Columbia University Libraries is pleased to announce 15 recipients of the annual Outstanding Student Worker awards, nominated by Libraries staff from a workforce of nearly 200 students. Each year, the Libraries awards students who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to their work for the organization.
“The high caliber of services that the Libraries provides would not be possible without the contributions of outstanding and dedicated student workers such as you,” Ann Thornton, Vice Provost and University Librarian, wrote to the recipients. “We greatly appreciate the contribution you made this past year in helping us support learning and research at Columbia and in the broader scholarly community.”
Recipients of the 2026 awards are:
Rebecca Crandall, Preservation
“Rebecca consistently delivered her work with impressive speed and precision throughout — even when we introduced her to [new workflows],” Emily Holmes, Director of Preservation, said. “We will miss working with her and wish Rebecca all the best on her journey after graduation. We thank her for all the hard work and lighthearted spirit she brought while working with us. She has truly been an outstanding student worker.”
Steven Hankins, User Services
Madeline Maldonado Gutierrez, User Services
Sangwoo Kim, Collections Acquisition and Metadata Services
Justin Francisco Rio, Science, Engineering, and Social Science Libraries
Hannah Leigh Elkins, Science, Engineering, and Social Science Libraries
Sofia Morales, Science, Engineering, and Social Science Libraries
Franco de Santiago, Science, Engineering, and Social Science Libraries
Carla Mory, Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Sophie Jefferies, Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Izetta Evans, Rare Book & Manuscript Library
“Izetta has played a vital role in addressing the Rare Book & Manuscript Library’s uninventoried book backlog,” said Vianca Victor, Collections Management Archivist. “By independently cataloging the personal libraries of four major collections, she completed a task that would have otherwise taken our staff years to prioritize and finish.”
Breanna Ellison, Delivery Services
“Breanna…has consistently demonstrated reliability, initiative, and strong attention to detail. She excels in all tasks assigned to her and has made numerous meaningful contributions to our department,” said Arjay Velasco, Supervisor of ReCAP Access Services and Borrow Direct. “One of Breanna’s most significant contributions is her ongoing work with the Columbia First-Generation, Low-Income (FLI) Partnership Library, a collection of textbooks and course materials available for semester‑long loans to undergraduate students who identify as first‑generation or low‑income. Over the past three years, Breanna has played an essential role in supporting and expanding this collection. Breanna’s work directly enhances equitable access to academic resources by ensuring that students who rely on the FLI Library can find, borrow, and benefit from essential course materials without financial or logistical barriers.”
Axel Icazbalceta, Delivery Services
“Axel has worked for Delivery Services since the beginning of his sophomore year and has become one of the most reliable student employees the department has had in recent years,” said Velasco. “His contributions extend well beyond Delivery Services, particularly through his work supporting collection maintenance in the Butler Library stacks. … Axel’s work directly supports the library’s mission by improving the safety, navigability, and usability of the stacks, ensuring that patrons can access materials efficiently and without barriers.”
Nomi Richardson, Delivery Services
“[Nomi’s] most significant contribution to Delivery Services and the Libraries was her work on the Milstein inventory project. Projects like the Milstein inventory are vital to the mission of academic libraries like Columbia University Libraries because they ensure that collections remain accurate, accessible, and responsive to the needs of students and researchers,” said Velasco. “By helping maintain the integrity and usability of our materials, Nomi supported the core work that allows the library to serve as a foundation for learning and discovery.”
Ara Bahkteyar, Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library