AU Libraries Student Supervisor Named Marlin Miller Outstanding Senior

Marlin Miller Outstanding Senior Winners Knox VanRenselaar and Owen Nelson

Congratulations to Knox VanRenselaar for being named 2023 Marlin Miller Outstanding Senior! VanRenselaar worked at Scholes Library for more than three years, first as circulation desk assistant, then as a circulation desk student supervisor.

Congratulations as well to fellow award winner, Owen Nelson.

While working at Scholes Library VanRenselaar spearheaded the initiative to create two satellite food pantries in Herrick and Scholes Library increasing the reach of the primary food pantry location in the Judson leadership Center.

From Amsterdam, NY, VanRenselaar is a double major who earned bachelor’s degrees in history and theater in December 2022. They are pursuing a master’s degree in philosophy and social policy from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Read the full AU press release about Knox and Owen and their amazing accomplishments!

Congratulations to the winners and all the nominees!

The AU Libraries would also like to extend thanks to Marlin Miller for providing this generous honor to Alfred University students and to the selection committee for your contribution to this award.

LibChat is Live!

AU Libraries are pleased to announce a new way to ask questions and engage with librarians and staff…LibChat!

LibChat is a chat reference widget embedded on the libraries.alfred.edu website.

Active LibChat Widget

If you see this box pop up on the AU Libraries website, it’s not an AI bot-there’s a live human on the other side ready to assist you.  Librarians and staff will be online to monitor the chat Mondays-Fridays between 9:15am and 4:15pm (minus a noon hour lunch break for the humans). We are happy to assist you with everything from quick questions or in-depth research.

Minimized LibChat Widget

If you see the small chat icon in the corner, you can also start a chat this way.  If there is no one online at the time your message will be saved, and we’ll get back to you soon.

We invite you to give it a try!

AU Libraries Logo

Call for Nominations: AU Libraries Community Impact Award

The Alfred University Libraries are pleased to announce the AU Libraries Community Impact Award, the second of our two new awards to honor our exceptional students.

Nominations will be accepted through March 10th 

Nomination Form

AU Libraries Community Impact Award

This award acknowledges and celebrates undergraduate or graduate students who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in promoting the Libraries’ values on campus and in the community with clear and positive impacts as the result of these efforts. Some of the Libraries’ core values are a commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression, support for intellectual and cultural diversity, the free and open pursuit of knowledge, and a passion for sustainability. As part of an ongoing dedication to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility, the Alfred University Libraries seek to empower students to explore diversity issues, expand scholarly conversations beyond the historically dominant voices and perspectives, and inspire others to advance social justice.

Student award winners receive $150, a certificate, and recognition for their outstanding efforts at Honors Convocation.

Questions about eligibility or criteria may be sent to libraries@alfred.edu.

Call for Nominations: AU Libraries Outstanding Researcher Award

The Alfred University Libraries are pleased to accept nominations from AU Faculty and staff for the AU Libraries Outstanding Researcher Award to be given at this year’s Honors Convocation.


Nominations will be accepted through Friday, March 10th.

AU Libraries Outstanding Researcher Award
This award recognizes student researchers at the undergraduate and graduate level who have demonstrated excellence, innovation, and an understanding of information literacy and the research process as part of an original course-related research project, in any format or medium including creative work, which utilizes AU Libraries collections, resources, and services.

Nomination Form for Outstanding Research Award

Student award winners receive $150, a certificate, and recognition for their outstanding efforts at Honors Convocation.

Questions about eligibility or criteria may be sent to libraries@alfred.edu.

Student-Created Blind Date with a Book Display in Herrick Library

You shouldn’t always judge a book by its cover.

Put your trust in fate and choose a book without knowing the title, maybe you will fall in love!

Don’t judge a book by its cover


If you don’t like your date there are no hard feelings or awkward breakups, simply return it and try again!

Herrick Library Student Supervisors Amber Weinar and Corrie Kayes coordinated with other Herrick Library student workers to create the display.

Located in Herrick Library’s BookEnd Lounge.

“I love the solitude of reading. I love the deep dive into someone else’s story, the delicious ache of a last page.”
―Naomi Shihab Nye


Insta: au.libraries
TikTok: aulibraries_
Facebook: Alfred University Libraries

Frederick Jones is best know for the development of which technology that facilitated the transport of food and blood during World War II?

The answer is…

mobile refrigeration (ex. refrigerated trucks).

https://www.biography.com/inventors/frederick-jones

Want more Trivia?

Join us for Team Trivia Night in Herrick Library!

Saturday, February 18th 8pm-10pm in the BookEnd Lounge

Come with a group, join one when you arrive or play as a group of one.  Everyone is welcome to join in the fun.

Hosted by DJ Mike Allen.

Pizza & Soda, Milk & Cookies Provided!

>>PRIZES!! for the top 3 teams<<


Which singer’s real name is Robyn Fenty?

And the answer is…

Rhianna. The nine-time Grammy award winner’s full name is Robyn Rhianna Fenty.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rihanna

For the record, you may be pronouncing it wrong. Rhianna pronounces her name Rhi-ANNA.

https://time.com/5597167/rihanna-name-pronounce/

Enjoy trivia? Fun Fact:

Herrick Library is hosting Team Trivia

Saturday, February 18th

from 8pm-10pm in the Book End Lounge.

Come with a group, join one when you arrive or play as a group of one.  Everyone is welcome to join in the fun.

Hosted by DJ Mike Allen.

Pizza & Soda, Milk & Cookies Provided!

>>PRIZES!! for the top 3 teams<<

Who was the highest paid athlete in 2022?

The answer is…

Argentine footballer, Lionel Messi. According to Forbes.com, Lionel (Leo) Messi earned $130 million dollars in 2022. $75 million on the field, $55 million off the field.

https://www.forbes.com/athletes/

Want more fun facts?

Join us for Team Trivia Night in Herrick Library!

Saturday, February 18th 8pm-10pm in the BookEnd Lounge

Come with a group, join one when you arrive or play as a group of one.  Everyone is welcome to join in the fun.

Hosted by DJ Mike Allen.

Pizza & Soda, Milk & Cookies Provided!

>>PRIZES!! for the top 3 teams<<

Student Worker Honored as Sportsman of the Year

Tyreek Ormil
Tyreek Ormil

Congratulations to Scholes Library student employee Tyreek Ormil on being selected as Alfred University’s Sportsman of the Year!

The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that “Competing with Honor and Integrity” is an essential component of a student-athlete’s experience in conjunction with an institution’s educational mission. Tyreek embodies these traits on and off the field. Tyreek is known for his reliability, hard work and positive attitude.

Read about all ten students who received Empire 8 All-Conference honors.

Librarians to Give Bergren Forum

Information literacy is not just for research projects! Alfred University Librarians Kevin Adams, Samantha Dannick, John Hosford, and Mechele Romanchock will present a brief overview of information literacy theory followed by practical strategies for fact-checking, avoiding misinformation, and applying information literacy concepts in daily life as well as in the classroom.

The panel presentation will be Thursday, November, 10th in-person from 12:10 to 1:00pm in Nevins Theatre, Powell Campus Center.

For those not able to make it to Nevins, there is a Zoom link which is the same each week.

The Bergren Forum is sponsored by the Division of Human Studies and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Bring a brown bag lunch if you wish. Coffee and tea will be provided.

But people who Zoom in will have to make their own tea or coffee.