New discounts for UMRA members
UMRA members can now enjoy Twin Cities University Libraries borrowing privileges by joining the Friends of the Libraries at the annual membership level of $40—a discount of 50 percent! This level of membership includes unlimited access to online journals, magazines, and newspaper subscriptions via public workstations at any Twin Cities campus library. We have UMRA President Julie Sweitzer to thank for negotiating this new discount. Go to libnews.umn.edu/umnfriends/ to learn more and to join or renew your UMRA Friends of the Libraries membership.
Gopher Sports has been providing discounts to UMRA members for years, and this year we have exciting new opportunities. UMRA members are eligible for a 20 percent discount on two season tickets for Gopher Sports. Wow! Plus, Gopher Sports will host “UMRA nights” with group seating at select events throughout the season, beginning with these three:
- Gopher Football vs. Penn State at Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday, November 23
- Gopher Women’s Hockey vs. Brown at Ridder Arena on Friday, January 3
- Gopher Men’s Hockey vs. Ohio State at Mariucci Arena on Saturday, February 22
Single-game tickets and discounted season tickets may be purchased by going to gophersports.com/promotions and entering the promo code “UMRA.”
Go to umra.umn.edu > Membership Benefits for information on the many discounts available to UMRA members.
—Bev Moe, UMRA Sponsorships and Discounts manager, [email protected]
News
UMRA hosted delegates from 14 of the 18 schools in the Big Ten for the 2026 Big Ten Retirees Association conference in July. It was described as “the perfect collaboration” by two delegates we invited to share a few of their key takeaways from the conference.
Developing communication skills is the focus of two programs needing volunteers this fall: the “Reader/Writer Program,” assisting students in Minneapolis Public Schools grades 7-12 to develop literacy skills; and “Partners in English,” engaging in conversation with adults for whom English is not their first language.
After being unexpectedly sidelined at the outset of her retirement, Pam Snopl now enjoys doing many of the things retirees get to do, including reconnecting in person with family and friends, going to museums and weekday Minnesota Twins games, reading, and writing.
UMRA member George Swan retired in 2021 after 30+ years at University Libraries, but still returns to campus to visit one or another of the libraries at least twice a week in his current role as a student/retiree.
UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees program is an annual competition for grants to support projects related to retirees’ research, instructional history, new scholarly or creative interests.
UMRA needs everyone to renew their membership for the coming year. Thank you if you’ve already renewed! If you haven’t, please renew right away.