New Librarians at Murphy Library

Teri Talpe

If Teri Talpe, academic engagement and curriculum librarian, looks familiar, it is because she has worked in Special Collections since 2009. In her new role, Teri develops research support and scholarly programming for specific campus student populations, engages with students, faculty and staff, and other academic support offices, and manages the library's curriculum resource center. Say "hi" to Teri in her office in the Curriculum Center, Room 277 or via email at ttalpe@uwlax.edu.

Where are you from? Originally from Whitewater, WI. Spent 20 years in France before returning to the USA, when I obtained my MLS.

What is your favorite part of the job? Learning something new every day, connecting people to what they are looking for, meeting all kinds of people, trying to keep up with technology.

What do you do when not at work? Photography, experimental cooking, keep up with my kids in college, help my husband with his crepe business, bike around town and on the trails, have coffee & conversation with friends, foreign films, play music. Whew!

What have you read/viewed/listened to, etc. recently? When I am not flipping through a cookbook, I read a lot of non-fiction (Witch Craze: A New History of the European Witch Hunts by Anne Barstow) so I switched to fiction last week and read a great book that I would recommend (The Fault in Our Stars by John Green) and this summer I hope to read the whole historical series of the kings/queens of France, "Les Rois Maudits" by Maurice Druon, which I will UB from UW Madison!

What might surprise us about you? I've done something unforgettable for every decade of my life since I was 20 ( which was a 2 month back pack trip throughout Europe.) When I was 30, I earned my underwater scuba diving Paddy certification. When I was 40, I did a skydive and free fell from 2 miles up for 45 seconds before pulling the cord. I will be 50 this year and I have yet to find my challenge. Any suggestions?

Drake Quiet Study Room in Murphy Library

Students like to study in the comfort of their residence hall basements, which are cozy, homey, with comfortable couches, tables and chairs and often delicious smells wafting from the kitchen area. Students can’t beat the location either - with Murphy Library’s instant reference chat service, email reference service, online databases, and research guides, students have library services brought right to their favorite location!

When Drake students lost their residence hall in late January, right at the start of a new semester, the library contacted the Office of Residence Life with a plan to provide a quiet study space for Drake residents. Drake Hall Academic Coordinator, Lauren Mobley, sent a poll to her fellow Drake Hall residents, all dispersed in various residence halls on campus, who gave the answer, “Quiet space to study - Yes!"

Murphy Library Room 121 is now “Drake Quiet Study Space” and is open during regular open hours. When asked how things were going, Lauren had this to say: “Virtually every time I've used or checked in on the study space I've seen people using it. Just to say that means that it has been a success! It was incredibly kind of the staff in Murphy Library to offer the space for Drake residents to use. We've already held a 'Study and Snacks' program there and the Executive Team is planning on duplicated the program during finals week."

Events that usually take place in room 121, like the upcoming spring book sale, will be in room 270, upstairs in Murphy Library. We hope to see you there!

O Say Can You See

An iconic artifact in the holdings of Special Collections was recently brought out of storage; an old, large United States flag. A cryptic note, handwritten in pencil, was with the flag. The note reads: “Dr. Palmer flag. He used during Civil War? 38 stars large size.” The flag is indeed large: it measures 5’2” x 10’ 8”. It does indeed have 38 stars. It is not from the Civil War, though. A United States flag with 38 stars dates from 1877-1890 when there were 38 states in the Union.

The flag is made out of silk and is in surprisingly good condition considering its age and size. It was machine stitched but presumably done by hand as the red and white stripes and the 38 stars do not have the regular spacing of a factory-made product.

The flag was brought out of storage to be measured and physically rehoused. It is too big to be stored in the preferred manner for such objects: flat and in a map cabinet. The flag is so large it had to be laid out on the floor of Special Collections. (See photos) Then, the flag was carefully placed between multiple layers of acid-free tissue paper, gently rolled onto a tube, and placed back in storage.

And who was this “Dr. Palmer” that the flag’s ownership is attributed to? A search of La Crosse city directories did not reveal any medical doctors by that name, but there was a dentist, Dr. Edgar Palmer. Dr. Palmer had an established practice in La Crosse as he is listed for almost 30 years in the city directories, from 1868 until 1896. Further, an article in the May 24, 1901, issue of the La Crosse Daily Republican and Leader newspaper reported that Dr. Palmer and his wife had moved to Los Angeles, California, where Dr. Palmer had become dean of the College of Dentistry at the University of Southern California.

Dr. Palmer had a prominent office while in La Crosse at 402 Main St., on the corner of 4th and Main St., in the Gile Building. That building was later replaced by the Doerflinger Building. Dr. Palmer’s residence was at 234 S. 11th St. in La Crosse, a structure that no longer stands.

Questions about the flag, though, remain: Why did Dr. Palmer have this large flag? How did he come by it? Was it ever flown in La Crosse, perhaps over his business or home? Ah, those questions and more are the basis for future research. Good luck to those who tackle them!

Paul Beck, Special Collections Librarian

Thank you to book donors

Murphy Library wishes to extend its sincere appreciation to all of those who have donated books this past year. Each donation greatly improves our collections in many ways such as in the diversity of subject offerings and by allowing us to stretch our purchasing power.

How do I donate items to Murphy Library?

Donations can either be dropped off at the library or picked up at your office or home. Please call (608) 785-8509 to schedule a donation pick up or drop off. Donations can be picked up during normal business hours.

What happens to materials after they are donated?

Once donations are received at the library, they are counted and sorted. The sorted materials are reviewed; the staff decides what will be added to the library’s collection, what will be offered to other UW System campuses, and what will be sold in our semi-annual book sale. The materials given to the book sale are instrumental in helping the library raise funds for staff development and library acquisitions. Books that are added to the collection are either replacements for missing books or books needed to expand the Library's collection.

Thank you for your interest in Murphy Library’s book donation program. To inquire about donating, please contact John Jax (785-8567) or Karen Lange (785-8305).

John Jax, Collection and Resource Development Librarian

Notable Student-Funded Resources

Thanks to student funding through Academic Initiatives, the following resource is now available to UW-L. Find these and other student-funded resources at the Student-Funded Library Resources page as well as in the library's A - Z list of resources, and in various library subject guides.