Dedication of the Wangensteen Historical Library at the University of Minnesota

On Tuesday 21 November 1972 the Owen H. Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine was dedicated at the University of Minnesota. The dedication ceremony began at 3.30 p.m. with brief speeches by Dr. Leonard G. Wilson, professor of the history of medicine, Mr. Glenn Brudvig, Biomedical Librarian, Mr. John Yngve of the Board of Regents of the University, and Dr. Lyle French, vice-president for Health Sciences Affairs. President Malcolm Moos presented Dr. Wangensteen with a citation, and Dr. Wangensteen himself spoke. Afterwards there was a reception in the library. Dr. Owen H. Wangensteen has been the driving force behind the development of the historical collections in biology and medicine at Minnesota into an outstanding library of more than 20,000 volumes. In 1964, largely through his efforts, the fifth floor was added to Diehl Hall to provide space for the historical collections of the Biomedical Library. In addition to the book stacks there is a reading room, an exhibit and reception area, a lecture room, work room, offices for the library staff and the Department of the History of Medicine and studies and carrels. The library collections are particularly rich in American medicine, anatomy and surgery, ophthalmology, and cardiology. There is a fine collection of sixteenthcentury herbals and of writings by and about Linnaeus, as well as a broad general representation of early works in medicine and the biological sciences.