Congratulations
WSU PSAC
P'Sack' April  2008 Awardee

Fran Zedney

Reference and Instruction Coordinator
Library

P'Sack' Awardee of the Month

BIOGRAPHY

I love helping people learn more about using library resources. And learn something new every day!  I love genealogy and paper crafting, including making paper and greeting cards. I love the academic setting and the commitment that faculty and staff have to providing our students a great learning experience. And I work with a great bunch of people!

I was an English major, Library Science minor at my alma mater, California State University, Sacramento. Received my MLS at BYU more years ago than I like to admit. I've lived in Roy for 30 years and worked for many years at Weber County Library before my move to WSU. I belong to the Utah Library Association and several local and state genealogy societies. 

I just became a grandma (granddaughter born in March 2008). Am I really that old? Yikes!

Thanks for the award. It's a great honor to be recognized by my peers!

NOMINATION SELECTION

All effective organizations have one person who’s at the center of everything. At Stewart Library, that person is Fran Zedney. Her official title is Coordinator of Reference and Instruction Services. Fran’s job description says that she’s responsible for the physical environment of the reference area and for scheduling library instruction. This utilitarian description hides the fact that she makes the library comfortable for students, faculty and staff who use our resources. She helps people find what they need and does so in such a way that they ask for her when they return. Fran doesn’t stop with extraordinary job performance. She’s the heart and soul of library functions. The Library won most creative use of theme at the 2007 Wildcat Block Party. We still get comments about the eyeballs in the jars. Fran decorated the booth, including eyeballs in jars. People came to stare and stayed to learn about Stewart Library and Weber State.

Three words sum up what Fran has brought to Stewart Library: eyeballs in jars. Not what you expected to hear, right? Fran’s not what you expect to find when you hear the word librarian. No tight bun, no warning, wagging, finger, no sensible shoes. Okay, maybe sensible shoes -she’s on her feet passing her love of both the library and Weber on to others. She makes sure that the Reference area and classrooms function well. She teaches, both in a formal classroom setting, and one-on-one at the reference desk.

Fran is the heart and soul of the library. Birthdays are celebrated, brides showered, babies celebrated (her first grandbaby just arrived!) and campus and community events attended, because Fran cares. Every group should be lucky enough to have a Fran. Eyeballs and all.