After a lot of discussion with Eboni, library staff, STEM faculty, and SciLib student workers past and present, we have landed on three ways to pay tribute to Alison’s contributions to Oberlin:
1. We will rename the FOCL Research Award the Alison Scott Ricker Research Award (approved by FOCL)
2. We will erect a sculpture by Robert Lawrence Lobe outside the Science Library windows. Entitled Big Steel Piece, it was created in 1964 when Robert Lobe was a student at Oberlin (and apparently needed reference help on the science of steel casting before he could do it!)
It measures approx. 42 in. tall x 36 x 36. It is abstract, with no fixed viewpoint. We will have a new stone base created for it.
3. And we will install a plaque inside the library to honor Alison’s role and service (more on that as we pull together a draft text).
For those who do not know, today is Alison’s birthday so I thought it apt to let you know today…
