CURRENT POSITION Access Services Librarian, Loyola Notre Dame Library, Baltimore, MD DEGREE MLIS, Simmons University School of Library and Information Science, 2020 Photo by Audrey Gatewood

Campus Connector

While viewed as the academic backbone of the two universities it serves, the Loyola Notre Dame Library (LNDL) “struggled like so many other libraries to bring patrons back into the building following the pandemic,” says Mallory Wareham. “We also faced the ever-present challenge of showing our patrons that libraries are far more than just a quiet study space.” 

In her first two years at the library, Wareham introduced community-building programming “while also staying grounded in its foundation of supporting student success and faculty excellence,” according to nominator, Danielle Johnson, LNDL’s copyright and special projects librarian. 

Fall Fest, one of Wareham’s most impactful initiatives, invites students to a “fun-filled introduction to library services and other campus partners,” explains Johnson. Attracting more than 300 students in 2023 and 400 in 2024, the event features multiple stations and activities, including an Archives & Special Collections petting zoo, projects using makerspace tools, and the opportunity to connect with student groups such as Loyola’s Table Top Gaming Club and the Taylor Swift Society. “Before Fall Fest, LNDL had never hosted a large-scale annual event,” says Wareham. Not only is the event itself a success, but it correlates with “a 36 percent increase in gate count since our first Fall Fest, as well as a 47 percent increase in scheduled events at LNDL.” 

An ALA Spectrum Scholar, Wareham is grateful to have received mentorship and support from other Black librarians. “I hope that as I continue in this field, I can be that example to other marginalized folks in the library world,” she says.