Shannon Cary
Library Sweatshirt Request
We plan to order library sweatshirts featuring Truman the Tiger for the library staff. If you are interested, please contact me with your sweatshirt size. Here’s the link to see details about the sweatshirts.
Changes to Directory
For those who have relocated offices, please remember to update your directory information.
Save the Date: All Staff Meeting – August 12th
We’re planning our pre-fall MU Libraries All Staff Meeting for the morning of Tuesday, August 12th, from 10:00 to around 11:30 a.m. All libraries will be closed from 10:00 to noon so everyone can attend, just like our Celebration of Service in May. For this meeting, we’ll have a light breakfast—think coffee and bagels—and a hybrid option will be available for those who need it. I encourage you to join us in person if you can!
Goodbye to Chelsae Cordia
Chelsae Cordia, our Donor Relations Coordinator, has resigned from Mizzou and is moving back to Poplar Bluff so her son Ben can start middle school with his friends. Chelsae has accepted an exciting new position with Anheuser-Busch, and, while we’ll miss her greatly, we wish her all the best in this next chapter. Her warmth and dedication have made a lasting impact, and she leaves with our deepest appreciation.
Ballengee to Join Teaching & Learning Department
Effective August 1st, Megan Ballengee, outreach and engagement librarian, will be joining the Teaching & Learning Department. Megan will continue her collaboration with Shannon as a member of the Marketing Team, and her office will remain in the administrative suite (Room 105). She’ll also work closely with Abbie and Jill to support instruction and programming for our first-year students at Mizzou, as well as contribute to general reference services.
Library Management Team Notes, 7/22/2025
Welcome to Jennifer Brady
The Mizzou Libraries are pleased to welcome Jennifer Brady as head of the Zalk Veterinary Medical Library.
Born and raised in Springfield, Missouri, Jennifer brings a deep passion for education, literacy and community service. She holds an Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education Administration and Instructional Design from Lindenwood University. Her dissertation, “Embedded Librarians and Student Success in Graduate Nursing Programs,” reflects her commitment to student achievement and academic support.
She also holds a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Washington iSchool and a B.S.E.d. in Secondary English Education from Missouri State University.
Jennifer has worked in both public and academic libraries since 2014, but her love of libraries began even earlier. As a high school student, she launched her first library as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project—a GED study center and library housed in the Missouri Hotel, a homeless shelter in Springfield. This project served the community for several years until the facility’s closure.
We are thrilled to have Jennifer. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome!
Ashley Granger Receives Chancellor’s Staff Award
Ashley Granger, a senior library specialist in cataloging and metadata at Ellis Library, received the 2025 Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Award in the Technical/Paraprofessional category.
Each year, the University of Missouri recognizes 12 Outstanding Staff Award recipients nominated by peers for their exemplary service and dedication to Mizzou and the University of Missouri System. These staff members reflect the best of the University community through their job performance, job-related personal qualities, relationships with associates, and commitment to Mizzou’s mission and values. The awards are a highlight of the Staff Advisory Council’s Staff Recognition Week.
Congratulations to Ashley!
Welcome to Dr. Marian Toledo Candelaria
The Mizzou Libraries are pleased to announce that Dr. Marian Toledo Candelaria has been hired as the head of Special Collections. Marian previously worked at the University of Virginia as the manager for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the School of Education and Human Development. Her previous roles include program manager for Rare Book School and writing and multimodal communication specialist at the University of Waterloo. She holds a doctorate in history and Scottish studies from the University of Guelph and a master’s degree in library and information science from Simmons University.