From the Nominator

Coming to Chapman University as a transfer student, marketing and events student assistant Jimmy Elinksi had only a vague idea of what the campus had to offer until he started working at the libraries. With a strong affinity for libraries, writing, and storytelling, Jimmy felt like it was a match made in heaven when he was offered a job to join the team. Since the first day, his love for the libraries has only grown. Each day, Jimmy made an effort to learn something new about the library. This included learning about its exhibits, events, activities, the support it offers, and library administration's visions the future of the academic library at Chapman University. In addition to discovering more about our services and collections, Jimmy also started to discover that the library is filled with hidden gems. As part of his outreach efforts, he decided to take everyone on an expedition as part of a new blog series, titled “Exploring the Magic of the Leatherby Libraries.” Throughout the 2019-2020 year and using well-developed and virtually intriguing blogs, Jimmy wrote each week about a hidden gem, a story room, or a collection. He explored the rich exhibits and archives of the Leatherby Libraries, and took a deep dive into the treasures of its various collections. From the Huell Howser Archives and California’s Gold Exhibit to the Disney Rooms, Jimmy took the students and the faculty on a magical tour through his storytelling and photography, and brought the collections to life.

From the Judges

The unique and innovative blog series, Exploring the Magic of the Leatherby Libraries, from Chapman University deserves high accolades. Through storytelling, Jimmy Elinski was able to highlight different areas of the Leatherby Libraries that could otherwise be overlooked and underappreciated. Elinski successfully blended the academic content of the exhibits and archives with their own personal discovery, which resulted in an approachable way for users to explore the library virtually. The outstanding collaboration of the development coordinator and student worker (Elinski) provided a strong structure to educate constituents through an individualized approach. To further distinguish itself, this project found a way to utilize existing content that profiled meaningful work and use it in a new way. This framework of sharing established content through a different approach makes it accessible for other institutions to implement similar strategies.