Sheldon Roningen hasn’t checked out a book from a library for 48 years, but he’s made a habit of stopping into the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks about once a week. The 82-year-old Fisher, Minn., resident usually wanders in with a few books in tow to donate to the library’s extensive military history collection. Take a few books from the section’s shelves and you’ll see Roningen’s name in many of them, written on a sticker proclaiming he gave the book to the library.
“He and I have lost count, but there’s been well over 2,000 books given to the library,” Library Director Charlotte Helgeson said. “And he’s read them all.” Roningen’s military career was relatively short, spanning from August 1953 to June 1955, but his interest in military history has spanned decades. Many of the books he donates catalogue the Civil War, but he also gives literature spanning a number of conflicts. More recent donations arrive with the promise that the book will be the last one, but Helgeson has come to expect that’s never the case. Sometimes the amount of books Roningen has accumulated determines when she’ll get a visit. “It depends on how many books have gotten in the way,” he joked. Personal stories Though his donations fill shelves, another more personal artifact from Roningen’s life can be found among the collection. His typewritten memoirs are available for reading, one portion of which recounting his 22 months spent in the Army after being drafted. A bit on the scrawny side as a young man, Roninigen wrote that his performance during his first drill led to his assignment with the “Awkward Squad.” “I found out several years later the rest of the squad was quite sure I wouldn’t make it,” he added. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562293","attributes":{"alt":"Sheldon Roningen has donated an estimated 2,000 books in his lifetime to the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks.","class":"media-image","height":"3088","title":"","width":"4404"}}]] But the Fisher farm boy pressed on and eventually landed a spot as a switchboard operator in the communications division of Ladd Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska. He credits his memory for much of his success, including high marks on military aptitude test, though noted sometimes it comes with perceptions. “Cultivate your memory and you’ll get a reputation for smart you really don’t deserve,” Roningen said with a chuckle. But memory has long played an important role in history, both in his family and throughout the world. Of Norwegian descent, Roningen said his ancestors kept their history and traditions in their minds long before writing was of convenience. “The trouble there is every time one of them died, you lost the library,” he said. That notion is one reason behind Roningen’s mission to fill the Campbell Library with military knowledge so it will not be forgotten - book after book donated to keep history alive. “His goal is someday someone will mimic what he does and take over where he has started,” Helgeson said. Lasting mark In total, more than 4,279 books, audio visuals and ebooks comprise the library’s military collection, officially called the Henry G. Tweten Military Library. The name is painted on the wall above the shelves and the man behind it has been a friend of Roningen’s for 36 years. “When I think of him and his dedicated service to his country and his dedicated service to help the library, there’s an old saying that it’s more blessed to give than to receive, and I think he fits that mold,” Tweten said of his fellow veteran. Tweten served during World War II and when he gets together with Roningen, the two can talk for hours about their experiences. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562294","attributes":{"alt":"A Civil War era cannon is among several replicas on display at the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks built by Roningen.","class":"media-image","height":"1417","title":"","width":"2125"}}]] Like his friend, Roningen’s name also has found prominence on the library’s walls. A plaque thanking him for his contributions hangs above a cabinet near the shelves of the military collection. It was presented to him at a volunteer reception held April 28. In the cabinet below the plaque, another donation to the library made by Roningen and a friend, Ted Knutson, awaits the curious eyes of library visitors. Men and horses outfitted in Civil War era regalia stand next to miniature cannons. The canons sit quietly now but at one time could be fired, at least one capable of sending projectiles about half a mile. “I’m the only one left that knows how to fire these things and I’m not about to,” Roningen said of his creations. Growing collection Catch Roningen at the model cabinet or anywhere else in the library, and patrons will learn quickly why some have referred to him as a walking encyclopedia. “The contents of this case were illegally acquired in battlefield pickups,” Roningen said, pointing at a small display box with deformed chucks of metal inside and then bending his knees a bit to bring his finger more in line with the box. “You’re not supposed scrounge battlefields for old ammo and relicts now,” he continued. “But right after the war, the civilians would comb the battlefield and pick up those heavy bullets and sell them to the government for reworking.” The cabinet