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Library honors Class of 2026 student employees with a celebration and special gift

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  • Room full of students seated at round tables listening to woman speaking at the podium in wood-paneled room
  • Two smiling young women with glasses holding open book to show title page (on left) and bookplate (on right)
  • Young smiling man with glasses stands in front of leaded glass window holding open a book showing a bookplate at left and title page at right
  • Students and librarian mentors seated at round tables with tiered tray of sandwiches and cookies at center, clapping and smiling
  • Woman with long brown hair holds up a book cover with title "Broderies" and light and dark blue flower design and solitary female figure walking
  • Standing woman with shoulder-length brown hair and glasses speaks into microphone while man and woman seated next to her look on
  • Five books in mylar stands on display. Black book in front reads in white lettering on staves of music "mid-career retrospective with new commissioned piece for moma"
  • the book "Anne of Green Gables" by L. M. Montgomery, with green and beige cover with border of gold flowers on green background displayed on mylar stand
  • Two rows of mylar book stands displaying 11 books with solid covers and bar codes. One has title that reads "Sister Outsider, Audre Lorde"
May 4, 2026

Each year, hundreds of students in the student employment program work in library departments across campus. They assist with digital imaging services, curatorial work, collections maintenance, social media efforts, StatLab consulting, and more. While they are contributing to the success of the library, they are also gaining valuable hands-on experience.

“I really cherish my time as a student employee within Yale’s libraries,” said Mohamed Diallo, who was a Community Engagement intern at Beinecke Library. “Having the opportunity to do archival research and cataloguing as a student intern has allowed me to build technical skills and opened my eyes to other professional opportunities.”

Thanks from the library

To congratulate its Class of 2026 student employees, the library held its third annual end-of-year celebration in Sterling Memorial Library. Barbara Rockenbach, Stephen F. Gates ’68 University Librarian, toasted the group, thanking them for their valuable contributions to the library’s successful operation.

Basie Gitlin ’10, senior director, Development and External Affairs, spoke about his own experiences as a Yale Library student employee during his undergraduate years. Kim Copenhaver, director of Bass Library and director of Access and Public Services, organizer of the event, welcomed the students and thanked their librarian mentors, who joined the celebration.

Each of the graduating students was honored with a specially designed bookplate, inscribed with their name. The bookplates are placed on the front end papers of a book of their choice, either already in the collection or recently acquired. This year, 88 student employees selected favorite titles for their customized bookplates.

Selected books ranged from classics like “Anne of Green Gables” by L. M. Montgomery and “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley to “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain and “The Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler. Employees who worked alongside librarians at the Gilmore Music Library chose manuscripts by Béla Bartók, Samuel Barber, and other composers. Science, religion, and philosophy books were also among the selections.

Kat Nance, operations manager for Bass and Sterling libraries, gathered the students’ chosen books and coordinated their personalization. As he has since the program began in 2023, letterpress printer Jesse Marsolais, a faculty member in the Yale School of Art, printed the bookplates, which are his original design. 

Thanks from the students

Stephanie Lopez, head of Access Services, Marx Library, contributed to the event in multiple ways, including creating the slide presentation and several reflective engagement activities for the students. Activities included a “photo booth” setup for selfies and a Post-it note board where students could respond to the prompt, “My favorite part about working at the library was… .”

“Being surrounded by beautiful/creative artist books and books on architecture and graphic design!” wrote one student. “Finding hidden gems and getting lost in the stacks,” wrote another. “The amazing people!” wrote a third, “The staff at Sterling Memorial Library are the kindest people you will meet on campus. I <3 STM!”

“Thank you, Marx Library staff, for being a home away from home during my time at Yale,” wrote Jungbin “Jaime” Cha, one of the 12 graduates who have been library employees throughout their undergraduate careers. “Your kindness and care truly made Yale feel welcoming,” Cha said, “I will miss you all so much. Thanks for making my four years at Yale so special.”

“From making dainty little buttons and decoding riddles at the front desk to wonderful whimsy conversations with staff and passersby, my senior year of working at the library has been amazing!” said Amadie Gajanaike, who also worked at Marx Library. “It has been so cool to serve at the heart of it all and be a part of a team that truly fosters this beacon of learning.”

Read more about the Student Employee Bookplate Program and see the complete list of books selected by the Class of 2026 library employees.

Students who are interested in working in the library can log in to the JobX portal in late August to view and apply for paid library positions that will open in the fall.

Learn more about student jobs and working at Yale Library. Students can also learn more about student employment opportunities at the Undergraduate Academic Fair, which will be held in September.

—Deborah Cannarella

Photos by Harold Shapiro

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