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K-State Today

March 4, 2021

K-State Libraries faculty and staff recognized for excellence

Submitted by Cailin Riley

K-State Libraries recently honored three employees — Felisa Osburn, Raymond Deiser and Ryan Leimkuehler — for outstanding service.

Osburn, library assistant III, was chosen as the Support Staff of the Year. The award recognizes a support staff employee's special contributions, dedication to daily tasks and ability to work successfully across the organization.

According to her nominator, "As the only staff member employed at the Math/Physics Library this past year, Felisa was responsible for handling the challenges the pandemic brought to the library. She quickly took the initiative by working with others to find space to store furniture, redistributing computers to facilitate social distancing and training student workers on cleaning and quarantining procedures."

This year, Deiser, library specialist, received the Dean's Award. The Dean's Award recognizes a nontenure track professional's contributions to K-State Libraries in the previous two academic years.

Deiser did extensive work with the API tool Grima to make it work well for sorting materials for the return to Hale Library, saving staff hours' worth of extra work and headaches. A nominator said of Deiser, "Raymond has been an essential team member in the effort to bring books back to Hale Library. He is also known for being very responsive to questions and requests and is willing to give of his time and expertise."

Leimkuehler, university records manager, received the Brice G. Hobrock Distinguished Faculty Award. Annually, the award recognizes outstanding librarianship and superior accomplishments among the K-State Libraries faculty.

One of Leimkuehler's nominators said, "Ryan's ability to adapt to changing conditions and still maintain a positive and productive work ethic was reflected in his response to the Hale Library fire when many previously analog operations needed to transition to an electronic/digital domain. His passion for tackling tough records issues helps ensure that many voices across campus are heard."

Each winner receives a monetary prize, and their names are added to award plaques in Hale Library. The Brice G. Hobrock Distinguished Faculty Award was established by the Friends of K-State Libraries to honor Dean Emeritus Hobrock upon his retirement in 2004. Both the Hobrock Award and the Support Staff of the Year Award are funded through the Friends of the K-State Libraries.