Utah State University Libraries 2023 Year in Review by USU Libraries

A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN OF LIBRARIES On behalf of my colleagues at the Utah State University Libraries, I thank you for your interest in our work and hope that you are intrigued to learn more about the innovative ways in which we are meeting the needs of a modern land grant university. Our team is committed to promoting excellence in the student educational experience, propelling research and creative endeavors, embracing meaningful community collaboration, and contributing to a positive sense of belonging for all. I would like to acknowledge the generosity of all the faculty, staff, administrators, and community members who sustain the success of our programmatic work and make all of this possible.

IN THIS REPORT:

LEARNING

3-12

RESEARCH

13-24

OUTREACH

25-32

BELONGING

33-38

utah state university libraries

LEARNING

OUTREACH

The Libraries advance learning and teaching excellence across the USU system, working directly with students to support accessible and highquality educational resources and high-impact opportunities that inspire them to discover, create, and engage with their academic fields and contribute to their communities. We also collaborate with faculty to design and integrate innovative approaches to research skills and information literacy into their curricula.

The Libraries interact with our local communities throughout the state, developing trusted partnerships and meaningful initiatives with industry, extension, and our local community that contribute to the betterment of the world around us.

RESEARCH The Libraries strengthen USU’s status as an R1 institution by providing access to the collections and services necessary to support pioneering research and creative excellence. In the last fiscal year, our library users accessed the full text of more than 900,000 journal articles for which we provided subscription access. Our library is also paving the way for transformative change by expanding opportunities for open access to and engagement with research in our local and global communities.

BELONGING The Libraries act on our values by contributing to a welcoming and inclusive culture through which everyone can explore, collaborate, and feel a sense of community as well as discover their own place as users and creators of knowledge. Libraries are so much more than a collection of books. Please read on to learn more about the critical work that our forward-thinking library undertakes every day.

Jennifer Duncan, Dean of Libraries

2023 year in review

DELIVERING AN EXCEPTIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE The University Libraries supports excellence in teaching and learning across the USU curriculum.

We work directly with students and faculty to support accessible and high-impact learning resources and opportunities.

SUPPORTING AN EXCEPTIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE The USU Libraries Instruction Program teaches students the tools to navigate our complex information environment, developing their expertise as researchers and information consumers and producers. We emphasize a targeted approach to meet students where they are academically— identifying and integrating into classes where research is happening. Librarians collaborate with faculty and instructors in a wide range of disciplines to provide library instruction tailored to their courses. This approach is designed to maximize learning and encourage student success and retention. Our library instruction program also develops students’ foundational research skills by partnering with the Writing Composition Program. Our sequenced instruction for

2022-23 Academic Year: 17,495 students reached through workshops, instruction, and informational sessions.

1,709 research consultations

conducted with students, staff, and community.

652 classes and workshops taught. 100% of USU Colleges and approximately 75% of departments engaged in library instruction.

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ENGL 2010, a required general education class, focuses on evaluating sources, finding primary sources, narrowing and investigating a research topic, and synthesizing information. We also provide instruction through Canvas modules, curated research guides, and e-learning resources. By providing instruction through various flexible delivery methods, the Libraries support courses throughout the statewide system and online, positioning us to better support student learners and their diverse needs.

SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE CURRICULA Since the launch of the Assignment Design Workshop program at the USU Libraries in 2016, over 140 instructors have participated in librarianfacilitated “charrette” workshops to improve research assignments. Driven by the overarching goal of creating more engaging and innovative ways for students to learn research skills, the workshops bring together interdisciplinary groups of instructors. In spring 2023, the Libraries hosted another Assignment Design Workshop—this year in collaboration with USU’s Center for Intersectional Gender Studies & Research and co-sponsored by the Division of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. This day-long professional development workshop offered attendees the chance to convene in an inclusionfocused community of practice to improve course materials and build connections with colleagues.

Twenty-six educators participated in this year’s Assignment Design Workshop facilitated by the Libraries.

Expert instructor-facilitators from across the USU Statewide system joined librarians and participants in a day that involved small and large-group discussions, a keynote address by Dr. Mario I. Suárez (Teacher Education & Leadership), peerreview of materials, and individual reflection. Facilitators and participants workshopped course and assignment-design issues in an intentionally interdisciplinary setting. The workshop hosted 26 participants engaged in reflection and collaborative dialogue about course design using critical and intersectional pedagogy lenses. In a post-workshop survey, participants reported feeling more confident in their teaching, seeing more value in collaborative instructional design, and feeling more motivated to implement changes in their courses. They also highlighted the value of community spaces for dialogue and connection with teaching colleagues outside their own departments. 2023 year in review

Our librarians partner with teaching faculty to integrate the development of research skills and the analysis of information resources into the fabric of their courses.

National Champions!

One mechanism for accomplishing this is the creation of course based digital exhibits that teach students hands-on qualitative research methods while using primary sources, thus preparing them for post-graduate roles that require critical thinking skills.

Partnering with Dr. Tammy Proctor’s Sport: A Global History class, University Archivist Kelly Rovegno and Photo Curator Dan Davis worked to collect and preserve oral histories of the players who won USU’s first national sports championship—the 1978 Women’s Volleyball Team. The exhibit also explored the passage of Title IX and how the non-discrimination law carved a pathway for the team’s victory.

Title IX and the 1978 USU Volleyball Team

Scan to view the full exhibit.

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BEAVER MOUNTAIN

Oral History Project

Graduate students from Dr. Lisa Gabbert’s graduate Oral History and Fieldwork Methods course partnered with the Libraries to create a digital collection that focused on a Logan Canyon ski resort, Beaver Mountain, and its history and place in the community. The class conducted oral history interviews with people who have connections to Beaver Mountain. Employees, instructors, guests, community partners, and ski patrol volunteers were able to preserve their histories through this transformative educational and creative opportunity.

