Skip to main content

Accessibility menu

Skip to main content Skip to footer

Growing Digital Collections

Growing Digital Collections

Community partnerships and donations expand online repository

Scan of a color transparency slide featuring an elevated view of Pool 7, Onalaska / Brice Prairie, along the Mississippi River. On the slide is written: "Miss. River Habitat, Bullet Chute Area, 7-72."

Posted 3:51 p.m. Friday, May 7, 2021

By David Mindel, Mike Olson and Chelsea Wyman 

Murphy Library Digital Collections is comprised of thousands of items, and tens of thousands of individual pages that have been scanned for or by Murphy Library. These items offer users instant and free access to unique and hard-to-find books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, academic publications, and other La Crosse and UWL related materials. The unit is made up of David Mindel (Digital Collections Librarian), Mike Olson (Library Services Assistant – Advanced) and one student worker, and together they scan, catalog and publish hundreds of items every year. While the pandemic has caused them to change their workflow a bit this past year, they still managed to keep up that pace.

Infographic depicting the growth of Murphy Library Digital Collections over 2020-2021. Graphic by Mike Olson


Here are a few examples of some of the materials that have been added to Digital Collections this year. These, along with all the other items available, can be found by visiting the Murphy Library Digital Collections webpage. 


Facing the Threat: An Ecosystem Management Strategy for the Upper Mississippi River

This book titled Facing the Threat: An Ecosystem Management Strategy for the Upper Mississippi River was published by the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee (UMRCC) in December 1993 and was donated to Murphy Library in 2018 where part of the UMRCC collection is now housed. 



Determining Means of Enhancing and Maintaining Recreation Areas with Dredged Materials

Determining Means of Enhancing and Maintaining Recreation Areas with Dredged Materials was published by the Upper Mississippi River Basin Commission in 1978 and donated to Murphy Library by the Mississippi River Conservation Committee (UMRCC) in 2018 where part of the UMRCC collection is now housed.  


Mark Sherin, 14, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Sherin, 2126 Kane St., displays two brown trout caught Friday morning while he was fishing in the Bohemian Valley Creek.

Brown Trout beauties - This photograph was published in the La Crosse Tribune on June 27, 1965. The photograph's caption reads: "Mark Sherin, 14, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Sherin, 2126 Kane St., displays two brown trout caught Friday morning while he was fishing in the Bohemian Valley Creek." On the envelope housing the negative is written: "June 25, 1965. Fish caught - 2 German brown trout." 


Studying to be licensed practical nurses are, seated at left, Jo Ann Slattery and Susan Hayes, center. Mrs. Florence Campbell, R.N., instructor, points to the patient's medical record. They are actually working in St. Francis Hospital to acquaint them with hospital procedure.

A Good Future - This photograph was published in the La Crosse Tribune on November 2, 1966. The photograph's caption reads: "Studying to be licensed practical nurses are, seated at left, Jo Ann Slattery and Susan Hayes, center. Mrs. Florence Campbell, R.N., instructor, points to the patient's medical record. They are actually working in St. Francis Hospital to acquaint them with hospital procedure." On the envelope housing the negative is written: "September 29, 1966. Coleman Technical Institute - Nursing & Dental Assistant programs - St. Francis & Lutheran Hospitals." 



    Permalink