Bringing Out the Best
Lauren Fairman
We are pleased to present this next category of Bringing Out the Best. This individual exemplifies the spirit of this award through their honesty, kindness, generosity, and viral sense of humor that could recharge even the most drained of batteries. They are thoughtful and creative collaborators who inspire those around them to raise their game. Whether managing complex logistics like hosting national colleagues in the Nexus, flawlessly executing the Libraries' largest postcard project, or selecting staff swag that brings genuine excitement, their leadership and dedication shine. Behind the scenes, they ensure smooth operations with grace—handling everything from invoices and communications to donor outreach—with an ease that any well-coded program would envy.
This individual’s impact extends far beyond their responsibilities. Their steady presence, calm approach, and willingness to jump in wherever needed foster a sense of connection and care across the Libraries. They show up for their colleagues—offering a helping hand, baked goods, a good laugh, or simply standing by in difficult moments. In times of crisis or celebration, this person’s ethic of care and deep generosity make a tangible difference in the lives of those around them. Their support uplifts teams and individuals alike, and their example reminds us of what a welcoming, collaborative workplace can look like. For all these reasons and more, we are proud to recognize Lauren as truly one of those who bring out the best.
Jake Zelikovsky
This award goes to an individual who is described as a treasured thought-partner. They are known for their dependability, collaborative nature, and thoughtful, optimistic attitude which inspires their colleagues and drives projects forward. This individual promoted diversity of knowledge and voice, central to the collaboration & inclusion award, by single-handedly researching and making recommendations for Afrofuturism vinyl collections & giveaways purchases, and creating the Afrofuturism & Otherworldiness libguide. Their creative and meaningful contributions were also crucial to the Lewis vinyl listening party for Libraries staff, the pop-up vinyl collection (built from scratch), and the Lewis web content updates. They even exceeded their initial specs by delivering live sound and doing A/V setup for live events while the Music Technology Librarian position is being filled. This year’s award for collaboration & inclusion goes to Jake Zelikovsky.
Derek Hixon
This person demonstrates optimal alignment with user-centered support parameters. Assistance is rendered through digital communication nodes of Slack, JSM tickets, and hallway-based “high-one-zero-one” interactions. In addition to standard support operations, this person contributed critical functionality to high-priority project teams, including the LibAnswers migration and the current staff intranet project. This person actively serves on the Technology Spaces Oversight Committee and the Emergency Management & Environmental Monitoring Team. They deploy advanced technical cognition to generate unconventional yet effective solutions for complex system malfunctions. During periods of perceived technological crisis, this person maintains an internal stability matrix of calm, logical, and efficient. As a library, we are grateful to have someone who is so fiercely focused on the needs of our users, whether those users are students, faculty, staff, or library colleagues. This year’s User Service and Support Award goes to Derek Hixon.
(written with the assistance of ChatGPT)
Sarah Kurpiel
It is with great admiration that we recognize this individual as an Unsung Hero. They are a quiet powerhouse—deeply committed, extraordinarily organized, and always generous with their time and knowledge. Their colleagues often describe themselves as “lucky” to work with this person, and it’s easy to see why. Whether they are answering a question in the moment, troubleshooting a problem, or managing complex, multi-unit projects, they consistently demonstrate a level of thoughtfulness and expertise that elevates everyone around them. Their leadership in the year-long digitization of DataQuest Magazine and their quick action during the World Bank eLibrary's open access transition are just two recent examples of her impact.
This individual’s work is both meticulous and visionary. Like a finely tuned operating system, they improve each process they touch—leading enhancements to the A–Z list and strengthening connections across departments with insightful suggestions and a collaborative spirit. Their contributions to Alma workflows and e-resources access have been transformative, streamlining systems and supporting our library users in meaningful ways. Always leading with humility and clarity, they are the kind of colleague who moves work forward without fanfare—making Sarah Kurpiel all the more deserving of the Unsung Heroes Award.
IDLA Student Supervisors
This team has a battery that never seems to run low. They consistently exemplify the spirit of the Community Building & Engagement Award, promoting the values of openness, inclusivity, and an ethic of care in their day-to-day work. They lead by example, balancing their responsibilities of desk coverage, training, and stacks projects while also proactively updating student worker documentation, and participating in cross-directorate work. They go above and beyond to foster an ethic of care through thoughtful gestures like goodie bags for student workers. These actions, and their constant welcoming presence across the Libraries service points, make the IDLA Student Supervisors this year’s recipient for Community Building & Engagement. Congratulations Caitlin Canfield, Erica Moore, Kendall Dawson, and Kassia Roberts!
