The second Books and Baskets fundraiser was a success!   The project raised nearly $1900, which will directly benefit the Cofrin Library's collections and services. 

 The fundraiser was only possible with the help of many businesses, individuals, and organizations who contributed over $4000 in goods and services.  The Development Committee would also like to thank all of those who helped sell tickets.  Friends' members and volunteers from Learning in Retirement sold over 2500 tickets.  Tickets were sold throughout the community and campus as well as at the Weidner Center for Performing Arts and the Senior Expo.  

In addition to the donors and ticket sellers, several individuals contributed time and assistance to make the fundraiser outstanding.  The Development Committee would like to recognize:  Stacy Baltus, Nancy Brown, Emily and Jon Castrop, Tom Davis, Virginia Dell, Linda Erwin, Kathy Pletcher, Joan Robb, Chris Sampson, Deb Strelka, and Zeta Turriff.

Plans are already underway for the third Books and Baskets fundraiser.Watch for news of the exciting basket themes coming in 2001!

The President's Page
By Chuck Matter

Since these are my first comments for "A Chat with Friends", an introduction seems in order. Let me begin with my name; though I was a "Charles" to my parents, I am "Chuck" to virtually everyone else, and I am happy with that. I grew up in Williamsport, PA, where I attended Lycoming College. Seattle was my home for the five years I was a student in Biological Psychology at the Univ. of Washington.  Green Bay became home in 1971 when I joined the UWGB faculty (which doesn't seem as long ago as it is.) Since I have long been afflicted with a near ravenous curiosity, UWGB's interdisciplinary approach has been a wonderful setting for me because it has allowed me to pursue a diverse range of interests by making connections with a number of programs and faculties beyond my home department of Information and Computing Sciences.

I am very pleased to have the opportunity to serve as the President of the Friends of the Cofrin Library in all dimensions but one; I have to follow in the footsteps of Barbara McClure-Lukens, the first President of the Friends. Any of you who have seen Barbara in action understand my concern. Our organization has been indeed lucky to have as our first leader a person of such insight, energy, leadership, enthusiasm, and humor. I wonder if John Adams had such qualms when he followed Washington into the Presidency? At least Barbara has no plans to retire to Mount Vernon, though she may wish she had when she discovers how often I pester her for advice. The good news is that Barbara continues to be involved with the Friends by chairing the programming committee this year.

A major reason why the Friends and my current position in it are so rewarding for me is the critical contribution the Cofrin Library and its staff make to the quality of teaching, learning and research at UW-Green Bay. I have two examples of why I feel this way.

An example from this year comes from one of several committees working to change the student experience at UWGB.  I served on the committee charged with proposing the general nature and goals of seminars intended to make students engaged and effective learners from the outset of their college careers.  It became evident, through discussions that librarians and the Library are not auxiliaries to the university but are integral to students learning experience. For example, one of seven goals developed by the committee was information literacy.  A librarian on the committee helped us to understand that finding good information is a more of a challenge for students than even before. Access to information has exploded over the last few years, due to the web, but this is a curse as well as a blessing. Unlike the scholarly journals that have been the traditional sources of professional information for students, few web sites have a process for assuring the credibility of the information they provide; they are unfiltered pipelines. Consequently the very tough job of evaluating a source falls on the student. Librarians were not only the first group to recognize the seriousness of this problem, but they have been the leaders in developing approaches to enable students to learn how to filter the knowledge from the noise.

This is but one reason why I am proud to serve as the President of the Friends of the Cofrin Library. I look forward to meeting and working with all of you, together finding many more reasons to be proud of our organization.

"Biodiversity" & "Susan B." Headline this Year's Programming
By Barbara McClure-Lukens 

The "Partners with Nature" program, held on May 4 introduced the Cofrin Arboretum Center for Biodiversity to the campus and community.  The program brochure, designed by Jeanne Heuer, invited participants to: "Join with your fellow Partners in Nature to learn about this new environmental resource".

Biodiversity Center Director Bob Howe highlighted the resources of the new center, using the web site http://www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity to demonstrate how the Center can provide practical information for outdoor enthusiasts, scientists, teachers & students, gardeners, and policy makers.  The audience of 65 visited exhibits provided by six community organizations and the Richter Museum.    

Announcing the fall program:

"Susan B. Anthony & Her Visits to Green Bay" Thursday, October 5, 2000 5p.m.

Christie Theater, University Union, UW-Green Bay 

Building upon the success of the "Elizabeth Baird" program, which drew an audience of 100 in spring/99.  Bev Smith has developed a new dramatic presentation based on the life of Susan B. Anthony. This well-known suffragette visited Green Bay several times.   Bev's one-woman play is based on original materials  about Susan B. Anthony found in the Area Research Center collections.   A key part of the program will relate to her visits to Green Bay.  

In addition, faculty member Kim Nielsen's Women's History Class will be focusing on the topic of women's suffrage.  Dr. Nielsen has agreed to introduce and set  the context for Bev.  Mark your calendars now for this timely election year program.

"Friend" to be Honored