Flickr photostream! Take a look and leave some comments!

The party was a blast–more than 35 students, faculty, and staff showed up to hear their fellow Milliganites read original works, to eat tasty food, and to get a copy of this year’s literary and arts journal.

If you missed the party and would like to get a copy of the Phoenix, the Library has several dozen copies in the coffee room near the front entrance. Hope to see you soon!