YEAR IN REVIEW 2024
A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN OF LIBRARIES
I am pleased to introduce the University Libraries’ 2024 Year in Review, a reflection on our ongoing commitment to student success, research excellence, and community engagement. As a vital part of the USU Academic Enterprise, the Libraries contribute to supporting the university’s core mission as both a landgrant and an R1 university—always with an eye toward innovation and inclusivity.
At the heart of our work is student success. Our library is an active space for learning, where students gain research skills, collaborate with peers, and engage with ideas that build the critical thinking ability necessary to respond to the world around them. Whether through dynamic library instruction, experiential learning opportunities, or targeted support for open educational resources, our librarians are dedicated to providing the expertise and resources that empower students throughout their academic journeys.
Our commitment to research is equally strong. Beyond curating a world-class collection including print, electronic, and special collections materials, we support scholars at every stage of the research lifecycle from ideation to dissemination.
Through our institutional repository, data management support, and open-access initiatives, we help ensure that knowledge is preserved and made more widely accessible. By easing barriers to publication and fostering a culture of open scholarship, we enable faculty and students to push the boundaries of discovery. Our newly established Innovation Hub further strengthens this role, offering students access to cutting-edge technology in a collaborative space designed to inspire creativity and problem-solving.
Engagement with our community remains central to our mission. From thoughtprovoking lectures and exhibitions to K-12 outreach and community-building events, the Libraries serve as a bridge between the university and the broader public. And, we recognize that our buildings are more than just places to study—they are spaces
where students build friendships, find inspiration, and feel a sense of belonging. Our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment remains unwavering, ensuring that everyone is welcome
Finally, this year marked a significant milestone for the Libraries as we completed a strategic reorganization. While we have long demonstrated operational agility in advancing impactful initiatives, this restructuring allows us to sustain our mission while strengthening innovate approaches to our work. We have reassessed and streamlined programs, changed faculty and staff roles to align with university priorities, and implemented system upgrades. Going forward, we remain focused on meeting the needs of our students and faculty in an everchanging academic landscape.
Looking back on a year of achievements, we also look forward with excitement. Thank you to the dedicated faculty, staff, students, and community partners who make our work possible. We are proud of what we have accomplished together.
Jennifer Duncan, Dean of Libraries
LEARNING
Supporting academic success through enhanced learning resources
The USU Libraries continues to enhance our students’ learning experience by providing resources and services that support students’ academic success. Librarians collaborate with faculty to integrate information literacy into courses, helping students develop essential research and critical thinking skills. These efforts empower students to confidently find, evaluate, and use information to excel in their studies.
In 2024, librarians expanded workshop offerings to further assist students with topics ranging from research techniques to data management. These workshops, along with individualized student support, equip students with the tools they need to succeed academically and in their major course of study. Through these initiatives, USU Libraries are committed to fostering an exceptional learning experience for the entire campus community.
14,830
1,109 476 100%
USU students reached through workshops, course instruction, and informational sessions research consultations conducted with students, faculty, staff, and community members classes and workshops taught of USU Colleges and ~70% of departments engaged in library instruction
3 | Utah State University Libraries
OER
USU Libraries supports Open Educational Resources (OER)
12
162
library grants awarded to faculty for the adoption, adaption, or creation of new OER unique courses used OER supported by the Libraries
9,056
USU students saved money enrolling in courses that use OER
ABLE COLLABORATION
Providing 21st century college students with transferable skills for their futures
The Center for Academic Belonging and Learning Excellence’s (ABLE) Habits of Mind classes are designed to help students develop key skills essential for both academic and personal success. These courses emphasize important abilities such as time management, self-discipline, resilience, and critical thinking. By practicing these habits, students can better navigate the challenges of college life and excel in academic and personal endeavors.
In 2024, USU Libraries supported instruction for these classes specifically through the Aggie First Scholars Program. During the spring and fall semesters, our First-
Year Experience and Outreach Librarians, Katie Strand and Katie Luder, led library orientations for USU 1050: Habits of Mind, helping 60 first-generation USU students become familiar with college research expectations and available resources.
