Reading: Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden
Ethan is a constant, familiar figure on the first floor of Hoover Library. He’s so often seen at one of the tables outside of the librarian’s office that it’s been joked that table should be labeled “Ethan’s Office.” Not only does Ethan use the library for his own classwork, he also invites and encourages others into the space, whether as part of a meeting with fellow ROTC cadets or to use the whiteboards for group work. As Ethan’s nominator put so eloquently, “It warms my heart to know that because of Ethan’s leadership and his personal use of the library, many other students are coming to know and love the library as well.” We hope Ethan will carry this passionate library patronage through the rest of his life wherever he may end up.
Black Hawk Down by Reading: Fields of Learning: The Student Farm Movement in North America
This is only Elly’s second year here at McDaniel, and yet she has already established herself as an avid library supporter. Our librarians can attest to the great work she has done with us so far. She has worked with our Science Librarian to review the Environmental Studies collections, evaluating materials and requesting new ones. She has collaborated on a book display for Earth Week with the Outreach Librarian and helped plan and put on a documentary screening event with an Environmental Studies student Kat Dixon for the One Maryland One Book program. But the example that most tugged at our library heartstrings was the one provided by her nominator, a student who explained how Dr. Engle shows her students all the library has to offer and encourages them to actually use the library’s materials and resources. With all Elly has done with us so far, we are beyond excited to continue working with her and to further develop this fantastic partnership.
Fields of Learning by Reading: The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book by Frank Caiafa
In both of her roles at McDaniel, Vanessa makes impressive use of Hoover Library. As an English instructor, she is always one of the first to request library instruction sessions for her ENG1101 and FYS classes. In those sessions, she stresses the importance of learning information literacy and research skills by using the library’s resources which is a crucial push students need to actually start building those skills. As the Director of the Writing Center, Vanessa works closely with the library to make sure students are getting help where they need it by coordinating for tutors to be available in the library during some evening hours. She has also worked with us to plan events like Citation Week and the Long Night Against Procrastination. We’re lucky to have Vanessa and grateful to have this chance to tell her thank you!
The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book by Reading: It's Kind of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
In addition to being a Psychology major set to graduate this spring, Hannah is also one of the library’ student workers, providing a helping hand to everyone who stops by the Circulation Desk. Hannah is an exemplary employee: prompt, reliable, and knowledgeable. When Hannah trains other new employees, it’s obvious they’ve been trained by a master. The really impressive thing about Hannah—and the biggest reason she was nominated and selected as an honoree—is how she goes above and beyond to promote the library’s resources and events and learn as much as she can about the library world in general. Over the course of this past semester, Hannah took the initiative to reach out to the library staff to find out more about what each area of the library does and even pick up extra work to gain more library-related experience. We will certainly miss having Hannah on the HooverLib team, but we wish her all the luck in her quest to join the library world.
It's Kind of a Funny Story by Reading: A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver
As a Professor of English and the Joan Develin Coley Chair in Creative Expression & the Arts, Kathy has long been one of the library’s biggest boosters. Whether contributing to the library’s collection, drawing inspiration from the library’s collection for her poetry, encouraging her students to use the literature in the library for their studies, managing the Richwine Room, or bringing a number of students too high to count to the library for instruction sessions, Kathy is clearly a perfect example of a Hoover Library supporter. As one of her nominators put it, it’s shocking that Kathy “has never been honored by something that like this that celebrates the very lifestyle that she leads: READ. Let’s change that.” And we say hear hear! We are so thrilled to finally bestow Kathy this honor before her imminent retirement and thank her for everything she has done to utilize and support Hoover Library.
A Poetry Handbook by Reading: Walden by Henry David Thoreau
When nominations for this year’s READ Poster Honors opened, Hailey was obviously the first and foremost person that came to many people’s minds. Both of her nominators gushed about how Hailey “lives and breathes Hoover Library.” Through her studies for both her bachelors and masters degrees here at McDaniel, Hailey has taken full advantage of everything Hoover has to offer, keeping our Circulation and InterLibrary Loan Departments busy with her requests for materials, even during academic breaks. Hailey is a true lifelong learner, and she wisely uses the library to build on that passion. We are truly honored to have someone like Hailey in our midst, utilizing and supporting us.
Walden by 