and the military history collection are required stops for groups of school children taking a tour of the library. Helgeson leads the tours, pointing out the significance of the collection and its contents. “This is to remind you that when you see a veteran, you say thank you,” she tells kids. The military history collection has grown since the 1997 Flood, which wiped out the library’s previous location and collection. Tweten said about 750 books and 250 audio tapes were lost. Donors such as Roningen have since helped build it up, with many of the books often being requested by patrons in other cities through interlibrary loans. “There’s a lot now, and we hope to make it bigger and better,” Tweten said. Sheldon Roningen hasn’t checked out a book from a library for 48 years, but he’s made a habit of stopping into the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks about once a week. The 82-year-old Fisher, Minn., resident usually wanders in with a few books in tow to donate to the library’s extensive military history collection. Take a few books from the section’s shelves and you’ll see Roningen’s name in many of them, written on a sticker proclaiming he gave the book to the library. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562292","attributes":{"alt":"Sheldon Roningen holds a copy of \"War on the Run,\" one of his favorite books and one of several copies he's donated.","class":"media-image","height":"3220","title":"","width":"4168"}}]] “He and I have lost count, but there’s been well over 2,000 books given to the library,” Library Director Charlotte Helgeson said. “And he’s read them all.” Roningen’s military career was relatively short, spanning from August 1953 to June 1955, but his interest in military history has spanned decades. Many of the books he donates catalogue the Civil War, but he also gives literature spanning a number of conflicts. More recent donations arrive with the promise that the book will be the last one, but Helgeson has come to expect that’s never the case. Sometimes the amount of books Roningen has accumulated determines when she’ll get a visit. “It depends on how many books have gotten in the way,” he joked. Personal stories Though his donations fill shelves, another more personal artifact from Roningen’s life can be found among the collection. His typewritten memoirs are available for reading, one portion of which recounting his 22 months spent in the Army after being drafted. A bit on the scrawny side as a young man, Roninigen wrote that his performance during his first drill led to his assignment with the “Awkward Squad.” “I found out several years later the rest of the squad was quite sure I wouldn’t make it,” he added.
But the Fisher farm boy pressed on and eventually landed a spot as a switchboard operator in the communications division of Ladd Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska. He credits his memory for much of his success, including high marks on military aptitude test, though noted sometimes it comes with perceptions. “Cultivate your memory and you’ll get a reputation for smart you really don’t deserve,” Roningen said with a chuckle. But memory has long played an important role in history, both in his family and throughout the world. Of Norwegian descent, Roningen said his ancestors kept their history and traditions in their minds long before writing was of convenience. “The trouble there is every time one of them died, you lost the library,” he said. That notion is one reason behind Roningen’s mission to fill the Campbell Library with military knowledge so it will not be forgotten - book after book donated to keep history alive. “His goal is someday someone will mimic what he does and take over where he has started,” Helgeson said. Lasting mark In total, more than 4,279 books, audio visuals and ebooks comprise the library’s military collection, officially called the Henry G. Tweten Military Library. The name is painted on the wall above the shelves and the man behind it has been a friend of Roningen’s for 36 years. “When I think of him and his dedicated service to his country and his dedicated service to help the library, there’s an old saying that it’s more blessed to give than to receive, and I think he fits that mold,” Tweten said of his fellow veteran. Tweten served during World War II and when he gets together with Roningen, the two can talk for hours about their experiences. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562294","attributes":{"alt":"A Civil War era cannon is among several replicas on display at the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks built by Roningen.","class":"media-image","height":"1417","title":"","width":"2125"}}]] Like his friend, Roningen’s name also has found prominence on the library’s walls. A plaque thanking him for his contributions hangs above a cabinet near the shelves of the military collection. It was presented to him at a volunteer reception held April 28. In the cabinet below the plaque, another donation to the library made by Roningen and a friend, Ted Knutson, awaits the curious eyes of library visitors. Men and horses outfitted in Civil War era regalia stand next to miniature cannons. The canons sit quietly now but at one time could be fired, at least one capable of sending projectiles about half a mile. “I’m the only one left that knows how to fire these things and I’m not about