(In) the Road of Progress: The West Side and I-15

Partnering with Dr. Rebecca Andersen’s Public History graduate course and the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), the Libraries produced a thought-provoking digital exhibit on the construction of Interstate 15 through the west side of Salt Lake City. This under-researched topic led to discussions of how expanding infrastructure plays a larger role in accessible transportation, affordable housing, and more.

re-storying the land The Dirty Work of Restoration

Emerita Librarian Randy Williams worked with the USU Oral History and Folklore Fieldwork class to gather Utah and Idaho land conservationists’ oral histories. Their stories focused on relevant land restoration efforts, the climate crisis, and the ways land restoration efforts impact local communities. This collection represented the final phase of USU’s Climate Challenge Digital Collection, which we initiated in 2018. 2023 year in review

The Libraries could not function without the approximately 100 student employees who help do the day-to-day work essential to our operations. Whether they are supporting English Composition classes, creating exhibits, or assisting with library-led research, student employees contribute to our organization in a way that also provides them with personalized experiential learning opportunities.

Braydon Wright As the Undergraduate Teaching Fellow (Library Peer Mentor) for Special Collections & Archives, Braydon Wright is a familiar face in the Tanner Reading Room. Throughout his time at the Library, Braydon gets firsthand experience teaching and doing research for a number of projects in the archives. Braydon is pursuing a degree in history with an emphasis on classics, Middle Eastern studies, and religion and aspires to work in the archives full time. Braydon was the Libraries’ 2023 Undergraduate Teaching Fellow of the Year.

Ainsley MacDonald Serving as Student Supervisor in the circulation unit, Ainsley’s work at the library circulation desk has not gone unnoticed. She was nominated for and received The Career Design Center’s Leadership Award for Student Employees as part of the 2023 Student Employment Appreciation Week. Ainsley creates and facilitates trainings for new library student employees as well as serves as the student workers’ representative to full-time library staff. She is majoring in physics with minors in history, folklore, consulting and geology. She is developing leadership skills through her experience managing her fellow students.

utah state university libraries

Olivia Hubrich Anthropology major Olivia Hubrich is the current Elsner Curatorial Fellowship and Preservation Lab Assistant. Working in the preservation lab has prepared Olivia for a career in museum studies by affording her hands-on experience with archival materials and learning the conservation skills necessary for cultural preservation. She also works on exhibit curation and management. Olivia aspires to preserve and restore archaeological artifacts and design exhibits for cultural heritage institutions.

Lizzy Nielson Lizzy Nielsen is the Library Peer Mentor for the USU Eastern Library & Learning Commons. She assists the LLC staff with a variety of projects, including curating and constructing library displays and working on archives and special collections projects. She also assists USU Eastern students with using information resources at the circulation desk. Lizzy is a senior English major and is thinking of going to graduate school for folklore and library science.

2023 year in review

REGIONAL CAMPUS SPOTLIGHT: USU EASTERN LIBRARY & LEARNING COMMONS

The Library & Learning Commons (LLC) has become the “go to” academic support and research spot on the USU Eastern campus. Incorporating both the Academic Tutor Center and the Writing Center, the LLC supports students at every stage of their course work, from weekly assignments and research to final essay editing. In 2023, the LLC added new technology and equipment to its makerspace—the newly branded Maker’s Loft, coordinated by Candice Cravins. Equipment includes two Bambu Labs multicolor 3D printers, a sewing machine, button makers, VR headsets, a Wacom drawing tablet, and a photography lightbox available for use by our campus community. The Maker’s Loft hosts monthly Maker Mondays, technical workshops, and wellness activities all designed to highlight creative ways in which this space and the LLC can enhance campus and academic life. The LLC also hosts regular faculty talks and a Local Authors’ Night, making great strides to promote the services available to the USU Eastern and Price communities.

utah state university libraries

FACILITATING INCLUSIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS STATEWIDE In summer 2023, two students from the Native American Summer Mentorship Program (NASMP), ClaraMae Armajo and Daesha Pelt, completed internships at the Merrill-Cazier Library having expressed interest in learning about the daily academic work of a library. These students worked in three different areas of our organization to learn how a large academic library supports USU and how the daily work of librarians contributes to the university’s mission. In the Special Collections unit, ClaraMae and Daesha analyzed historic photographs of the Navajo Mountain Trading Post and provided descriptions based on archival research as well as their personal cultural knowledge. During their second week in Learning and Engagement Services, ClaraMae and Daesha conducted interviews with students in various library units asking about their work experiences. They summarized what they learned in an article for the Aggie Parent and Family portal.

The article promoted the benefits of library student employment and also gave Daesha and ClaraMae a publication opportunity for their resumes. They spent their final week in Logan with the Digital Initiatives unit where they assisted with quality control for the digitization of photographs belonging to the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation Tribal Library. While completing their project, they learned more about the process of curating and archiving a digital collection of cultural heritage materials. (Below) ClaraMae Armajo poses with a yearbook that features her grandmother at Intermountain Indian School.

2023 year in review

Students write what they could have bought instead of textbooks during the Libraries’ Open Education Week activities. Items included groceries, gas, and medical expenses.

PROMOTING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO COURSE MATERIALS The USU Libraries support the creation of low and no-cost course materials to make education more accessible to all. Open Educational Resources (OER) are openly-licensed education materials that can be used for teaching, learning, research, and other purposes. The Libraries regularly participate in Open Education Week, a national celebration of the Global Open Education movement that helps raise awareness about how to find courses with Open Educational Resources (OER) and Zero Cost Course Materials as students register for classes. During the week, the Libraries collect information from students about how the cost of course materials impacts them and their ability to afford the increasing costs of higher education.

utah state university libraries

In 2023, the USU Libraries expanded their celebration to our Statewide Campuses. Working with the USU Eastern Library and Learning Commons (LLC) staff, Michael Harris and Lexy Gonzalez, the LLC made their first Open Ed Week, which was a hit with students.

In 2023: the Libraries worked with 24 USU faculty from 17 academic departments to create open course material.

9,769 USU students used OER and saved approximately $775,365.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES SELECTED NEW ADDITIONS The Libraries were able to purchase an Intermountain Inter-Tribal School collection including materials from the boarding school in Brigham City. Items include student literary publications (“Sun Shield,” “Naatsiilid,” and “Smoke Signals,”) as well as unpublished writings, yearbooks, and photographs dating from 1960 to 1984. The USU Inclusion Center transferred their student collection to the University Archives. This collection includes photos, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, framed art, VCR recordings, DVD recordings, cassette tapes, and flyers documenting USU’s inclusivity initiatives dating from 1980-2000. We also acquired several fascinating image collections including: 1200 new postcards from Rich, Cache, and Box Elder Counties; photographs taken by Roy Dunn, who lived on a trading post on the Navajo Nation, and images by 19th Century Western photographers C.W. Carter and C.R. Savage.

