The UWM Libraries celebrated the 2020 recipients of the Janet and Carl Moebius Outstanding Achievement Awards during a virtual ceremony on February 3, with Provost Johannes Britz announcing the awards. Those honored for their exceptional service in 2020 were Abigail Nye, Steve Keltner, and Jessica Rardin.
The award winners were nominated by Libraries staff. Below are some quotes drawn from their nominations.
Abbi Nye Reference and Instructional Archivist and recipient of the academic staff award
“Abbi’s knowledge of the Archives’ holdings is unparalleled. Notably, hers is not a static kind of knowledge, but rather active, as it directs the tireless work she does to connect students, instructors, and community members with the resources and ideas held within UWM Archives.”
“[Abbi] has been a reliable and proactive collaborator, shown strong leadership when confronted with challenges, shown respect and dignity to all, given back to her community, and served the university selflessly. She is a role model for multiple young professionals she has worked with including student employees, library staff, and collaborators outside UWM.”
Steve Keltner Operations Program Associate: Facilities and recipient of the university staff award
“As long as I have worked for the UWM Libraries, Steve has done the literal and figurative heavy lifting around the library. He’s usually the solution to just about any problem around the building, including responding quickly and kindly to a crisis.”
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, Steve selflessly did work that nobody else wanted to do. From enforcing masking in the Learning Commons, to facilitating access during times of closure, to keeping our emergency supplies stocked, and to helping keep our building and workspaces safe and comfortable, Steve has been dedicated.”
Jessica Rardin User Services Intern and recipient of the student employment award
“Since she was hired in the summer of 2019, Jessica hit the ground running in User Services. With her background in campus enrollment and student support, Jessica brings deep empathy and openness to all her interactions with library users and fellow interns.”
“[Jessica] has made several substantial contributions to the library instruction program and delivered them both face to face and online as 2020 demanded. When the call came to provide hands on support for multiple sections of Communication 103 over multiple days, Jessica created a learning activity and met with each of the 24 sections last spring. With the transition to online learning in Fall 2020, Jessica learned to use the Blackboard Collaborate synchronous learning tool and translated her Communication 103 lesson to that format.”