In spring 2024, Librarian Katie Strand worked with ABLE to integrate library resources into the Habits of Mind curriculum. These sessions helped instructors navigate the library website and access instructional materials. In fall 2024, a team of USU librarians—including Katie Strand, Sarah Berry, Darcy Pumphrey, and Kacy Lundstrom—developed a new Canvas module for USU 1020: Personal Productivity, focusing on digital organization. This innovative module leverages librarian expertise to teach students how to keep their digital spaces organized and secure.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Providing opportunities to gain knowledge and skills with real-world experiences
NOHA RAMADAN
Noha is a 2nd year PhD student in Instructional Design and Learning Sciences. She uses her technical skills to teach podcasting and 3D printing in the Libraries’ new Innovation Hub. She is collaborating with ITLS faculty on a virtual reality tour of USU and creating an assessment plan for the Innovation Hub to support long-term library planning.
JAS LOWE
Jas is a 2nd year MA student in History who works with virtual reality and user accessibility across disciplines. She assists prospective graduate students with the role of technology in the humanities and is working with Kirsten Cox, Digital Scholarship Librarian, to create a digital exhibit for USU’s Year of Undergraduate Research.
EMMA WILSON
Emma, a 1st year MA student in History with a focus on modern women’s history, serves as the Special Collections Graduate Fellow. She recently collaborated with the USU Office of Research to create an exhibit celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Undergraduate Research Program. Emma also supports Special Collections & Archives by processing book and manuscript collections, and assisting with tours, classes, and outreach events.
The Libraries thrive thanks to the 100+ student workers who benefit from substantive employment roles. Our Undergraduate Teaching Fellows and Graduate Assistants and Fellows benefit from in-depth experiential learning such as supporting English composition courses and assisting in Library-led research.
SPENCER EHLERS
Spencer is a 2nd year exploratory student working as an Undergraduate Teaching Fellow for User Experience and Engagement. His interest in sound design and recording has assisted in his work creating educational voice overs for the USU Libraries’ YouTube channel.
BROOK HAIGHT
Brook is a 4th year student in English with an emphasis in creative writing working as an Undergraduate Teaching Fellow for User Experience and Engagement. Her writing skills have assisted in designing achievement badges for Library Canvas modules and creating content for outreach events such as Blind Date with a Book.
ZAYNE MAUGHAN
Zayne serves as the Graduate Data Analyst for the USU Libraries. He got his BS in Statistics from BYU in 2024 and is working on a Master’s in Data Analytics from the John M. Huntsman School of Business. He is using his expertise to help build library data dashboards and a student library survey. Zayne also proudly serves as a second lieutenant in the Army National Guard.
STATEWIDE
Transformative educational opportunities throughout Utah
“U” IS FOR UTAH (AND URANIUM)
Statewide collaboration assists in organization and preservation of the Uranium Studies Collection
In the 1990s, the Uranium Studies collection arrived at the USU Blanding campus from the San Juan County Commission and includes approximately 50 linear feet of studies, reports, and records.
For nearly 30 years, the collection remained in disarray until Heather Raisor (USU Blanding) and Michael Harris (USU Eastern) took the initiative to bring the collection to its full potential. Michael conducted a critical survey and produced an extensive report of his findings, while Heather Housley (USU Logan) traveled to Blanding to provide expert guidance on how best to arrange and describe the materials.
More work remains, however, with support from statewide campus partners, USU Blanding will soon have a valuable resource on the Nuclear Waste Repository Search of the 1980s and the environmental and social impact of the nuclear program on American southwest communities.
(Right) One of the cabinets and some of the many materials that make up the Uranium Studies collection.
AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY LIBRARY
Supporting USU Eastern’s national-award winning welding program
The AWS (American Welding Society) Digital Library is a recently acquired database that, while accessible to all USU students, will specifically support the welding programs at the Eastern, Blanding, and Moab campuses, as well as the under-construction Monument Valley campus.
This database, funded by USU Eastern, serves as a comprehensive repository of welding standards maintained by the American Welding Society and is an invaluable resource for students learning welding techniques. Previously, these materials were only available to students in hard copy form within classrooms. Now, thanks to the AWS Digital Library, students can access these critical resources online through University Libraries.
This addition further enhances USU Eastern’s world-renowned welding program, providing students with up-to-date standards and resources to support their training and skill development.
