On May 2, Great Northwest Bookstore in Portland was destroyed in a fire and lost over 100,000 books. The antiquarian bookstore was a long time associate of Watzek Library and Special Collections. Through July 30, Splendorporium Gallery hosts a photography show of the fire with a percentage of the proceeds going to the Great Northwest Bookstore Fire Fund.

July 11 marks the 50th anniversary of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, To Kill A Mockingbird. Read or listen to NPR's Morning Edition feature on the golden anniversary and take a moment to share your memories of the novel.

Watzek Library will be closed July 3-5 for the Independence Day Holiday. The library will reopen Tuesday, July 6 at 8 AM. To get the latest on Watzek building hours, check out Library Hours.

Did you know College Alumni are able to borrow books from Watzek Library's collection? Find out more about services for alumni.

Hello Summer! Beginning May 7, Watzek Library will be open 8 am - 9 pm, Monday through Thursday, 8 am - 6 pm on Friday, and 11 am - 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday.  To get the latest on Watzek building hours, check out Library Hours.

Remember reading for fun? School's out, and we've chosen a slew of books for you to enjoy throughout the summer. Check out the Diversions display for a selection of recent fiction, graphic novels, and Northwest trail guides.

In Fall 2009 the Lewis & Clark College Special Collections made arrangements with the Jefferson County Historical Society and Ronald McDonald, the current owner of Hay Creek Ranch, for Special Collections to borrow the extensive and historic Hay Creek Ranch papers for the purpose of organizing and properly preserving the priceless collection. This agreement created a unique practicum opportunity for L&C senior, Nathalie Figueroa ’10. During the Spring 2010 semester, Nathalie processed the collection, completed a finding aid, and compiled a historical report highlighting the major events of the historic Oregon ranch. The collection consists of a wide array of documents and materials, including deeds, abstracts, contracts, financial records, and maps that bring to light the operations and the development of one of the nations largest sheep and livestock companies.

Located in the heart of the Ochoco Mountains, Hay Creek Ranch extended over 79 miles and over 70,000 acres of central Oregon. Established in 1873 by Dr. David E. Baldwin, the ranch continued to expand and develop under the hands of several prominent Portland businessmen. It wasn’t until the turn of the century, however, that Hay Creek Ranch became internationally renown for its superior “Sanderson strain” Rambouillet sheep. Recognized as the finest wool and mutton sheep of the world, the Hay Creek Ranch sheep were exported throughout Europe and parts of Asia as well as Soviet Russia in what was one of the nation’s largest foreign shipments.

Now that this project is complete, the collection will be returned to the Jefferson County Historical Society. Researchers and students interested in learning more about Hay Creek Ranch can view a finding aid for the collection in the Northwest Digital Archives Database http://nwda.wsulibs.wsu.edu. Students interested in a practicum similar to this project should contact Doug Erickson, Head of Special Collection, at dme@lclark.edu or 503-768-7254 for more information. Positions are limited, but according to Nathalie Figueroa, working with historical documents can be interesting and enjoyable way to gain practical work experience.

Reading Days and Finals bring extended hours to Watzek Library. After opening at 9 am on Sunday, April 25, the building will remain open around the clock until 6 pm on Thursday, May 6. To get the latest on Watzek Library building hours, check out Library Hours.

Spice up syllabi, presentations, & spare time with videos and film clips from Films on Demand. Watzek Library subscribes to this web-based digital video delivery platform that allows viewers to access streaming videos from Films Media Group anytime, anywhere, 24/7. A noted feature is that one can create playlists of titles for a class and provide the link to students online or on the class syllabus.

The library's subscription currently includes videos in the following categories:

• Humanities and Social Sciences
• Business & Economics
• Science and Mathematics
• Health and Medicine

Check out all the videos here, and leave a comment to let us know what you think of this service.

Tell us about the outstanding assistance you've received or other memorable moments at Watzek Library. It's National Library Week, a time to celebrate the contributions of all libraries, librarians, and library staff.