LIBRARY COLLECTIONS The Libraries’ collections provide resources supporting each aspect of discovering, creating, and sharing knowledge. By ensuring that both learners and researchers alike have access to essential information resources, the Libraries provide excellent curricula and research opportunities for students and faculty.

2022-23 Academic Year: 2 million + books and physical items housed in the library.

4 million + articles and electronic resources available.

125,000 physical, eBook, and

eMedia items used by researchers.

900,000 + full-text articles downloaded by researchers.

7,633 articles and books retrieved

from partner libraries and delivered directly to students, faculty, and staff.

NEW DATABASE: NEW YORK TIMES LICENSE The Libraries and The New York Times have partnered to provide free online access to the renowned paper of record to current students, staff, faculty, and emeritus faculty. This partnership also includes access to The New York Times Education website (nytimes.com/edu) which includes disciplinespecific areas of study, classroom discussion prompts, suggested learning outcomes, and cocurricular activities.

2023 year in review

DRIVING IMPACTFUL RESEARCH AND CREATIVE EXCELLENCE

The Libraries strengthen USU’s status as an R1 institution by providing access to collections and support services necessary to drive impactful research and creative excellence.

THE OPEN DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH

“Publishing articles in open access journals is critically important to reach. This is especially true for tax-payer funded research. Unfortunately, APC charges can be quite high and money available to pay for them can be limited. Having the USU Library OA Funding Initiative is a great resource to help make publishing OA possible.”

Open access is fundamental best practice in disseminating research, as upheld by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In light of increasing transitions to open access models funded through publishers’ Article Processing Charges (APCs), our researchers are encountering financial barriers to publishing their work. On average, it costs USU authors $2,190 to publish their work open access. Some of the highest APC rates are currently over $10,000 per article. By addressing the hurdles posed by APCs, the library helps our institution meet federal grant regulations, aligns with best practices in research dissemination, and supports the mission of making knowledge more accessible and inclusive. This, in turn, bolsters the impact of our institution’s research on a national and global scale.

Alexander Howe, PhD Fellow, Department of Wildland Resources

USU Libraries awards $30,000 annually to help USU authors pay for open access publishing.

35 grants awarded in 2022-23. $835 awarded on average. 34 graduate and 10 undergraduate student authors supported.

PROMOTING RESEARCHERS: ORCID WORKSHOPS

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se tu p an

w! ORCID iD no

In the realm of research and innovation, the influence of ORCID iDs is growing significantly. These unique identifiers have become mandatory for grant submissions to major funders such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with all other federal agencies expected to follow suit. In 2023, USU Libraries embarked on an exciting new partnership with the Office of Research to support faculty and students registering for and managing their ORCID iDs.

utah state university libraries

YEAR OF OPEN SCIENCE The White House declared 2023 the “Year of Open Science.” Open Science is a movement and set of practices aimed at making scientific research and its outcomes more accessible, transparent, and collaborative. USU’s participation in the Year of Open Science signifies our commitment to a future where the boundaries of knowledge are permeable, and research is a collaborative and inclusive endeavor. It is a year where we champion accessibility, uphold cultural sensitivity, prioritize security and privacy, and nurture equity.

SCIENCE STORY SLAM In October, the USU Libraries hosted a Science Story Slam. This event, spearheaded by Scholarly Communications Librarian Erica Finch, aimed to foster a deeper understanding of the social impact of science and its relevance to people’s lives, regardless of their background or whether they consider themselves scientists. It offered participants an opportunity to celebrate the human side of science and engage in meaningful dialogue about the role of science in society.

Eight Aggies presented at this year’s inaugural Science Story Slam.

Eight students, from undergraduate first year students to PhD candidates, stepped up to the microphone and shared true and personal stories about science at this inaugural event. Their stories encompassed a wide range of emotions and perspectives, from the humorous to the profound. As one participant said, “I thought all the stories were just great. They had heart, humor, pain, and passion, and they were all engaging.” 2023 year in review

The above map shows the number of downloads from the Libraries’ Institutional Repository facilitated in 2023 by country.

SHARING USU’S RESEARCH ACROSS THE GLOBE USU’s institutional repository (IR), DigitalCommons@USU, makes a significant contribution to both our land grant mission and R1 status. There are more than 90,000 items available in DigitalCommons, and that research has been downloaded more than 27 million times by people all around the world. This includes original research

from students such as the more than 10,000 theses and dissertations as well as journal articles and conference proceedings that represent the work of faculty, staff, and students across USU and beyond.

In 2023: 2,095 works added to the IR. 2,889,812 global downloads.

MARKING 10 YEARS OF SMALL SATELLITE CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS The Small Satellite Conference (Small Sat) originated in 1987 when a small group of USU faculty hosted the inaugural event. In 2012, the USU Libraries began its partnership with the organizers to make the conference proceedings available in DigitalCommons. The Libraries have preserved and provided access to more than 4,500 papers and presentations—new directions and emerging technologies in small spacecraft development. This high impact research has been downloaded more than 2 million times. In 2019, NASA’s Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute (S3VI) reached out to the library to establish a connection between their federated search site and the Small Sat content in DigitalCommons, demonstrating the impact and the importance of the USU Libraries’ contributions to a program of international relevance. 15

utah state university libraries

PHYSICS RESEARCH The Materials Physics Group (MPG) in the USU Physics Department works closely with the Libraries to house their research outputs in DigitalCommons. Over the past decade, the MPG site has had more than 130,000 downloads, providing an excellent platform to share the group’s work immediately to students, collaborators, researchers in the field, and potential funding sources. Over the last five years, the MPG has had several external investigators contact them to offer funding supporting the research discovered on

The USU Materials Physics Group consists of faculty, graduate, and undergraduate researchers. Publications and presentations are archived in DigitalCommons.

