Awards

University Librarian Recognition Award

Eligibility: Any individual at the University of Michigan who holds a Primary Faculty appointment as Librarian, Archivist, or Curator, with no more than eight years’ practice in his or her profession.

Award: The recipient will be awarded $1,000 to commemorate the honor to be conferred at the annual Faculty Awards occasion.

Selection Criteria: Active and innovative early-career achievement in library, archival or curatorial services. This may include developing specialized services for faculty and students, improving access to information, or efficiently managing the library and archival resources (staff, space, funding, collections).

Please submit nomination materials with the librarian awards nomination form. The deadline for the 2024 award cycle is May 3, 2024.

  • A statement of the nominee’s achievements in library, archival or curatorial activities. (Required)
  • A current curriculum vitae. (Required)
  • Internal letters of support from within the nominee’s appointment unit (U-M Library or other) (Required)
  • External letters of support from outside the nominee’s appointment unit (Required). NOTE: No fewer than 3 letters of support should be from external sources. The external letters of support may be from within or from outside the University.

Note: Nominees are eligible for three years: the current year and, if not selected, they will also be automatically included in the pool of candidates for the next two award cycles.

Jesus Espinoza - 2024 Award Recipient

Associate Librarian, University Library

 

 

 

 

Espinoza, an expert in library and information science, teaches critical research skills to new undergraduate and graduate students. His demonstrated ability to work with underrepresented groups has increased student engagement overall on campus and with the library. Espinoza earned his B.A. in English in 2012 at San Jose State University and his M.I.L.S. in 2017 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and joined U-M. As a student-success librarian for Learning Programs and Initiatives, he offers an innovative approach to critical pedagogy and library instruction. He has co-developed lesson plans and online modules using social media influencers to teach students how to evaluate sources critically. He remains actively engaged in this research, including plans to propose an undergraduate course in this area. He leads the Peer Information Consulting Program, a long-established effort that trains students from underrepresented groups — first-generation students, students of color, and nontraditional students — to help peers with library research. He advances his profession through scholarly publications and national engagement with the Big Ten Academic Alliance and the Association of Research Libraries.

The 2024 awardee information (above) was written and provided by the Office of University Development, as published in a University Record article.

Previous University Librarian Recognition Award Recipients

2023 — Denise Leyton, University Library, Strategic Planning Team

2022 — Callum Carr, UM-Flint, Archivist

2021 — Leigh Billings, University Library, Metadata Management

2020 — Liangyu Fu, University Library, Chinese Studies

2019 — Jungwon Yang, University Library, International Government Information and Public Policy

2017 — Jo Angela (Angie) Oehrli, University Library, Learning and Teaching

2016 — Mara Blake, University Library

2015 — Marci Brandenburg, University Library, Health Sciences

2014 — Evyn Kropf, Senior Associate Librarian, Library Research – International Studies

2013 — Jamie Lausch Vander Broek, Associate Librarian, Library Research

2012 — Suzanne Chapman, University Library

2011 — Loyd Mbabu, University Library

2010 — Jean Song, University Library, Health Sciences

2009 — Jennifer Green, University Library

2008 — Donna Hayward, Associate Dean of Libraries and Librarian for Budget and Planning

2007 — Gupreet Rana, University Library

2006 — Annette Haines, University Library

2005 — Maria Bonn, University Library

2004 — Mary Rader, University Library

2003 — Susan Hollar, University Library