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Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies News

Arun Gupta’s “The Mission Generation” connects purpose, learning and public service

Arun Gupta’s “The Mission Generation” connects purpose, learning and public service

October 1st, 2026

What does it mean to build a meaningful career in a world of rapid technological change and uncertainty?

That question was at the center of a recent event featuring Arun Gupta, CEO of the NobleReach Foundation and co-author of “The Mission Generation: Reclaim Your Purpose, Rewrite Success, Rebuild Our Future.” Gupta joined Purdue students on September 24 for a reading, conversation, and book signing in the Humanities, Social Science and Education Library.

Gupta challenged students to rethink the traditional idea of a linear career. With artificial intelligence, longer working lives, and rapid changes across industries, he encouraged students to focus less on titles and institutions and more on the problems they care about solving.

“You can’t just wait for clarity and then go act on it. You’ve got to put yourself out there and be acting and getting feedback.”

His emphasis on experimentation, curiosity, and continuous learning has strong ties to the values of Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies. In a world where information and technology are changing rapidly, information literacy is not simply a skill students develop for a particular course or assignment. It is a foundation for lifelong learning—helping people ask meaningful questions, evaluate information, adapt to new circumstances, and make informed decisions throughout their careers.

As Gupta put it, “You’re learning for the rest of your life.”

From Purdue to public service

Purdue alumnus Tarun Prakash joined Gupta for the conversation and provided a firsthand example of these ideas in practice. After graduating from Purdue with a degree in mechanical engineering, Prakash became part of NobleReach’s inaugural cohort and spent a year working with the U.S. Space Force in El Segundo, CA.

He described the experience as a “force multiplier” for his career. Working in government gave him an understanding of public-sector priorities and relationships that later became valuable when he moved into the private sector.

Prakash’s experience illustrated Gupta’s argument that an unconventional career experience can become an important source of learning, relationships, and perspective rather than a detour from a traditional career path.

Connecting NobleReach and Purdue

Prakash’s experience also reflects the growing connections among NobleReach, Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies, and the Purdue University College of Engineering.

The College of Engineering’s Innovation for Public Service Certificate, developed in collaboration with NobleReach, gives students opportunities to explore how technology, innovation, and public service intersect. Libraries courses ILS 230, ILS 300, and ILS 301 are selective courses in the certificate program.

These connections reflect a shared interest in preparing students to navigate complex problems that cross disciplinary and institutional boundaries. For Libraries and School of Information Studies, that work includes helping students develop the information-literacy skills and habits of lifelong learning needed to remain adaptable in a rapidly changing world.

The Mission Generation ultimately asks students to think differently about both careers and learning. Rather than waiting for certainty, Gupta encourages people to experiment, learn from experience, build trusted relationships, and continually reassess where they can contribute.

That message aligns closely with the role of Purdue Libraries: supporting students not only in finding information today, but in developing the curiosity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning practices they will need for whatever comes next.


Reception celebrates the history and legacy of home economics at Purdue

September 29th, 2026

On Thursday, September 24, Purdue University Archives and Special Collections welcomed members of the Purdue community to a reception celebrating the current exhibition, “The History of Home Economics at Purdue: How It Shaped Our Campus and Our Lives.” Marking 100 years since Purdue established the School of Home Economics, the evening offered guests an opportunity to explore the exhibition, connect with Purdue’s history, and hear firsthand reflections from professionals whose education and careers were shaped by home economics.

The evening began with exhibition viewing and a book sale and signing featuring authors Angie Klink, John Norberg, and Frederick Whitford. Presented with books from the Purdue University Press, the sale featured titles exploring Purdue and Indiana history, including works connected to the people and stories highlighted in the exhibition. Guests had the opportunity to meet the authors and have books signed.

Following remarks from Neal Harmeyer, assistant dean and head of Purdue University Archives and Special Collections, and Katey Watson, exhibition curator, France A. Córdova Archivist, and clinical assistant professor, guests heard from a panel of home economics professionals.

Celebrating a lasting legacy

Moderated by Klink, the panel featured home economics professionals Joyce Miles, Olivia Bennett Wood, and Mary Alice Nebold. The panelists shared memories of their time at Purdue, reflected on their experiences in home economics, and discussed how their education and careers shaped their lives.

