Over the past few months, an informal survey has been conducted with members of the Mortensen Board of Visitors. Members were asked what they thought about the Board today and what they’d like to see for the future. As a result of their feedback, new programs are already underway, and others are being developed.
 All members were extremely complimentary of Randi Ashton-Pritting’s leadership of the University Libraries and Humphrey Tonkin’s leadership of the Mortensen Board. There was also unanimous praise for the programs sponsored by the Board. Members felt that the programs were interesting, scholarly and showcased the University’s excellent faculty.
A number of members asked for an update on the Board’s mission. They said they would especially like to be able to articulate the Board’s mission and purpose when speaking with prospective new members. At the May Mortensen Board meeting, Humphrey Tonkin therefore announced that a strategic planning group will be formed this summer to review the mission of the Board, update it if necessary, and disseminate the mission statement to all members.
Board members also said they would like to know the backgrounds of their fellow Board members because they probably share interests in writing, collecting, reading and scholarship. So, when space permits, a Mortensen Board member will be profiled in each issue of Resources. Additionally, short biographies of new members will be distributed at the annual spring meeting.
A significant number of Board members also offered to be actively engaged with the University libraries. They said they wanted to learn more about the libraries needs and apply their skills wherever possible. The list of new initiatives is growing rapidly:
Shep Holcombe and his family spearheaded the successful Edith Dale Monson art show in the 1877 Club that featured his aunt’s works as a representative of the so-called Ashcan School of New York Realists that included her teacher, Robert Henri, and others. As a result, many new people came to the opening reception and learned about the Mortensen for the first time through Grace Mitchell’s introductory remarks.
Steve Goddard has begun to make regular donations of new books from those he reviews on his website: StephenGoddard.com. Steve’s |
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contributions have helped Randi to add much needed and appreciated books to the library without tapping into her limited acquisition budget.
David LaBau worked with Randi to raise funds from architects state-wide so that the Architecture Book Fund has now reached the $10,000 endowment level. Randi can at last use the spendable income (4% of the endowment) to purchase architecture books for the library and enhance the collection.
Natalie Segal has agreed to help create a Writer’s Group because so many members asked for support in writing and publishing. Natalie will be letting us know more about the Group in the coming months.
Dora Rytman is organizing the papers of Atwood Collins in the University’s archives. Collins was instrumental in the formation of the United Nations and, thanks to Dora, his collections will be more accessible to researchers.
And Jim Lyon believes in the Mortensen so strongly that he sent a personal letter to all Board members urging them to make a gift to the library this year. When we report on the results of Board giving when the fiscal year closes (June 30) we believe Jim’s efforts will be greatly rewarded!
Finally, many Board members suggested that we should draw more people outside the University to the Mortensen’s doors and impressive resources. Lou Loomis took the time to create a list of her friends and neighbors in the West End who she thought might like to learn more about the Mortensen. And, Jan Larson, Nora Anthony, Marcia Hall, Grace Mitchell and Emily Holcombe have been helping Randi to determine what needs to be done to make the library more inviting.
Their suggestions have included supplying maps, making the reference desk more visible, introducing people to the vast database resources, creating a warmer environment by a new coat of paint (not white or grey!), adding more paintings, and using Mortensen board members as “ambassadors” for the library. By the fall we hope to follow up on many of those improvements and have a program in place that welcomes new users to the library and makes everyone feel at home. We encourage feedback and suggestions from Board members at any time!
Please call Randi Ashton-Pritting at 860.768.4268 or email pritting@hartford.edu. ■ |
