LibraryLinks Fall 2006
Libraries Dedicate the Bernard F. Huppé Reading Room
By Bern Mulligan
Friday October 13, 2006 was a lucky day for Binghamton University Libraries! The University’s “Homecoming Weekend” slate of events included that afternoon’s dedication of the newly constructed Bernard F. Huppé Reading Room, located in Bartle Library’s Special Collections Department.
John
Meador, Director of University Libraries, welcomed the guests to the dedication
and introduced the speakers: President Lois DeFleur; Aldo Bernardo (at right;
photo by Jonathan Cohen), Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Romance
Languages and Literatures; and Alex Huppé, ’69 (at left; photo
by Jonathan Cohen), son of Bernard F. Huppé,
Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of English and Comparative Literature.
Following their remarks, there was an unveiling of a plaque commemorating
the room and a reception attended by approximately seventy-five guests.
As
one of the founders of Harpur College, Professor Huppé played a
significant role in the early development of the Libraries. Last spring,
at a reception to celebrate the English Department’s fortieth anniversary
of its graduate program (a program Professor Huppé was instrumental
in creating), John Meador announced that Alex Huppé had donated $50,000
to the Libraries to establish an endowment for Special Collections in his
late father’s honor. The creation of the new reading room was announced
at that time as well. (Photo at left by Jonathan Cohen.)
The room is furnished with tables and chairs from Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers
of Auburn, Maine. Also included is a wall-mounted bronze relief of Professor
Huppé created by his sister, Vera Huppé Maxwell, a famous fashion
designer, and donated by Alex Huppé. The room is adjacent to the main
entrance to Special Collections, facing the Marilyn C. Link Conference Room.
Materials are paged for patrons by Special Collections staff and used only
in the reading room, making it a special gathering place for serious scholars
from around the world.
The following staff members contributed to the success of this event: Nicki Chanecka, Sue Connors, Susan Currie, Yvonne Deligato, Rebecca DiSerio, Jean Green, Beth Kilmarx, Kathryn Kowalczik, Slava Mrozowski, Bern Mulligan, Herb Poetzl, Cheryl Spiese, and Caryl Ward.