For Wood, her path to Purdue began with an unexpected opportunity. She recalled that the position she ultimately accepted had mistakenly been advertised as requiring a Ph.D.—one she did not have and, as a result, would not have applied for. Purdue was looking for someone with recent clinical experience as it developed a new didactic dietetics program, and Wood’s background made her a strong fit.

“I was the one with the most clinical experience, and I also had a passion for dietetics.”

Hired as an instructor, Wood went on to help develop and secure accreditation for Purdue’s coordinated dietetics program. Her career at Purdue spanned 35 years and included teaching, research, leadership in dietetics, and retirement as a professor.

Miles reflected on how her connection to Purdue began long before her career. “My 4-H agent said, ‘You will come to Purdue,’” she recalled. That early connection grew into a lifelong relationship with the university, including leadership roles and continued involvement with Purdue and the field of family and consumer sciences.

Nebold likewise traced her career from teaching to Purdue faculty and administrative leadership. Reflecting on her decades in the field, she said, “Except for two years, my entire career was spent with home economics.”

Together, their stories illustrated the breadth of home economics and the lasting ways the discipline shaped their professional lives—and, in turn, the lives of the students and communities they served.

From the classroom to communities

The exhibition explores home economics’ lasting impact through photographs, documents, artifacts, and archival materials highlighting the people, programs, and innovations that shaped Purdue and communities beyond.

The panelists also discussed why the field remains relevant today, pointing to connections between home economics and issues such as health, nutrition, financial management, relationships, education, and family well-being.

As Miles reflected, “Our discipline touches education, research, and outreach. I can’t think of a discipline today more relevant.”

Wood highlighted the expanding role of registered dietitians, including opportunities in sports nutrition, while the panel reflected on the continued importance of applying research and education to the everyday lives of individuals, families, and communities.

A legacy that continues

Although Purdue’s School of Home Economics is no longer a standalone academic unit, its influence remains visible across the university. Programs that developed within the school continue through the College of Health and Human Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts, while organizations and initiatives with roots in home economics continue to serve students and communities.

“The History of Home Economics at Purdue: How It Shaped Our Campus and Our Lives” remains on view through December 11, 2026, Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, at the Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center on the fourth floor of the HSSE Library in Stewart Center.


Explore America’s foundational ideas through Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

September 22nd, 2026

What can a 1791 printing of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense tell us about the founding of the United States? And what happens when it is considered alongside a contemporary publication arguing against Paine’s ideas? Students, faculty, and visitors will have an opportunity to explore those questions firsthand through Purdue University Archives and Special Collections (ASC) during the upcoming Cornerstone for Business conference.

Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine

On Tuesday, September 29, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, ASC will open its reading room on the fourth floor of the HSSE Library in Stewart Center to visitors for a special display of historical materials selected for the conference. The display will showcase rare books, pamphlets, and other primary sources that offer a window into the political, intellectual, and cultural debates surrounding the founding of the United States.

Among the materials featured will be ASC’s 1791 printing of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, one of the most influential political pamphlets associated with the American Revolution. Published originally in 1776, Common Sense made a widely circulated argument for American independence.

Visitors will also be able to see ASC’s 1776 printing of James Chalmers’ Plain Truth, a direct response to Paine’s arguments. The two publications provide an especially compelling opportunity to encounter competing perspectives from the revolutionary era through the original historical record.

The display will also include first or early editions of groundbreaking works by Adam Smith, Mary Wollstonecraft, David Ricardo, Thomas Malthus, John Stuart Mill, and Benjamin Franklin.

Explore history through Purdue’s collections

The display highlights one of the central strengths of Purdue University Archives and Special Collections: providing access to original materials that allow students and researchers to engage directly with the past. Rather than encountering the founding era only through textbooks or secondary accounts, visitors can examine the publications that participated in these historical debates. 

The display offers a unique opportunity to experience history through original sources while discovering the breadth of resources available through Purdue University Archives and Special Collections. Students, faculty, and visitors are invited to explore these materials on September 29 and discover how ASC can support learning, teaching, and research. When not part of this special display, these materials and over 32,000 other rare books are available to anyone by appointment in the Archives and Special Collections reading room.


New apps for downloading ebooks from Purdue Libraries

September 16th, 2026

Purdue Libraries provides access to thousands of eBooks for teaching, learning, and research. Most eBooks can be read online in your browser, and many also offer the option to download individual chapters as PDFs.