to,” Roningen said of his creations. Growing collection Catch Roningen at the model cabinet or anywhere else in the library, and patrons will learn quickly why some have referred to him as a walking encyclopedia. “The contents of this case were illegally acquired in battlefield pickups,” Roningen said, pointing at a small display box with deformed chucks of metal inside and then bending his knees a bit to bring his finger more in line with the box. “You’re not supposed scrounge battlefields for old ammo and relicts now,” he continued. “But right after the war, the civilians would comb the battlefield and pick up those heavy bullets and sell them to the government for reworking.” The cabinet and the military history collection are required stops for groups of school children taking a tour of the library. Helgeson leads the tours, pointing out the significance of the collection and its contents. “This is to remind you that when you see a veteran, you say thank you,” she tells kids. The military history collection has grown since the 1997 Flood, which wiped out the library’s previous location and collection. Tweten said about 750 books and 250 audio tapes were lost. Donors such as Roningen have since helped build it up, with many of the books often being requested by patrons in other cities through interlibrary loans. “There’s a lot now, and we hope to make it bigger and better,” Tweten said. Sheldon Roningen hasn’t checked out a book from a library for 48 years, but he’s made a habit of stopping into the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks about once a week. The 82-year-old Fisher, Minn., resident usually wanders in with a few books in tow to donate to the library’s extensive military history collection. Take a few books from the section’s shelves and you’ll see Roningen’s name in many of them, written on a sticker proclaiming he gave the book to the library. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562292","attributes":{"alt":"Sheldon Roningen holds a copy of \"War on the Run,\" one of his favorite books and one of several copies he's donated.","class":"media-image","height":"3220","title":"","width":"4168"}}]] “He and I have lost count, but there’s been well over 2,000 books given to the library,” Library Director Charlotte Helgeson said. “And he’s read them all.” Roningen’s military career was relatively short, spanning from August 1953 to June 1955, but his interest in military history has spanned decades. Many of the books he donates catalogue the Civil War, but he also gives literature spanning a number of conflicts. More recent donations arrive with the promise that the book will be the last one, but Helgeson has come to expect that’s never the case. Sometimes the amount of books Roningen has accumulated determines when she’ll get a visit. “It depends on how many books have gotten in the way,” he joked. Personal stories Though his donations fill shelves, another more personal artifact from Roningen’s life can be found among the collection. His typewritten memoirs are available for reading, one portion of which recounting his 22 months spent in the Army after being drafted. A bit on the scrawny side as a young man, Roninigen wrote that his performance during his first drill led to his assignment with the “Awkward Squad.” “I found out several years later the rest of the squad was quite sure I wouldn’t make it,” he added. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562293","attributes":{"alt":"Sheldon Roningen has donated an estimated 2,000 books in his lifetime to the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks.","class":"media-image","height":"3088","title":"","width":"4404"}}]] But the Fisher farm boy pressed on and eventually landed a spot as a switchboard operator in the communications division of Ladd Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska. He credits his memory for much of his success, including high marks on military aptitude test, though noted sometimes it comes with perceptions. “Cultivate your memory and you’ll get a reputation for smart you really don’t deserve,” Roningen said with a chuckle. But memory has long played an important role in history, both in his family and throughout the world. Of Norwegian descent, Roningen said his ancestors kept their history and traditions in their minds long before writing was of convenience. “The trouble there is every time one of them died, you lost the library,” he said. That notion is one reason behind Roningen’s mission to fill the Campbell Library with military knowledge so it will not be forgotten - book after book donated to keep history alive. “His goal is someday someone will mimic what he does and take over where he has started,” Helgeson said. Lasting mark In total, more than 4,279 books, audio visuals and ebooks comprise the library’s military collection, officially called the Henry G. Tweten Military Library. The name is painted on the wall above the shelves and the man behind it has been a friend of Roningen’s for 36 years. “When I think of him and his dedicated service to his country and his dedicated service to help the library, there’s an old saying that it’s more blessed to give than to receive, and I think he fits that mold,” Tweten said of his fellow veteran. Tweten served during World War II and when he gets together with Roningen, the two can talk for hours about their experiences.
