Fall 2024 Notable News from Ohio University Libraries

Ohio University Libraries is excited to welcome three new staff members: Kate Hoefler, library support specialist for the Zanesville regional campus and Zane State College, Haley Shaw, manager of Library Services for the Zanesville regional campus, and Heaven Herrold, educational technology and art librarian.

Kate Hoefler is a part of three generations of Bobcats, so she is no stranger to the OHIO community. She has experience as a Circulation Supervisor at Muskingum University’s library where she loved being among the stacks, working with student workers and taking part in getting students and faculty the resources they needed.

Hoefler for the past eight years has worked remotely in the K-12 and higher education textbook industry, and while she enjoyed book and lesson production, as well as the people she worked with, she found herself missing library work and what libraries stand for. She wanted to contribute to her own community and when the Library Support Specialist position opened, she felt that it was perfect.
 

“I really look forward to supporting efforts to make the Library a vibrant place— a place students think of when wanting to spend time somewhere, whether they need to do work or simply unwind between classes,” Hoefler wrote. “Libraries are so much more than their stacks and databases. I think of them as places where everyone can know they belong before they even set foot in them. I love when students know that, and I want more students to know that.”

Haley Shaw is excited to return to OHIO with her new position as the Manager of Library Services for the Zanesville regional campus. Also a Bobcat, Shaw got her bachelor’s of arts in classics and anthropology at OHIO before getting a master’s of library and information sciences from Kent State University. Previously, Shaw was a youth services librarian, and she was also a student worker at the Music & Dance Library and that role was her reason for seeking a career in libraries.

In her new position, Shaw wrote in an email that she’s very excited to be able to help students and faculty with research and projects.

“One big goal I have for this role is to make the Zanesville Campus Library a place people want to be,” Shaw wrote. “We serve both the Ohio University Zanesville and Zane State College communities, and I want everyone to feel welcome here and think of the Library as a place they can come, be it to study, work on a group project, seek out help or information, or just to relax for a bit between classes.”

Heaven Herrold is also no stranger to the Bobcat family. Herrold earned her undergraduate degree at OHIO as a graphic design major while working at Alden Library. Eventually, she became a full-time employee at Alden in 2018 as a Learning Commons Coordinator, where she managed media arts tutors and supported students with their creative projects. In addition, Herrold earned two master’s degrees, a master’s in library sciences and a master’s in user experience design, from Kent State University.

Herrold wrote in an email that she wants to make an impact on the student experience, whether it be through content she develops or support of students and  faculty in the arts. She also mentioned that she wants to create accessible and flexible learning options for all.

“I’m passionate about making the Library a more inclusive, empowering space for all,” Herrold wrote. “I’m also excited to be here at a time when the arts at Ohio University are gaining new attention with major facility upgrades, which will ultimately bring our Library even closer to the heart of the creative community on campus. I can’t wait to bring my expertise and enthusiasm for creative learning to OHIO, and I look forward to helping students and faculty discover just how empowering a library can be.”

The Libraries staff are happy to welcome these three new members and look forward to all that they will accomplish during their time at OHIO.