More News November 06, 2014

The prolific scholar of comparative literature and science fiction helmed the world-renowned Eaton Conference.

By Bettye Miller

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — George Edgar Slusser, whose determination to develop the study of science fiction as an academic discipline led to the growth in size, scope and international reputation of UC Riverside’s Eaton Collection of Science Fiction & Fantasy, died November 4th at his home in Highland, California. He was 75.

Dr. Slusser, curator emeritus of the Eaton Collection and professor emeritus of comparative literature, joined the UCR Library in 1979 and, beginning in 1991, held a joint position as professor of comparative literature until his retirement in 2005. Under his leadership the collection – formally known as the J. Lloyd Eaton Collection of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Utopian Literature – grew from 7,500 volumes to the internationally renowned collection it is today, a collection that includes books, journals, fanzines, comic books, authors’ manuscripts, media and memorabilia. He taught the first courses in science fiction studies at UCR and originated the Eaton Conference, which he chaired for more than 20 years. The conference drew — and still draws — scholars from around the world

Rob Latham, professor of English and co-director of UCR’s Science Fiction and Technoculture Studies program, said Professor Slusser’s contribution to SF studies was significant.

“Over three decades, George Slusser built the Eaton Collection up from a small core of titles into the world-class archive that it is today,” Latham said. “The field of science fiction scholarship owes him an incalculable debt.”

Science fiction author and UC Irvine astrophysicist Gregory Benford described Professor Slusser as “a fine man, insightful critic, innovative educator, buoyant spirit. His criticism deeply emerged from his own vast knowledge of science fiction in several languages, uniquely in the field. Without George, Eaton would not remotely approach its present importance in the literary world.”

Howard Hendrix, a Science Fiction author who earned his Ph.D. from UC Riverside, called Slusser a mentor and friend. “George Slusser showed me that science fiction is worthy of serious intellectual study, and his example encouraged my own work as both a science fiction critic and science fiction writer,” he said.

“George was a true and loyal friend of many, a lover of life, and a lover of the life of the mind,” added SciFi author and scholar Eric Rabkin. “All conversations with George shone with his belief that everything had deeper meanings, significance, and the capacity to bring us wonder. Science fiction was a fit genre for him, and a genre whose worth he demonstrated continuously in the collection he guided to preeminence, the people he helped, and the powerful body of criticism he produced. He was a generous and important collaborator in ways small and large for so many of the people in his chosen field. I am honored to be among them.”

Dr. Slusser, a San Francisco native, earned a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, his Diplôme d’Études Françaises from the Université of Poitiers, and his Ph.D. in comparative literature from Harvard University, where he wrote his dissertation on E.T.A. Hoffman, a 19th century German Romantic author of fantasy and horror.

He was widely known for his scholarship in the field of science fiction, writing or editing nearly 40 books and more than 100 articles. In 1986 he received the Pilgrim Award, presented by the Science Fiction Research Association for lifetime achievement in the field of science fiction scholarship. He also was the recipient of the Harvard Traveling Fellowship and Fulbright Awards to Germany and France. He also received the Edward A. Dickson Emeritus/a Professorship Award from UCR to support research by emeritus faculty.

Among the scholarly books he wrote or edited were “Robert A. Heinlein: Stranger in His Own Land,” “The Farthest Shores of Ursula K. LeGuin,” “The Bradbury Chronicles,” “Harlan Ellison: Unrepentant Harlequin,” “The Space Odysseys of Arthur C. Clarke,” and “The Delany Intersection: Samuel R. Delany Considered as a Writer of Semi-Precious Words.”

He and his wife, Danièle Châtelain-Slusser, an associate professor of French at the University of Redlands, co-authored several books, including “Three Science Fiction Novellas: From Prehistory to the End of Mankind,” a 2012 translation of three novellas by Belgian science fiction writer J.H. Rosny aîné (1856-1940). The book included an introductory essay that explains the writer’s place in the science fiction canon and within the context of evolutionary biology. They also published a well-received translation and study of Balzac’s “The Centenarian.”

In a 2000 interview published in UCR’s magazine — then known as Fiat Lux — Professor Slusser described the significance of science fiction literature and the Eaton Collection in particular.

