The University of Delaware Library thanked its many library student assistants at the Library Student Assistant Appreciation Reception held Thursday, May 12. The library also recognized 41 graduating library student assistants for their academic achievements.

The library could not function without all of the 157 student assistants who work approximately 31,375 hours per year, a representative said. This is the equivalent of 20 full-time staff.

The reception provided an opportunity for library staff to thank the student assistants who performed essential “front-line” services such as checking-out library and reserve materials; shelving new and returned books, journals and newspapers; checking-in new journals, newspapers and other periodicals; processing interlibrary loan requests; assisting library users with multimedia equipment; providing assistance to users at a service desk; and many other information-related duties.

The highlight of the reception was a display of books selected by and honoring the graduating library student assistants. The books were selected from recent library acquisitions and had special bookplates noting the student’s name and year of graduation.

The selected titles reflected the personal and academic interests of each of the graduating library student assistants as well as current events. Examples of books selected by members of the Class of 2016 include: Let’s Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain by Alan Light; Practicing Utopia: An Intellectual History of the New Town Movement by Rosemary Wakeman; and The Golden Age of Botanical Art by Martyn Rix and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Towobola (Victoria) Sapara was presented with the 2016 Library Student Assistant Service Award in appreciation for having worked more than 3,400 hours.

Holly Gunlefinger received the 2016 UDLAPS Library Student Assistant Scholarship in recognition of her outstanding student service, commitment to librarianship and leadership potential. The $750 scholarship supports Gunlefinger’s graduate library education. The scholarship is funded by private donations from the library staff and coordinated by the University of Delaware Library Assembly of Professional Staff (UDLAPS).