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An illustration of women in work clothes doing farm tasks
This May marks 150 years since the Libraries joined the Federal Depository Library Program, which ensures broad public access to government-produced documents, including this recruitment poster.
SPRING 2026 VOLUME 51 | NUMBER 1

On the cover:

Pitch in and help! : join the Women's Land Army of the U.S. Crop Corps (1944)

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In this issue

A family legacy in the library

"Deering Library is more than a postcard-ready exclamation point on a tree-lined meadow, and it is more than a background setting for every visitor selfie—though it is certainly both those things."—Stephen M. Strachan (’17 P), Chair, Libraries Board of Governors

Grant unlocks research potential of environmental statements

Northwestern University Libraries will construct new AI tools that supercharge environmental research with one of the Libraries’ signature collections, thanks to grant support from the Mellon Foundation. The innovative project centers on Northwestern’s enormous trove of environmental impact statements.

Retiring after a half century at the Libraries

I did not just work for Northwestern—I worked for my alma mater. I loved my student years, and I loved my job. I even met my husband of 50 years here. I always wanted to give something back and contribute in some small way to my alma mater’s success. —Vincent McCoy ’75 on his more than 50 years at Northwestern

Enduring Deering

A love letter to the library

“I can’t overstate how Deering and its librarians have transformed not only my work, but scores of my students. From undergraduates to graduate students, young people come alive when brought face-to-face with a seemingly insignificant bit of ephemera that turns out to be evidence on which they can build unprecedented insights.” —Ryan Dohoney, professor of musicology, on Deering Library

Purple-ribbon committee

Deering Library officially reopened October 23, 2025, after 16 months of renovation and restoration. We celebrate this renewal and what it augurs for the future of this beloved campus icon. At a October 23 event celebrating the renovation of Deering Library, our generous donors rechristened the refurbished spaces that bear their names.

Angles in the architecture

Chicago-based HBRA Architects oversaw the 16-month revitalization of Deering Library, just as it did with the rebuilding and reopening of Deering’s west entrance in 2012. Footnotes sat down with HBRA principals Michele Silvetti-Schmitt, William Kinane, and Jerry Wright to talk about their reflections on the project.

Break Right Through That Line

This fall, as the University unveils the all-new Ryan Field, the Libraries will host an exhibition commemorating 150 years of Northwestern football. Drawn from the holdings of University Archives, Break Right Through That Line will feature helmets, jerseys, programs, playbooks, and other colorful artifacts from a century and a half of Wildcats on the gridiron.
Northwestern Magazine cover illustrating an NU vs Iowa matchup
A Northwestern Magazine issue cover from 1927.