02/10/2026
Our 2026 Library Hero is ✨Liz Woolcott✨!
USU Libraries Associate Dean for Collections & Discovery and past CVLA President
Nomination #1:
"I am writing in support of naming Liz Woolcott CVLA's 2026 Library Hero. Liz is a leader in CVLA and at her workplace, Utah State University Libraries, where she currently serves as Associate Dean and Department Head of Collections & Discovery. In her 20 years at USU, Liz has worked across the Libraries from student staff member to a leader on the Executive Team. In each of her roles, she has brought a dedication to discovery, curiosity, learning, and engagement that has improved everyone she has worked with whether they are a patron or a colleague.
"Liz is kind. She is thoughtful, and when she thinks (which is always), she thinks deeply. I have learned much from her and watched as those she has the opportunity to work with are improved by their collaboration with her. She sets a positive tone that focuses on getting things done, and she never loses sight of the people that are doing the work. Every day, she makes sure to recognize the contributions of her team and spotlight the impact that they have on library patrons.
"Liz is a national rock star. She's dedicated her talents to improving access to USU Libraries collection materials through metadata processes, contributed to national standards description, and made professional connections that have improved access to resources here in Cache Valley. She is a nationally recognized author with regular contributions to peer-reviewed literature that advance the field of librarianship internationally. Her contributions were recognized at USU when she was promoted to Full Librarian in 2023.
"We are lucky that Liz has dedicated her many talents to the library community in Cache Valley. As a past president and former CVLA board member, Liz has tackled various initiatives to bring awareness to Cache Valley libraries and the benefits they bring to residents. If there's an important topic in Cache Valley, Liz is there and in the know. We benefit from her interest, insights, and guidance.
"Finally, she's also just a lovely friend and colleague. I love working with Liz and I think she deserves to be recognized for all that she does."
- Jen Kirk
Nomination #2:
"I'd like to nominate Liz Woolcott for the 2026 Library Hero, because I'm a huge fan of her quiet, thoughtful, and insightful approach to library work and leadership. I'm also a fan of Liz as a friend, as I've known her for years and can attest to her compassion, her moral conscience, and her quick wit and humor. Liz is amazing!
"I served with Liz on the very first CVLA Executive Committee back in 2013, when she was Secretary of our fledgling organization. She then served a three-year leadership term as President-Elect, President, and Past President. Liz always took the task of developing this new association seriously and brought the same steady and calm attention to its leadership that she continues to exhibit in her current position as Associate Dean at the Merrill-Cazier Library at USU . Actually, I feel like "attention' is the word that I most readily associate with Liz, since she is such a wonderfully active listener. She brings a gravity and analytical focus to every conversation I've had with her. I truly appreciate her ability to understand, empathize with, and center others in our shared communities.
"Over the years, Liz has been a champion of library service in big and small ways. Jen Kirk has mentioned her outstanding and deep work in the USU libraries and at the national level, but I would like to also mention that Liz has been active in supporting her fellow Cache Valley library workers in big and small ways. She demonstrated solidarity and support when the Cache Bookmobile lost its funding and offered the same recently when the Cache County Library faced a similar plight. She's always been ready to stand up for others in the communities we serve, and I feel proud to have stood with her as a comrade in the fight for more equitable library services for our residents and the even bigger fight for a kinder and more equitable society.
"Liz Woolcott is indeed a hero for so many of us in the library community. Her presence in our organization has been a source of strength and inspiration, and I feel fortunate to have witnessed her skill and expertise in so many arenas during the years I've known Liz. She's one of the smartest people I know, and I regularly hang out with library people most of the time, so you know what a big compliment this is! She also possesses a generous and kind heart, and this might be the reason I admire Liz Woolcott the most."
- Shawn Bliss