Like his friend, Roningen’s name also has found prominence on the library’s walls. A plaque thanking him for his contributions hangs above a cabinet near the shelves of the military collection. It was presented to him at a volunteer reception held April 28. In the cabinet below the plaque, another donation to the library made by Roningen and a friend, Ted Knutson, awaits the curious eyes of library visitors. Men and horses outfitted in Civil War era regalia stand next to miniature cannons. The canons sit quietly now but at one time could be fired, at least one capable of sending projectiles about half a mile. “I’m the only one left that knows how to fire these things and I’m not about to,” Roningen said of his creations. Growing collection Catch Roningen at the model cabinet or anywhere else in the library, and patrons will learn quickly why some have referred to him as a walking encyclopedia. “The contents of this case were illegally acquired in battlefield pickups,” Roningen said, pointing at a small display box with deformed chucks of metal inside and then bending his knees a bit to bring his finger more in line with the box. “You’re not supposed scrounge battlefields for old ammo and relicts now,” he continued. “But right after the war, the civilians would comb the battlefield and pick up those heavy bullets and sell them to the government for reworking.” The cabinet and the military history collection are required stops for groups of school children taking a tour of the library. Helgeson leads the tours, pointing out the significance of the collection and its contents. “This is to remind you that when you see a veteran, you say thank you,” she tells kids. The military history collection has grown since the 1997 Flood, which wiped out the library’s previous location and collection. Tweten said about 750 books and 250 audio tapes were lost. Donors such as Roningen have since helped build it up, with many of the books often being requested by patrons in other cities through interlibrary loans. “There’s a lot now, and we hope to make it bigger and better,” Tweten said. Sheldon Roningen hasn’t checked out a book from a library for 48 years, but he’s made a habit of stopping into the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks about once a week. The 82-year-old Fisher, Minn., resident usually wanders in with a few books in tow to donate to the library’s extensive military history collection. Take a few books from the section’s shelves and you’ll see Roningen’s name in many of them, written on a sticker proclaiming he gave the book to the library.
“He and I have lost count, but there’s been well over 2,000 books given to the library,” Library Director Charlotte Helgeson said. “And he’s read them all.”Roningen’s military career was relatively short, spanning from August 1953 to June 1955, but his interest in military history has spanned decades. Many of the books he donates catalogue the Civil War, but he also gives literature spanning a number of conflicts. More recent donations arrive with the promise that the book will be the last one, but Helgeson has come to expect that’s never the case. Sometimes the amount of books Roningen has accumulated determines when she’ll get a visit.“It depends on how many books have gotten in the way,” he joked. Personal stories Though his donations fill shelves, another more personal artifact from Roningen’s life can be found among the collection. His typewritten memoirs are available for reading, one portion of which recounting his 22 months spent in the Army after being drafted. A bit on the scrawny side as a young man, Roninigen wrote that his performance during his first drill led to his assignment with the “Awkward Squad.”“I found out several years later the rest of the squad was quite sure I wouldn’t make it,” he added.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562293","attributes":{"alt":"Sheldon Roningen has donated an estimated 2,000 books in his lifetime to the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks.","class":"media-image","height":"3088","title":"","width":"4404"}}]]But the Fisher farm boy pressed on and eventually landed a spot as a switchboard operator in the communications division of Ladd Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska. He credits his memory for much of his success, including high marks on military aptitude test, though noted sometimes it comes with perceptions. “Cultivate your memory and you’ll get a reputation for smart you really don’t deserve,” Roningen said with a chuckle.But memory has long played an important role in history, both in his family and throughout the world. Of Norwegian descent, Roningen said his ancestors kept their history and traditions in their minds long before writing was of convenience. “The trouble there is every time one of them died, you lost the library,” he said. That notion is one reason behind Roningen’s mission to fill the Campbell Library with military knowledge so it will not be forgotten - book after book donated to keep history alive. “His goal is someday someone will mimic what he does and take over where he has started,” Helgeson said. Lasting markIn total, more than 4,279 books, audio visuals and ebooks comprise the library’s military collection, officially called the Henry G. Tweten Military Library. The name is painted on the wall above the shelves and the man behind it has been a friend of Roningen’s for 36 years.