DigitalCommons. Most remarkable is the distribution of the group’s graduate (25,925 total downloads) and undergraduate (9,545 total downloads) theses. “We are grateful for all the support the USU Library staff provides in hosting USU Digital Commons and in helping to populate and maintain our site. What a great collaboration.” Dr. JR Dennison, USU Physics Professor, Materials Physics Group (MPG)

TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES INSTITUTE The Transforming Communities Institute (TCI) at USU launched its peer-reviewed, open-access journal, Transforming Communities, in fall 2023 hosted by the USU Libraries’ institutional repository DigitalCommons. The journal aims to publish community-based research and practical knowledge on social problems, innovative solutions, and new advancements that address community challenges. Its mission is to connect researchers, practitioners, community rights holders, and stakeholders in their efforts to improve community well-being. Transforming Communities and its evidence-driven scholarship will be available online without cost to authors or readers. Adhering to high-quality research standards, Transforming Communities articles and multimedia contributions will be shorter and easily digestible.

2023 year in review

CELEBRATING USU RESEARCHERS The USU Libraries supports the Office of Research in celebrating the outstanding work of USU faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students. The Merrill-Cazier Library regularly hosts events promoting the research and creative works that have secured USU’s R1 status.

RESEARCH WEEK Hosted in the Merrill-Cazier Library, Research Week is the premier event of the year promoting and celebrating USU’s research efforts. The week-long celebration encourages students and faculty to present their research and creative projects in a professional setting and engage with the work of their peers. Events include a faculty author book exhibit, the spring Student Research Symposium, a student awards ceremony, and the presentation of the annual D. Wynne Thorne Career Research Award Lecture. 17

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UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT FALL RESEARCH FAIR The Libraries support USU’s nationally recognized undergraduate research program by regularly advertising our resources that help undergraduates develop their research skills. In fall 2023, the Libraries joined other campus programs and the Office of Research to showcase library resources and services that assist undergraduate students with research. This fall, librarians focused on explaining the research communication process and promoting primary source research opportunities available in our special collections.

FALL STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM The Libraries partner with the Office of Research each fall to put on USU’s largest showcase of student scholarly outputs: the Student Research Symposium. Students from all disciplines are given the opportunity to improve their research communication skills and receive feedback on their projects. Participants present their work in short videos, posters, exhibits, and performances and are evaluated by USU faculty. This year’s fall event featured over 350 students and nearly 300 presentations. 2023 year in review

HOW DO STUDENTS SEARCH FOR INFORMATION? The USU Libraries routinely conducts research into the changing ways our users search for information. We have regularly observed the struggles students face when using the Libraries’ search engine to look for resources for class assignments and research projects. In 2022-2023, a small research team including Margaret Winward, Liz Woolcott, Lindsay Ozburn, and Statistics graduate student Ryan Bushman, performed user testing to study USU undergraduate students’ research habits and preferences. Do you have books by Stephen Hawking?

Librarians identified that students, conditioned by Google’s simplified search environment, utilize more natural language phrases (e.g. “Do you have books by Stephen Hawking?”) to look for resources. The team also found that authentication points at which students had to login to access library resources were barriers. Students preferred to go back a page and try a different search result rather than moving forward with a login prompt. When reviewing search results, researchers found students only viewed the first few snippets of information to assess whether or not the results displayed what they needed. In a nutshell, users prefer a search environment similar to Google where search results are optimized for these types of information searching behaviors. This research will help the Libraries continue to improve upon the search experience we provide our students.

utah state university libraries

DEVELOPING PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR LIBRARY USERS: LIZ WOOLCOTT This summer saw the launch of the D-CRAFT toolkit, the product of a 4-year, $250,000 Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) leadership grant (LG-36-190036-19) to provide cultural heritage institutions with resources and training to assess the use of the unique content within their digital repositories. The toolkit was built using the research and knowledge of over two dozen experts with specialties ranging from web analytics to traditional knowledge and memory keeping. It covers key issues such as assessment methods, privacy, and ethical considerations for data gathering and reuse. The toolkit identifies nine of the most useful assessment methods that practitioners can employ and provides lists of tools supporting the method, tutorials on how to use them, and outlines the strengths and weaknesses of each method. The toolkit also provides ethical guidelines for assessment, policy templates, and frameworks for telling stories of impact. Liz Woolcott, Associate Dean for Collections and Discovery, served as a co-PI on this grant, working alongside peers from six prominent universities in the U.S. and Canada under the auspices of the Digital Library Federation (DLF) Content Reuse Working Group. The D-CRAFT grant team not only established the toolkit but also developed a theoretical framework to conceptualize the use and reuse of digital objects and articulated the framework in Toward a Definition of Digital Object Reuse, a peer-reviewed, open-access article, which recently won a 2023 Literati Award. 2023 year in review

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 we offer.

PUBLICATIONS Chapman, J., Muglia, C., Thompson, S., Kenfield, A.S., Woolcott, L., Kelly, E., Shiri, A., Jefferson, D., Henning N., & Junus, R. (2022). Best Practices for Assessing Reuse of Digital Content: Educational and Instruction Design Perspectives. Proceedings of the 2022 Library Assessment Conference: Building Effective, Sustainable, Practical Assessment. Kirk, J.P., Wood, S., & Sare, L. (2023). Filling in the Gaps, Doing What We Have Always Done in TRAIL. DttP: Documents to the People. Lundstrom, K. (2023). Mid-career Decisions: Sharing Power, Promoting New Voices, and Moving Forward. In West, B. & Galoozis, E. (Eds.), Thriving as a Mid-Career Librarian: Identity, Advocacy, and Pathways. American Library Association. Lundstrom, K. & Fagerheim, B. (2023). How we support teachers: Mitigating anxiety and building community. Proceedings of the 2023 Association of College & Research Libraries Conference. Ozburn, L., Woolcott, L., Bushman, R., Stevenson, K., & Winward, M. (2022). Optimizing a library website for student research: methodologies for comparing metrics between Encore and Google Scholar. Proceedings of the 2022 Library Assessment Conference: Building Effective, Sustainable, Practical Assessment. Pumphrey, C. (2023). Thinking Outside, Outside the Box: Utah State University’s Outdoor Recreation Archive. Utah Historical Quarterly 91(3), 251-255

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Shiri, A., Woolcott, L., Kenfield, A.S., Thompson, S., Kelly, E.J., Chapman, J., & Jefferson, J. (2023). A conceptual framework for the design of digital repository interfaces supporting digital content reuse assessment. Proceedings of the 2023 Joint Conference on Digital Libraries. ACM/IEEE Joint Conference on Digital Libraries. Shiri, A., Muglia, C., Thompson, S., Chapman, J., Kelly, E. J., Kenfield, A.S., & Woolcott, L. (2022). Digital content reuse assessment: An emerging framework for future digital library research and development. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of CAIS / Actes Du congrès Annuel De l’ACSI. Strand, K., & Fullmer, N. (2023, October 5). Utah State Study Reveals Need for Teacher-Librarian Collaboration on Information Literacy Instruction. Library Journal. Strand, K., & Martin, P. (2023). What about the books? Valuing students’ past library experiences. College & Research Libraries News, 84(3). Wishkoski, R., Meter, D.J., Tulane, S., King, M.Q., Butler, K., & Woodland, L.A. (2022). Student attitudes toward research in an undergraduate social science research methods course. Higher Education Pedagogies, 7(1), 20-36. Woolcott, L., & Shiri, A. (Eds.) (2023). Discoverability in Digital Repositories: Systems, Perspectives, and User Studies. Routledge.

