The ASU Library is pleased to highlight recent recipients of the Tomalee Doan LibAid for Student Success award. Travis Daniel received the first-place award for his work in the Makerspace. Second place was awarded to Becky Salazar, for her work in the Course Resource Services department. LibAid for Student Success has become a valued tradition to recognize outstanding student workers and their invaluable contributions to the ASU Library and university community.
Inspiring creators in the Makerspace
Travis Daniel has worked in the ASU Library’s Makerspace for almost two years and in that time has become a dependable and knowledgeable member of the team.
From teaching students and visitors how to use the 3D printing equipment to running workshops and events, Daniel makes the Makerspace experience welcoming for anyone who visits.
Daniel was nominated by his Makerspace supervisors, specialist Michael Sepulveda and program manager Alexia Lopez Klein.
Sepulveda shared, “Travis helps lead some of the workshops that Makerspace has started hosting this year. He and his co-workers have been invaluable in teaching their fellow peers how to design and make their projects. In the coming semester, we have tasked our students with coming up with specialized workshops and Travis has developed some very exciting projects we cannot wait to host!”
For Daniel, working in the Makerspace means being able to work in and contribute to a vibrant and creative community.
“Working at the ASU Library, and especially working at the Makerspace, means I have the opportunity to share knowledge, collaborate, and learn with others,” said Daniel. “Through our unique collection of equipment and knowledge, working here means I can help connect my peers with necessary resources and build a fun and innovative culture for them to grow in.”
Lopez Klein added, “Travis has helped many members of the ASU community, including students, staff, faculty, and more recently Mirabella residents who began using our space. He is someone who can be counted on by any department or person in the library.
Daniel is majoring in electrical engineering and expects to graduate in May 2024. The award will help Daniel focus on his education and secure another semester for pursuing his degree.
Providing greater access to resources and materials
The ASU Library’s Course Resource Services (CRS) is dedicated to connecting students with their course materials as seamlessly as possible. The team works with instructors to embed materials of all types, whether part of the library collection, provided by the instructor or freely available online. These efforts help save students money and eliminate barriers students face when accessing course materials.
Becky Salazar a third-year student majoring in landscape architecture joined the CRS team in 2021. Whether helping maintain the Culture Pass program to PDF processing, her efforts help make these materials more accessible for everyone. CRS student workers may encounter unique challenges such as understanding the nuances of copyright law to translate text and audio for resources and learning how to work the library’s backend systems.
Salazar was nominated by Sam Mijal, user services coordinator in CRS. “One of Becky’s talents is PDF processing, which CRS does in order to ensure that we are maintaining accessible resources,” said Mijal. “She not only follows the set training for PDF processing but also goes beyond it to ensure we are making the best accommodations possible.”
Mijal added, “These challenges are not for the faint of heart and CRS student workers like Salazar are champions in creating innovative solutions to tackle these problems.”
For Salazar, seeing a whole other side of the library has opened up her eyes to the services and community provided for students and faculty. “To me, the ASU Library goes beyond the books, computer programs, and a vast amount of information students have access to,” said Salazar. “Working at the ASU Library means to take part in this community and have continuous and common efforts to bring success to students, faculty and each other.”
The award will help Salazar with creating her professional portfolio and attending networking events with the goal of becoming a landscape architect.
Your donations can help support student success
Created in 2019, the Tomalee Doan LibAid for Student Success provides support to student employees who show a high level of commitment to serving the library and ASU.
To help students like Travis and Becky, please consider making a donation. Your support makes a difference for student workers in the ASU Library.