Yes, You May Check These Books Out!

One of my favorite questions I get asked at the 3rd floor Readers' Services desk is: "Where is the Mullenbach Collection?" This gives me the chance to show off one of my favorite sections of the library, The Rotary Heritage Room, which contains the Mullenbach Collection.

The Mullenbach Collection, generously funded by Jane Moore, consists of classic literature as well as contemporary literary fiction, including many award-winners. So you'll find classics like Jane Eyre and The Great Gatsby alongside less familiar titles like The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz, which won the Pulitzer Prize as well as the National Book Critics Circle Award. Other contemporary authors who have made it into the Mullenbach Collection are Philip Roth, Toni Morrison, Michael Chabon and Ann Patchett. The collection also includes chapter books for young people, such as Charlotte's Web and The Hobbit, many of which are special illustrated editions.

Upon showing patrons the Mullenbach Collection, the next question I'm usually asked is: "We can check these books out?" The Mullenbach Collection is housed in the Rotary Heritage Room, which has the feel of a luxurious private library, so I can understand why patrons might think that the gorgeous hardcover editions gracing the shelves are for in-house use only. But they're not. They are all available for checkout, and the Rotary Heritage Room is a quiet reading room open to the public. So the next time you're on the third floor, help yourself to a Mullenbach book, sink into one of the luxurious red chairs in the Rotary Heritage Room and enjoy! And yes, you can absolutely check these books out!

To access a list of the Mullenbach titles in our online catalog, click here.