“Science fiction is the natural bridge between things scientific and things artistic,” he said. “On these shelves are treasures for scholars in the ancient sciences, art history, religious mythology. … (Science fiction) is the one real international literary form we have today, and as such has branched out to visual media, interactive media and on to whatever new media the world will invent in the 21st century. Crossover issues between the sciences and the humanities are crucial for the century to come.”

Robert Heath, UCR professor emeritus of plant physiology and biophysics and a longtime friend, co-taught an undergraduate Honors seminar in science fiction with Slusser that focused on both the scientific and literary aspects of time travel, aliens and robotics. “He often was outspoken about the need for SF studies and felt that he was ‘a Stranger in a Strange Land’ in that he was fighting the classical ways of thinking about science and humanities,” Heath said. “He never gave up, however, and today UCR is moving vigorously in the direction where he was pointing for so long.”

Professor Slusser is survived by his wife, Danièle Chatelain-Slusser. No arrangements have been made.

More News October 04, 2017

The University of California, Riverside Library and campus partners will host several events in celebration of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day and Geography Awareness Week.

This year, GIS Day will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 15, and Geography Awareness Week is from Nov. 12-18.

GIS Day, first established in 1999, provides an international forum for users of geographic information systems technology to demonstrate real-world applications that are making a difference in our society.

“Technological advances and increased exposure to map products in everyday life have boosted awareness of GIS,” said Janet Reyes, the UCR Library geospatial information librarian who is coordinating GIS Day at UCR. “Both official and crowd-sourced maps of damage in the aftermath of recent natural disasters are just one example of the power these tools can have in improving and understanding our world.”

The diversity of academic departments at UCR that use spatial data is expanding, Reyes explained. “And the use of GIS in the humanities is an exciting recent development. Faculty are discovering that the ability of GIS to display, analyze, and manipulate geographic data makes it a valuable tool for instruction as well as research.”

“The Center for Conservation Biology uses GIS to bring together many types of information that support study in the relationships between organisms and the conditions in which they live,” stated Associate Specialist Robert Johnson. “GIS is one research tool we use to measure and visualize contemporary distributions of species locations and habitat characteristics, how both have changed in the past, and how these may look in the future. Our spatial-based research efforts have advised land management practice at local and regional levels.”

“Application of Geographic Information Systems in Environmental Sciences has increased in recent years due to availability of geospatial data including a variety of remotely sensed products developed by federal and state agencies, and the research community around the world,” commented Hoori Ajami, Assistant Professor of Groundwater Hydrology at UC Riverside. “GIS Day activities at UCR will promote the use of these technologies in research and teaching, and enhance collaboration between the geospatial community at UCR and Southern California.”

GIS Day 2017 at UCR will feature talks by researchers and community members who will share how they use GIS to advance their work, including a presentation by the Center for Spatial Studies founding director Sergio Rey at 11:20 am on Nov. 15 in Orbach Science Library, Room 240.

Other activities include a drone demonstration (conditions permitting), a reception, and a poster display in both Orbach Science Library and Tomás Rivera Library from Nov. 13 through Nov. 17.

A poster contest for students is another new feature of GIS Day this year. (Details on how to enter the poster contest are provided here. Abstracts are due by Nov. 1.)  Contest posters will be exhibited in the atrium of Orbach Science Library throughout the week, and the winners announced on the afternoon of Nov. 15.

While the poster contest is open only to students, the entire UC Riverside community is welcome to provide a poster for the separate displays in Orbach and Rivera. Posters that have been used or will be used at other events are acceptable. The deadline to sign up to display a poster is Friday, Oct. 20. To submit a poster to the display, contact Janet Reyes (janet.reyes@ucr.edu) or Margarita Yonezawa (margarita.yonezawa@ucr.edu) at the Orbach Science Library’s Map Collection, or call (951) 827-6423.

UCR Library hopes that the 2017 event will showcase a variety of disciplines using GIS, make students aware of the possibilities for using GIS in both academic and community settings, and provide students opportunities for learning and networking.

Other events planned for Geography Awareness Week include map-related activities in the Creat’R Lab and a presentation by Manuel Urrizola on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 1:00 pm in Rivera Library Room 403. Manuel’s talk, Is California an Island?, is sponsored by Special Collections and features antique maps depicting California as being separate from the North American mainland.

