In the fall of 2012, the room in the back on the first floor of the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library, the Upshur Reading Room, was beginning to be used for programs. Both campus and community members gathered to be informed, to be inspired, and to have discussions.
Like the Town Squares in the olden days, it was a place for people to come and find information and to discuss it.
One particularly inspirational evening in the autumn of 2012, Dr. Robert Rupp came to the library to give a lecture about candidates for an upcoming election. And we had quite a crowd.
But, the backdrop was not great – with open walls back to where journals were stored blocked off by a series of filing cabinets.
On the cabinets were stacks of papers, microfilm boxes, and dead plants.
Not exactly the kind of thing we were proud to show off on the evening news reports – and the press did come.
The Library was inspired…..to have a more appropriate and visually appealing place for these programs. Funding from the Friends of the Library made it possible to install a partition between the Reading Room and the periodical storage area. Filing cabinets and dead plants were removed.
In consultation with Professor Ellen Mueller, a professor in the Art Department from 2012-2017, we received submissions for the creation of a mural. She included the project as part of an assignment for the class. Several wonderful designs were submitted, and we chose a design by Spencer Kinnard.
Director of Library Services, Paula McGrew
Click here to see a time lapse video of Spencer as he creates his masterpiece.
His design placed the Greek Philosophers in the center, scientists and medical leaders in the upper right corner, philosophers and religious readers in the lower right, artists and musicians on the lower left, and writers on the upper left.
This is generally where books on those topics are located in this library. Genius!
His tag line is:
- Despite everything we have learned, questions linger and remain.
- Who are we?
- Where are we going?
- And, what will tomorrow bring?
One thing tomorrow brought was a beautiful and meaningful transformation of the space. Be sure to stop by and take a closer look at it the next time you are in the library. (p.s. there is a cheat sheet mounted on the wall so that you can identify all of the people on the mural).
Be sure to check out the DreamersAndGiants website!