Awards & Honors
Fernanda Perrone, archivist and head of the exhibitions program for Special Collections and University Archives, will be inducted as a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists at the society’s 2025 annual meeting in August.
Zara Wilkinson, reference and instruction librarian at Robeson Library, won the 2025 NJLA Research Award for “The prevalence of textbook affordability and OER initiatives at ARL libraries,” which was published in The Journal of Academic Librarianship in July 2024. After the award ceremony, she presented a summary of the research project and its findings.
New Endeavors
Kamilah Holtz, library associate II at Dana Library, has been admitted to the master of information program at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information in New Brunswick. She begins the program this fall.
Ann Marie Latini, head of access services for Robeson Library, was elected as the academic library Representative for the LibraryLink NJ Executive Board. Her three-year term began July 1.
Graduations
The following Rutgers University Libraries employees earned advanced degrees in May:
- Rose Barbalace, library supervisor I at Alexander Library, received a master of human resource management from the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations.
- Bret McCandless, music and performing arts librarian at Douglass Library, received a PhD in musicology from Indiana University–Bloomington. His dissertation was “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught: A History of Educational Programs for Musical Theater Writers,” advised by Judah Cohen, PhD.
- Edward Robinson, library associate II at Robeson Library, received a master of information (MI) degree with a concentration in archives and preservation from the Rutgers School of Communication and Information.
Service Recognition
Multiple faculty and staff members from Rutgers University Libraries were recognized by the university at receptions held in May (faculty) and June (staff) for their years of service to Rutgers. The honorees are:
40 YEARS
- Fatima Cunha, library associate II, Access Services, Dana Library
- Vincent Pelote, senior archivist and digital preservation strategist, Institute of Jazz Studies, Dana Library
20 YEARS
- Krista Haviland, library associate II, Access Services, Library of Science and Medicine
- Amy Joyner, business assistant II, Administration and Technology
- Soo Jung Lee, library associate II, Access Services, Library of Science and Medicine
- L. Miller, library associate II, Access Services, Math/Physics Library
- Gillian Newton, librarian II, Access Services, Alexander Library
- Michele Petosa, senior administrative assistant and coordinator of libraries human resources, University Librarian
- Caryn Radick, digital strategies librarian as of July 2025 (formerly digital archivist, Special Collections and University Archives, Alexander Library)
10 YEARS
- Christine Lutz, NJ regional studies librarian and head of public services, Special Collections and University Archives, Alexander Library
- Consuella Askew, vice president of university libraries and university librarian
- Mina Ghajar, education and research librarian, Smith Library
- Ermira Mitre, library technician I, Access Services, Smith Library
- Amanda Presler, business manager, Administration and Technology
Arrivals
The following faculty and staff members joined Rutgers University Libraries during this fiscal year:
- Paige Morgan, assistant vice president for collections and digital strategies, University Librarian (June 2025)
- Stephen Bacchetta, metadata archivist, Special Collections and University Archives, Alexander Library (March 2025)
- Quionne Scott, senior executive assistant, University Librarian (April 2025)
- Joanne Dera, science librarian, Dana Library (March 2025)
- Michael Montalbano, history of medicine processing archivist, Smith Library (March 2025)
- Benjamin Houtman, processing archivist, Institute of Jazz Studies, Dana Library (January 2025)
- Amanda Clay Powers, associate university librarian for Rutgers University–Newark, Dana Library (January 2025)
- Lara De Meo Hoyt, director of communications and marketing, University Librarian (August 2024)
Departures
The following faculty and staff members left Rutgers University Libraries this year.
- Fatima Cunha retired as library associate II in August 2025.
- Gillian Newton retired as library associate II in Access Services at Alexander Library in July 2025.
- Julie Still retired as reference and collection development librarian at Robeson Library in July 2025.
- Al King retired as records standardization designer for Special Collections and University Archives in July 2025.
- Julia Maxwell resigned as social sciences librarian at Alexander Library in June 2025.
- Mark Papianni retired as technical coordinator A/V services at Dana Library in April 2025.
- John Brennan retired as senior executive assistant in the Office of the University Librarian in March 2025.
- Lisa Ryder resigned as senior web content specialist in January 2025.
- Dan DelMonaco resigned as education/research librarian at Smith Library in January 2025.
- Laura Mullen retired as behavioral sciences librarian/open access specialist at LSM in July 2024.
- Zohreh Bonianian retired as library supervisor II at Alexander Library in July 2024.
- Geoffrey Wood resigned as metadata librarian at TSB in September 2024.
- Emily Cerri resigned as library tech I at RWJ Library in October 2024.