RESEARCH
Driving impactful research and creative excellence
USU Libraries supports all researchers— faculty, staff, and students—through a variety of initiatives, including ORCID, the OA fund, and read and publish agreements. Through our ORCID membership, we help USU researchers ensure credit for their work and streamline workflows for funding, publishing, and other tasks. Read and publish, or transformative agreements, shift contracts between a library and a publisher
from subscription-based toward open access publishing for at least a portion of the journals in a publisher’s portfolio. The Libraries has signed multiple read and publish agreements with journal publishers. Faculty members’ openly available publications, such as Tim Chenette’s book, Foundations of Aural Skills, which was supported by the Libraries and published as an Open Educational Resource, further contribute to the scholarly conversation.
2 MILLION+
4.8 MILLION+
149,095
879,258
6,601 books and physical items housed in the USU Libraries electronic resources available physical, eBook, and eMedia items used by researchers full-text articles downloaded articles and books retrieved from partner libraries and delivered to USU researchers
6,791
articles and books from USU collections shared with partner libraries around the world
OPEN ACCESS
USU Libraries supports OA (Open Access Publishing)
35 GRANTS AWARDED
TOTALING $34,902
SUPPORTING 39 STUDENT & FACULTY AUTHORS
DIGITAL COMMONS
Supporting the open dissemination of research produced by USU scholars
Open Access (OA) is a key initiative for USU Libraries, which supports USU researchers’ impact by disseminating their valuable work to the broadest audience possible. Open Access refers to the free online availability of research publications, along with the rights to use and reuse them. It means more readers, more potential collaborators, more citations, and, ultimately, greater recognition for USU’s work. The Libraries supports open access through the institutional repository, DigitalCommons@usu.edu, where, in FY 2024:
3,306
2,731,153 works added to the USU institutional repository global downloads
The Libraries utilizes this platform to support green open access, which empowers researchers to share their peer-reviewed research, expand the global reach and impact of their work, and increase opportunities for advancing science. All this work helps ensure that USU is recognized for the groundbreaking research and innovative ideas our community produces every day.
ORCID (ID) provides a unique identifier that distinguishes researchers from one another. The USU Office of Research generously funds our ORCID subscription.
THE INNOVATION HUB
A dynamic creation space open to all USU students, faculty, and staff
USU Libraries opened the new Innovation Hub in Fall 2024. Located in the southwest wing of the Merrill-Cazier Library and open during all library hours, the Innovation Hub is a flexible and dynamic space designed to support both individual and curricular engagement with cutting-edge technologies, meeting the research and educational needs of students, faculty, and staff.
The Innovation Hub fosters discovery, collaboration, and interdisciplinary connections while prioritizing creation
and immersive learning experiences for all learners – from novice to expert. Engaging with campus partners across the university, we host programming, teach workshops, and introduce new technologies to our community.
In the first 6 months of operation, librarians and IT experts have worked with the School of Graduate Studies, the Honors Program, and several individual faculty members to infuse technology into their teaching. We encourage faculty to reach out and find out how the Hub might support their work.
Shushbooths offer patrons completely sound-proof spaces for quiet study or collaboration.
OUTREACH
Connecting campus to community and industry
We regularly connect with community and industry colleagues through outreach events, enhancing our visibility and enriching the academic environment on campus. From providing a discussion forum on recent survey data documenting declining religious certainty among Latter-day Saint women at our Arrington Lecture to hosting an alumni
tailgate at the Homecoming football game, we are engaged with our community. Learn more about our work with the University of Oklahoma documenting the Brigham City Intermountain Indian School, local school districts supporting tighter K-16 integration, and a growing number of outdoor industry partners building the Outdoor Recreation Archive.
The Libraries’ tent at USU’s Homecoming tailgate party.
USU’s Employee Appreciation Day.
Day on the Quad.
Connections Info Fair.
Friends of the Library Lecture: SlenderMan and the Ongoing Appeal of Horror in the Digital Age
Price’s popular lecture series From the Book Cliffs to Blanding: A Panoramic View of Eastern Utah
A peace tree at the USU and Iran: 100 Years of People-toPeople Relations exhibit.
Smithfield’s Health Days Celebration.