PRESENTATIONS Arnljots, A., Daybell, P., Meyer, K., Payant, A., Skeen, B., & Woolcott, L. (2022, October 11). Analyzing Discoverability in an MPLP World: How Levels of Description Impact Findability. Digital Library Federation Forum, Baltimore, MD. Benedict, H., Connolly, A., Finch, E., & McMullen, S. (2022 November 9). 3-2-1-Launch! Building Out-of-this-World Exhibits with DCX. Digital Commons North American Conference, Virtual. Berry, S., & Pumphrey, D. (2023, May 11). The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation Digital Archive Project. Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists, Logan, UT. Bertazon, B., & Pumphrey, D. (2022, September 27). Institutional knowledge capture and sharing for digital library programs: Creating a community of practice. Best Practices Exchange Conference, Nashville, TN. Bertazon, B., & Pumphrey, D. (2022, October 11). Institutional knowledge capture and sharing for digital library programs: Creating a community consensus. Digital Library Federation Forum, Baltimore, MD. Bobe, K., Fairfield, M., Kirk, J.P., & Sittel, R. (2022, October 17-19). Community Collections and National Contributions: Pilot Projects with the Government Publishing Office. Federal Depository Library Conference, Virtual. Crowell, S., & Davis, E. (2022, October 7). Building the IDEAL Academy. Utah Academic Library Consortium Retreat, Provo, UT. Crowell, S., Harris, M.W., & Lawyer, R. (2023, May 18). A Place for Travelers: Notions of Libraries as Third Space and Time. Utah Library Association Conference, Layton, UT. Crowell, S., Harris, M.W., & Lawyer, R. (2023, October). A Place for Play: Imagining New Boundaries for Academic Libraries. Utah Academic Libraries Consortium Retreat, Salt Lake City, UT. Crowell, S., & Lawyer, R. (2023, March 15-18). Who Is Using This? Lessons from an Instruction Website Task Force. Association of College and Research Libraries Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.

Davis, D., & Cannon, M. (2022, May 21). A.J. Russell’s Shoshoni Photos. Railroads in Native America Conference, Ogden, UT. Davis, D. (2023, June 17). My Mule Enjoyed the Joke: AJ Russell’s Western Adventures 1868-1869. Echo Community Historical Organization, Echo, UT. Daybell, P., Payant, A., Skeen, B., & Woolcott, L. (2022, August 3). Level Down to Level Up: The Impact of ItemLevel Description on Finding Aid Discoverability. Society of American Archivists Research Forum, Online. Daybell, P., Payant, A., Skeen, B., & Woolcott, L. (2023, May 18). Strengthening Your (Dublin) Core for Stronger User Discoverability (and Possibly Abs). Utah Library Association Conference, Layton, UT. Daybell, P., Payant, A., Rovegno, K., Skeen, B., & Woolcott, L. (2023, May 12). It’s Time for an EAD Glow Up! How to Make Finding Aids More Attractive to Users. Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists, Logan, UT. Fagerheim, B., Filar-Williams, B., & Johnson, K. (2023, June). Building and Sustaining a Grass-Roots Community of Practice for Middle Managers. Conference on Academic Library Management, Online. Finch, E. (2023, October). Public Scholarship, Open Science, and CC-Licensed Research. Creative Commons Global Summit, Mexico City, MEX. Finch, E., Ozburn, L., & Thoms, B.L. (2023, March). APCs and 123s: Estimating How Much Your Faculty are Spending on Article Processing Charges. Association of College and Research Libraries Conference, Pittsburgh, PA. Folkman, J., & Jacome, C. (2023, March). Starting an Accessibility Documentation Collection: One Library’s Strategy for Gathering and Encouraging Vendor Accessibility. Electronic Resources and Libraries Conference, Virtual. Heaton, R., Folkman, J., Gittins, N., Finch, E., & Western, S. (2022, May). None of our Business: Examining the Economics and Business Dynamics of the Library and Information Industry. Utah Library Association Annual Conference, Layton Utah.

2023 year in review

PRESENTATIONS, CONT. Kani, J., Lanners, E., Western, S., & Whitchurch, M. (2022, October 7). Using OER to Meet Diverse Community Needs: Case Studies and Tools. UALC Professional Development Retreat, Provo, UT. Kenfield, A.S., Thompson, S., Kelly, E.J., Shiri, A., Woolcott, L., Chapman, J., Jefferson, D., Junus, R., Hennig, N., & Morales, M.E. (2023, June 14). Collecting digital object reuse data and assessing it with care. Open Repositories 2023, Stellenbosch, ZAF. Lee, R., Wiederhold, B., Skeen, B., Daybell, P., Housley, H., & Rovegno, K. (2023, May 10–13). The Revised DACS Principles in Action: Applying Modern Practice to Legacy Description. Conference for Inter-Mountain Archivists, Logan UT. Luder, K., Pester, H., & Strand, K. (2023, May). When to Say No: Building a sustainable and dynamic outreach program. Utah Library Association Conference, Layton, UT. Ozburn, L. (2022, November). A culture of assessment or an assessment minded culture? Library Assessment Conference. Virtual Conference. Ozburn, L., Davis, E., Duncan, J., Harris, M., Hugie, T., & Lundstrom, K. (2022, October 7). Space Planning and Outreach at an Indigenous American-Serving University Library. Utah Academic Library Consortium Retreat. Provo, UT. Pumphrey, C. (2023, June 9). Preserving Utah’s Outdoor Industry Records. Preservation Engaged Conference, South Salt Lake, UT. Pumphrey, D., & Kichas, J. (2023, May 12). Digital preservation: Selecting systems & tools. Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists Annual Conference, Logan, UT. Rosenberg, D., & Davis, E. (2023, October). Checking in with Managers: Ways to Alleviate Burnout. Utah Academic Library Consortium, Salt Lake City, UT. Rovegno, K. & Kirk, J.P. (2023, May 17-19). Putting the ‘U’niversity Archives in SuDocs: An Examination of Call Numbers for Institutional Archives. Utah Library Association Conference, Layton, UT. Rovegno, K., Proctor, T., & Davis, D. (2023, August 9-12). National Champions! Capturing the History of the 1978 Volleyball Team and Title IX at Utah State University. Pacific Coast Branch of the American Historical Association Conference, Northridge, CA.

