Joyce Gabiola, archivist for the Contemporary Literature Research Collection and the LGBT History Research Collection at University of Houston Libraries Special Collections, was selected to be a Memory Workers fellow as part of the Autistic Voices Oral History Project (tAVOHP). 

Last year, tAVOHP received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to support the fellowship program, which “aims to expand understanding of neurodiversity, foster collective and accessible community documentation of the Autistic lived experience and advocacy movement, and enhance the fields of archives and oral history.” 

The Memory Workers track provides an opportunity for allistic and Autistic archivists, librarians, oral historians, and Library and Information Science students to study neuro-affirming practices, cross-neurotype communication, and Autistic culture. 

Over the next few months, Gabiola will take part in a series of Expanding Knowledge sessions intended as a guide in conducting oral histories. Topics include workflow and tool training, Autistic mental health, and understanding sensory processing. As part of the fellowship, Gabiola will select two narrators as oral history subjects, and engage them in a conversation to learn about any aspect(s) of their life they would like to share with the world. “This might include the factors and situational context surrounding the time of their diagnosis, their education and career, romantic relationships, growing up in the American South or other region in the U.S., navigating high school, family vacations, and/or all the things that bring them joy,” Gabiola said. “The possibilities are endless.”

Gabiola’s research interests involve how archives and special collections can provide an accessible environment for everyone to support teaching, learning, student success, and public engagement. Their participation in the fellowship is a way of contributing to the practice of centering and preserving first-person narratives while gaining knowledge about neurodiversity and documenting unique perspectives as primary source materials. Significantly, an oral history can impart emotional context, an aspect that might go unseen in an archival photo or document. 

“A person’s oral history is the only one like it in the world,” Gabiola said. “Oral histories provide a fuller understanding of the person and their community based on their experiences, and can be empowering because each narrator has control and the interviewer will be guided by what the narrator wants to share.”

Interviews will eventually be preserved and made accessible through the University of Kentucky Nunn Center for Oral History. 

University of Houston Libraries supports student success by awarding scholarships each year to outstanding Libraries student employees. For the 2024-25 academic year, philanthropic support for the Libraries scholarship fund empowered eight talented students to receive a cumulative $20,200.

“Our student employees provide invaluable support and vibrance within the Libraries,” said Christina H. Gola, interim dean of Libraries. “The Libraries’ ability to award these scholarships serves to elevate their talents and hard work as they pursue their academic and career goals. We are so appreciative of our scholarship donors who recognize the impact scholarships have on the success of students and the confidence it gives them to achieve their dreams. Congratulations to all of our scholarship recipients, and a big thank you to our donors.”

Featured here are five scholarship awardees who graciously shared a bit about themselves.

Nine Abad

Nine Abad is a junior pursuing degrees in Political Science and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and is a recipient of the Belle Griggs Johnson Scholarship. Abad was recently featured in Celebrating UH Libraries Student Employees: “I love working in Special Collections because there is a litany of individual and intimate stories that people can engage and research using primary resources that are unique.”

Chinasa Anokwuru

Chinasa Anokwuru was awarded the Belle Griggs Johnson Scholarship. She is a second-year medical student at the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine who works at the Medical Library. Anokwuru is passionate about making health care accessible for everyone. She served as a student leader during her first year by working at a rural clinic in Santa Ana Honduras with a team from the College of Medicine.

“This school year, I was looking forward to the clinical immersion part of my program. It has been so wonderful going to the clinic and seeing patients. I hope to be a surgeon after I graduate. I chose to work at the library because I wanted to promote a scholarly environment for my classmates and I, and to serve as an advocate so that we can get the resources we need to advance in our careers.”

Claire Garza-Gonzalez

Claire Garza-Gonzalez works at the William R. Jenkins Architecture, Design, and Art Library and is a John P. McGovern Library Scholar. A senior art major, Garza-Gonzalez looks forward to a career in art education and therapy. The scholarship will facilitate on-campus living for Garza-Gonzalez, who embraces the importance of community and connection among peers at UH.

