Librarian has passion for books; cares about students

This archived article was written by: Valeria Moncada

Lori Brassaw is the newly appointed library director at USU-CEU after serving a year as interim.

Some of Brassaw’s goals for the CEU library are to maintain the mission of the college, for the resources to reflect an academic library, great customer service, and to increase electronic access. There is an electronic card catalog and electronic subscription databases. She would like to improve the electronic faculty reserves, and to eventually have an electronic self-checkout.

Students should visit the CEU library because it’s a great study environment. They have great recourses plus instructors have information on reserve for students. There are several study rooms. It’s a great place to hangout. They also have a couple of puzzles up stairs for students to work on.

The library is Wi-Fi accessible. New books are available. One of the most popular sections in the library is the astronomy section. “The facilities are candescent to study,” she said.

“There will not be any drastic changes in the CEU library because of the merger. CEU is fortunate with the merger to be able to access a lot more electronic resources,” she said. The library at USU has been very generous to include CEU onto the subscription of several databases that were too expensive for the college in the past. Not everything is available to the library, but certainly more.

The CEU library will be receiving over 30,000 electronic academic journals through the merger. Over 50,000 electronic books have been added to their card catalog. One the thing that Brassaw enjoys as a librarian is to have that association with fellow librarians.

One of the things that has changed, not because of the merger but upon Brassaw’s own decision, is that she has weighted the collection to reflect and support campus programs and to build the academic side of the library.
The CEU library is open to the public; however, people do have to have a library card if they are not enrolled or work at CEU. There is an annual fee for library cards now. Lori is looking forward to obtaining new carpet in the library.

“The best thing I like about being a librarian is that I love touching new books, opening boxes of books, rubbing new books, and reading books. I like the quiet environment and the fact that there is access of information to everybody, regardless of their status in society. Whether they’re rich or poor, regardless they can come to the library and retrieve information.”
She worked at CEU for seven years. She has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in library science. She is from the San Francisco Bay area. The biggest risk she has taken in her life was moving to Price, Utah, without knowing anyone here or where it was.

Her biggest regret in life was not going to library school sooner. She had an opportunity 10 years before she went, but kept putting it off. Now she is very grateful that she went. The biggest thing in life that Brassaw is most proud of is her son.

“The book that has changed my life is “To Kill a Mockingbird.” I don’t think you can read “To Kill a Mockingbird” and not think twice about the world you live in. It makes you rethink everything from your society, to mental illness, to parenting, to siblings, to neighbors to good and evil.” Brassaw said.

She chose to work at the CEU library because she loves libraries, and the fact that it’s bright. That it’s not so massive, people get lost, and that it has a happy feel to it as opposed to a cave-like feel. She also likes that the library is accessible. “I love being a librarian, I love coming to work every day. I also encourage students to choose a profession that they are passionate about so that they will want to wake up every morning and go to work,” Brassaw said.

“Next time you need a quiet place to study, or a place to find a good book, be sure to stop by the CEU library there are many new books that are just waiting to be read.” She said.