West Virginia University Libraries recently presented WVU Impact Awards to four employees, recognizing their extraordinary impact. Among those honored was one of WVU Potomac State College’s own, Rural Entrepreneurship Librarian Emily Zumbrun.
Zumbrun was selected for a 2026 WVU Impact Award for “embodying WVU’s core values fully,” according to Dean of WVU Libraries and Press Mark Paris. “Emily always ensures library users have the best possible experience, prioritizing service every day. She takes on new challenges in stride with curiosity and innovation to benefit the library and its users. She approaches difficult situations with respect and thoughtful feedback. She takes full ownership over anything she works on — no matter how big or small — fostering an expectation of consistency that positively affects those around her. And she always expresses gratitude to everyone who contributes to a project, showing daily recognition to coworkers.”
The WVU Impact Award program is designed to recognize employees who have made an extraordinary impact on the University. This award spotlights contributions that provide value and impact in alignment with WVU’s mission and values.
“The entire library is immensely proud of Emily Zumbrun being awarded a WVU Impact Award for 2026 through WVU Libraries,” said Nicholas Gardner, Library Director at WVU Potomac State College. “This recognition of her ongoing commitment to meaningful and strategic contributions to the campus and community through the library is well deserved. Emily is an exceptional librarian with a deep commitment to our students and our community. She has been a major difference maker in our library.”
Zumbrun joined the staff of the Mary F. Shipper Library at the College in 2022 and has been responsible for many modernizations in the library services and space, ranging from adding and updating wayfinding, reconfiguring spaces for improved user experience, and helping expand instructional offerings both embedded within the curriculum and outside of the classroom. She helped implement the Adulting 101 series and is directly responsible for the Mary F. Shipper STEAM Days, which take place every spring. Zumbrun is also credited for building new orientation offerings for diverse student populations such as Summer Bridge students, Residence Assistants, and student athletes. In addition, she is the library’s first library liaison to the Athletics Department.
Additionally, Zumbrun has been very involved with the larger WVU Libraries system, participating multiple years on the Library Engagement Council, which provides professional development within WVUL, serving on the faculty evaluation committee this year. In July, she became the first librarian from a divisional campus to serve as the chair of the WVUL faculty assembly. She previously worked in a paraprofessional role with electronic resources for nearly 10 years at Frostburg State University’s Lewis J. Ort Library and as a library assistant with the Allegany County Library System’s Washington Street Library in Cumberland for three years. She graduated from the University of Maryland’s Library and Information Science program with her MLIS in 2017 and from Frostburg State University with her bachelor’s in biology in 2009.
She authored two papers for the Journal of Electronic Resources and has been a presenter at multiple regional and state library conferences.
“I have a lot of pride in my work and feel honored to serve WVU Potomac State College,” Zumbrun said. “Whether I’m teaching information literacy, providing research assistance, or planning community events, I hope my work helps foster a sense of connection and community and helps students reach their goals. I am truly grateful and humbled to be recognized by my peers for the service I provide to our campus and beyond.”
The other three librarians recognized for the distinction within the WVU system include Ashley Brooker, Lemley Mullet, and Beth Royall.
“The impact of a library is ultimately measured through the people who bring its mission to life,” Paris said. “Ashley, Lemley, Beth, and Emily each demonstrate an exceptional commitment to service, innovation, and collaboration.”