Dear Friends,
In an era of rapid change in higher education, Utah State University’s Merrill-Cazier Library remains a cornerstone supporting student success, research, and engagement. Thanks to the generous support of alumni, faculty, and our community, we continue to provide transformative opportunities that empower our students and strengthen our university.
This year, our commitment to fostering intellectual curiosity and collaboration has never been more evident. Our Special Collections Librarian, Paul Daybell, worked with faculty and graduate students from both the History and the Instructional Technology Departments to curate Playing Religion, an examination of how board games can contribute to the development of cultural identity. Two of our staff members also partnered with a Plant, Soils, and Climate researcher to host an exhibit and lecture on the benefits of hydroponics.
And bringing this type of work full circle, we were thrilled to welcome Dr. Cody Patton, a former USU student exhibit curator, now a tenure-track faculty member at the University of Montana, Billings, back to the library for the Spring Friends Lecture—an event that underscored the lifelong impact our library has had as a place of exploration and growth.
We are deeply invested in both student academic success and well-being. In January we welcomed USU’s Center for Academic Belonging & Learning Excellence (ABLE) into a bright, inviting space on the second floor of our building. ABLE is committed to coaching students and fostering learning communities, teaching habits that help students approach their education more successfully, and ensuring that every student who asks finds the support they need to thrive. Our librarians are actively working with the ABLE team to strengthen collaborative efforts between our two organizations.
These stories and others related in this month’s Marginalia provide just a glimpse of the incredible work happening in our library. They are a testament to the power of curiosity, collaboration, and community building—values that define our work. Your generosity powers our efforts, allowing us to adapt, innovate, and ensure that the library remains a dynamic force for learning and discovery.
Jennifer
Duncan,
Dean of Libraries
Friends Donation Spotlight: 1945 Topaz Yearbook
Thanks to a generous donation by the Friends of the Merrill-Cazier Library, the Library Special Collections & Archives was able to purchase a rare copy of the 1945 yearbook from the high school at the Topaz internment camp. This yearbook serves as an important part of Utah’s history and can be added to existing library resources regarding the history of WWII in Utah and the Japanese internment specifically.
The first few pages in the yearbook include a foreword that poignantly states, in part: “The third year has been completed; the fifth and sixth graduating classes of
Topaz High School have been recorded. These three years have meant more to us than any other period we have known. Starting us with a school composed of students from all walks of life, from Washington, Oregon, and California, we have been amalgamated into one united body. But now the day has come when we again must scatter far and wide back into normal society, to Chicago, Bangor, San Francisco, to any of the forty-eight states.”
This will be a treasured resource for both USU students and the Utah community for years to come.
Global Game Jam Event Challenges Students to Design Their Own Games
In January of 2025, the library’s Innovation Hub transformed into a game development hub for the Global Game Jam, a 24-hour game-making marathon hosted in partnership with USU's Computer Science department. Students spent the weekend brainstorming, coding, and designing—with many staying overnight in the library to bring their ideas to life.
The Innovation Hub’s varied technology—such as computers, VR headsets, 3D printers, soldering iron, and more—helped fuel their creativity. One team even managed to use every single piece of equipment in the space for their game! This event was a great example of how the library isn’t just for studying, but a place for hands-on learning, collaboration, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
Library Student Book Club
USU Libraries began hosting a new monthly Student Book Club on Saturdays in the Merrill-Cazier library— transforming library space into a cozy, welcoming environment where students can relax, share ideas, and build meaningful connections with one another.
The book club selection covers a wide range of relevant and celebrated titles from award-winning authors. In November, the club welcomed New York Times Bestselling author, Angeline Boulley on Zoom to discuss her novel The Firekeeper's Daughter.
Interested in joining our book club? Any and all students can join! Follow @USULibraries on Instagram for more information
days in the field preparing for real-world combat situations. Much of our training involved multi-day combat simulations—meaning no sleep, constant movement, and pushing through exhaustion. It built a work ethic to stay calm under pressure that carried me through college and beyond. After the Marines, I built a career in academic libraries, where my military training has served me well. Problem-solving, teamwork, and staying focused under stress are just as critical in a library. Leadership in the Marines could be brutal, but it taught me to trust in others, respect differing opinions, and always work as a team.
I’m honored to be one of three recipients of the inaugural 2024 USU Faculty-Staff Veteran of the Year Award. It means a lot to see USU recognize the contributions of veterans among its students, faculty, and staff. Many USU veterans are equally deserving, and I’m glad this award will continue to highlight their impact in the years to come. I encourage everyone to visit the Veterans Resource Office at the Taggart Student Center to see the incredible work they’re doing to support student veterans and help them succeed at USU and beyond.
On the surface, being a Marine and a librarian seem worlds apart. Still, the skills I gained in the Corps—discipline, adaptability, teamwork, and perseverance—have been invaluable. To this day, those values have helped me as a librarian at USU. Semper Fi!
Spring Friends Lecture Explores Beer, Branding, and Waste in 1930s America
On April 16, the Friends of the Merrill-Cazier Library hosted its spring Friends Lecture, welcoming back USU alum and historian Dr. Cody Patton. Now an Assistant Professor of History at Montana State University Billings, Dr. Patton presented Selling Single-Use: The Begrudging Acceptance and Environmental Consequences of Canned Beer in American Consumer Culture, an engaging talk on how the humble beer can revolutionized consumer culture.
Drawing from his original archival research—first sparked as a student in USU’s Special Collections & Archives—Dr. Patton explored how 1930s breweries introduced the first disposable carbonated beverage container, reshaping packaging, marketing, and environmental practices. The lecture exemplified the Libraries’ ongoing mission to support impactful research and lifelong learning.
Dr. Cody Patton (CHaSS, 2018) with Dr. Tammy Proctor and Associate Dean of Libraries Liz Woolcott.
The Office of Academic Belonging & Learning Excellence Now Centralized in the Merrill-Cazier Library
The recent relocation of the Office of Academic Belonging & Learning Excellence (ABLE) to the second floor of Merrill-Cazier Library reflects a strategic investment in student success. By integrating ABLE’s services into the academic core of campus, USU Libraries is helping reduce barriers to support and increase student access to essential resources.
From Habits of Mind courses that develop college-ready skills to one-on-one coaching, mentorship for firstgeneration students, and free Supplemental Instruction for high-enrollment courses, ABLE delivers outcomes that matter—retention, achievement, and belonging. The Center for Academic Belonging & Learning Excellence is committed to guiding undergraduate students to take responsibility for their own success at Utah State University. This is accomplished through student success programming and services aimed at:
• Fostering learning communities
• Teaching behavioral habits of mind
• Collaborating with campus partners to integrate ABLE best practices
This partnership exemplifies our commitment to cultivating community and empowering every unique USU student to thrive.