Cosponsoring the GIS Day events are the Center for Conservation Biology; the Departments of Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Psychology; Capital Asset Strategies; and UCR Extension.

More details about the GIS Day event schedule will be posted soon on the UCR Library website.

More News August 24, 2018

At all-staff meetings held on August 20 and 21, Library Human Resources acknowledged ten UCR Library employees for their outstanding contributions.

These team members became the third round of employees to be recognized through the KUDOS program.

Under the KUDOS program, non-probationary staff and academic employees at the UCR Library can be nominated by a peer for actions or contributions related to the library's mission that have a significant, positive impact on colleagues, library users, or others.

Nominations were submitted anonymously by library non-probationary staff and academic employees, and then were reviewed by members of Library Cabinet to determine which staff members would receive the KUDOS awards.

The August 2018 recipients received the following comments on their nomination forms:

Natalie Moller, Collection Maintenance Assistant

• “Natalie’s ALMA contributions in the Collection Maintenance workflow deserve special recognition.  Natalie continues to be an asset to the ongoing configuration of our ILMS.”

Jim Clark, Head of Database Management and Authority Control Unit

• “I’d like to nominate Jim for his role in the ALMA migration.  I know it’s been an enormous amount of work, on the technical side, as well as supporting colleagues in Metadata and Technical Services to get oriented to a previously unfamiliar system and get up and running. Thank you!”

Margarita Yonezawa, Research Services Assistant

• “Margarita has proved to be an exemplary and dedicated worker.  She is a proactive person who is dedicated to her job and the library.”

Erika Quintana, Acquisitions Unit Supervisor

• “Erika is in a true sense, the person with the biggest insight and knowledge of most, if not all functions in the library.  The introduction and training of the new system of Ex Libris is just one of various examples of her great motivation, smarts, accuracy and personal care.”

Pam Sun, Collection Strategies Services Coordinator

• “Pam was recently assigned to a special project in the Learning Resources Display Center that was an insurmountable task that needed to be done quickly. Pam and her students have done a beautiful job, consulting as necessary if there was anything that she was unsure of.  Because of her attention to detail and willingness to consult, she completed the task in record time. Many thanks to Pam for her excellent work.”

Chuck Stephenson, Night and Billing Coordinator, Rivera

• “Chuck has been a major contributor to the configuration and testing of the fulfillment functions in ALMA.  He has made significant contributions in defining the billing workflow for the library. He is willing to jump in and assist where he can.”

Rocco Berges, Senior Building Maintenance Worker

• “Rocco has done quite a bit to keep the Rivera and Orbach libraries looking great.  In addition to regularly keeping the lounge areas tidy and clean, he’s taken on some projects that go beyond regular maintenance, which have had an outstanding and noticeable impact. The results are noticed and appreciated every day, the good work reflects the excellence of a dedicated, focused and hardworking individual. Rocco goes beyond his duties and we appreciate the care!”

Sahra Missaghieh Klawitter, Circulation/Reserves Services Manager

• “I would like to thank Sahra for all her efforts to alleviate students’ stress, to support employee professional development and to celebrate the library employees. Sahra’s contributions resulted in a successful migration in circulation and reserves.  Our users' experience with circulation and reserve transactions are seamless, because of Sahra’s behind-the-scenes configuration work.”

Bernice Ridgeway, Interlibrary Loan Assistant

• “Bernice’s contributions to establishing ILL protocol and workflows between OCLC and Alma have been noteworthy!  She has shown flexibility and is very attentive to our users' needs. Thank you Bernice!”

Shelly Gipson, Head of Collection Maintenance

• “Shelly has contributed to the migration of Alma in many areas to develop new and improved workflows using the Alma system.  She continues to research and test different processes and her contributions have been noteworthy. Thank you Shelly!”

Please join us in celebrating these library employees’ achievements!

 

More News February 08, 2019

Access Services Desk Coordinator Leslie Settle recently received her certification as a systemwide facilitator for the University of California.

She joins an elite group of ten people who are certified to provide UC systemwide professional development programs, including the award-winning University of California Women’s Initiative (UCWI) CORO.