utah state university libraries

Rovegno, K., Housley, H., Daybell, P., & Skeen, B. (2023, May 10-13). We’re Bringing Spacers Back: Secondary Processing at Utah State University Archives. Conference for Inter-Mountain Archivists, Logan UT. Smart, E., & Carlson, A. (2023, March 15-18). Exploring Students’ Expectations for Online Research Guides: Lessons from the Humanities. Association of College & Research Libraries Conference, Pittsburgh, PA. Snyder, L., & Finch, E. (2023, November 6-10). Closing the Knowledge Gap: Improving Open Access Knowledge Sharing Between Publishers, Authors, and Libraries—A Case Study of Utah State University. Charleston Conference, Charleston, SC, United States. Strand, K., Kirk, J.P., Sinclair, G., Robinson, B., Rustomfram, P., & Groome, J. (2023, October 16-18). Beyond the Library: Connecting with K-12. Federal Depository Library Conference, Virtual. Strand, K., Fullmer, N., & Kirk, J.P. (2023, June 22-27). Connecting Library Experiences: Collaboration Across Library Types to Better Support our Patrons. American Library Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL. Strand, K., Fullmer, N., & Daybell, P. (2023, May 17-19). Library After Hours: Reinventing the first-year experience, one epic party at a time. Workshop for Instruction in Library Use, Montreal, CAN. Sundt, A., Finch, E., Western, S., & Thoms, B. (2023, June). None of our Business: Critically Examining Power Dynamics and the Role of Libraries in the Information Industry. Association of College & Research Libraries Conference, Pittsburgh, PA. Tallman, K., Van Hoye, A., & Kirk, J.P. (2022, October 17-19). Think Like an Archivist: A New Paradigm for Government Information. Federal Depository Library Conference, Virtual. Wallace, W.S., & Kirk, J.P. (2023, May 17-19). Helping Your Patrons Access Government Information. Utah Library Association Annual Conference, Layton, UT. Wallace, W.S., Kirk, J.P., & Bateman, M. (2022, May 18-20). The State of Federal Government Information in Utah. Utah Library Association Annual Conference, Layton, UT.

(Right) Disasters: The Stories We Share, an innovative traveling exhibit curated by USU Government Information Librarian Jen Kirk, Dakota State University Government Librarian Susanne Caro, and Notre Dame’s Hesburgh Libraries Data Librarian Ben Chiewphasa, traveled to several states from 2022-2023.

EXHIBITS Caro, S., Chiewphasa, B., & Kirk, J.P. (2022, August - 2023, February). Disasters: The Stories We Share [Traveling Exhibit]. Utah State University Libraries, Logan, UT; University of Montana Library, Missoula, MT; Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. Greener, D., Gammill, K., Griggs, A., & Pumphrey, C. (2023, August) Old Ephraim: 100 Years of Legend. Merrill-Cazier Library, Logan, UT. Pumphrey, C. (2023, April). History of Tents. Functional Fabric Fair, Portland, OR; Nike World Headquarters, Beaverton, OR.

Pumphrey, C. (2023, October - November). History of Waterproofing and Membranes. Performance Days, Munich, DEU; Functional Fabric Fair, Portland, OR; Nike World Headquarters, Beaverton, OR. Pumphrey, C. (2023, January). Kamp Kit: A History of Outdoor Gear. Outdoor Retailer, Salt Lake City, UT. Pumphrey, C. (2022, October - November). Outdoor Gear History and Kit Clothing. Functional Fabric Fair, Portland, OR; Performance Days, Munich, DEU.

2023 year in review

BUILDING PROSPEROUS LOCAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITIES

DEEPENING IMPACT: THE NORTHWESTERN BAND OF THE SHOSHONE NATION (NWBSN) DIGITAL PROJECT The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation (NWBSN) Digital Project is a collaboration between the Libraries, the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church History Library to make thousands of borndigital cultural materials accessible to the public. USU was given the opportunity to assist with preserving, organizing, and curating the Tribal Library’s vast digital collection and doing so in a way that balanced cultural stewardship with the upholding of archival best practices. In 2018, the Libraries staff engaged in conversations with the NWBSN about a partnership to preserve and provide access to their digital assets. The Libraries staff worked closely with members of the NWBSN at every step of the process to ensure the deliverables met their needs and expectations. The first phase of the digital collection went live in April 2023 with an initial inventory of 600+ items. To date, there are 2,360 items available for public viewing. The collection consists of photographs, manuscripts, correspondence, genealogies, maps, and other artifacts collected by the NWBSN Tribal Library. Artifacts span the years 1860 to the present day, representing over 150 years of Shoshone history. The USU Libraries is grateful to the Office of the President for funding a oneyear staff position to launch this work.

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The University Libraries support our local communities and industries throughout the state and contribute to the betterment of the world around us.

BUILDING TRUST: SARAH BERRY AND THE NWBSN

Scan here to visit the full digital collection. (Left Top) Group of children with a sled in front of a car in 1952. (Left Middle) The day school building in Washakie, Utah.

Through her work on the NWBSN project, Digital Archivist Sarah Berry worked closely with Patty Timbimboo and the Tribal Library to ensure that the collection materials were described using appropriate terminology and reflected a Shoshone voice. Transparent communication and honesty are vital to bridging cultural knowledge gaps and respecting restrictions or boundaries relating to sensitive materials.

(Left Bottom) Grouse Creek Jack, a bout 109 years old, in 1939. (Right) Two women in Washakie, 1910.

2023 year in review

The Libraries exhibit program connects our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community by creating an inviting atmosphere in our building.

