UNLV Libraries

Help us give a warm welcome to Angelina “Angie” Sioco, our new Executive Assistant at University Libraries!

Angie brings experience in higher education at the UNLV School of Medicine and the University of Minnesota, along with an extensive hospitality background supporting hotels in Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Minnesota.

In her new role, Angie is excited to support the Dean and contribute to fulfilling the vision and mission of University Libraries.

Fun fact: Angie loves to travel and achieved her goal of visiting all seven continents on 2.2.2020! 🌍

Welcome to the team, Angie!

Please help us welcome Robert Laws, our new Head of Web and Application Development Services at University Libraries. Robert joins us with more than 20 years of experience in libraries, with a professional background spanning technology, web development, and librarianship. He studied History as both an undergraduate and graduate student and earned his MLIS from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

In his new role, Robert is most excited to work with the WADS team and colleagues across the Libraries to help strengthen and improve the Libraries’ online presence.

Welcome to University Libraries, Robert! ❤️🩶

University Libraries teaching and learning librarian Amber Sewell was recently featured in UNLV Today for her innovative approach to bringing gaming and play into student learning.

From collaborating with faculty on game-based assignments to supporting Game Jam, tabletop gaming events, and creative workshops, Amber is helping students connect research with their own interests while building community along the way.

Read more about Amber and her work at University Libraries :

The Interview: Amber Sewell Through games and hands-on learning, this teaching and learning librarian helps faculty slay instructional design.

Congratulations to Jennifer Culley, the 2026 recipient of the James S. McPhee Librarian of the Year Award ❤️🩶

Jennifer Culley was recognized for her excellent leadership, efficiency, and innovation within the Acquisitions unit. She led a major workflow review that brought the work of two units into one more cohesive operation, improving efficiency through careful analysis, staff feedback, cross-training, and stronger internal processes.

Her leadership also helped move the unit toward a more modern, paperless invoicing environment through the digitization of decades of paper invoices. Even after the integration, Jennifer continued identifying meaningful adjustments to help the unit operate more effectively.

Beyond her work in Acquisitions, Jennifer has contributed to the profession through presentations, a book chapter, conference proceedings, and service at the library, university, and national levels. Her recognition as Librarian of the Year reflects both the quality of her leadership and the depth of her contributions to the field.

Congratulations to Mark Lenker, the 2026 recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award ❤️🩶

Some scholarship helps us answer questions. Mark Lenker’s work asks us to think more deeply about the questions themselves. Mark was recognized for his outstanding contributions to library scholarship, including his book, The Human Relationship with Information, and his article, “Thoughts on Synthesizing Information: A Research Skill for Our Time?” in portal: Libraries and the Academy.

His recent work also includes a refereed LOEX 2025 conference paper on aligning teaching goals across library departments, media engagement on the importance of teaching information synthesis, and an invited keynote panel at the Heterodox Libraries Symposium.

Through his scholarship, Mark continues to connect information ethics, literacy, teaching, and meaning in ways that expand how we understand the role of libraries in learning and life.

Creative. Calm. Thoughtful.

Those are just a few of the words used to describe Kristina Khanoyan, the 2026 Libraries Classified Employee of the Year ❤️🩶

Kristina Khanoyan was recognized for her dedication to the mission of the University Libraries and her meaningful support of student success through Access Services. During a period of staffing challenges, she brought initiative, reliability, and steady support to the team.

Her work touches many parts of the library experience, from helping enforce policies and providing coverage during nontraditional service times to maintaining reserves and anatomical collections. She has also built strong relationships with faculty around course textbooks while continuing to support and encourage student staff.

As Kristina pursues her Master of Library Science degree, this award celebrates the care, consistency, and heart she brings to the Libraries every day. Congratulations, Kristina!

Congratulations to the University Libraries’ 2026 tenure and promotion recipients ❤️🩶

Amanda Koziura, Tenure
Xan Goodman, Promotion to Professor
Rosan Mitola, Promotion to Professor

This achievement reflects years of scholarship, service, leadership, and dedication to the University Libraries, UNLV, and the broader profession.

Congratulations to Niki Fullmer, the 2026 recipient of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award ❤️🩶

Niki Fullmer’s work reminds us that inclusion is not just an idea. It is something people should be able to feel, access, and experience in real time.

Through her efforts to secure funding for sensory inclusive kits, the University Libraries now offer resources that help students navigate lights, sounds, smells, and other sensory experiences more comfortably during outreach events and at the Lied Library Circulation Desk.

Her DEI work also extends to intentional book displays that highlight underrepresented authors, service on campus committees and initiatives, and leadership with UNLV’s Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern Faculty Staff Alliance. Niki’s impact reaches beyond campus as well, including a presentation at the 2025 ALA Annual Conference and a forthcoming book chapter in Beyond Academics: Co-Curricular and Non-Academic Lending and Services.

This recognition honors the care, intention, and leadership Niki brings to making library spaces more accessible for all.

Behind every successful hire is a process that requires care, clarity, patience, and a whole lot of coordination. Congratulations to Liliana Avila-Estrada, the 2026 recipient of the Administrative Faculty of the Year Award ❤️🩶

Liliana was recognized for her exceptional work as the Libraries’ Faculty Recruitment Coordinator. Over the past year, she guided academic and administrative faculty searches with professionalism and steady leadership, supporting fourteen successful hires and helping onboard each new team member.

Her impact also shows up in the systems that keep the Libraries moving forward. Liliana updated search committee guidelines, refined onboarding and offboarding checklists, improved resource materials, maintained organizational charts, and stepped in to support HR responsibilities during a staffing vacancy.

Her work may often happen behind the scenes, but its impact is felt across the entire organization.

Celebrating Kevin Sebastian, recipient of the 2026 Innovative Solutions and Customer Service Award, for his exceptional work developing the University Libraries’ GEM (Gather, Evaluate, Make) microcredential series ❤️🩶

Through GEM, Kevin reimagined the traditional one-shot library instruction session into a flexible, skills-based workshop model that better supports first-year students based on their research needs and interests. His work has strengthened library instruction across in-person and online environments while helping create a more sustainable approach for First-Year Seminar courses.

Kevin’s collaborative leadership, commitment to student success, and expertise in digital literacies and instructional design continue to make a meaningful impact across the University Libraries and beyond. Congratulations, Kevin!