At present, Settle is the only UC Riverside-based certified UC Facilitator for the UC Women’s Initiative.

In spring 2018, Settle first participated in CORO UCWI, which aims to establish a pipeline for advancement and to promote women in leadership at the university. CORO exists to open doors to women in any stage of their careers, not just in senior-level positions within the university, Settle explained.

After completing CORO UCWI, Settle was one of four applicants chosen to become a UC facilitator, trained at UCOP through a partnership between CORO and Systemwide Talent Management.

“The biggest transformation, personally, was learning to break my imposter syndrome and value my skills and abilities,” Settle said. “To be put on the same playing field as women whose titles held more prestige than mine, and then realize that they wanted to learn from me, was an honor.”

During CORO, Systemwide Talent Management staff remarked on Settle’s charming use of colloquialisms in facilitating, something she felt would not have been a factor if she had equal professional status to those in management. “This experience helped me to learn that taking constructive feedback means knowing what to adjust and what not to fix, so it doesn’t change who I am,” she explained.

CORO UCWI also helped Settle to achieve greater confidence and skill as a trainer, and increased clarity on her career goal: to become a national leadership program facilitator.

From April to June at UC Riverside, Settle will co-lead CORO’s UCWI 2019 southern cohort, a group of 30 mid-career women from across the UC system who have demonstrated potential for advancement in staff, faculty or academic roles. Topics will include growth mindset, intersectionality, balancing advocacy and inquiry, emotional agility, negotiation, writing professional narratives, and more.

Professional development and mentoring student employees are high priorities for Settle, who also served as the first chair for the UCR Library’s Professional Development Committee. “At work, I get to bring joy to the students I serve and the people I work with. Outside of work, I love to pay it forward. I’m a giver at heart.”

As a UC facilitator, Settle’s role is also to educate people on who is eligible and how to apply for programs like CORO UCWI. “All UCR women employees who have been working in a career position for seven to 10 years – not just at UCR – should be encouraged and welcomed to apply.”

CORO UCWI is sponsored by the Systemwide Advisory Committee on the Status of Women (SACSW) and the UC Office of the President, and administered by Systemwide Talent Management.

More News September 30, 2020

On Thursday, Oct. 8, the UCR Library will host an online event with special guest, award winning film and television writer and UC Riverside Professor Stu Krieger.

WHAT IF: Professor Stu Krieger and Professor Erith Jaffe-Berg discuss Krieger's counter-factual history novel THAT ONE CIGARETTE is the third installment of the Faculty Profiles in Research, Art & Innovation series. All members of the UC Riverside community and surrounding areas are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Stu Krieger is an acclaimed screen and television writer making his debut as a novelist with That One Cigarette. He is currently a professor of screen and television writing in the University of California, Riverside’s Department of Theatre, Film & Digital Production and in the Creative Writing for the Performing Arts MFA Program at UCR. Each fall, he also teaches the Producing the Screenplay class at USC’s Peter Stark MFA Producing Program.

Krieger co-wrote the Emmy award winning mini-series A Year in the Life and was nominated for a Humanitas Prize for co-writing the Disney Channel original movie, Going to the Mat.

Among his more than 25 produced credits, Krieger wrote the animated classic The Land Before Time for producers Steven Spielberg & George Lucas and ten original movies for the Disney Channel, including Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century and its two sequels, Tru Confessions, Smart House, Phantom of the Megaplex, and Cow Belles.

He has been a story editor and writer on Spielberg’s Amazing Stories and the supervising producer on the ABC Television series Jack’s Place. He served as the head writer and story editor of the animated preschool series Toot & Puddle on Nickelodeon in 2008-2009. Mr. Krieger’s TEDx Talk, “Choose Joy,” can be viewed here.

On April 22, 2017, Stu Krieger received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Screenwriting at the opening night gala of the 2017 Riverside International Film Festival.

That One Cigarette is a counterfactual history novel following four families from November of 1963 to January of 2009. It is a story of ordinary people making extraordinary ripples in the ocean of life.