If you need to download an entire eBook for offline reading, however, you may need to use a dedicated eReader app. Because of licensing and digital rights management (DRM) requirements, eBooks from some of our major vendors use specific applications for full-book downloads.

Stack of books on table

Purdue Libraries supports two apps for downloading entire eBooks: ProQuest Ebook Central and Thorium Reader, which is used with EBSCO eBooks.

ProQuest Ebook Central

ProQuest Ebook Central provides access to eBooks available through the ProQuest platform. The Ebook Central Reader app allows you to download eligible eBooks and read them offline. If you regularly work with eBooks for research or teaching, our Ebook Central Reader App guide provides step-by-step instructions for setting up and using the app.

Using a Purdue-owned device? If you don’t have administrator privileges, submit a ticket to Purdue IT to request the Ebook Central app. Ask them to add your device to the EbookCentralReaderApp-2.05.04 software package, which is the current version.

Thorium Reader for EBSCO eBooks

EBSCO eBooks are available through a variety of library databases. Eligible titles can be downloaded as entire books and read offline using Thorium Reader, an open-source eReader application. Our EBSCO eBooks and Thorium Reader guide provides instructions for downloading and reading EBSCO eBooks with Thorium Reader.

What about chapter downloads?

If you only need a chapter or a small portion of an eBook, you can continue to download individual chapters as PDFs when that option is available (download options and limits are set by the publisher and cannot be changed by Purdue Libraries). You do not need one of these apps for chapter-level PDF downloads. The apps are primarily useful when you need to download and read an entire eBook offline.

Need help?


Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies faculty advance AI innovation across research, teaching, and knowledge stewardship

September 1st, 2026

IMLS logo

Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies faculty have received three grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), totaling more than $818,000 to support Purdue-led innovation at the intersection of artificial intelligence, research data infrastructure, digital humanities, and AI literacy.

Led by Gang Shao, Spencer Stewart, Samantha LeGrand, and Zoeanna Mayhook, the IMLS-funded projects underscore the expanding role of libraries in advancing research and learning in an AI-driven environment. Together, the three awards support efforts to strengthen research infrastructure, develop innovative approaches to digital scholarship, and equip students and researchers with the skills needed to navigate an evolving AI landscape.

The awards were recently recognized by U.S. Rep. Jim Baird, who highlighted Purdue Libraries’ ability to leverage this funding to expand research capabilities and enhance services for the university community:

“The Purdue library system has proven itself well-equipped to put these resources to good use, expanding research capabilities and strengthening the services available to its students, faculty, and university community,” said Congressman Baird. “As a Boilermaker myself, I am proud to see Purdue receive this funding to boost its important work.”

Associate Professor Gang Shao: Building an AI infrastructure for metadata

Associate Professor Gang Shao, along with the Purdue Rosen Center for Advanced Computing, is leading a three-year implementation project to develop the Agentic AI Infrastructure for Metadata Intelligence, or AIMI, through the IMLS National Leadership Grants for Libraries program. AIMI will establish a modular, human-centered architecture in which multiple AI agents work together to analyze and improve metadata records. The agents will identify gaps in existing metadata, retrieve authoritative vocabularies and ontologies, generate standards-aligned enhancements, validate outputs against established schemas, and document provenance, confidence measures, and decision-making processes.

The project will be prototyped across four data ecosystems: the Purdue University Research Repository, Illinois Data Bank, Amazon Web Services Open Data, and NASA Open Data. The goal is to transform how libraries move from records to actionable knowledge and to create an infrastructure that prepares metadata and digital collections for emerging AI-driven discovery, research, and service environments. By making digital collections more understandable to both people and AI systems, AIMI will explore how libraries can prepare their collections to be AI-ready and agent-ready while maintaining human-centered oversight, standards compliance and transparent documentation of how metadata is enhanced.

Assistant Professor Spencer Stewart: Advancing AI research in historical archives

In this Early Career Research project, Dr. Spencer Stewart is exploring how artificial intelligence can help restore lost structure and context to digitized historical records. Although millions of archival materials are now available in digital form, the process of digitization can strip away important relationships and connections—for example, identifying who is speaking in a transcript or who is the recipient of a letter.

Spencer’s project will use generative AI to develop a structural recovery framework that can automatically identify and reconstruct these relationships while maintaining archival accuracy, transparency, and accountability. Working with Purdue University Archives and Special Collections and external disciplinary consultants from major U.S. institutions, the project will develop a generalizable and reproducible AI workflow and test it through three case studies.

