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Both a self-proclaimed bookworm and an avid outdoorsman, Brother Richard Lemberg seems a study in contrasts. But when you grow up hunting and fishing in Wisconsin, you develop an appreciation for duck calls, flies made of turkey feathers and adventure books by Robert Louis Stevenson. 

And when Brother Richard’s not in a Delta duck blind or fly-fishing the Russian River, he’s an associate librarian at Saint Mary's, working in reference, collection development and instruction.

Brother Richard was drawn to the Christian Brothers at Xavier High in Appleton, Wisconsin. With his signature humor, he remembers Brother Richard Gerlach, the principal.

“He was a great big man, about 6’5 and a moose, and he had hands like shovels." But despite his commanding presence, he "was an extremely kindly man and a fine historian.”

After attending college in Texas and a stint on the East Coast with Volunteers in Service to America, Brother Richard, himself, joined the Brothers in 1969. He’s worked in the Saint Mary’s library for 35 years. 

Deep into a project to digitalize decades of old voice recordings for the library online catalog, he points to an LP and mimics the student reaction. 

“How do I play this? I need to listen to Richard the Second. It’s not on a CD, man?”

Archiving everything from Hitler’s speeches to Richard Burton as Hamlet, Brother Richard says one recording, in particular, tickles his memory. It’s the 1968 SMC Glee Club rendition of Hail, Saint Mary’s, Hail, a recording that’s still played at summer reunions.  

“I sang in the Glee Club. So did Brother Thomas Jones,” he says as he sings along with the chorus. And with the laugh of a man who finds pure joy in his job, he adds:

“It’s a very, very fine rendition.”