Kent Library guest to discuss historic stained-glass panels

Kent Library at Southeast Missouri State University will host guest speaker Gay Walker for two events Wednesday to mark the facility's 75th anniversary.

Walker, special collections librarian at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and author of "Bonawit, Stained Glass & Yale: G. Owen Bonawit's Work at Yale University & Elsewhere," will discuss the history and relevance of the artist's stained glass panels.

Walker will give an informal talk at noon Wednesday at Sadie's Place on the second floor of Kent Library titled "Tracking Bonawit's Ghost: Discovering the Man Behind Southeast Missouri State University's Beautiful Stained Glass Windows."

At 6 p.m., the library will host a dinner and lecture by Walker in the University Center Ballroom, titled "Bonawit Revealed: A Heavily Illustrated Talk about Southeast Missouri State University's Stained Glass Windows and their Creator, G. Owen Bonawit." Dinner begins at 6 p.m., and the lecture will start at 6:45 p.m. Both events are free.

Forty-five of Bonawit's works are held by Kent Library and recently were remounted for public view. The official unveiling of the panels will not occur until Nov. 7, but a sneak peek will be offered Wednesday.

Those planning to attend should call the library today at 986-7446 or by email to rdunn@semo.edu.

For more on the glass panes, visit library.semo.edu/75/index.html#bonawit-collection. For library information, visit library.semo.edu/75/index.html#contact-us.