The project will also produce online learning modules to make the resulting tools and methods more accessible to researchers, archivists, and other cultural heritage organizations. By restoring context that can be lost during digitization, the research aims to make historical collections more useful for discovery and analysis while preserving the integrity and transparency essential to historical and archival work.

Clinical Assistant Professor Samantha LeGrand and Assistant Professor Zoeanna Mayhook: Preparing librarians to lead AI literacy initiatives

Clinical Assistant Professor Samantha LeGrand, with Co-PI Assistant Professor Zoeanna Mayhook, is leading a national initiative in collaboration with Ohio State University Libraries to prepare academic librarians to lead conversations about artificial intelligence and AI literacy on college campuses.

The project builds on Purdue’s validated Partners for AI Literacy (PAL) program, which brings students and instructors together to collaboratively shape how AI is used in teaching and learning. Over two years, a cohort of 15 academic librarians will participate in professional development designed to help them adapt the PAL framework to the needs of their own institutions.

The project aims to give librarians the training, confidence, and institutional framework to facilitate meaningful campus conversations about AI while giving students and faculty a greater role in shaping responsible AI use. Its broader goal is to create a scalable model for AI literacy leadership that can be adopted by academic libraries nationwide. The project’s resources and lessons learned will be shared through a PAL Implementation Toolkit, extending the initiative’s impact beyond the participating institutions.

Extending AI expertise to museum collections

Separately, Gang is also the AI consultant for Building a Smarter Museum: AI-Integrated Curation Excellence and Workforce Development, a project supporting the Haan Museum of Indiana Art. The initiative will pair Purdue University, Indiana University, and Ivy Tech Community College in evaluating and deploying AI tools to accelerate collection documentation and cataloging.

At the Haan Museum, AI tools will support collection-management activities including metadata generation, image recognition, transcription, and provenance research. The project will also strengthen the museum’s collections workforce through a new full-time collections manager position and a structured internship program focused on collections care, cataloging, database management, and educational interpretation. Together, these efforts are intended to move museum collections care from a reactive, fragmented process toward a systematic, AI-assisted professional function with documented standards and trained personnel.

Advancing the role of libraries in the age of AI

Together, these IMLS-supported projects highlight Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies’ commitment to advancing AI and innovation across three areas central to its academic mission: research data and information infrastructure, digital humanities and cultural heritage scholarship, and AI literacy and education. By combining emerging technologies with human expertise, Purdue researchers and partners are developing new approaches to preserve, organize, discover, and engage with knowledge in an increasingly AI-driven world.


Purdue Libraries welcomes thousands of new Boilermakers at BGR 2026

August 28th, 2026

Purdue Libraries welcomed thousands of new students during Boiler Gold Rush (BGR) 2026 last week, connecting with students through activities, giveaways, and opportunities to learn more about the Libraries. The Libraries’ booth outside the Wilmeth Active Learning Center (WALC) remained busy throughout BGR, with volunteers serving 4,000 snow cones using more than 1,500 pounds of ice. This year’s total represents a 10% increase over last year.

Students share their Purdue stories

More than 700 students participated in video interviews at the Libraries booth, sharing their thoughts, interests, and experiences as they began their Purdue journeys. Each participating student received a Purdue Libraries t-shirt. The first four videos posted to Instagram throughout the week received more than 80,000 views and helped Libraries gain 200 new followers.

Creating a quilt of the Boilermaker experience

Students also contributed to a collaborative project at the Knowledge Lab activity table. More than 200 fabric squares were created, with students designing each square to represent themselves and their Purdue journey.

Patricia Swanson, Knowledge Lab manager, will sew the squares together into a quilt that will be displayed in WALC later this semester. The finished piece will provide a visual representation of the many individual experiences that make up the Purdue community.

Thank you to BGR volunteers

Purdue Libraries thanks all of the employees who volunteered during BGR 2026. Special thanks go to the Libraries Facilities team for their essential behind-the-scenes support, including transporting equipment, setup, and an efficient breakdown at the end of the week.

View photos from the Purdue Libraries BGR booth in the photo gallery.


New fall 2026 Archives exhibition: “The History of Home Economics at Purdue: How It Shaped Our Campus and Our Lives”

June 26th, 2026

Purdue University Archives and Special Collections invites you to view a new exhibition, “The History of Home Economics at Purdue: How It Shaped Our Campus and Our Lives,” which will explore the origins, growth, and lasting impact of home economics at Purdue University.