We engage the people around us by providing a forum for learning, discussion, and social interaction, sparking curiosity and facilitating lifelong learning by encouraging people to explore new topics, ideas, and perspectives.

OLD EPHRAIM: 100 YEARS OF LEGEND 100 years have passed since the death of Old Ephraim, allegedly the last grizzly bear in Logan Canyon known for ruthlessly attacking sheep that grazed in the public lands of Cache National Forest. Though the charred remains of Old Ephraim’s skull are on display in the Tanner Reading Room year-round, the Libraries gave Old Ephraim a larger spotlight this fall in an atrium exhibit including an impressive full-size mounted Kodiak bear loaned from the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources.

utah state university libraries

AVIATION WEEK Celebrating 84 years of aviation at USU, the Libraries Exhibition Committee partnered with Professor Baron Wesemann, Aviation Technology Department Head in the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, to curate an interactive exhibit in the atrium of the Merrill-Cazier Library for Aviation Week. The exhibit included a small drone plane, a large propeller, a historic flight suit, and other historic memorabilia and complemented other Aviation Week celebrations across the USU campus.

DE | MARCATION DE | MARCATION: A Survey of Contemporary Photography in Utah, curated by Amy Jorgensen and Edward Bateman, traveled to the Merrill-Cazier Library in spring 2023. The exhibit, which is part of the Utah Division of Arts & Museums traveling exhibition program, featured a portfolio of photographs by a contemporary and younger generation of Utah artists.

UTAH CHINESE HISTORY The Utah Chinese History Exhibit traveled to the lower level of the Merrill-Cazier Library during the fall 2023 semester. The exhibit, curated by members of the Utah Chinese Association, stands as a compelling testament to the rich and often overlooked history of the Chinese community in Utah. It serves as an educational examination of Utah’s Chinese immigrants and their descendants. Their experiences shed light on their struggles, triumphs, and contributions in shaping the state’s cultural landscape. 2023 year in review

Started in 2018, the Outdoor Recreation Archive is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between the Merrill-Cazier Library’s Special Collections & Archives (SCA) and the Outdoor Product Design and Development (OPDD) program within the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. The collaboration documents the history of outdoor gear design across the globe. Not only does the archive serve as an invaluable resource for students in the OPDD program, but it has also generated a tremendous amount of interest from industry. Designers from numerous brands access the physical and digital collections to inspire the development of new products ideas for the outdoor community. The collection consists of three parts: a historical gear catalog collection, which includes over 6,000 items from more than 800 companies dating from 1900 to present; an outdoor recreation and industry magazine collection consisting of almost 7,000

utah state university libraries

issues across nearly 200 titles dating from 1907 to present; and more than 20 collections of documents, sketches, photographs, and other unpublished materials from well-known outdoor industry pioneers, designers, and brands. In the last year, Archivist Clint Pumphrey and OPDD Program Coordinator Chase Anderson promoted this collection extensively, including exhibiting materials at international trade shows, hosting an annual Outdoor History Summit, recording podcasts with industry pioneers, awarding annual research fellowships, and maintaining a popular Instagram account. These activities, which included an exhibition at the national Outdoor Retailer trade show, connected an international community of people interested in the history of outdoor gear and vintage designs. Scan code to explore the archive.

Watercolor by Bill Moss, fabric artist and co-founder of Moss Tent Works, 1978.

The Outdoor Recreation Archive has further bolstered Utah State University’s reputation as a hub for outdoor brands and product innovation—an industry that annually contributes approximately $6 billion to Utah’s economy. (Top) National Outdoor Retailer trade show, Salt Lake City, Utah. (Middle) Functional Fabric Fair, Portland, Oregon. (Bottom) Performance Days, Munich, Germany.

Outdoor Recreation Archive display in Munich, Germany.

2023 year in review

DEEPENING IMPACT AS A TRUSTED RESOURCE IN UTAH COMMUNITIES: OPIOID AWARENESS AND HARM REDUCTION In response to the opioid epidemic in the state of Utah, community groups and scholars have banded together with Utah State University to spread awareness and correct misconceptions about opioid abuse disorder. As a part of this effort, Dr. Katie Zaman, the former Health and Wellness Project Coordinator at USU’s Office of Health Equity and Community Engagement, illustrated a series of comics, Telling Stories to Reduce Stigma: Comics and Harm Reduction. Dr. Zaman collaborated with the Libraries’ Digital Initiatives Unit to make this creative project openly available to the community. The comics accessibly and sympathetically share opioid use disorder recovery stories. They explain harm reduction, a set of strategies that aim to mitigate the harm associated with drug use while preserving respect for people who use drugs and protecting their rights. Four of the comics follow individual stories of recovery and one explains the reasoning and evidence behind harm reduction strategies.

utah state university libraries

Dr. Zaman’s comics are based on experiences shared in Informing the National Narrative: Stories of Utah’s Opioid Crisis. This oral history project stemmed from a partnership between USU Extension’s HEART Initiative (Health Extension: Advocacy, Research, & Teaching) team and USU Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives, with support and training provided USU Kinesiology and Health Science Department. Informing the National Narrative includes oral history interviews from thirty-one people across the state who share their experiences with the opioid epidemic as first responders, relatives of those who were affected by opioid use disorder, or people in recovery themselves. These interviews shed light on people’s first-hand experiences with opioid use disorder, drug court, recovery programs, and social stigma in Utah. They include suggested pathways to fight the opioid epidemic and foster a more sympathetic attitude toward people with substance use disorders.

Scan here to view the Informing the National Narrative oral history collection

The interviews and their transcriptions are available online in the USU Libraries’ Digital History Collections. The collection includes excellent resources for learning about the struggles faced by people with opioid use disorder and the resources that help them most.

Scan here to read Dr. Katie Zaman’s illustrated series of comics.

2023 year in review

CULTIVATING USU COMMUNITY AND CULTURE

The University Libraries act on our values by contributing to a welcoming and inclusive culture.

WELCOMING NEW AGGIES: FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE LIBRARIAN, KATIE STRAND Academic libraries can be intimidating and confusing places for new students. The USU Libraries’ First-Year Experience Librarian, Katie Strand, ensures our USU students are confidently aware of library resources by providing them with opportunities to explore our building as soon as they arrive on campus. Katie was the mastermind behind the development of Library After Hours and has been a faculty member since 2020.