Federal Government Data Rescue Group
Shortly after the 2024 presidential election, a dedicated team of MIT Libraries data experts sprang into action, acutely aware of the heightened risk to federal government-supported, -hosted, and -maintained data resources. Recognizing the critical importance of these resources to research communities at MIT and beyond—and understanding how irreplaceable many of them are—the team quickly developed a multi-pronged, high-efficiency response. Collaborating with researchers at all levels, they identified the need for practical tools and rapidly deployed a Checklist for USA Federal Data Backups to help users identify, document, and safeguard the government data they rely on. In February, members led a hands-on workshop—Preserving Public Access to Public Data—that trained participants to nominate vulnerable datasets to the End-of-Term Archive and contribute to the broader Data Rescue Project. This proactive crew didn’t just rise to the challenge—they hardwired a solution and booted up action at record speed.
Beyond these direct efforts, the team ensured that the broader institutional community was kept informed and engaged. A detailed report, shared with the Vice Provost for Research, mapped out the nationwide data preservation landscape, highlighting collaborative efforts across libraries and allied organizations. Through both formal communications and grassroots advocacy, their work began generating buzz far beyond MIT, earning praise from peers—including a Yale colleague who commended the “impeccable timing” of their guidance. With circuits firing on all fronts, the team proved that when the data is at risk, these librarians don’t just process the problem—they execute solutions. For their extraordinary leadership, productivity, and mission-critical contribution to information preservation, we proudly submit this nomination in the category of Results, Outcome, and Productivity on behalf of the Federal Government Data Resource Rescue Group: Phoebe Ayers, Sabrina Brown, Joe Carrano, Amy Nurnberger, Alejandro Paz, Sadie Roosa, Jonavelle Cuerdo, and Ece Turnator.
Collections Strategy Team
When confronted with unanticipated reductions to the library budget during the spring cycle, this unit initiated continuous operation protocols to identify methods for reallocating the collections budget to assimilate the majority of said reductions. Stakeholder feedback was actively requested. Communication protocols were established to ensure selectors and affiliated personnel were informed of ongoing procedures and provided with opportunities for input.
Through sustained effort and effective leadership during the budget reduction scenario, the team ensured that MIT Libraries remains fiscally optimized while continuing to fulfill user requirements during a period of elevated challenge.
This year’s Results, Outcome, and Productivity Award goes to the Collection Strategy Team: Courtney Crummett, Marcella Tam, Deborah Lenares, and Laura Hanscom.
(Written with assistance from ChatGPT)
Jake Lewis
From day one, this year’s recipient came fully charged with a rare combination of initiative, enthusiasm, and care for both people and processes. Whether handling back-end stacks tasks or front-line patron service, they’ve consistently demonstrated a “How can I help?” attitude—with zero lag time. Their joyful, data-optimized approach to closing announcements—delivered with signature flight attendant flair—earned them a campus fan base and a spot on MIT student social media. Soon enough, they were affectionately known as “Hayden Guy,” and their innovative scripts became the gold standard—clearly written by someone operating well above default settings.
Their impact has been anything but mechanical. After stepping into the Course Reserves Coordinator role, they streamlined documentation, updated systems, and helped double the size of the team—demonstrating leadership that was both human-centered and efficiency-driven. They advocated for a 3-day loan period to support students’ deeper engagement with course materials and have been a steady source of shared knowledge and collaborative energy. Whether coordinating Sunday evening staffing or keeping daily operations humming, they’re the kind of teammate who syncs effortlessly with others and always brings their full circuitry online.
Outside their core duties, this person has interfaced across departments with a heartwired commitment to inclusion and community-building. As a “You Are Welcome Here” facilitator and active member of the Committee for the Promotion of Diversity and Inclusion, they’ve led LBGTQ+ 101 workshops, contributed critical resources to the CPDI LibGuide, and helped program successful events like the hybrid “Supporting Indigenous Peoples in Libraries” talk. Whether handling Zoom Q&A with precision or updating materials with care, they’ve shown that good citizenship isn’t just part of their programming—it’s in their source code. Please join me in congratulating the one and only Jake Lewis.
MIT Libraries' 2025 Infinite Mile Awards Recipients