In November ’63, Ed Callahan is an assistant manager at the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas. His promise to his wife to quit smoking as soon as he finishes the pack in his pocket ends up changing the course of events on November 22. The fallout of this action alters the lives of the Scott family in Rochester, New York, the Kaufman/Goldman family in Los Angeles and the extended Kashat family in Baghdad, Iraq.

It’s not until the final chapters that all of these lives intersect but along the way That One Cigarette explores questions of fate, love, loyalty and the ability of each of us to make defining contributions to our world by simply being present in our own lives.

Please RSVP in order to receive the link to join the livestream broadcast from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time on Oct. 8.

More dates for the series will be announced soon.

More News June 28, 2022

WisCon is a feminist science fiction & fantasy convention held annually in Madison, Wisconsin. 

This year's conference took place in late May with Andrew Lippert, Special Collections Processing Archivist, Sandy Enriquez, Special Collections Public Services Outreach/Community Engagement Librarian, and Dr. Phoenix Alexander, our soon-to-be Jay Kay and Doris Klein Science Fiction Librarian, in attendance. Learn more about the conference from Andrew and Sandy in our WisCon Q&A. 

How did it feel to go to an in-person conference again?

Sandy: It was both exciting, and a little bit nerve-wracking! But part of the reason I felt comfortable attending WisCon was that they took extensive precautions and implemented many best practices to keep folks safe. All the conference-goers I encountered respected the protocols (including a mask mandate) and I felt very comfortable. Having those safety measures in place meant that I could fully enjoy all the benefits of in-person conferences.

Andrew: It was wonderful to attend a conference in-person again. There are definite upsides to being able to get conference content from the comfort of one’s own home, but you miss all of the little conversations and encounters that happen outside of the sessions. It’s also fun to wander around a town you’ve never been to for a couple of days.

What were some of the highlights from WisCon?

Sandy: One of my favorite moments was listening to readings from the new speculative fiction anthology, "Trouble the Waters: Tales from the Deep Blue" edited by Sheree Renée Thomas, Pan Morigan, and Troy L. Wiggins. One of the stories centered on the care and shepherding of space whales, which was so magical and whimsical to imagine! 

Andrew: WisCon was a fantastic event and there were a lot of great elements. First and foremost, the panels and the conversations that they inspired were truly superb. This might have been the most intellectually stimulating and inspiring conference/convention I have been to. There is a lot of really important work going on in these spaces.

How does WisCon’s mission align with the goals you have for your work here at the UCR Library?

Sandy: WisCon is a community-led, feminist science fiction and fantasy convention. They aim to make their events as inclusive, safe, and welcoming as possible for people from all walks of life. Their mission to promote inclusivity and uplift underrepresented voices in science fiction aligns strongly with my goals for public services, outreach, and community engagement at UCR Library. Part of my job is to help people find and utilize our collections, and I especially strive to reach communities who have been traditionally excluded from, or misrepresented in, the historical record. I aim to increase access and knowledge of the collections through innovative and collaborative outreach, as well as highlighting underrepresented stories whenever possible. For example, I have recently taught several workshops centering Chicano student activism at UCR, in collaboration with graduate student instructors, and with Chicano Student Programs. While science fiction is only one aspect of our collecting focus, I think we can learn a lot from this field (and feminism in general) about how to partner with communities and practice more equitable outreach, teaching, and research.

Andrew: The primary way that my work with the Eaton Collection aligns with WisCon is in efforts to diversify the genre of speculative fiction. WisCon started out as the feminist science fiction con in the late 1970s, and it still has a lot of those feminist roots with its current incarnation. However, I saw an organization that has evolved to be radically inclusive of all peoples, with a very strong emphasis on the LGBTQ+ community. There were also themes of decolonization and anti-capitalism that popped up from session to session that also work their way into how I think about building a speculative fiction collection.

Was there anything interesting or noteworthy you learned at the conference?

Sandy: Absolutely! Marie Vibbert gave a fantastic presentation about her research on labor in science fiction novels. She analyzed the jobs and classes of main characters across almost two hundred science fiction novels to create her dataset. She found that, contrary to popular belief, science fiction protagonists were more likely to be upper/middle class than working class. She also found that male authors were more likely to write male characters than other genders.

