Congratulations to  Mike Bloomberg, Systems/Circulation Librarian and Natalie Dinki, Academic Affairs Coordinator for receiving the January Auggie Pride Award. Their hard work and positive attitudes as they took on new projects have made a huge impact. Staff Senate admires the work they do everyday and are honored to award them both with this month’s Auggie Pride Award.

Mike Bloomberg

Nomination: Mike almost single-handedly managed the Library’s migration from our old online catalog to our new one which was phased in beginning January 3, and “went public” in February. Our new system, WMS (WorldShare

Management System) is more than just a catalog of books that the library owns – it’s the discovery system by which our students and faculty search all of the library’s resources (books, databases, e-journals, videos, digital collections, microforms – you name it!). That means Mike had to work with all the library staff members to customize the system for their particular part of the library operation and make sure they were fully trained to do their work once the system went live. Any system migration of this size and complexity will undoubtedly encounter a few bumps in the road. Our case is no different: we have 21,000 records that will need to be reviewed one by one and corrected or deleted. Mike already has a plan worked out with Rebecca Ganzel, our cataloger extraordinaire, to review these records and correct them within a 6-month period.

Natalie Dinki

Nomination: Natalie is the academic affairs coordinator in the provost’s office. She is responsible for a number of intersecting operational elements focused on faculty, faculty compensation, CTL travel and grant reimbursements, and course assignments, the last of which she just took on in the last couple months.

I am nominating Natalie for this January in particular because, not only did she manage everything that she was already doing, but she also took on room assignments for courses for the first time. During the first week of the term, there are always last-minute requests for room accommodations, occasional conflicts, and changes that require sorting through a “house of cards” to try to find available rooms, especially during peak times. It’s complicated, time-consuming, and can try the patience of faculty and students, but Natalie assumed this huge responsibility with a calm, steady approach, and a positive attitude. Not once did she suggest that she couldn’t successfully handle the work, nor did she ever seem like she was flustered or confounded by any problem that arose. She just worked until the problems were resolved.

She quietly goes about her work, and gets it done. I’m grateful for her work all the time, but this spring she’s been especially critical, and deserves recognition beyond my personal thanks and gratitude.

To nominate an Augsburg staff for this monthly award, email the name of the staff person and reason for your nomination to staffsenate@augsburg.edu.