Music Student Earns Award Working at UWM Libraries

Elizabeth Rhinehart started her college job the way many students do: shelving books and earning a paycheck. Three years later, she's won an outstanding achievement award and found her life's calling.

Rhinehart joined UWM Libraries in 2021 while studying piano performance. She worked in Borrowing Services, putting returned materials back on shelves and learning how academic libraries operate from the ground up.

Her supervisor, Giulia Caspari, saw potential beyond the book carts. When Rhinehart finished her undergraduate degree, Caspari helped her transition into an Access Services & Operations internship that would change everything.

"I knew I would have an opportunity to learn more about how the library actually functions and not just how the books get on and off the shelves," Rhinehart said. That internship became the deciding factor when she chose where to pursue her Master of Library and Information Science degree.

Rhinehart stayed at UWM, rotating through different departments and discovering her passion. In Special Collections, department head Max Yela welcomed her curiosity and let her handle books from the 1500s and 1600s. For someone who usually reads recent paperbacks, touching centuries-old texts felt magical.

Now working as a graduate intern in Special Collections, Rhinehart manages shifting projects across general materials and comics collections. She verifies cataloging for new materials, assesses donated items for possible acquisition, and maintains various collections.

Her dedication earned her the 2025 Janet and Carl Moebius Outstanding Staff Achievement Award. But the libraries gave her more than professional development during her time at UWM.

The Ripple Effect

When Rhinehart studied piano performance, the UWM Music Collection saved her hundreds of dollars. She consulted multiple editions of sheet music for free before deciding which versions to purchase for herself.

The Graduate Student Commons gave her a dedicated study space. Resource sharing and interlibrary loans delivered texts she needed for coursework. Free electronic course texts reduced her financial burden.

Beyond academics, the library became what Rhinehart calls a "third space." Study groups gather in the learning commons. Lectures fill the conference center. Students who might never cross paths in class build community over shared tables.

Rhinehart's path from shelver to award-winning librarian proves that student jobs can become launching pads. What started as part-time work stacking books transformed into expertise in rare collections, cataloging, and preservation.

The libraries that once served her as a patron now benefit from her growing expertise. And future students will find the same opportunities she did, thanks to supporters who recognize that libraries build more than collections—they build careers.