UW-Madison Libraries

Well, what do YOU find when you go through your storage? At Libraries, a trip to storage might lead to discoveries of one-of-a-kind meteorological instruments!

In late July, the Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences Library invited researchers from the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) to help identify and catalog some of the bespoke electronic objects in its holdings. Click through to see what they found!

Pictured:
Stereo-comparagraph/stereograph: Place two images inside the “goggles” of this object to superimpose them. Researchers may have found this useful for layering tools like weather maps.

Radiometer with omni-directional spheres: Potentially built in the 1950s, this object is used to measure the Earth's radiation budget, or the balance of incoming and outgoing radiation from our world.

Small Probe Net Flux Radiometer (SNFR): This object — an experiment model whose exact copy flew on the Pioneer Venus Orbiter in 1978 — measures the net flux of solar and planetary radiation in the atmosphere of Earth’s sister planet.

Photos by Forrest Tucker/SSEC

It’s sunflower season on and around the UW–Madison campus, but the blooms flourish year-round at Kohler Art Library. Take a peek at the posies featured in one of our Van Gogh sketchbook facsimiles, available for viewing during Kohler’s open hours.

What’s a facsimile?, you might be wondering.

These resources are exact reproductions of an artist’s work, down to paper color, texture, and scale. Facsimiles give students, staff, and library patrons the chance to interact with a nearly identical representation of artist’s work in meaningful ways, providing depth and nuance to a research project — and creating a crisper view of history.

A librarian’s work doesn’t end at the libraries' walls!

Our team members can often be found sharing their learnings with peers, serving on panels, and even speaking on a podcast or two. Just this week, staff members from UW–Madison Libraries presented to captive audiences at the Women and Leadership Symposium on the UW campus.

Nola Walker, International Area Studies outreach and partnerships coordinator (pictured first), co-led a morning session on intercultural competence, exploring the concept as an ongoing developmental practice that strengthens communication and relationships in personal and professional settings.

During an afternoon session, Jules Arensdorf, online learning coordinator (pictured second), helped participants explore strategies that improve processes, transparency, and structure to create more equitable engagement in meetings.

It's National Hot Dog Day!

To satisfy your appetite for Wisconsin history, our partners at the Wisconsin Historical Society are sharing a bit more about the iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile (including the 1969 model in their collections!).

New textures and bold designs are coming to the new STEM Commons, which opens alongside Steenbock Memorial Library's first floor later this summer. We can't wait to share more details!

📣 Special delivery for Special Collections! 📣

After an 18-month renovation to its fire suppression systems, Special Collections is finally welcoming back its trove of rare books and manuscripts from the secure storage facility they’ve called home for the last year and a half. The department — housed on the ninth floor of Memorial Library — will officially reopen before the fall 2026 semester, returning access to this incredible collection of resources to UW–Madison students, staff, and researchers.

So, what was in yesterday’s delivery? Leave your guesses in the comments!

In observance of the Fourth of July holiday, UW–Madison Libraries locations will be closed or have modified schedules July 4 and 5:

🎆 All UW–Madison Libraries will be closed Saturday, July 4.

🎆 College Library and the Arboretum Research Library will maintain regular hours on Sunday, July 5. All other libraries will be closed.

As always, check our Locations page on library.wisc.edu before you visit. We look forward to seeing you again on Monday!

Photo courtesy of Wisconsin Historical Society

"Inside Out — Art of Medical Illustration," an exhibit curated by the McPherson Eye Research Institute, explores the meticulous craftsmanship of medical illustrations, including retinal drawings sourced from the Alice McPherson Archive held by UW Archives.

Created under the care of trailblazing retinal specialist Dr. Alice Ruth McPherson, the historical drawings provide magnified views of retinal conditions or abnormalities. Each drawing is remarkably precise, depicting ocular landscapes mapped out in whisper-thin vessels and gauzy tissues.

These meticulous representations were essential examination and teaching tools for Dr. McPherson, who used the drawings to educate medical students and patients alike. Today, their application isn’t just practical; each illustration is an emblem of the ways that art and science have come together to tell stories and capture histories.

Check out these retinal drawings and more medical illustrations at the Mandelbaum & Albert Family Vision Gallery now through September 30, 2026.

Congratulations to Libraries’ Jessie Nemec and Lee Konrad for their recent UW–‍Madison IT Recognition Awards! The current and former staff members, respectively, received the honors for their dedication and contributions to strengthening the information technology community at UW–‍Madison.

Nemec, Libraries’ web application developer and designer, received the Unsung Hero Award for her leadership in helping the Libraries implement accessibility standards to align with ADA Title II requirements. The success of that project was made possible thanks to her care and collaboration.

“I’m proud to work with so many thoughtful, talented people who really care about making our digital spaces more usable and accessible,” Nemec says.

Konrad, emeritus associate dean for information technology and administration, was awarded this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award after nearly four decades of service at the UW. His legacy is marked by advocating for Libraries’ expertise and seat at every table.

“What stands out to his colleagues most about Lee’s career is not only the scope of what he did, but the way he did it,” said Todd Schechter, chief technology officer at the Division of Information Technology (DoIT), at the May 28 event.

Join us in celebrating Nemec and Konrad in the comments!

Big changes are coming to Steenbock Library in mid-July.

That’s when the library’s first floor officially reopens for public use after a yearlong renovation, bringing active learning classrooms, new study spaces, modern amenities, updated technology, and a fresh look and feel.

“It’s been a busy year, but we’re ready to open the doors and show campus and the community how the revamped space can really serve them,” says Deborah Helman, director of science and engineering library services at Steenbock Library.

Another notable change is the August reopening of STEM Commons, an event and gathering space formerly called BioCommons. A partnership between WISCIENCE and Steenbock Library, the space will reopen with major updates and new amenities to support its mission of enhancing the undergraduate STEM experience at UW–Madison.

Read the Libraries' announcement to learn more about the exciting changes in store at Steenbock for fall 2026: https://go.wisc.edu/1ep409

Images 1, 2, and 4 courtesy of Aro Eberle Architects; image 3 courtesy of Thysse.