Happy New Year!
The Wisconsin Water Library team is back in the office after some traveling and relaxation this winter season. I can’t wait to get started on our new projects coming up this year, but first on want to spend some time reflecting on the programming and services the Wisconsin Water Library provided in 2018. Take a look at what we’ve done, what we’re doing, and what we have planned for the future!
Past
In 2018, the Wisconsin Water Library planned, collaborated, and led multiple educational opportunities regarding water and the Great Lakes. I only witnessed half of the year (my job started in August), and I have no doubt that Anne (the librarian) did great work the entire year, so this is by no means a comprehensive list! Here are a few highlights:
- An exciting new start for AquaLog, where I’m hoping to capture the many ways that water impacts our lives and how the Wisconsin Water Library can support life-long learning about water and environmental stewardship!
- The Denis Sullivan sail last August was a great way to end the summer.
- The Under the Surface exhibit at two Madison libraries, bringing together art, science, and experiential healing.
- Tons of programming surrounding the Go Big Read, featuring The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan.
Photo: Anne, the librarian, and me showing off our hard work installing the Under the Surface exhibit. A first for both of us that we can check off our bucket lists now: install an art exhibit in a university library!
Present
- Our Aquatic Invader Attack Packs were all officially completed today! What a great start to a new year, full of invasive species identification curricula for teachers and other educators to borrow!
- We’re busy collaborating with the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts this winter! The exhibit opens on January 10th and features art and artifacts related to lake sturgeon and the people who chase these Ancient Survivors. From fine art prints to interview audio recordings with sturgeon experts to decoy carvings, the exhibit will have something for everyone who loves local culture and history. I’ll have more details on this exhibit in future blog posts, too, because it’s going to be amazing!
Photo: Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts from www.thelmaarts.org.
Future
We have some exciting plans in the works for the rest of 2019, too:
- More blog posts, of course!
- Updating the Water Resources Institute Groundwater Project Repository to be more user-friendly, comprehensive, and discoverable.
- Anne is the keynote speaker for the Door County Reads program this year. In turns out we can’t get enough of Dan Egan’s book all across the state of Wisconsin!
- Oral histories that were collected during the writing of People of the Sturgeon will be available for listening through the UW library website sometime later this year.
Photo: Great Lakes in winter from NASA Visible Earth project, https://visibleearth.nasa.gov/. Happy snowy new year!
If you’re interested in collaborating with Wisconsin Water Library or are looking for educational opportunities related to water and the Great Lakes for children and adults, reach out at askwater@aqua.wisc.edu or mcwitte@wisc.edu!