University of Minnesota Libraries

10/27/2026

Pop-up books may seem like child’s play, but they are impressive feats of paper engineering that turn the 2D process of reading a book into a 3D, tactile experience.

When the Children's Literature Research Collections at UMN Libraries received a donation of over 1,000 pop-up books from longtime collector Dennis Frahmann, our Archives and Special Collections Cataloging Unit began the work of processing and cataloging this delightful collection.

Take a peek at some of the books in the collection, and hear from our catalogers about why cataloging these books is important to ensure they are accessible to a wide range of students, educators, researchers, and readers.

Read the full story by Rebecca Ammerman: https://www.lib.umn.edu/news/2026/10/surprises-every-turn-umn-libraries-brings-large-collection-pop-books-world

10/26/2026

See materials from the Performing Arts Archives at UMN Libraries in a new immersive pop-up experience! This week!

10/26/2026

Tour two more companion exhibits at Elmer L. Andersen Library this fall with UMN Libraries Exhibit Designer, Darren Terpstra: "The Right of the People: Honoring the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence," and "The Right of the People: Anti-Fascist Propaganda, 1914-1945." Learn more about these and other Libraries exhibits: https://www.lib.umn.edu/news/topic/exhibits

Elmer L. Andersen Library currently requires a U Card for entry. If you do not have a U Card, please call 612-624-7469 upon your arrival to be let into the building.

10/23/2026

Mark your calendars! On Nov. 7, Lisa Von Drasek, Miranker Family Curatorial Chair of The Kerlan Collection of Children's Literature, will be moderating a conversation at the Twin Cities Book Festival with award-winning picture book author and illustrator Philip C. Stead.

The conversation will take place at noon in the Red Cap Room.

Join us as renowned picture book author and illustrator Philip C. Stead unleashes his first prose book for Middle Grade readers! Saturday, November 7, 202612:00pm, Red Cap Room For his ... Read More

10/20/2026

Introducing: Archives After Dark!

Join us for a *brand new* event series starting this November. Ever wondered what a giant underground cavern full of archival materials looks like? Come find out!

Each Archives After Dark event will feature a talk showcasing some of the many exciting stories that live in our Archives & Special Collections at UMN Libraries. After the talk, travel 82 feet below Elmer L. Andersen Library to see the caverns firsthand.

Free! All are welcome! Register for “Silences in the Archives” on Nov. 12 and see more upcoming Archives After Dark topics at z.umn.edu/AD2027.

10/18/2026

Take a tour of a new exhibit in Elmer L. Andersen with UMN Libraries Exhibit Designer, Darren Terpstra. "Unburied: Death and Mourning in the Archives" showcases materials from across the UMN Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections, as well as materials from the Goldstein Museum of Design Collection, the Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine, and the Andersen Horticultural Library.

Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 20, for an exhibit opening reception at Elmer L. Andersen Library. Learn more at z.umn.edu/unburied. Please note that Elmer L. Andersen Library currently requires a U Card for entry. If you do not have a U Card, please call 612-624-7469 upon your arrival to be let into the building.

10/16/2026

Earlier this week, the Children’s Literature Research Collections at UMN Libraries celebrated its annual Kerlan Award. This year's recipient was celebrated artist, author, and woodblock printmaker Betsy Bowen.

The Kerlan Award, given annually in recognition of singular attainments in the creation of children’s literature and in appreciation for the generous donation of unique resources to the Kerlan Collection, celebrates Bowen’s lasting impact on the cultural fabric of Minnesota.

Thank you to all who joined us for this fantastic event, including the booksellers of Red Balloon Bookshop!

📸: Adria Carpenter

10/14/2026

Attention UMN graduate students, do you want to tour the Caverns?

IHRC invites you to a guided tour of the immigration History Research Center Archives (IHRCA). This is an exciting opportunity to learn about archival research and tour the caverns under the Andersen Library. This is an event designed for UMN graduate students that provides an introduction to and discussion of archival research and tour of the materials available at the IHRCA
Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Location: Elmer L. Andersen Library, Room 308
RSVP: HTTPS://Z.UMN.EDU/IHRC-TOUR

10/14/2026

For the last installment of our three-part series explaining the ins and outs of librarianship, we talk to Anne Good, associate curator of the James Ford Bell Library and Special Collections and Rare Books.

Read the full story: https://www.lib.umn.edu/news/2026/09/what-exactly-do-librarians-do-qa-anne-good-associate-curator-james-ford-bell-library

10/12/2026

In the caverns of Andersen Library, buried crypt-like under 82-feet of earth and limestone, there lies the last testaments of thousand of lives, the Archives and Special Collections (ASC).

ASC’s newest exhibit at the University of Minnesota Libraries, “Unburied: Death and Mourning in the Archives,” is a meditation on the everyday experiences of death, experiences that were once an omnipresent feature of our lives, but today are kept at a distance. “Unburied” is also unique in that it takes a broad cross-collection view from 14 different units at ASC, and includes materials from the Goldstein Museum of Design Collection, the Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine, and the Andersen Horticultural Library.

Read the full story by Adria Carpenter, and visit the exhibit now through Jan. 29, 2027 at Elmer L. Andersen Library. Please note that Elmer L. Andersen Library currently requires a U Card for entry. If you do not have a U Card, please call 612-624-7469 upon your arrival to be let into the building.

https://www.lib.umn.edu/news/2026/09/inside-ascs-latest-exhibit-death-your-door-isnt-bad-thing

📸 K Carmody-McIntosh