INDIGENOUS TRUTHTELLING OF BOARDING SCHOOLS
Ensuring accessibility to the past and streamlining efforts to preserve the future
USU Libraries is a partner in Indigenous Truthtelling of Boarding Schools, a collaborative archiving project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) and led by the University of Oklahoma. The project team, including members from Special Collections & Archives (SCA)—Sarah Berry, Andrea Payant, Heather Housley, and Jen Kirk—focuses on improving access to materials documenting the Intermountain Indian School. The Libraries team also collaborates with USU’s Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art (NEHMA) and the Native American Cultural Center.
SCA maintains a large digital archive of Intermountain materials, including photographs, books, and various media. NEHMA has recently restored murals created by students at the Intermountain Indian School. Additionally, the Native American Cultural Center facilitates community engagement through the annual Intermountain reunions, held at the USU-Brigham City campus. Team members attended the most recent reunion in May 2024, where they spoke with alumni about the mural project, archive materials, and ways to better engage with the alumni community.
The project has also benefited USU at the local level by streamlining efforts to preserve materials and engage with the community. In particular, it has improved archival practices related to materials documenting Indigenous boarding schools and has fostered important conversations around this work.
Photos from the Intermountain Indian School digital collection.
BRIDGING THE GAP
Connecting and collaborating with local educators
Bridging the Gap is a conference for Northern Utah high school educators and USU Libraries staff. In support of USU’s land-grant mission, the conference provided an opportunity to connect with local educators and share USU Libraries’ resources, while also learning how to better support students transitioning from high school to university.
Conference tracks included information literacy, primary sources, and digital resources. The keynote, delivered by Russ Winn from USU’s English department, focused on AI in the classroom. Led by Katie Strand, First Year Experience Librarian, and Jen Kirk, Government Information Librarian, this year’s conference featured over 20 library staff members who presented and participated in sessions.
“A great opportunity to meet with professionals at the university level...to learn about current trends and new strategies associated with research in different academic settings.”
-Bridging the Gap Conference Attendee
This year the conference introduced “Putting into Practice” sessions, where attendees gained one-on-one experience with librarians and curators on assignment design, as well as hands-on experience with archival materials.
Keynote speaker Russ Winn’s presentation First-Year Writing Courses and AI Usage.
THE OUTDOOR RECREATION ARCHIVE
Reconnecting the outdoor product and design industry with their roots
In 2017, USU Special Collections and Archives (SCA) partnered with the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences’ Outdoor Product Design and Development (OPDD) program to develop the Outdoor Recreation Archive (ORA), a historical collection of books, catalogs, periodicals, photographs, and manuscripts documenting the history of outdoor gear. It has quickly become one of SCA’s most popular collections, attracting interest from designers, journalists, historians, and collectors worldwide.
This year’s highlights include several highprofile visits and projects with notable outdoor brands and collaborators. Among the many guests was a design team from The North Face, which held a two-day retreat in the library, using the archive to better familiarize themselves with the brand’s heritage. The ORA also hosted a team from the Japanese clothing brand Beams, which, in collaboration with the archive, is developing an exhibit of vintage outdoor clothing to be installed in Tokyo in 2025.
Traditional and social media coverage also remain vital for reaching new audiences. This year, the ORA was featured in six media outlets, from outdoor lifestyle publications like Field Mag to trade magazines like Apparel News.
The ORA’s installation at the Functional Fabric Fair trade show in Portland, Oregon.
The ORA’s traveling exhibit at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.
“The Outdoor Recreation Archive has been an incredible resource for The North Face design teams. We are very pleased to have an external place of inspiration where we can connect to the birth of our outdoor industry and surrounding communities. The location and connection to the future of Outdoor with the university and courses adjacent, is also a place where we can all reflect on what was and more importantly consider in this research environment— what can be.”
Ebru
Ercon, VP Creative Director Product The North Face
The ORA’s traveling exhibit at the Snow Peak Headquarters and Flagship in Portland.
2024 Fall Performance Days exhibit in Munich, Germany.
The ORA’s traveling exhibit at the Columbia Sportswear Company Headquarters in Portland.
BELONGING
Elevating the student experience
Curating an innovative and inclusive library environment for students is at the forefront of our efforts. In 2024, the USU Libraries is a dynamic, experiential space where students can engage, collaborate, and find inspiration.
From hands-on workshops with cutting-edge technology to collaborative learning spaces and specialized research support, the library continually evolves to meet the needs of today’s students.
By creating a sense of community, offering resources that support both academic and personal growth, and collaborating with units across the university, the USU Libraries plays a vital role in enhancing the student experience.