LIBRARY AFTER HOURS In August 2023, partnering closely with USU’s Campus Information Technology (IT) Labs, the Libraries hosted our second Library After Hours event as part of the Connections orientation program. Nearly 1,400 new USU students attended this year’s Library After Hours event spending approximately two hours exploring our library, playing games, and interacting with library staff. The goal for this event is not to make sure our new students know everything about the library, but rather to ease their anxiety about our building and let them know we are here to support them on their educational journey. Activities this year included laser tag, information booths, video games, virtual reality, an escape room, free pizza, a custom dirty

utah state university libraries

322 After Hour attendees

completed a post-event survey:

97% of respondents said they would recommend it to future students.

86% felt more comfortable exploring & navigating the library building.

75% felt more comfortable using a new library service or resource.

soda booth, raffle prizes, and more. This annual event demonstrates to our newest Aggies that the library is a place for discussion, creativity, learning, and fun. Most importantly they learned that it is a space for them.

2023 year in review

HERITAGE MONTH DISPLAYS In an effort to promote inclusion and create a sense of belonging for all, the Libraries regularly promote reading recommendations and displays in observance of heritage and history months. In February, we partnered with Dr. Rebecca Y. Bayeck, Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences, celebrating Black History Month by installing a pop-up exhibit titled “BLACKing Excellence: Black Innovations.” The exhibit showcased Black innovations in various fields as a means to demonstrate how inventions are an integral part of the Black experience in the United States. The success of this project has led to the continuation of other heritage month displays in the main atrium of the Merrill-Cazier Library. The Library and Learning Commons at the USU Eastern campus also participate in the heritage month display initiative. These displays not only educate but also inspire dialogue, encouraging open conversations about the significance of celebrating diversity.

utah state university libraries

USU LIBRARIES 2023 VALUES IN ACTION: • Reviewed USU open educational resource (OER) projects for accessibility improvements • Provided staff professional development opportunities for Universal Design for Learning • Developed year-round heritage month displays for the Merrill-Cazier and USU Eastern libraries

CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH Since 2022, the Libraries’ Special Collections & Archives has participated in university-wide Juneteenth events by highlighting historical artifacts and records representing the stories and experiences of Black students at Utah State University. Shared stories include those of Mignon Barker Richmond, the first black college graduate in Utah, and the founding of the Black Student Union (BSU). Last summer, a TSC exhibit emphasized the trailblazing work of BSU students to raise awareness about the challenges of Black students and other underrepresented student groups at USU. The exhibit promoted understanding and inclusion in higher education.

• Re-opened the family room in a more prominent location to support students with children • Partnered with Center for Intersectional Gender Studies and Research on library guides • Celebrated Juneteenth by publicly displaying archival materials in the TSC • Continued ongoing work on harmful language mitigation for bibliographic records

In addition to these activities, University Archivist Kelly Rovegno collaborated with the College of Humanities and Social Sciences to capture oral histories from several of the BSU’s founding members, adding their personal stories to the archives. 2023 year in review

USU STAFF EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT: ALISON FABRICIUS Alison Fabricius, a Business Assistant in the USU Libraries’ administrative office, is in the midst of a three-year term on the Utah State University Staff Employee Association (SEA) Executive Board. In July 2023 she assumed the role of President for fiscal year 2024, a significant commitment of time and talent to her colleagues across the USU system. In this capacity, Alison serves as the representative of SEA to several university committees as appointed by USU central administration as well as attends meetings of the USU Board of Trustees and the Utah Higher Education Staff Association (UHESA). She is also the President-Elect of UHESA. Any benefit-eligible employees of Utah State University who are not members of the faculty, are members of SEA. By providing a sense of unity, training and educational opportunities, and a voice for staff within the broader university, SEA advocates for, empowers, and recognizes the excellent staff who make Utah State University such a wonderful institution. We encourage all staff to take advantage of the resources and opportunities afforded by the USU SEA and applaud Alison’s work to support her colleagues.

Alison’s USU-SEA priorities for 2024: • Provide intentional leadership to Staff Employee Association (SEA), developing SEA leaders system-wide. • Re-evaluate the SEA organizational mission statement and work with SEA leaders to develop a more aspirational and USU-aligned statement to motivate staff engagement.

utah state university libraries

• Educate the USU system about SEA engagement, benefits and collaboration opportunities. • Become a resource by providing an authoritative voice within the university, expressing problems and concerns of association members. • Build collaborative bridges with other USU groups, recommending and implementing policy concerning USU and the needs of all employees.

USU PARENT AND FAMILY ORIENTATIONS USU Libraries has built strong outreach initiatives geared toward parents of USU students. Multiple research studies have shown that students look to them as a clearly established support structure. Parents are valuable allies for campus programs, as students who talk to them about the college experience are more engaged with campus resources and find overall satisfaction with the college experience. In collaboration with USU’s Student Orientation and Transition Services, USU Libraries has crafted strategic opportunities to inform incoming students and their support network about library resources and services.

This summer, USU Libraries presented at USU Parent and Family Orientations to over 1,434 participants answering three crucial questions: 1. How can USU Libraries help students save money? 2. How can USU Libraries support students academically? 3. What social opportunities does USU Libraries provide?

USU EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY The Libraries joined other colleges, operational units, and community partners to participate in USU’s inaugural Employee Appreciation Day in September 2023. The event gave the Libraries the opportunity to connect with the Aggie family and showcase several services available to all employees, including institutional access to the New York Times, availability of popular fiction and best sellers, access to the Libraries’ extensive e-book and audiobook collections through the Libby app, and more. The Libraries are happy to provide recreational reading and information resources to all staff at USU.

2023 year in review

University Libraries 3000 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-3000

As a land-grant institution, Utah State University campuses and centers reside and operate on the territories of the eight tribes of Utah, who have been living, working, and residing on this land from time immemorial. These tribes are the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Indians, Navajo Nation, Ute Indian Tribe, Northwestern Band of Shoshone, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, San Juan Southern Paiute, Skull Valley Band of Goshute, and White Mesa Band of the Ute Mountain Ute. We acknowledge these lands carry the stories of these Nations and their struggles for survival and identity. We recognize Elders past and present as peoples who have cared for, and continue to care for, the land. In offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm Indigenous self-governance history, experiences, and resiliency of the Native people who are still here today.

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