Fondren Library

❄️☃️ Holiday Hour updates! We hope to see you all when we’re open 🫶🏽

Need a better understanding of the DMC and their services? There’s a little introduction video on the DMC’s webpage 🙂‍↕️ because librarians love making your life easier, using technology, and most of all, 🧑🏻‍💼📈📎🕴️💻

(And yes, we did just search business emojis and keyboard smashed — like we said, we love technology hehe)

With students away, library staff will play…! In fact we’ve been wearing silly holiday hats🧑‍🎄 and ugly seasonal sweaters🎄, leading up to the gingerbread house contest. Still on campus? Come vote for your favorite gingerbread house! Each was made by a library staff department. Try not to eat them, though…

Did you make it to our study break today? 🍪🎅☕️Here’s a quick recap of some of the fun and snacks we all enjoyed. Thanks to the 🎶 for contributing to making this such a good time! Study hard Owls, but not too hard. 🦉

Join us next week for some fun and relaxation during finals and study days! ☕️🍿🍪We’ll have crafts, snacks, and fun on Wednesday afternoon starting at 2pm. Later, 🦮therapy dogs🐕‍🦺 with will return! Those sweet dogs just love to be loved on so come pet them on Wednesday and Thursday starting at 5 and Friday starting at 3.

📖It’s almost the end of the semester so we have some prime whiteboards to share! Check out all the hard work our students have been doing lately in Fondy: from chemical formulas to essays on Apartheid to legal stuff, they’ve really been studying. 🤔📑

📚✨ This Giving Tuesday, let's come together to support Fondren Library! Your donations help us provide essential resources, foster learning, and create a welcoming space for all. Click the link to donate and make a difference today! https://riceconnect.rice.edu/fofl

How it started vs. how it ended! Thanks to everyone who pitched in—from Scouts, Mary Cate’s friends, family, and Lamar community, librarians, Rice faculty and students—you helped us build this amazing new green flood control! Fondren’s Rain Garden isn’t yet perfect. Winter is about to begin and it won’t have a lot of plants till spring. But in the meantime, keep an eye out for some new sprouts and continued improvements. We’re excited to test its effectiveness this week when rain comes!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Fondy team! 🦉📚 Please note our holiday hours for this week. We look forward to seeing you all back in the library soon 🦃

Noticed anything different on the south side of Fondy? You know, over where the hammocks aren’t. If you haven’t, here’s some news: we’re building a rain and pollinator garden! 🌧️🦋🌻 With the help of Lamar student and scout Mary Cate , the Seed Library, CREW liaison and Green Team have been planning a fun way to support our native ecosystem and maybe remediate some of our flooding issues. Last weekend some bad-🫏 local scouts and families joined with library staff to get to work digging. While we didn’t finish thanks to Sunday’s rain, we did get quite a lot of the foundations laid. Come back in a week to see our progress and learn more about Texas native plants. This ongoing project is seeking more collaborators, so please contact us if you want to help, learn more, or pitch in!

🗺️🌏We’re celebrating GIS Day with our GIS/Data Center, thanks to GIS Librarian Kim! Globe-themed cookies and map stickers are part of the party today, 1-4pm. Think computers and maps make a good pair? You should sign up for a GIS class, at the course listing 🔗 in bio.

Today, we pause to honor and express our deepest gratitude to all the brave people who have served in the armed forces. Your courage, dedication, and sacrifices have protected our freedoms and shaped our nation. Thank you for your service. 🇺🇸 💪

🌂☔️Ok we’re actually fairly certain many of you do, but just in case, here’s a reminder. We have umbrellas you can check out. It’s going to rain again, this is Houston… so if you’re not prepared, we got you. 🦉☂️

Happy whiteboard Wednesday! We’re bringing some of the best, fullest, most mind-blowing work done lately in Fondy. We ❤️ our students!

Join us at Fondren Library for a special event! 📚✨ Come mix and mingle with fellow students. Discover curated book displays tailored for first-generation college students, learn about our support resources, and share your thoughts on our future plans. Don’t miss the chance to enter a drawing for free books! 🍕🥗🍰 Enjoy pizza, salad, and dessert while you connect with us. See you there!



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✨ Happy (belated) Diwali from Fondren Library! ✨ Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most significant festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Celebrated over five days, it symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Homes are adorned with oil lamps, candles, and vibrant rangoli designs, while families come together to share sweets, gifts, and joyous moments.

At Fondren Library, we have a selection of resources to help you learn more about this beautiful festival and its cultural significance. Search our catalog to find books, articles, and multimedia on Diwali and related traditions. Visit our website at library.rice.edu to discover more.

Wishing everyone a bright and joyous Diwali! 🪔

Graphic Credit: An edited template, created by banuaa on Canva.
Caption created with the help of Copilot by Microsoft.

Join us in celebrating Dia de Los Mu***os with a special tribute to the icons we’ve lost in the media and literary world. This year, our amazing volunteer, Riley, has created a beautiful Ofrenda display to honor their memories.

Dia de Los Mu***os, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. It is a time when families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink, and celebration. This tradition blends Mesoamerican rituals, European religion, and Spanish culture.

Come by to see the vibrant altar in the Brown Fine Arts Library, on the third floor of Fondren library. Learn about the significance of this tradition and pay your respects to the legends who have inspired us through their words and stories.

Let’s come together to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have left an indelible mark on our hearts and minds. 💖📖

***os

🎃👻 Trick or Treat at Fondren Library this Halloween! 👻🎃 🦉 Join us for a spooktacular time in the library tomorrow, October 31, from 2:00–4:00 PM. Expect treats galore, a few playful tricks, and plenty of photo ops with our festively decorated departments and costumed staff! 📸✨

Explore trick-or-treating stations across different departments and floors in the library. Whether you’re planning to be spooky or cutesy, come by and enjoy some Halloween fun. Costumes are highly encouraged! 🎃👻

See you there, if you dare! 🕸️🕷️ 🎃👻🦉