Introducing Lily Morgan, Governors State's New Librarian

Despite a global pandemic, Lily Morgan said she came to Governors State University from the Pacific Northwest at the right time.

“It’s been nice to back in the Midwest where the cities and drivers know how to handle snow. It snows so seldom in Portland that if we got much more than a dusting, the entire city would shut down,” she said.

Morgan is in a new role at the University Library as Public Service Librarian, a position created to manage circulation, interlibrary loan, reference, information, and distance learning services––all key resources for students during a pandemic.

"To put it simply, my job is to coordinate with my staff, other library departments, and campus departments to make sure that we’re providing the best services for GSU’s students, faculty, and staff," Morgan explained.

After earning her master's degree in Library Science from Emporia State University in 2010, Morgan took a job as Director of Independence Community College Library in Kansas. There, she  drove a spike in usage as she started new collections like DVDs, young adult books, and graphic novels, and added patron services that brough a free coffee bar before she moved to Portland, Oregon in 2015.

After working in academic libraries providing reference services and managing special projects, Morgan moved back to the Midwest to join Governors State. The university's commitment to their students was compelling, she said.

“It really shone through in my interview that there’s a very positive, caring culture here, and that cross-campus collaboration is encouraged and a fun experience.”

In her role, Morgan is always trying to see the Library from the students' point of view. Outside of providing students' what they need for their research (including on the library's new catalog, Primo), she also wants to improve their experiences in the physical library or online.

"We have to show them that we’re putting them first. I want students to walk in the door or open our website and think, “Yes! This is where I want to be.”