Exhibition on view

  • August 24–December 11, 2026
  • Monday–Friday | 10:00 AM–4:30 PM
  • Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center, 4th Floor HSSE Library in Stewart Center
Two home economics students weighing rats, February 1923.
Home economics students weighing rats, February 1923. Purdue University Archives and Special Collections, MSP 25, Box 50, Item 112.

About the exhibition

Established in 1926 after decades of development, Purdue’s School of Home Economics applied scientific study to the home—from nutrition and child development to household management and public health and education. In addition to traditional domestic training, the program prepared students for careers in teaching, dietetics, extension work, institutional management, interior design, and research, supported by coursework in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

Purdue faculty and students contributed to significant innovations, including the establishment of Indiana’s first nursery school, advances in maternal and infant health, nutrition science research, nutrition guidelines, and early work in convenience foods and space nutrition. Purdue Extension’s home economics specialists disseminated this knowledge to communities across Indiana and the country, directly impacting daily life.

Although the School of Home Economics no longer exists as a standalone entity, its legacy remains deeply embedded in the university. Many of the programs established within the school continue to thrive under the umbrella of the College of Health and Human Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts. Organizations that originated from the school continue to advance its mission, while several campus buildings stand as enduring reminders of its lasting impact on education, research, and community engagement.

Exhibition reception

The exhibition will be marked by a reception on Thursday, September 24, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on the fourth floor of the HSSE Library in Stewart Center. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the exhibition and hear from home economics educators, administrators, and career professionals in a panel discussion. Local author Angie Klink will be interviewing home economics professionals Joyce Miles, Olivia Bennett Wood, and Mary Alice Nebold about the field, their careers, and the impact of the profession. The campus community and public are invited to attend.

Panelists

  • Angie Klink is a Purdue alumna (communication), independent scholar, historian, advertising copywriter, scriptwriter, and children’s author. She has authored 16 books, several focused on the history and people of Purdue University, and has written for Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History, Ms. magazine, and the American Writers Museum. Many of her books and publications highlight women’s accomplishments and their impact at institutional, state, and national levels. To learn more about Angie, visit her website. 
  • Joyce Miles is a Purdue alumna (home economics education) and a home economics educator and education administrator in family and consumer sciences in Florida. She has held leadership roles with the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS), served as a trustee for the Florida State University Foundation, and was instrumental in founding the Women for Florida State University group. Joyce studied the history of home economics as she portrayed Ellen Swallow Richards, the founder of home economics in 1909.  In 2009, in celebration of 100 years, she traveled throughout the country with portrayals of Ellen. She remains active with Purdue through the Student Life Advisory Council, College of Health and Human Sciences Dean’s Leadership Council, and Center for Families Advisory Council, and has served home economics professional organizations at national and local levels. 
  • Mary Alice Nebold is a Purdue alumna (home economics education/clothing and textiles) and assistant professor of clothing and textiles and assistant dean of Consumer and Family Sciences at Purdue. She received numerous honors throughout her career, including the Teaching Academy Book of Great Teachers Award, AMOCO Teaching Award, Mary L. Matthews Undergraduate Teaching Award, Omicron Delta Kappa Counseling Award, Special Boilermaker Award, and Sagamore of the Wabash. Upon her retirement in 2002, she was named professor emerita and the Mary Alice Nebold Student Enrichment Fund was established in her honor.
  • Olivia Bennett Wood is professor emeritus of Nutrition Science at Purdue University. She came to Purdue in 1973 and led the Purdue dietetics program through its first accreditation in 1976 and served as a national leader in dietetics and an award-winning teacher at Purdue. She received the Mary L. Matthews Undergraduate Teaching Award a record four times, is in the Teaching Academy Book of Great Teachers, a recipient of the AMOCO Award, and was the KON Delta Chapter Advisor.  The Olivia Bennett Wood Endowed Scholarship for students in dietetics was established in her honor.