“When I think of him and his dedicated service to his country and his dedicated service to help the library, there’s an old saying that it’s more blessed to give than to receive, and I think he fits that mold,” Tweten said of his fellow veteran. Tweten served during World War II and when he gets together with Roningen, the two can talk for hours about their experiences.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562294","attributes":{"alt":"A Civil War era cannon is among several replicas on display at the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks built by Roningen.","class":"media-image","height":"1417","title":"","width":"2125"}}]]Like his friend, Roningen’s name also has found prominence on the library’s walls. A plaque thanking him for his contributions hangs above a cabinet near the shelves of the military collection. It was presented to him at a volunteer reception held April 28. In the cabinet below the plaque, another donation to the library made by Roningen and a friend, Ted Knutson, awaits the curious eyes of library visitors. Men and horses outfitted in Civil War era regalia stand next to miniature cannons. The canons sit quietly now but at one time could be fired, at least one capable of sending projectiles about half a mile. “I’m the only one left that knows how to fire these things and I’m not about to,” Roningen said of his creations. Growing collectionCatch Roningen at the model cabinet or anywhere else in the library, and patrons will learn quickly why some have referred to him as a walking encyclopedia. “The contents of this case were illegally acquired in battlefield pickups,” Roningen said, pointing at a small display box with deformed chucks of metal inside and then bending his knees a bit to bring his finger more in line with the box. “You’re not supposed scrounge battlefields for old ammo and relicts now,” he continued. “But right after the war, the civilians would comb the battlefield and pick up those heavy bullets and sell them to the government for reworking.”The cabinet and the military history collection are required stops for groups of school children taking a tour of the library. Helgeson leads the tours, pointing out the significance of the collection and its contents. “This is to remind you that when you see a veteran, you say thank you,” she tells kids. The military history collection has grown since the 1997 Flood, which wiped out the library’s previous location and collection. Tweten said about 750 books and 250 audio tapes were lost. Donors such as Roningen have since helped build it up, with many of the books often being requested by patrons in other cities through interlibrary loans.“There’s a lot now, and we hope to make it bigger and better,” Tweten said. Sheldon Roningen hasn’t checked out a book from a library for 48 years, but he’s made a habit of stopping into the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks about once a week. The 82-year-old Fisher, Minn., resident usually wanders in with a few books in tow to donate to the library’s extensive military history collection. Take a few books from the section’s shelves and you’ll see Roningen’s name in many of them, written on a sticker proclaiming he gave the book to the library. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562292","attributes":{"alt":"Sheldon Roningen holds a copy of \"War on the Run,\" one of his favorite books and one of several copies he's donated.","class":"media-image","height":"3220","title":"","width":"4168"}}]]“He and I have lost count, but there’s been well over 2,000 books given to the library,” Library Director Charlotte Helgeson said. “And he’s read them all.”Roningen’s military career was relatively short, spanning from August 1953 to June 1955, but his interest in military history has spanned decades. Many of the books he donates catalogue the Civil War, but he also gives literature spanning a number of conflicts. More recent donations arrive with the promise that the book will be the last one, but Helgeson has come to expect that’s never the case. Sometimes the amount of books Roningen has accumulated determines when she’ll get a visit.“It depends on how many books have gotten in the way,” he joked. Personal stories Though his donations fill shelves, another more personal artifact from Roningen’s life can be found among the collection. His typewritten memoirs are available for reading, one portion of which recounting his 22 months spent in the Army after being drafted. A bit on the scrawny side as a young man, Roninigen wrote that his performance during his first drill led to his assignment with the “Awkward Squad.”“I found out several years later the rest of the squad was quite sure I wouldn’t make it,” he added.