Andrew: The most notable learning opportunity for me — as a cis, white, male — was to be immersed into a queer space. This is not something that I encounter very often in my day-to-day life and I appreciate opportunities like this that center and value the voices and points of view of people that are not often afforded that opportunity. To me, the incredibly engaging discussions only reinforce the value and importance of inclusion and diversity and the degree to which more diverse points of view only serve to enrich the conversation.

Does the Eaton Collection include many feminist works?

Sandy: The Eaton Collection does include many works by feminist authors and works that explore feminist themes, but given how quickly the field is evolving, there is still a lot of work to be done. For example, we have feminist science fiction classics such as 'The Female Man' by Joanna Russ or 'The Left Hand of Darkness' by Ursula K. Le Guin, along with more contemporary examples of feminist science fiction such as the graphic novel 'Bitch Planet' by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine de Landro. We are actively working to diversify our holdings by identifying and acquiring new works, including those that may incorporate feminist themes but are not explicitly labeled as such (one that comes to mind is the fantastic anthology 'Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit & Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction' edited by Joshua Whitehead).

Andrew: Yes! We have many novels by feminist authors (for example: Octavia Butler, Joanna Russ, and many more). There is also a lot of feminist work done in the comics and graphic novel space (such as: Bitch Planet or Maiden, Mother, and Crone). We have quite a lot of secondary, academic literature on feminism and science fiction. In the manuscript collections, we have the papers of feminist author Jody Scott. Former UCR professor Nalo Hopkinson has also been donating her papers to the Eaton Collection. There is so much material in the collection, far more than can be listed succinctly!

Do you plan on going back next year?

Sandy: I would love to! I'm not sure yet where next year will take me, but it would be fantastic to return.

Andrew: I would love to! It’s hard to plan that far out, but I hope to make it back to WisCon in the near future.

For more information on WisCon, visit wiscon.net or follow WisCon on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

More News June 14, 2020

Each spring, the UCR Library typically hosts a Student Employee and Staff Appreciation Picnic to honor the people who serve the UC Riverside community through their work at the library.

Due to the COVID-19 closure, we were not able to hold the celebration this year, nor could we recognize the 22 library student employees who would be graduating with UC Riverside’s Class of 2020: Cristina Canales, Janely Cruz, Julianna Gil, Sheyla Hernandez Amador, Leonardo Kim, Jiayi Lin, Ayanna McDowell, Belen Meza-Hernandez, Alejandro Moody, Giselle Moreno, Sophia Mosbe, Ashley Nguyen, Jalak Patel, Victoria Pedrosa, Stacy Rodriguez Chavez, Justus Ross, Elias Sells, Jacqueline Stewart, Glen Sturgeon, Isabel Torres, Tracy Vargas, and Kimberly Wu.

We asked our 2020 graduates to share their favorite memories from their time spent working at the UCR Library, and what they would miss most about working here. Here are some of their responses:

Kimberly Wu

“My favorite memories from working at the library was getting to see parts of Orbach and Rivera that I didn't know existed if I wasn't working there. It was interesting to see where some doors led to, and I also got to learn where all the different stairwells were as well. I am going to miss joking around with my coworkers and not having to wait in a line to use the printer (because there's a printer inside the office).”

Jalak Patel

“One of my favorite parts about working in the Creat’RLab is the amount of flexibility and creativity I’ve had to grow personally and professionally. Each day, I was constantly challenging myself with new technology and engaging with various students ranging from different majors/years. At the end of the day, the best part was always interacting with students. I always enjoyed giving tours and sharing all the amazing things that Creat’RLab had to offer that I loved dearly myself. I easily fell in love with the Creat’RLab space and community that I would find myself in there often even when not on my shifts. That’s when you know your job doesn’t feel like work!

“The greatest thing about working in such a creative and innovative space was the ability to engage in a wide variety of activities. As a student technician for three years, I had an opportunity to grow and engage in various creative facets ranging from 3D printing, sewing, to VR headsets and even consulting students for laser cutting. And that was the best part, no day at work was the exact same! I am beyond thankful to UCR Library, Creat’RLab community, bosses, and my small group of close-knit co-workers who easily became family and made my first job an amazing experience!”