Authors and books

  • Angie Klink has authored sixteen books about the history of Purdue University and Indiana, most published by Purdue University Press. An independent scholar, essayist, scriptwriter, advertising copywriter, and children’s author, Klink has written for the American Writers Museum, Ms. Magazine, Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History magazine, and documentaries narrated by actor Peter Coyote. Klink holds sixty-two American Advertising Federation ADDY Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement honor, an Honorable Mention in the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition, and a National Society of  DAR Excellence in Historic Preservation Medal honoring writing of books. Klink holds a BA in communication from Purdue. Two of her books connect closely with the themes of the exhibition:
    • “Purdue’s Female Founders: The Untold History of Trailblazing Women Faculty,” which highlights the contributions of numerous female faculty members in home economics and related fields.
    • “Divided Paths, Common Ground: The Story of Mary Matthews and Lella Gaddis, Pioneering Purdue Women Who Introduced Science into the Home,” which explores the 1926 founding of the School of Home Economics and the beginnings of Cooperative Extension at Purdue.
  • John Norberg is an Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame writer and retired Purdue University and Lafayette Journal and Courier journalist. During his more than 40-year career as a columnist and award-winning news and feature reporter, he received more than 50 state and national awards. He has authored nine books about Purdue history and its people and has written for publications including The Saturday Evening Post, USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor, and Time magazine.
    • “Ever True: 150 Years of Giant Leaps at Purdue University,” celebrates significant moments, people, and milestones in Purdue’s history, including the contributions of the School of Home Economics and Consumer and Family Sciences.
  • Frederick Whitford is a clinical engagement professor in Botany and Plant Pathology and has served as director of the Purdue Pesticide Programs since 1991. A scholar of agricultural education and history, he has authored more than 300 publications, nine books, and 160 extension bulletins, and has delivered more than 7,000 presentations.
    • “The Queen of American Agriculture: A Biography of Virginia Meredith,” co-authored with Andrew G. Martin and Phyllis Mattheis, explores Meredith’s life, including managing a prosperous farm, her instrumental role in establishing a home economics program at Purdue, and serving as the Indiana Homemakers Association’s first president.

“100 Years of Mortar Board, 1926–2026” on display now at Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

June 17th, 2026

Purdue University Archives and Special Collections is pleased to present “100 Years of Mortar Board,” an exhibition highlighting key moments in the history of Mortar Board at Purdue University through letters, photographs, speeches, drawings, and ephemera from the Mortar Board records and from individuals closely associated with the organization.

1949 Mortar Board pledges

The Mortar Board chapter at Purdue began with the founding of the SLS (Service, Leadership, and Scholarship) honor society in fall 1924. In spring 1926, SLS members submitted a proposal for admission to the National Mortar Board society. After their petition was approved in fall 1926, the organization adopted the name Mortar Board honor society. The passage of Title IX legislation in 1975 later marked a shift to a coeducational membership, opening the organization to male students as well.

Mortar Board’s mission is to promote equal opportunities in education, scholarship, and leadership, and to serve both the Purdue campus and the local community. In 2026, Mortar Board members continue to support scholarship funds and sponsor a variety of initiatives at Purdue University.

The exhibition was developed by Sara Pettinger, processing archivist for distinctive collections, with research support from Katey Watson, clinical assistant professor and France A. Córdova archivist, and Vineeta Chen, student assistant. The exhibition is currently on view and will remain open throughout the fall 2026 semester at Purdue University Archives and Special Collections, located on the fourth floor of the HSSE Library in Stewart Center.

Curator’s statement: “100 Years of Mortar Board” aims to showcase key elements of the history of Mortar Board at Purdue University using letters, photographs, speeches, and ephemera from the Mortar Board papers and individuals associated with Mortar Board.

About the Barbara Cook Chapter of Mortar Board at Purdue University

The Barbara Cook Chapter of Mortar Board at Purdue University is part of the nation’s premier senior honor society, recognizing students who demonstrate exceptional scholarship, leadership, and service. Chartered at Purdue in 1926, the chapter has become one of the most distinguished among Mortar Board’s nationwide network. 

Through leadership initiatives, campus service, and philanthropic efforts, members work to strengthen the Purdue community while supporting students, staff, and organizations through fellowships and awards. Funded largely by the annual sale of the iconic Mortar Board calendar, the chapter has contributed more than $1 million to the Purdue community over its history.


Parrish Library undergoing renovations and facility improvements

June 8th, 2026

The Parrish Library is closed for the summer while it undergoes both construction-related modifications and a facility refresh as part of the construction project connecting the new Daniels School of Business building to Krannert via a second-floor bridge.

