Dear Friends,
As I write this, I’m reflecting on my first nine months at UMass Amherst and feeling grateful for the warm welcome my family and I have received from this community. I spent the last eight years at Iowa State University, advancing open initiatives and student success as an associate university librarian. I knew the UMass Amherst Libraries were exceptional, but getting to know the community, our students, staff and librarians, as well as our generous friends and supporters, has been a delight! The dedication here to preserving, creating, and making knowledge accessible to all is inspiring.
The Libraries’ Fall Reception graces the cover of this issue of Bookmark, and what a night it was! I have had the chance to attend several fantastic events here at UMass Amherst, but that evening with our partners from Folk New England, and so many of our library friends, was absolutely amazing. I believe it captured something essential about what makes this library and all libraries so special. Libraries bring people together. They are a place where ideas, hope, and curiosity live. It has been a tough year for higher education, libraries, and science. But this night of celebration and community building was a timely reminder of why we do the work that we do here at the UMass Amherst Libraries.
Throughout this issue, you’ll see the breadth of activity and the countless ways the libraries serve students, faculty, and community members every single day. For instance, you will hear from graduate students who have worked with our Black Feminist Archive, reflecting on their experiences in their own words. For our students, working with archival materials isn’t just an academic exercise; it’s transformative. Their reflections show how engagement with primary sources shapes thinking, sparks questions, and connects personal identity with scholarly inquiry.
As we look ahead, I’m excited to share that we’ll soon begin planning a refresh of the Du Bois Library’s lower level, the Learning Commons, focused on improving student study spaces and updating technology. This project reflects our ongoing commitment to evolving alongside student needs. Our libraries exist first and foremost to support student success, and that means creating spaces where students can study, collaborate, and access the resources they need to thrive.
In my experience, the best libraries stay focused on their fundamental purposes: to create, preserve, and connect people to knowledge. At UMass Amherst, that means partnering with faculty and staff to advance research and ensuring every student can access the materials, spaces, technologies, and expertise they need to succeed. It means preserving and making accessible the collections that document our shared histories and diverse experiences.
Thank you for your continued support of the UMass Amherst Libraries! Your generosity makes all of this possible.
With appreciation,
Curtis Brundy
Dean of University Libraries