Library News

from the Library Staff

A printable handout of the Year at a Glance 2024-2025, is also available.

In fiscal year 2024–2025, the Edgewood University Library remained a cornerstone of academic support, conducting over 1,100 research consultations, saving students $33,000 through interlibrary loans, and collaborating with the Learning Lab and OSI on the popular Pizza to Pass event to promote student engagement. The Archives and Digital Collections handled 73 information requests, consulted 90+ boxes, and hosted 11,705 items with 25,000 views, supporting key university initiatives including fundraising, alumni relations, and the name change process.

Despite these achievements, the library faces financial strain. With library databases increasing in cost by 3–8% annually, a flat operating budget equates to a real-dollar reduction, leading to resource and service cancellations. To sustain current service levels, budget adjustments must account for inflation.

Serving Students, Supporting Research

Pizza to Pass brought out record attendance—nearly 200 students each semester. For four hours on a Friday night, fully 16% of undergraduates were in the library studying with Course Coaches to prep for finals.

Preserving our past, preparing our future

Last year, the Edgewood University Archives and Digital Collections fielded 73 information requests and consulted more than 90 boxes of materials in responding to these inquiries. We hosted 11,705 items on the library’s digital repository and delivered nearly 25,000 item views. Our top clients were the Office for Institution Advancement, including Alumni Relations, and the Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications. Historical photographs and other archival materials were used in the Thanksgiving fundraising appeal, at the Emerald Club luncheon and Alumni Awards ceremony, and on the Edgewood University Alumni & Friends Instagram account. Archival records were also loaned for meetings with individual alumni and donors; double-checked to verify terms of service for previous trustees; cited in discussions with the City of Madison regarding maintenance of the Park and Pleasure Drive; and referenced throughout the university name change process, including as part of trademarking new logos.

A printable handout of the Year at a Glance 2024-2025, is also available.

The library has openings for 1-2 graduate student assistants.  

See the position description and apply on this page: https://library.edgewood.edu/grad-assistant-application

To prepare for the new semester, the library will be closed on Tuesday, August 19 for University Seminar (along with all other college offices).

Above: Greta Shetney, P.R. Director, discusses newly organized curriculum divisions with Sister Mary Nona McGreal, President, and Sister Joan Smith, Registrar, circa 1958.

From Andrew Holbrook,
Operations and Archives Librarian

A former flag came down. A fresh flag went up. Eddy the Eagle put on a brand-new shirt. And, just like that, Edgewood College officially became Edgewood University.

Except that the name change took a lot more to make it happen and represented a bigger, deeper step for the institution. Part 1 of our exhibit explored the farther-reaching reasons behind the change, explaining how “university” more accurately reflects the growth of our graduate programs and our increasingly international student body.

In part 2 — currently on view on the first floor of the Oscar Rennebohm Library — we get a first glimpse of the latest Edgewood University gear and take a closer look into the complex, months-long process that made the redesign possible.

The changeover was marked at a flag-raising ceremony on the morning of July 1st attended by members of the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters (our founding order) as well as members of the community and local news media. Along the wall of the library are the flags from that commemoration — both the last Edgewood College flag to fly above campus and the first to say Edgewood University. The flags are a gift from the President’s Office and will reside permanently in the University Archives.

The display also features a side-by-side selection of Edgewood College and Edgewood University merchandise from the Campus Store. In addition to showing off the splashy side of the name change, these items give a hint into the numerous subtle tweaks and refinements required in a major rebranding. For example, Edgewood University’s official color is now Pantone 200, a crimson red also used by the University of Wisconsin, the University of Arizona, and Wesleyan University. The updated hue is just one number away from the old color, Pantone 201, which was more of a cardinal red. When you visit our case, you can see the difference everywhere from baseball caps to sweat shirts. And don’t miss Eddy the Eagle spreading his wings in a bright new top. 

Start your summer off right with one of these new (or coming soon) eBooks and audiobooks.  With the Libby app, no need to visit the library, just download them to your device.

For more information, please see the help page, Getting Started with Libby. Not seeing what you want in our collection? Email your recommendations to Ask a Librarian, or drop them in our suggestion box located inside the library's main entrance.

From Jonathan Bloy, Librarian - Head of Digital Initiatives

The 2025 edition of Lost/Found, the student creative arts journal, is now available online. In addition to the 2025 edition, previous student arts publications can be found in our Edgewood College Creative Arts Journals collection.

The Edgewood College Creative Arts Journals collection features digitized copies of the various literary and creative arts magazines published at Edgewood College and held in the College Archives.  These magazines contain fiction, non-fiction, and poetry written by Edgewood College students, as well as student-created photographs, digital art, paintings, and other artistic work.  The collection includes the following journals:

• 2020 - 2025 (Lost/Found)
• 2007 - 2019 (Edgewood Review)
• 1990 - 2006 (The Cerebral Café)
• 1984 - 1986 (Portraits, Odyssey, Left of Center)
• 1962 - 1969 (Signature)
• 1932 - 1943 (The Conifer, Vignettes)

Beginning Saturday, May 17, the library hours will be:

• Monday through Thursday, 8am to 4:30pm
• Friday, 8am to 12:30pm
• Saturday & Sunday, closed

We will be closed for the following holidays

• Monday, May 26 - Memorial Day
• Thursday, June 19 - Juneteenth Day
• Friday, July 4 - Independence Day

Reminder: All of our online resources are always available 24/7 through the library website.

From Andrew Holbrook,
Operations and Archives Librarian

When Edgewood College officially becomes Edgewood University on July 1st, more is changing than just a name.

Some of these changes are already well underway and, in fact, started decades ago. For example, the term “university” will more accurately reflect the ongoing growth of our graduate programs as well as our increasingly international student body.

Other changes will be brand new — and will touch every aspect of the school’s brand, visual as well as verbal. The official school seal will be updated as will our logo, color palette, and fonts. The new identity will appear everywhere from stickers to street signs, from pencils to pennants, from sweatshirts to stationery.

This summer won’t be the first time we have changed our name. In fact, Edgewood University will be at least the fifth different identity in the first century of our campus. And we’re not alone. Between 1992 and 2001, nearly 800 higher ed institutions changed their names — almost one-fifth of all colleges and universities in the country. From 2001 to 2016, almost 25% of four-year “colleges” became “universities.”

Part 1 of our “What’s in a Name?” exhibit explores reasons why educational institutions change their names, looks back at Edgewood College’s own history with name changes, and bids a fond farewell to soon-to-be-vintage souvenirs and swag.

Part 2 (coming late summer) will offer a first look at new Edgewood University merch and delve deeper into the complex, months-long process that made the redesign possible.

July 31, 2025: What's in a name, part 2 has been published.

Bring your mug

For some free coffee, tea, and the occasional treat to help you through all the studying and work you need to do during these last two weeks of the semester.

We'll start brewing on Monday, May 5.

Need help with your final projects?

Library staff is here if you're struggling with end of the semester projects.  We can help with:

• Research or citation help from librarians
• Assistance from course coaches in the Learning Lab (open through May 9)
• Help with your papers from coaches at the Writing Center (open through May 9)

You've almost made it! Best of luck with exams & final projects!

Come to the library for a fun night of studying with Course Coaches, treats, prizes, and pizza of course!

Thursday, May 1st

4:00-7:00pm

Sponsored by: the Writing Center, Learning Lab, OSi, and the library.