But the Fisher farm boy pressed on and eventually landed a spot as a switchboard operator in the communications division of Ladd Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska. He credits his memory for much of his success, including high marks on military aptitude test, though noted sometimes it comes with perceptions. “Cultivate your memory and you’ll get a reputation for smart you really don’t deserve,” Roningen said with a chuckle.But memory has long played an important role in history, both in his family and throughout the world. Of Norwegian descent, Roningen said his ancestors kept their history and traditions in their minds long before writing was of convenience. “The trouble there is every time one of them died, you lost the library,” he said. That notion is one reason behind Roningen’s mission to fill the Campbell Library with military knowledge so it will not be forgotten - book after book donated to keep history alive. “His goal is someday someone will mimic what he does and take over where he has started,” Helgeson said. Lasting markIn total, more than 4,279 books, audio visuals and ebooks comprise the library’s military collection, officially called the Henry G. Tweten Military Library. The name is painted on the wall above the shelves and the man behind it has been a friend of Roningen’s for 36 years.“When I think of him and his dedicated service to his country and his dedicated service to help the library, there’s an old saying that it’s more blessed to give than to receive, and I think he fits that mold,” Tweten said of his fellow veteran. Tweten served during World War II and when he gets together with Roningen, the two can talk for hours about their experiences.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562294","attributes":{"alt":"A Civil War era cannon is among several replicas on display at the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks built by Roningen.","class":"media-image","height":"1417","title":"","width":"2125"}}]]Like his friend, Roningen’s name also has found prominence on the library’s walls. A plaque thanking him for his contributions hangs above a cabinet near the shelves of the military collection. It was presented to him at a volunteer reception held April 28. In the cabinet below the plaque, another donation to the library made by Roningen and a friend, Ted Knutson, awaits the curious eyes of library visitors. Men and horses outfitted in Civil War era regalia stand next to miniature cannons. The canons sit quietly now but at one time could be fired, at least one capable of sending projectiles about half a mile. “I’m the only one left that knows how to fire these things and I’m not about to,” Roningen said of his creations. Growing collectionCatch Roningen at the model cabinet or anywhere else in the library, and patrons will learn quickly why some have referred to him as a walking encyclopedia. “The contents of this case were illegally acquired in battlefield pickups,” Roningen said, pointing at a small display box with deformed chucks of metal inside and then bending his knees a bit to bring his finger more in line with the box. “You’re not supposed scrounge battlefields for old ammo and relicts now,” he continued. “But right after the war, the civilians would comb the battlefield and pick up those heavy bullets and sell them to the government for reworking.”The cabinet and the military history collection are required stops for groups of school children taking a tour of the library. Helgeson leads the tours, pointing out the significance of the collection and its contents. “This is to remind you that when you see a veteran, you say thank you,” she tells kids. The military history collection has grown since the 1997 Flood, which wiped out the library’s previous location and collection. Tweten said about 750 books and 250 audio tapes were lost. Donors such as Roningen have since helped build it up, with many of the books often being requested by patrons in other cities through interlibrary loans.“There’s a lot now, and we hope to make it bigger and better,” Tweten said. Sheldon Roningen hasn’t checked out a book from a library for 48 years, but he’s made a habit of stopping into the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks about once a week. The 82-year-old Fisher, Minn., resident usually wanders in with a few books in tow to donate to the library’s extensive military history collection. Take a few books from the section’s shelves and you’ll see Roningen’s name in many of them, written on a sticker proclaiming he gave the book to the library. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562292","attributes":{"alt":"Sheldon Roningen holds a copy of \"War on the Run,\" one of his favorite books and one of several copies he's donated.","class":"media-image","height":"3220","title":"","width":"4168"}}]]“He and I have lost count, but there’s been well over 2,000 books given to the library,” Library Director Charlotte Helgeson said. “And he’s read them all.”Roningen’s military career was relatively short, spanning from August 1953 to June 1955, but his interest in military history has spanned decades. Many of the books he donates catalogue the Civil War, but he also gives literature spanning a number of conflicts. More recent donations arrive with the promise that the book will be the last one, but Helgeson has come to expect that’s never the case. Sometimes the amount of books Roningen has accumulated determines when she’ll get a visit.“It depends on how many books have gotten in the way,” he joked. Personal stories Though his donations fill shelves, another more personal artifact from Roningen’s life can be found among the collection. His typewritten memoirs are available for reading, one portion of which recounting his 22 months spent in the Army after being drafted. A bit on the scrawny side as a young man, Roninigen wrote that his performance during his first drill led to his assignment with the “Awkward Squad.”“I found out several years later the rest of the squad was quite sure I wouldn’t make it,” he added.[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"2562293","attributes":{"alt":"Sheldon Roningen has donated an estimated 2,000 books in his lifetime to the Campbell Library in East Grand Forks.","class":"media-image","height":"3088","title":"","width":"4404"}}]]But the Fisher farm boy pressed on and eventually landed a spot as a switchboard operator in the communications division of Ladd Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska. He credits his memory for much of his success, including high marks on military aptitude test, though noted sometimes it comes with perceptions. “Cultivate your memory and you’ll get a reputation for smart you really don’t deserve,” Roningen said with a chuckle.But memory has long played an important role in history, both in his family and throughout the world. Of Norwegian descent, Roningen said his ancestors kept their history and traditions in their minds long before writing was of convenience. “The trouble there is every time one of them died, you lost the library,” he said. That notion is one reason behind Roningen’s mission to fill the Campbell Library with military knowledge so it will not be forgotten - book after book donated to keep history alive. “His goal is someday someone will mimic what he does and take over where he has started,” Helgeson said. Lasting markIn total, more than 4,279 books, audio visuals and ebooks comprise the library’s military collection, officially called the Henry G. Tweten Military Library. The name is painted on the wall above the shelves and the man behind it has been a friend of Roningen’s for 36 years.“When I think of him and his dedicated service to his country and his dedicated service to help the library, there’s an old saying that it’s more blessed to give than to receive, and I think he fits that mold,” Tweten said of his fellow veteran. Tweten served during World War II and when he gets together with Roningen, the two can talk for hours about their experiences.
Like his friend, Roningen’s name also has found prominence on the library’s walls. A plaque thanking him for his contributions hangs above a cabinet near the shelves of the military collection. It was presented to him at a volunteer reception held April 28. In the cabinet below the plaque, another donation to the library made by Roningen and a friend, Ted Knutson, awaits the curious eyes of library visitors. Men and horses outfitted in Civil War era regalia stand next to miniature cannons. The canons sit quietly now but at one time could be fired, at least one capable of sending projectiles about half a mile. “I’m the only one left that knows how to fire these things and I’m not about to,” Roningen said of his creations. Growing collectionCatch Roningen at the model cabinet or anywhere else in the library, and patrons will learn quickly why some have referred to him as a walking encyclopedia. “The contents of this case were illegally acquired in battlefield pickups,” Roningen said, pointing at a small display box with deformed chucks of metal inside and then bending his knees a bit to bring his finger more in line with the box. “You’re not supposed scrounge battlefields for old ammo and relicts now,” he continued. “But right after the war, the civilians would comb the battlefield and pick up those heavy bullets and sell them to the government for reworking.”The cabinet and the military history collection are required stops for groups of school children taking a tour of the library. Helgeson leads the tours, pointing out the significance of the collection and its contents. “This is to remind you that when you see a veteran, you say thank you,” she tells kids. The military history collection has grown since the 1997 Flood, which wiped out the library’s previous location and collection. Tweten said about 750 books and 250 audio tapes were lost. Donors such as Roningen have since helped build it up, with many of the books often being requested by patrons in other cities through interlibrary loans.“There’s a lot now, and we hope to make it bigger and better,” Tweten said.