Ayanna McDowell

“My favorite memory was our team bonding experience last fall. We had to get over a rope without touching it. I ended up splitting my pants, but it was such a good time. I will miss the staff and student employees the most. They truly were a joy to work with; and I know that is very rare in a work environment. So I will miss them deeply.”

Giselle Moreno

“My favorite memory working at the library was setting up for Finals Week Stress Relief week with staff at the front desk. I loved collaborating with my other coworkers and being able to be a resource to my peers during finals week. What I will miss most about working at the UCR Library is working in a supportive environment. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to be a part of a team that uplifts their student workers and views them leaders. I will also miss my supervisors Elisha, Greg and Michelle. I am grateful to have been able to work with each and everyone of them.”

Sophia Mosbe

Favorite memory: “Playing cornhole at the Student Picnic last year with library staff.”

“I'm going to miss the staff and my fellow student workers. Everyone was always so kind and cared about each other that it really did feel like a second family. Not being able to finish my final quarter with them has been heartbreaking, but I am determined to pop in for a visit once things become relatively normal again. #OrbachPride”

Julianna Gil

Favorite memory: “Laughing and joking around with my student coworkers, and developing great friendships with them. As well as drawing little pictures on the whiteboard inside our workspace.”

What she will miss: “All my student coworkers and archivists that worked in Special Collections. They were always so kind to me. Both my supervisors were great and incredibly understanding.”

Leonardo Kim

Favorite memory: “Going out with co-workers after shifts on hangouts and grabbing last minute food.”

“I will miss having a flexible schedule and working with Shelly and Greg. I think they are some of the best people I have met at UCR and have been really helpful when I had questions. Hopefully we can still be in touch after I graduate.”

Isabel Torres

“My favorite memory from working in the library is being able to help my fellow classmates discover the amazing resources the library has to offer. I will miss working with the department of Teaching and Learning and my Information Desk coworkers.”

Glen Sturgeon

Favorite memory: “The time everyone passed around a boxed toy called a Shmoo. It was such a ridiculous object and the staff reacted to it in varying degrees of delight and horror. The library has so many quirky holdings in special collections, it always brightened my day to help process them! See attached photo of the Shmoo.

“I already miss the staff at SCUA so much! Being at Special Collections and University Archives cemented my love for archives and library science. Thanks to the support and encouragement of my supervisor, Andrew Lippert, I applied to and was accepted to UCLA’s MLIS program this fall! I’ll miss sharing strange finds from the collections and gawking at new rare acquisitions with the incredible staff of SCUA. The real treasures in the archives are the people who work there.”

Elias Sells

“My favorite memory is probably just hanging out in the office and talking with all of my coworkers and my boss on slow days. What I'll miss most is probably the Thanksgiving potlucks.”

Stacy Rodriguez Chavez

“My favorite memory from working at the library is the people that I got to work with. I had amazing people that helped me and encouraged me throughout the years that I worked at Orbach. I'm forever grateful for Kit, Pat, and Sara for making my work environment amazing and for the constant motivation they would give me. What I'll miss the most from working at Orbach would be the people I learned from and worked with. I wish them the very best and hope to see them very soon.”

Jacqueline Stewart

“My favorite memory working at the library is just being there almost everyday working with so many cool stuff at special collections. The coolest thing I saw was a really tiny book that fit on the tip of my finger. I will miss everyone I worked with. Everyone I worked with was so helpful and such a pleasure to work with.”

Belen Meza Hernandez

“My favorite memory of working at the library is during finals week, when the staff would bring in puppies to de-stress. And also, when my friends would ask me for help to find library materials. What I will miss the most is the friendliness of the staff and having a flexible schedule that allowed me to focus on school.”

Victoria Pedrosa

“To the Class of 2020, we did it! Thank you to Special Collections, you made working there one of my most memorable experiences at UCR.”

Janely Cruz

“My favorite memory from working at the library was going to the annual picnics and potlucks. Seeing everyone come together and have a good time was always something I looked forward to. I will most definitely miss all my coworkers, supervisors Shelly and Greg, and all the other staff at the UCR Library. From my first day working there, everyone was so welcoming. I am going to miss coming into the library almost every day and working with the most amazing people.”

Sheyla Hernandez

“We made it!”

 

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