As we innovate to meet future demands, we remain committed to helping Utah State University stay competitive and attractive to prospective students, ensuring that our library is a central hub for learning, research, and success.
LIBRARY AFTER HOURS
The third annual Library After Hours, held during Connections 2024, welcomed firstyear USU students into our building for a party where they spent time exploring and making friends. This event provided our newest Aggies with a unique opportunity to familiarize themselves with library services and resources before the beginning of school.
1,300 96% 93% 93% 66% first-year Aggies attended the event of students surveyed said they would recommend Library After Hours to future Connections Students
of After Hours attendees now feel comfortable asking for Library help of After Hours attendees now feel comfortable using a new Library resource or service of respondents said they met someone new at Library After Hours they will reach out to in the future
Price’s Nighthawk Review Night.
Tea & Puzzles event in the New Books Lounge.
Board game event in Special Collections.
Logan Library membership sign up booth in the Merrill-Cazier Library’s lobby.
SCHOLARLY PRODUCTS
Library faculty and staff conduct, present, and publish research in the field of library and information science. Library research is tied to the practical application of our profession and improves the services our library offers.
Publications
Fullmer, N., & Strand, K. (2024). Fostering UDLinformed library instruction practices developed from the COVID-19 pandemic. Reference Services Review, 52(1), 163-183.
Payant, A., Woolcott, L., Daybell, P., Skeen, B., & Arnljots, A.-M. (2024). The path of least resistance: Optimizing metadata practices through user assessment. Journal of Library Metadata.
Rovegno, K., Housley, H., & Daybell, P. (2024). Secondary processing at Utah State University Archives. Journal of Western Archives, 15(2), Article 2.
Thornley, R., & Rosenberg, D. (2024). Developing media and information literacy through dialogues about AI. In B. Buyserie & T. Thurston (Eds.), Teaching and generative AI: Pedagogical possibilities and productive tensions. Utah State University.
Presentations
Basin, L., Batt, C., Belliston, C., Broeder, K., Daybell, P., Kopp, M., & McCormack, A. (2024, August 5-7). Partnering for success: Collaborations with librarians. Annual Conference of the Rocky Mountain Medieval & Renaissance Association, Cedar City, UT.
Berry, S. (2024, November 6). Native American Heritage Month kickoff event. USU Native American Cultural Center.
Berry, S. (2024, May 30). Teaching archival skills to patrons and stakeholders. Conference of Intermountain Archivists (CIMA) Annual Conference, Reno, NV.
Berry, S., Arredondo, Z. (2024, September 30). Indigenous truthtelling of boarding schools: Project update. Indigenous Truthtelling of Boarding Schools Workshop, University of Oklahoma.
Berry, S., Broeder, K., Cochley, C., & Housley, H. (2024, May). Fresh eyes on fundamentals: Redefining policies and procedures. Conference of Intermountain Archivists (CIMA) Annual Conference, Reno, NV.
Berry, S., Parry, B., & Timbimboo-Madsen, P. (2024, April 12). The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation digital project. Joint Meeting of the National Council on Public History (NCPH) and the Utah Historical Society, Salt Lake City, UT.
Berry, S., Payant, A., & Pumphrey, D. (2024, May). Migration conversation: A Preservica update from USU Libraries. Conference of Intermountain Archivists (CIMA) Annual Conference, Reno, NV.
Daybell, P., & McGee, Z. (2024, October 8-11). Dusting off the shelves: How a little TLC can revitalize library collections. Utah Museums Association Conference, Logan, UT.
Daybell, P., & McGee, Z. (2024, May 29 - June 1). Dusting off the shelves: How a little TLC can revitalize library collections. Conference of Intermountain Archivists, Reno, NV.
Daybell, P., Payant, A., Kirk, J. P., Miller, M., Williams, R., & Pumphrey, D. (2024, April 12). Documenting now: Students collecting oral histories on climate change. Joint Meeting of the National Council on Public History (NCPH) and the Utah Historical Society, Salt Lake City, UT.
Davila, M., Barr, L., Murphy, C., Petersen, N., Flynn, A., & Van Huss, J. (2024, October). Tips, successes, & challenges to get the career you want. [Panel discussion]. Annual Conference of the Utah Museum Association, Logan, UT.
