The Miriam B. and James J. Mulva Library will serve as the centerpiece and a primary entry point for the St. Norbert College campus. More than a mere depository for materials, it will provide a convenient portal to the resources of the Information Age.

Surprisingly, St. Norbert College has never had a dedicated library building in its more than 100 years of existence. From a small room in Main Hall to various locations in Boyle Hall, library space was simply found within existing buildings. Even the current Todd Wehr Library, which has served the College since 1977, is a remodeled dormitory. It was fashioned during a time when the internet did not yet exist.

The primary reason for a new campus library is the College’s need to remain competitive in today’s education marketplace. We understand that such a facility can be a deciding factor for prospective students and faculty as they weigh the benefits of becoming part of the St. Norbert community. Beyond this reality, our students deserve a state-of-the-art library capable of continuing—even expanding—the College’s tradition of educational excellence.

The new library will feature a variety of gathering places for library patrons and 50 percent more materials storage, creating a modern sanctuary for knowledge. Most important, it will offer a full range of technological capabilities needed by students in the 21st century, from wireless internet access for laptop users to multimedia-equipped meeting rooms.

Knowledgeable staff and adequate on-site materials are taking on a greater importance as library users look for direction in the vast information landscape that is the internet.

The library will mark the campus’s western gateway, providing a major presence on the west side of Third Street and initiating the transition to the College’s emerging western edge. It will offer an attractive gathering point outside of the traditional campus core, advancing the College’s master-plan goal of establishing a transitional Town and Gown zone with the De Pere community.

 
James and Miriam Mulva

Miriam (Brozyna) Mulva, who grew up close to the St. Norbert campus, attended St. Joseph Academy in Green Bay and graduated from St. Norbert College in 1969. An active volunteer, she joined the College’s Board of Trustees in 2004.

James Mulva is also a De Pere native. His mother worked for several years at St. Norbert College as a member of its library staff. A former naval officer, he currently serves as chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips.