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University Libraries wishes to congratulate and thank our outstanding student employees who graduated on May 10. Their hard work, dedication, and contributions to the library community have not gone unnoticed. We are proud to have been a part of their time at the University of Louisville and can’t wait to see all the great things they accomplish in the next chapter.

Access and User Services – Ekstrom Library

Amber Ritter – Psychology
Breanna Boyd – Music Therapy
Cole Miller – History
John Schumacher – Geography & History
Keerthi Mandapaka – MS in Computer Science
Mandala Gupta – Humanities, English, and History
Trevor Butrum – Physics
Zachary Santoro – History

Archives and Special Collections

Aly Collins – An English major who wrote her thesis on Quicksand by Nella Larsen, Aly will be heading to Indiana University to pursue a Master’s in Library and Information Science. She began working with ASC as an intern in summer 2024 and continued as a student worker in the fall.

Abby Ward – A music major specializing in trumpet performance, with a minor in entrepreneurship in the music industry. For her capstone, Abby presented a lecture recital on John Williams’ trumpet solos for film. After graduation, she plans to stay in Louisville, take it easy, and find a fulfilling job in music.

Izabella Miller – Majoring in “Innovative Justice,” a multidisciplinary program combining criminal justice, diversity and inequality, and peace studies, Izabella was deeply involved in campus life. She served as Vice President of the Pre-Law Society, an Ambassador Peer Mentor for incoming freshmen, and Editor-in-Chief of The White Squirrel, UofL’s student-led literary magazine. There, she led budgeting, team coordination, and events for the 21st volume. After graduation, she will relocate to Chicago to work with state and local programs focused on the housing crisis, food accessibility, and youth mentorship.

Bridwell Art Library

Phenex Schwarz-Ward – BA in Jazz Studies
Vincent Young – MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies

Kornhauser Health Sciences Library

Winnie Pham

Since launching in Fall 2023, Ekstrom Library’s Scholar Services program has provided research support to faculty and graduate students across UofL’s campus. Designed to assist researchers in refining their methods, organizing their work, and maximizing the impact of their scholarship, Scholar Services has quickly become a go-to resource for those engaged in advanced academic research.

The program builds on the University Libraries’ long-standing commitment to research assistance by offering customized support in key areas. Whether faculty and graduate students need help with advanced literature searches, systematic reviews, or research impact assessments, the program provides expert guidance through one-on-one consultations with experienced librarians.

Among the key services offered are:

• Jumpstart Advanced Literature Searches which provide an initial curated list of articles relevant to a researcher’s topic, along with strategic guidance for further exploration.
• Systematic Review Consultation and Collaboration to support researchers conducting systematic and scoping reviews by providing guidance on search methodologies, database selection, and citation management.
• Research Impact Reports which help scholars demonstrate the reach of their work through customized reports and infographics—often useful for grant applications, tenure dossiers, and research group websites.

Since its pilot phase, Scholar Services has had a measurable impact on the campus research community. From Fall 2023 through December 2024, the program has assisted numerous researchers with various aspects of their work. Furthermore, feedback from researchers has been overwhelmingly positive. A survey conducted among those who used Scholar Services found that 91% agreed that the services met their research needs and expectations.

One researcher noted, “I am so grateful for this amazing service and how astute and careful and responsive the librarians are. This is such an amazing service.” Others highlighted how the program helped refine their literature searches and research strategies, and many expressed appreciation for the expertise and responsiveness of the librarians involved.

Another wrote, “I never ever knew about the service. Several of the librarians recommended Tessa [Withorn] to me, and she was fantastic. I’ve told others about the service!”

Initially piloted with select academic departments, Scholar Services expanded in Spring 2024 to serve the entire Belknap campus. Now available to all faculty and graduate students, the program continues to grow in scope to offer more opportunities for researchers to engage with expert librarians and show the impact of their scholarly work.

Scholar Services is a partnership between UofL’s colleges and its libraries. It aims to improve the quality, reach, and efficiency of academic research. Faculty and graduate students looking to streamline their research process, strengthen grant applications, or better understand their scholarly impact are encouraged to take advantage of this unique service.

To learn more or schedule a consultation, visit the Scholar Services webpage.

We are excited to introduce Melissa Johnson, the new Associate Director of Collections and Assistant Professor at Kornhauser Health Sciences Library. With a personal connection to libraries and a deep commitment to supporting students, Melissa is already making an impact in her role.

A first-generation student, Melissa’s family came to the U.S. from Cuba, and she saw firsthand how essential libraries were to her family’s success. “I saw how important the library was to me as a student and also to others,” she shared. “Libraries provided resources that we couldn’t otherwise access.”

Melissa brings much experience to her new position. She holds a master’s in history as well as in library science, and has worked at institutions like George Mason University and Nova Southeastern University in collection development, reference, and instruction. She is passionate about ensuring that the library collections meet the evolving needs of the university community, saying, “Each business that you entrust to take care of your collection is looking out for their shareholders. But a collection development librarian looks out for the library users, for the students, the faculty, and the staff.”

As Associate Director of Collections, Melissa is focused on making Kornhauser Library’s collections more agile and responsive to the needs of students and faculty. She is particularly excited to help first-generation and underserved students access valuable resources that support their academic success.

Outside of her work, Melissa is a fan of classic B-movies, especially old-school Godzilla films and Abbott and Costello comedies.

Her advice for students, faculty, and patrons? “Don’t be shy. Every person that works in the library is a resource that’s available to you. We are here to help you succeed.”

Please join us in welcoming Melissa to the University Libraries.

The University of Louisville Libraries are pleased to welcome Colten Hoot as the new Student Employee Support Specialist in Access and User Services at Ekstrom Library. A UofL alumna with a passion for libraries and student engagement, Colten brings with her experience from both public and academic libraries.

Originally from Madisonville, Kentucky, Colten made her way to Louisville for her undergraduate studies, where she designed her own degree focused on library studies. After earning her Master’s in Information Science from the University of Kentucky during the height of conversations around misinformation, censorship, and book bans, she found herself deeply committed to advocacy within the field.

Before returning to UofL, Colten worked in the Lexington Public Library as a children’s library associate, a role that gave her direct engagement with families and opportunities to lead programming and events. Now, she’s excited to transition into academic libraries, a long-time goal of hers, and she’s particularly thrilled to be back at Ekstrom—where she once worked as a student employee in the Research Assistance and Instruction department.

When asked what excites her most about this new role, Colten was enthusiastic about working with student employees. “I love getting to interact with students one-on-one, whether they’ve been here longer than I have or are brand new hires,” she shared. “Training them, helping them navigate their roles, and making sure they feel supported is really rewarding.”

Beyond her daily responsibilities, Colten hopes to expand her involvement in campus events and student programming. She’s particularly interested in event planning and leadership development and looks forward to finding new ways to contribute to the university community.

As for her favorite spot in the library? The fourth floor takes the top spot for its peaceful atmosphere and silent study spaces. But she also has a soft spot for the poetry room, where she spent time as an undergrad reading one of her favorite authors, Angela Carter.

Colten’s approach to problem-solving involves collaboration and tapping into the knowledge of her colleagues, particularly AUS employees like Karla Kuhn and Matt Goldberg who have been instrumental in her transition. And while she’s only been in the role for a few months, she’s already made her mark—most notably by accidentally discovering a malfunction in the library’s announcement system during finals week. “I was just trying to make a quick announcement, and suddenly, I realized I had no idea how to turn it off!” she recalled with a laugh. “It was definitely a stressful moment, but at least I know how it works now.”

In addition to her work at the library, Colten is eager to take advantage of UofL’s tuition benefits for staff and plans to enroll in courses soon. She’s also interested in joining campus organizations to further immerse herself in the university community.

We’re excited to have Colten on board and look forward to seeing the impact she’ll have in supporting student employees and enhancing library services. Please join us in welcoming Colten.