First Fridays
A series of intellectually stimulating talks from the archives.
Lecture series
First Fridays is an annual lecture series showcasing collections from various units across Archives and Special Collections. The series runs each academic year from October to May (skipping January). Each event takes place in Elmer L. Andersen Library, Room 120, and presentations begin at noon. A tour of the archival caverns takes place after the event concludes.
To learn about the current season lineup, visit the Libraries News & Events page.
Download the PDF flier for the 2025-2026 First Fridays season.
Past recordings
All First Fridays presentations are recorded. To access the recordings of previous presentations, please visit the UMNLibraries YouTube page. Please note that it takes a few weeks after an event for the recording to be uploaded.