Rewarding Excellent Student Workers

Student workers play a vital part in the daily operation of UC Libraries. From assisting users with checking out materials to trouble shooting technology problems to helping new students locate the stacks, student workers help the libraries to achieve our mission to “empower discovery, stimulate learning and inspire the creation of knowledge by connecting students, faculty, researchers and scholars to dynamic data, information and resources.”

Annually, we recognize those student workers who perform their job at the highest level with the University of Cincinnati Library Student Award for Quality Service. The principal criterion for this award is that the student worker consistently excels in providing quality service and accomplishes both job and organizational objectives. In doing so the student worker will have exhibited many of the following behaviors:

• Unusually high level of commitment to serve students, the public and library colleagues.
• High level of productivity and consistent quality of work.
• High degree of initiative in the performance of job functions.
• Exceptional dependability.
• Displays high integrity that enhances the University of Cincinnati Libraries’ image.

This past spring, five student workers were awarded this top award:

1. Ellen Madden – Walter C. Langsam Library, Research, Teaching and Services Department and Interlibrary Services Department
2. Amanda Oswald – Walter C. Langsam Library, Research, Teaching and Services Department and Interlibrary Services Department
3. Buma Masango-Dibo – College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services (CECH) Library
4. Alex Badue – Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions
5. Samuel Tibbs – Robert A. Deshon and Karl J. Schlachter Library for Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP)

Dean Wang had the honor of presenting the award to two of the deserving recipients: Alex Badue and Samuel Tibbs.

Of Alex Badue, his supervisor, Veronica Buchanan, wrote: “Alex has provided exemplary service to the Winkler Center for over two years. He consistently exceeds expectations in all of the tasks he is assigned. Just one example of a project where Alex has utilized his organizational skills involved the creation of an inventory of books, archival collections, manuscripts and resources in our Hauck Gallery, which has been an invaluable resource in subsequent research requests. As a PhD student in the College-Conservatory of Music, Alex has used his exceptional skills in both writing and editing to help produce text panels for displays that are polished and well-researched and written, which make the overall display much more professional and authoritative on the respective subject, enhancing visitor’s opinions of both the Winkler Center and UC Libraries as a whole.”

Samuel Tibbs has become a model student employee during his four years working in the DAAP Library. His supervisor, Sara Mihaly, wrote: “From day one on the job he was committed to serving our patrons no matter their status; students, faculty, etc. He helps answer library collections questions, locate material, and assist with scanning along with many other things that are asked of him. …Samuel is a great role model because he takes initiative by doing what needs to be done on a daily basis! Samuel is often given special projects because we know that he will get them completed quickly and correctly. Samuel is a great student to have at the DAAP Library because he is very technologically savvy. … He’s the first to step up when someone needs a sub. Although Samuel has a lot of commitments outside of work, he is very reliable and someone we can count on. When it comes time to hire new students we always hope to find student like Samuel!”

Ellen Madden supports the work of two departments in Langsam Library – the Research, Teaching and Services (RTS) and Interlibrary Services (ILS) Departments. In both of these areas, she’s known for her willingness to take on any project, large or small. About this commitment to her work, her supervisor, Michael Alfieri wrote:

Ellen has a thorough knowledge of all library services and is ready to assist. She does not hesitate to walk a user wherever they need to go rather than simply pointing. …Ellen demonstrates an excellent knowledge of all the ILS related job responsibilities. Packing, unpacking, sorting, processing and searching are done efficiently and accurately. Ellen is excellent at recognizing what needs to be done and when. She is always on task and excels at leading the other students in a cohesive manner to get shared tasks completed. When asked for updates on the workflow status, a frequent refrain from Ellen is ‘already did it.’”

Also working in Langsam Library, Amanda Oswald’s exceptional knowledge of library services has been an asset to both fellow student workers and library faculty and staff members as well. Of her, Michael writes:

Amanda takes the initiative to impart her knowledge of library practices and procedures to the newer students. …Amanda in an exceptional self-starter. When she arrives for a shift, she assesses the current state of the workload, finds what needs to be done and completes it. …Amanda has such an outstanding understanding of how the department works and runs, that she has been of great assistance to me as I begin my career with the University of Cincinnati. She has explained many tasks and given me excellent feedback on what has worked and what hasn’t worked as we transition into the new TheDesk@Langsam Library.”

Working in the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Service (CECH) Library for the past two years, Buma Masango-Dibo is, and has always been, the perfect student employee. Her supervisor, Bob Freeman, writes:

She is the rock of the CECH library, always dependable and attentive to detail. I’m fairly certain she has never been late for work, never called off from her assigned schedule and never failed to complete any task given to her. I have worked with hundreds of student employees at UC and other universities, and Buma is unique with that level of perfection. She’s the one student employee we never have to worry about. In addition to her dependability, Buma has a wonderful attitude and commitment to serving our patrons. Whether it’s finding a book or printing a poster, she is always friendly and ready to help patrons.”

Thank you, to these fine library student workers for their commitment and the excellent service they provide every day to the students, faculty and staff who rely on UC Libraries. We hope that working in UC Libraries is an enjoyable and rewarding experience for them and for all of our student workers.