A significant change is that the current Learn Lab classroom (KRAN 250) will become the entrance from the Daniels School of Business into the library. As a result, the Learn Lab will be relocated within Parrish Library, just north of its current location. To accommodate the project, a conference room and the Digital Projects Lab will also be relocated.

A select portion of the print collection will be relocated to the Corporate Study Room (KRAN 258/260), while the remaining materials will be transferred to off-site storage. These items will continue to be available through the library’s request service as needed. These changes will allow us to create additional study space for students while maintaining access to library resources and services.

Parrish Library will receive a refreshed appearance, including new paint, carpeting, and some new furniture along with these modifications. The updated design will provide a sleeker, more professional aesthetic while complementing the look and feel of the Krannert Drawing Room on the first floor.

While a firm reopening date has not yet been established, the library will be open for the fall semester. Construction on the relocated Learn Lab is expected to be completed by October; however, classes in the new space will begin in Spring 2027. The Digital Projects Lab will not be reestablished, as its specialized technology and graphics equipment have reached the end of their lifecycle. Instead, IT will replace the space with standard-use computers and will add additional monitors throughout the public areas of the library, allowing students to connect their laptops and expand their workspace.


Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies Professor Michael Fosmire receives American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Engineering Libraries Division Homer I. Bernhardt Distinguished Service Award

May 29th, 2026

Michael Fosmire

Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies is proud to announce that Professor Michael Fosmire has been awarded the prestigious Homer I. Bernhardt Distinguished Service Award by the Engineering Libraries Division of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE).

Established in 1990, the Bernhardt Award recognizes individuals whose sustained contributions, leadership, and scholarship have significantly advanced engineering information services and engineering education. The award honors the legacy of Homer I. Bernhardt, former head of the Bevier Engineering Library at the University of Pittsburgh, whose work left a lasting impact on the profession.

Fosmire’s career reflects nearly three decades of exceptional service, scholarship, and leadership in engineering librarianship. Like Bernhardt, he began his career as a physics librarian before becoming head of the Engineering, Physical Sciences, and Technology Division of Purdue Libraries from 2003 to 2020. Following a Libraries reorganization, he served as the inaugural head of the School of Information Studies from 2020–2024.

One of Fosmire’s most significant service contributions is his 22-year tenure on the editorial board of Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship (ISTL), a leading diamond open-access journal dedicated to STEM librarianship. His long-standing editorial leadership has played a key role in sustaining ISTL as a vital platform for scholarly communication in the field.

Fosmire’s expertise has also been recognized through service on advisory boards for major scientific publishers, including IOP Publishing, the American Institute of Physics, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In these roles, he has contributed to shaping how scientific information is organized, disseminated, and accessed by researchers and students worldwide.

His influence extends to the global stage through his involvement in major international events, including serving on the organizing and planning committees for the 2010 International Association of Scientific and Technical University Libraries (IATUL) conference and the 10th Design Thinking Research Symposium. These efforts highlight his commitment to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and connecting engineering librarianship with broader STEM research communities.

A prolific scholar, Fosmire has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and holds a Google Scholar h-index of 16. His research frequently bridges engineering librarianship and engineering education, particularly in understanding how engineers seek and use information. Among his most impactful contributions is the co-edited volume, Integrating Information into the Engineering Design Process, created in collaboration with then Head of the School of Engineering Education, David Radcliffe. The book remains an influential resource for both librarians and educators.

Fosmire has also made substantial contributions through ASEE, publishing 22 peer-reviewed papers in ASEE-sponsored journals and conference proceedings. His work has earned multiple honors, including two Engineering Libraries Division Best Publication Awards, an ASEE PIC IV Best Paper Award, and the 2023 University of Washington iSchool Distinguished Alumni Award.

Beyond his scholarship and service, Fosmire’s leadership and mentorship have had a lasting impact on the profession. Over the course of his career, he has mentored numerous engineering librarians who have gone on to receive major professional honors and assume leadership roles within ASEE and beyond. His mentorship has helped shape future generations of leaders in engineering librarianship, amplifying his influence across the field.

Michael Fosmire’s distinguished career exemplifies the spirit of the Homer I. Bernhardt Distinguished Service Award. His sustained commitment to advancing engineering librarianship, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and mentoring future leaders has strengthened the profession and continues to inspire colleagues across the globe.

Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies extends its sincere congratulations to Professor Fosmire on this well-deserved recognition.

View the full announcement on the OSF website.