Message from the Dean

As we prepare for the end of the semester, the tulips I planted outside my office window have been a glorious spot. On most days, someone pauses to admire them and take a photo.

I am eager to see Cougar Commons take shape. A few weeks ago, a group of us met with One Workplace, a commercial furniture vendor based in nearby Spokane, to explore design possibilities for Cougar Commons and other spaces in Terrell Library. Installers brought sample furniture to Pullman last week, and we invited students to share their thoughts and preferences. Their feedback has been invaluable as we imagine spaces that support study, collaboration, and focus.

Our collections continue to see robust use across the university. Usage data for both ProQuest e-book packages from October 2025 through April 2026 demonstrate extensive and sustained engagement, reflecting their central role in supporting research and teaching. The new ProQuest e-book package recorded 113,573 total item requests during this period, with monthly use generally ranging from about 16,000 to 19,500 requests. A total of 6,432 unique e-book titles were accessed, indicating broad use across the collection. By comparison, ProQuest Academic Complete generated a higher overall volume of activity—128,694 total item requests—but across a smaller set of titles, with 5,369 unique e-books used. Taken together, these data show that both packages are heavily relied upon by the WSU community.

March was an especially strong month for library use across WSU, with digital resources continuing to see particularly heavy engagement. In one month, we recorded 130,000 journal article downloads across platforms. Journal use was strongest on ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, and SpringerLink, reflecting sustained demand for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and interdisciplinary research content. Our physical collections also remained active, with more than 2,400 items checked out across locations—primarily from Holland and Terrell Libraries—and 65 laptop checkouts. These numbers underscore how essential both our digital and physical collections are.

I am delighted to share that Ryan Booth, Department of History assistant professor, has been named the 2026 recipient of our Library Excellence Award. Ryan has a real gift for helping students discover the excitement of research, especially through hands-on work in Terrell Library’s Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC). By partnering closely with our librarians, he brings his classes into the library repeatedly, creating engaging projects that build confidence and spark curiosity. His enthusiasm for the WSU Libraries—and his belief in their central role in student learning—is evident in everything he does and in the network of colleagues and collaborators he cultivates. Ryan also contributed to our student technology fee (STF) proposal earlier this semester, which led to us receiving funding to purchase a new microfilm reader and scanner.

Adding the need to reduce stress during finals week, we hosted a new series of events May 5 and 6 conceived by Christiano Rodrigues of the School of Music and Robin Bond of the Honors College. “Pause” is a relaxed, restorative experience that brings together live violin and piano music by Rodrigues and Karen Nguyen, concert pianist and educator, with guided mindfulness meditation by Bond, all set in the Terrell Library atrium. “Pause” is designed to help members of the WSU community step out of the rush, reset focus, and breathe.

I would also like to take a moment to remember and honor Betty Lou Wagner, whose life and generosity continue to have a lasting impact on WSU Libraries. Betty Lou came to Washington State College as a student in the mid-1940s, worked in the Bryan Hall Library, witnessed the construction of Holland Library, and went on to build a remarkable career at the University of Washington Architecture-Urban Planning Library, where she served for 53 years and was recognized for her lifetime of service. Her deep love of libraries, learning, and the people who make our work possible led her to establish an endowment in 2013 supporting professional development for library faculty and staff—a gift that continues to open doors, including support this year for staff travel to professional conferences. I wrote an article for this issue of Browse on Betty Lou, who passed away on Nov. 8, 2025.

This issue also has a story and video segment on new professional-grade equipment now available for student checkout at Owen Science and Engineering Library. This opportunity is made possible through a new partnership between WSU and the Fluke Corporation in Everett, Washington. Students can now borrow tools such as a thermal camera, multimeters, and an airflow meter, providing hands-on access to industry-standard equipment that supports coursework, projects, and innovation. This checkout program reflects our shared commitment to making powerful learning tools more accessible across campus.

Student workers are essential to the libraries’ daily operations and vitality, contributing skill, energy, and continuity across departments. This will be a bittersweet graduation year for me, as we say goodbye to outstanding student employees who are completing their degrees. We feature Steinar Goheen, Julia Lee, Emma Darnold, Kahyun (Kate) Uhm, and Patrick Bekono in this issue. We also recognize two exceptional graduating students in particular. Bekono in Access Services represented the libraries with distinction during the WSU STF Committee grant process for two years, helping to present successful proposals for new laptops and a microform reader and scanner. Gabe Heinrichs’ dedication extends beyond his role in the systems department; his contributions to three consecutive STF proposals have significantly strengthened our ability to deliver cutting-edge audio technology to students. Heinrichs’ work with the WSU registered student organization Digital Audio Collective has also helped bring new communities into the libraries.

As we finish this semester, I want to thank Tom Rotolo, Department of Sociology professor, for his service on the WSU Faculty Senate Library Committee. I could not have asked for a better, more-engaged colleague to chair the committee, and I am very excited to work with our next chair, Wei Peng, assistant professor in the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. This committee is a critical connection between the WSU Libraries and the Faculty Senate, and I am grateful for their advice and guidance.

Saturday marks commencement, and I will participate in the College of Arts and Sciences ceremony, where I look forward to seeing Nazua Idris (English) and Arpita Sinha (Anthropology) hooded for their doctorates. Idris is collaborating with a research team in Europe to scan and describe books annotated by British author Virginia Woolf held in MASC, and Sinha has joined our communications team, preparing the short-format videos featured in this issue of Browse.

The following week will be full of end-of-semester activities before things grow a bit quieter on the Palouse. I appreciate your ongoing interest in and support of the WSU Libraries.

Trevor