Lovefest 2026
April 13 - 17, 2026
An academic year of celebration for the UNL Libraries and their five major anniversaries comes to a close during LoveFest – with an activity every day of the week of April 13-17. Help us celebrate 80 years of Love Library South and 50 years of Love Library North by joining in on the events listed below.
April 13-17: Ping Pong
April 13: Flyover Satellite Concert and Reception
April 14: Retro Games & Coffee
April 15: Visiting Scholar: AI Talk
April 16: AI and Ice Cream
April 17: Lovefest on the Lawn & Primal Scream
Look back on the year of celebrations: Pages to Paths: A Celebration of Our Libraries
Ping Pong Like It's 1942!
A ping-pong table will be set up for anyone to use during the entire week.
April 13 - 17, 2026
Love South, 2nd Floor
Why ping pong?
From 1942-45 during World War II, newly built Love Library served as a barracks for the Army Specialized Training Program. Shown here are ASTP members playing pool and ping-pong in the areas that became the circulation desk (ASKus service desks today).
Learn more about the history of Libraries
Photo courtesy of Archives & Special Collections
Do I need to bring my own paddle?
Only if you’re a semi-pro and wouldn't play with any other paddle. Otherwise, we'll have plenty of paddles and balls available at the ping pong tables.
Is there a tournament?
It’s "Open Play" all week. If a spontaneous bracket breaks out, that’s on you. Winner gets bragging rights and the eternal respect of the Libraries staff.
Archives & Special Collections
Flyover Satellite Concert and Reception
Students from the Glenn Korff School of Music will perform new compositions inspired by their experience and interaction with materials from the Archives & Special Collections. Join us for the concert, light refreshments and the Libraries’ signature mocktails.
Date: Monday, April 13, 2026
Location: Love North, 2nd Floor
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 pm
View the calendar event
Retro Games & Coffee
Calling all Gamers! We'll have classic consoles and laptops for emulating retro games. From Legend of Zelda to LSD: Dream Emulator, and Dr. Mario to Donkey Konga, drop in and play anytime! Staff will be present to demonstrate how to back up your cartridge games and save files to preserve them.
Coffee and cookies will be served.
Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Location: Love Library South 221, Peterson Room
Time: 2-3:30pm
View the calendar event
Toward an AI Commons for Libraries: Where We Are and Where We Might Go from Here
Benjamin Charles Germain Lee, an Assistant Professor in the Information School at the University of Washington and founder of the Lab for Computing Cultural Heritage, is the UNL Libraries 2026 Visiting Scholar. He will present on the state of the artificial intelligence field with a focus on efforts to apply AI to library collections.
Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Location: Love Library South, 102/Auditorium or on Zoom
Time: 2:30 - 4pm
View the calendar event
Teaching Partnerships
AI and Ice Cream
Enjoy free Dairy Store ice cream and join us for a judgement-free discussion about how you're using AI, sharing what excites you, concerns you, and where you think AI is headed in the future. Library staff and faculty will facilitate this conversation. There will be no presentation, lecture, or agenda – just open and curious minds (and, of course, ice cream).
Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026
Location: Adele Hall Learning Commons, Love North 1st Floor, behind Dunkin' Donuts.
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Registration optional, walk-ins welcome.
View the calendar event
Lovefest On the Lawn & Primal Scream
Relax and join the fun with LoveFest on the lawn. Enjoy a free picnic on blankets (provided), play lawn games with friends or settle down with something to read from the books provided by Libraries.
Friday, April 17, 2026
11am - 2pm (Primal Scream @ 2pm)
Love Library South Lawn
Is the food free?
Dining Services will be providing individual containers of a charcuterie-style meal (meat, cheese and fruit) to the first 250 people. Some vegan/gluten-free options will also be available.
There is no cost for the food.
What yard games will you have?
Sample of games:
- giant Jenga
- jumbo Tetris
- lawn bowling
- oversized checkers
- ladderball
- washers
- cornhole
Provided by Campus Rec and the Lincoln Children’s Museum.
What books will you have available?
The Libraries will provide a curated cart of fiction and literature for those looking for a fun read. If you find a book you love, simply bring it to any ASKus desk with your NCard to check it out.
About the Primal Scream...
The Dean of the Libraries will lead us in this coordinated, cathartic release of academic stress by screaming as loud as we can.
If the neighbors ask, tell them it’s "acoustical engineering research."
What is the rainy day plan?
We get it, April showers bring May flowers, so in the event we get rain the plan is to move all festivities to Love South Level 2 (collaboration space) and the LINK.
At 2pm, we'll head outside under the LINK for the primal scream event.