Harris, M. W., Crowell, S., Lawyer, R., & Ozburn, L. (2024, November). Assessing the thirdspace. Association of College and Research Libraries Core Forum. Poster presentation, Minneapolis, MN.
Heady, M., Fredette, H., Garrison, S., Johnson, J., & Western, S. (2024, April 30). We can work it out: Harmonizing collection development and resource sharing organizations. Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA) Annual Meeting, Honolulu, HI.
Kochan, C., & Leon, L. (2024, September 19). Continuity in excellence: Effective resource sharing succession planning. Northwest Interlibrary Loan and Resource Sharing Conference, Eugene, OR.
Martin, P., Kochan, C., & Leon, L. (2024, May 1). Evolution of ILL: What does it mean for GWLA? Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA) Annual Meeting, Honolulu, HI.
Oberlander, C., Thoms, B., & Weaver, R. (2024, October). Innovation and impact: Digital Commons community leaders discuss new directions in the IR landscape. Digital Commons International Conference, Berkeley, CA.
Ozburn, L., Harris, M. W., Davis, E., & Lundstrom, K. (2024, November). Using assessment as a tool for relationship-building: Proving need, gaining traction with your strategic goals, and demonstrating a dedication to equity. Library Assessment Conference, Portland, OR.
Ozburn, L., LaSure, J., Sundt, A., & Woolcott, L. (2024, November 8). Assessment as change management: Facilitating consensus, decisionmaking, and culture change through a scaffolded approach to ILS review and selection. Library Assessment Conference, Portland, OR.
Pumphrey, D., Dirk, K., & Johnson, R. (2024, May 30). What’s in a (file) name? Filenaming approaches at three institutions. Conference of Intermountain Archivists (CIMA) Annual Conference, Reno, NV.
Pumphrey, D., Payant, A., & Berry, S. (2024, October 9). Digital project planning. Presentation at the Utah Museums Association Conference, Logan, UT.
Rosenberg, D., & Davis, E. (2024, June). Seeing our managers as people: Balancing organizational needs with manager well-being. Conference on Academic Library Management. Virtual.
Scofeld, R., Kersting-Lark, D., Rovegno, K., & Plowman, S. (2024, May 8-10). Swinging on a star: Proactive approaches to belonging and inclusion in the archives. Northwest Archivists Annual Meeting, Spokane, WA.
Presentations,
cont.
Strand, K., Hopkins, K., Law, S., & Luke, R. (2024, March). We’re all in this together: Leveraging campus partners in first-year experience. Utah First Year Experience Consortium, Salt Lake City, UT.
Williams, B. F., Johnson, K., Wyatt-Baxter, K., Ozburn, L., & Bailey, A. (2024, November). UX and assessment: Bold statements & engaging conversation on the role of UX in library assessment. Library Assessment Conference. Panel discussion, Portland, OR.
Grants
King, F., Ortega, L., Pitblado, B., Kirk, J. P., Payant, A., Housley, H., & Berry, S. (2024). Indigenous truthtelling of boarding schools. National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) Planning Grants for Collaborative Digital Editions. ($120,000).
Exhibits
Pumphrey, C., & Anderson, C. (2024, February). The 1990s: Outdoor clothing trends and innovations. Functional Fabric Fair, Portland, OR. Pumphrey, C., & Anderson, C. (2024, Summer). The 1990s: Outdoor clothing trends and innovations. Nike World Headquarters, Beaverton, OR.
Rovegno, K., Proctor, T., & Davis, D. (2024, October). Forgotten champions: USU, 1978-1982. Utah State University, Logan, UT.
Sagers, J., Flint, C., Peterson, S., Rovegno, K., & Greener, D. (2024, March). USU and Iran: 100 years of people-to-people relations. Utah State University, Logan, UT.
Wilson, B., Daybell, P., & Greener, D. (2024, October 4 - November 17). Brent Wilson’s art worlds. Utah State University, Logan, UT.
USU and Iran: 100 Years of People-to-People Relations exhibit on display in the Merrill-Cazier Library.
LIBRARY REORGANIZATION
The Libraries have long excelled at developing impactful initiatives, programs, and collections despite financial constraints, consistently demonstrating operational agility. We have completed a reorganization that positions us to sustain our mission effectively while ensuring continued innovation and support for student success, research, and community engagement.
