By Abigail Jones

Student Success and Instruction Librarian Jessica Calvert

Jessica Calvert brings years of experience in higher education and teaching, and a passion for student success, into their role as a student success and instruction librarian in West Virginia University Libraries’ Student Success and Instruction department.

Calvert delivers course-related, course-integrated, and credit-bearing information literacy instruction to enhance students’ research and critical thinking skills. In addition, they facilitate library workshops.

Previously, Calvert served as a student services and curriculum coordinator and an enrollment services specialist at Virginia Tech College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. In these roles, Calvert provided academic support and shared campus resources with students, families, and university personnel, supplied academic counsel for liberal arts undecided students, and designed curriculum for the first-year experience course.

Calvert earned a Master of Library Information and Science from Louisiana State University.

WVU Institute of Technology Library Director Rhonda Donaldson

Rhonda Donaldson brings over 20 years of experience in academic libraries and extensive expertise in research services, information literacy, and technical services into her new role as the WVU Institute of Technology Library director. 

Donaldson leads staff, develops programming, and enriches the services and opportunities at the WVU Technology Library. She focuses on enhancing information literacy across campus through instruction and integrated services and programming. 

Donaldson is also a member of the College Library Director Mentoring Program, a national initiative aimed at strengthening academic libraries at small, 4-year institutions across the country. As part of this program, Donaldson uses mentorship, cohort-based learning, and peer collaboration to enhance strategic direction, collaboration, and growth to meet modern needs at the WVU Technology Library. 

Previously, Donaldson served as a research services librarian at Shepherd University where she managed a comprehensive research services program. In her career, Donaldson has successfully transitioned services to virtual platforms to improve accessibility and engagement for students, taught library science courses, led a team of paraprofessionals in acquisitions and technical services, managed budgets, and coordinated purchases of electronic resources, monographic, periodicals, and serials.

Notably at Oklahoma Panhandle State University, she organized, coordinated, supervised, and maintained 3 departments within the Marvin E. McKee Library and taught information literacy courses for agriculture, physics, education, nursing, art, and more. 

Donaldson earned a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Rare Book and Print Collections Archivist Rigby Philips

Rigby Philips brings extensive experience in special collections, instruction and outreach, and digital and physical collection management into her role as the West Virginia and Regional History Center’s new rare book and print collections archivist.

Philips focuses on acquisition for and preservation of the Rare Book Collection. In addition, she provides research and teaching support for a variety of disciplines across the WVU colleges and schools. Philips also develops exhibitions and displays featuring rare books and materials from the WVRHC’s collections.

Previously, Philips worked to create and enhance bibliographic data for rare and special collections materials, as well as taught English 101 students how to find primary and secondary sources at the University of Maryland (UMD) Libraries. 

Philips earned her Master of Library and Information Science from UMD, in addition to a master’s in history.