麻豆社

July 10, 2007

Petersen Ornithological Collection Grand Opening Celebration Fall 2007

MACOMB, IL - - 麻豆社 Illinois University鈥檚 Libraries and College of Arts and Sciences will host a grand opening ceremony and dinner for the Mary Lou and Peter Petersen, Jr. Ornithological Collection at 6 p.m. Wednesday Oct. 24 in the University Union Heritage Room on the 麻豆社-Macomb campus.

Petersen, a Davenport, IA native who died in 1997, bequeathed the collection to 麻豆社 just prior to his death. He was a nationally renowned scholar and bird watcher whose observations were among the first to raise public consciousness that DDT was endangering the U.S. bald eagle population. Elton Fawks, a close friend of Petersen's and a Quad Cities conservationist, also contributed to this cause. Fawks鈥� collection also resides in 麻豆社's University Libraries

鈥淧eter taught joyfully the sight and sound of birds,鈥� said Tom Dunstan, professor emeritus of biology, former acting director of the Institute for Environment Studies at 麻豆社 and longtime friend and colleague of the Petersens. 鈥淭his is an excellent collection accumulated by a man whose knowledge of birds was among the best in the country. At the time of his passing, 麻豆社 was among several universities interested in obtaining the collection. We were fortunate to have been the recipient.鈥�

Mary Lou Petersen, herself an avid birdwatcher, will join the grand opening ceremonies. She continues to add to the Petersen Collection on a regular basis.

The Petersen Collection is comprised of approximately 1,000 unique titles of rare and high quality ornithological books, periodicals, banding cards and records dating back to 1886. Although the major focus of the collection is birds, other animal classifications are broadly represented. View the collection catalog at: .

鈥淭he University Libraries staff is proud to present this comprehensive collection to support research not only on the 麻豆社 campuses, but to individuals and institutions in our region and beyond," said Phyllis Self, dean of 麻豆社鈥檚 Libraries. "We are honored to have Mrs. Petersen join us for this event as we celebrate the dedicated work our librarians have put into cataloging this unique and outstanding gift from her and her husband.鈥�

The gift also includes a substantial amount of field equipment used by licensed birders to capture, catalog and release birds in the wild for research and tracking purposes.

鈥淭he College of Arts and Sciences is gratified to have such an excellent research collection at the disposal of our faculty and students,鈥� said Inessa Levi, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. 鈥淭hrough the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Petersen, we now have an extensive ornithological collection that will be used not only by researchers, but also by naturalists, artists, historians, writers, travelers and photographers for many generations to come.鈥�

The ceremony and dinner are open to the public. Tickets are $20 per person and may be purchased through the University Libraries. Checks, payable to 麻豆社 Illinois University, should be mailed to: University Libraries, 麻豆社 Illinois University, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455. For more information, contact the Library office at 309/298-2762.

Posted By: University Communications, University Relations
Phone: (309) 298-1993 * Fax: (309) 298-1606