The work we undertook included:
1. Reassessing and restructuring library programs
2. Evolving our faculty and staff roles, based on identified needs
3. Implementing technological efficiencies
Going forward, we are prioritizing USU’s mission and vision, focusing on:
Student Success: Supporting learning and fostering belonging and academic engagement.
Collections: Maintaining access to collections undergirding the teaching and research missions of an R1 and land grant university.
Research Innovation: Supporting the research lifecycle from ideation to dissemination, focusing on impact, openness, and reproducibility.
Innovative Technology: Facilitating access to and creative use of technology in our Innovation Hub.
Statewide/Online Programs: Ensuring robust virtual services and collection access, regardless of location.
Current USU Libraries Organization Chart:
Dean of Libraries
Business Operations
Library Information Technology
Collections & Discovery
Special Collections & Archives
Digital Stewardship
Archives Care, Access, & Description
Archives Outreach & Instruction
Cataloging & Acquisitions
Collections & Resource Sharing
Collections Strategies Assessment
Public Services
Research Support
Research Publishing & Impact
Research Strategy & Innovation
Student Success & User Experience
Access Services
Student Learning & Academic Empowerment
User Experience & Engagement
Eastern & Statewide
Library Services
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Dr. Linda Wolcott’s generosity supports the Libraries as an evolving space crucial to fostering critical thinking
Philanthropy plays an essential role in ensuring that University Libraries remains a competitive and relevant part of Utah State University, and few donors have had such an impactful legacy as Dr. Linda Wolcott. Having worked in libraries since her college years, Dr. Wolcott retired in 2007 after 15 years of service to Utah State University. Joining the faculty in 1991 as an assistant professor in the department of Instructional Technology, she later served as interim department head before her appointment as Vice Provost for Libraries. “The library represents a significant part of my life,” she reflected.
Linda is deeply familiar with the vital role libraries play in society, especially amid rapid technological advancements. Now more than ever, she believes it is important for the public to recognize that libraries are not just repositories for books; they are evolving spaces that must adapt to the times. In particular, Linda emphasizes the library’s role in combating misinformation and fostering critical thinking—missions that are increasingly crucial today.
A key example of this belief was Linda’s successful efforts to secure funding for the Merrill-Cazier Library, which replaced the outdated Merrill Library building during her time at USU. Dr. Wolcott is pleased that the building, which opened in 2005, remains an adaptive space two decades later.
“It’s rewarding to see how the MerrillCazier Library has changed and continues to serve student’s and faculty’s needs.”
-Dr. Linda Wolcott
In 2024, Dr. Wolcott’s continued generosity supported the staffing of the Innovation Hub, through funding a graduate assistantship for ITLS student Noha Ramadan. The Hub is a space with cutting-edge technology that fosters collaboration, research, and professional development among students, staff, and faculty.
Linda’s ongoing dedication underpins a powerful message: libraries are more important than ever. As she continues to champion USU Libraries, she encourages others to consider supporting this everevolving institution that touches every corner of campus, regardless of discipline.
Dr. Linda Wolcott speaking at the Merrill-Cazier Library groundbreaking ceremony, 2003.
ON THE HORIZON
Exploring and adopting new systems and platforms to better serve USU’s community
In 2025, the library is undertaking the migration of two critical systems: the Library Services Platform (LSP) and the Digital Preservation Platform. Both systems were identified as essential to the library’s efforts to modernize its operations and improve access to resources, ultimately enhancing the experience of USU students, faculty, and staff.
The LSP—commonly referred to as the “catalog”—houses over 7 million records representing both print and electronic library materials, serving as the primary tool for students, staff, and faculty to discover and
access library resources. The migration of this platform began in November 2024 and is expected to be completed by summer 2025.
The Digital Preservation Platform will ensure the long-term sustainability of over 100 TB (and growing) of unique digital resources, safeguarding them against the risk of file corruption and loss. These materials primarily consist of digitized and born-digital special collections and archival content. This migration process began in fall 2023 and is scheduled for completion in summer 2025.
(Below) USU Libraries’ Digital Collections contain many collections relevant to local history and interests.
University Libraries
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-3000
Mission
We support all people in discovering, creating, and sharing knowledge and diverse perspectives.
Vision
We strive to be the University’s nexus for curiosity, collaboration, and community.