MSU Libraries

This Juneteenth, the MSU Libraries is reflecting on the power of history, community and storytelling. 💚

Earlier this week, we welcomed local leaders, activists and organizers to the MSU Main Library for the MSU Juneteenth Symposium, an evening of reflection and discussion centered on civic participation, volunteerism and grassroots leadership.

Through panel discussions and interactive workshops highlighting quilting, food, culture and storytelling, attendees explored the ways communities preserve history and build connections across generations.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in honoring Juneteenth and celebrating the stories that shape our communities!

Did you know MSU Libraries is home to one of the world's most comprehensive collections of turfgrass research? ⚽🌱

As Michigan State University's internationally recognized Turfgrass Management Program helps provide the natural grass playing surfaces for the FIFA World Cup 26, researchers and professionals around the world continue to rely on the Turfgrass Information Center in the Main Library — the most comprehensive publicly available collection of turfgrass research and educational materials in the world.

The Turfgrass Information Center houses an extensive collection of materials related to sports turf, golf courses, athletic fields and managed landscapes, supported by expert staff whose work in indexing and collection development ensures the depth, quality, and discoverability of these resources. TIC is also home to the Turfgrass Information File (TGIF) database, which is open access, making turfgrass research and educational resources available to anyone with an interest in the subject.

From campus to the world stage, Spartan turfgrass research continues to make an impact.

To learn more or search the Turfgrass Information Center database, visit https://tic.msu.edu/database.

Historical photos courtesy of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and Michigan State University Turfgrass Information Center.

In May, MSU Libraries hosted the Symposium on Reparative Description in Library Cataloging, bringing together library professionals from Michigan and beyond to explore enhancements to subject access and the future of more inclusive cataloging practices.

The event featured keynote presentations from Violet Fox, founder of Cataloging Lab, and Bri Watson of Western University and editorial board member of Homosaurus, along with lightning talks highlighting reparative description work happening in libraries.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and to our sponsors, Michigan Academic Library Association, University of Michigan Library and Western Michigan University Libraries, for helping make this event possible. 💚

Continue celebrating Pride Month with MSU Libraries! 🌈📚

This month, we're highlighting LGBTQIA2S+ stories and authors from our collections. All of the books featured here are available through the Libraries and offer opportunities to explore a range of experiences, perspectives and voices.

As part of the MSU Juneteenth Commemorative Celebration, join MSU Libraries and WKAR on Wednesday, June 17, from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. for a discussion with Dr. LeConté Dill about her book “Soul Survivors.”

Moderated by Lisa Bond-Brewer, this event is part of the African American Women Scholars on Race, Racism, and Living Black in America Book Talk Series and will take place at WKAR Studio B.

This event is presented in partnership with the MSU Juneteenth Planning Committee and the MSU Department of African American and African Studies.

For more information and to register, visit https://bookings.lib.msu.edu/event/16740775.

Join us from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, for a Visiting Scholars Presentation by Julia Woods of New York University exploring “Raising a Global Citizenry and MSU Libraries’ David Robinson papers.”

This in-person talk will examine the David Robinson papers held at MSU Libraries.

For more information, visit https://bookings.lib.msu.edu/event/16785146.

Join the Beal Botanical Garden on Thursday, June 11, from 12:10 to 1 p.m. for an exploration of where plants get their names. 🌿📖

Led by Beal Education Director, Maeve Bassett, this tour will delve into the stories behind plant names, from the fascinating and unusual to the potentially problematic, and debate common vs. scientific names!

The tour will begin at the garden pond.

For more information, visit https://bookings.lib.msu.edu/event/16503627.

Congratulations to longtime MSU Libraries supporter and Department of English Professor Emerita Jyotsna Singh on her recent Faculty Emeriti Association Award at the All-University Awards! This award celebrates Singh’s post-retirement contributions to MSU, many of which continue to benefit the MSU Libraries directly. From her transformative endowment supporting materials in Early Modern Studies to her co-curated exhibit on “Europe and Empires of the East” at the MSU Libraries in fall 2025, Singh has been continuing to help advance the university’s global standing in the humanities since her 2024 retirement. Internationally recognized for broadening the Shakespeare canon through postcolonial and transnational perspectives, Singh’s scholarship continues to influence global humanities discourse. We are grateful for her steady support of research and scholarship in Early Modern Studies and ongoing partnership with MSU Libraries to help expand access to knowledge and enrich learning opportunities for students, faculty and researchers!

The MSU Libraries’ Spring 2026 issue of Insight is here!

This edition showcases the work of MSU Press in garnering four 2025 Michigan Notable Book Awards, MSU Libraries’ foray into the exploration of artificial intelligence (AI), how the newly formed Student Advisory Committee is amplifying student voices at MSU Libraries, and more!

To read more, visit https://tinyurl.com/Spring2026Insight.