“The Libraries scholarship will be an invaluable asset on my educational and personal journey! It will help ease the burden of tuition and enable me to focus on making a positive impact in the world through creativity. I chose to work at the Libraries because I have always loved libraries and felt at home in them. I also previously worked at the Lone Star College CyFair Library and it was an amazing experience. Whenever I’m traveling I like to find the nearest local libraries and explore them.”

Kelan Smith

Kelan Smith is a John P. McGovern Library Scholar and works in Information and Access Services at MD Anderson Library. In addition to pursuing a degree in Sports Administration, Smith enjoys basketball and fitness at the UH Recreation and Wellness Center, and plays bass guitar. 

“I have always grown up around books and libraries. My mom has been volunteering as a Friends of the Library Bookstore volunteer and board member for several years at the Harris County Library in Cypress. When I go back home, I help her run the bookstore. After college, I plan to get an entry level job with a professional sports team and work my way up to a scout. Many of these entry level jobs are not paid, or minimum wage, so minimizing the amount of student debt I will take on is a huge goal of mine. I am extremely grateful for this scholarship for helping me get closer to this goal.”

Andrea Tribble

Andrea Tribble is a junior pursuing a degree in African American Studies, and is a John P. McGovern Library Scholar. Tribble was recently featured in Celebrating UH Libraries Student Employees: “One of my favorite things about working in Special Collections is knowing that I’m contributing to the sacred practice of preservation.”

In honor of National Library Week and National Student Employment Week, we’re featuring the outstanding and talented student assistants of University of Houston Libraries. Student employees are crucial to what we do, providing vital daily contributions toward the services, collections, and spaces we offer to the UH and scholarly community. As we spotlight a few of our student employees through social media and in this online space, we recognize and appreciate the individual and collective efforts of all Coogs working at the Libraries and the University.

Andrea Tribble. Photo courtesy of Tribble

Andrea Tribble is a junior in African American Studies who works in Special Collections, where she supports university archivist Mary Manning in the organization, description, and accessibility of collections. She also engages with researchers and fulfills reference requests for archival materials.

“I have been working at the Libraries since the fall 2023 semester, when I started as an intern handling a collection of lecture recordings from the early-to-mid 2000s that were facilitated by the African American Studies department,” Tribble said. “One of my favorite things about working in Special Collections is knowing that I’m contributing to the sacred practice of preservation. Ensuring that the intellectual material, university history, and community records that we come into contact with are cared for properly and made accessible has been something I’ve come to take great pride in.”

Kira Giannetti

Kira Giannetti is a sophomore Computer Engineering student who works as a sound engineer in the Hamill Foundation Studio, mixing and mastering sound and voice productions for singers, podcasters, and musicians. When asked what she enjoys about working at UH Libraries, she said “I love getting to know the talents at our school.”

Marisa Espitia

Marisa Espitia is a junior Marketing major who has been working at the Music Library since fall 2023. Some of her duties include organizing library resources, book check-out and shelving, helping other student workers navigate the system, cleaning the library space, and assisting visitors with any library-related questions.

Zach Harper

Zach Harper is a first-year Music Education major who works at the Music Library as a circulation assistant. He has book shelving duties and generally helps maintain a welcoming environment for visitors and employees.

“I love being surrounded by so much music and musical knowledge all of the time,” Harper said. “It makes the nerd in me very excited. I love the staff at the Music Library; all of my coworkers and supervisors support and encourage one another everyday. I love the calmness and environment of the Music Library. And finally, I love the people that come into the Music Library. Helping them find whatever they need or introducing them to something makes my day a lot of the time.”

Nine Abad

Nine Abad is a junior with double majors in Political Science and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies who works in Special Collections. Abad’s duties include processing, organizing, and handling collections primarily in the LGBT History Research Collection, as well as assisting researchers and visitors with requests.

“I love working in Special Collections because there is a litany of individual and intimate stories that people can engage and research using primary resources that are unique and one of a kind,” Abad said. “Working at the Libraries is also incredibly gratifying, especially when helping researchers and talking to donors. I also love the atmosphere of the library, the friendliness of the staff, and the intricacies of the stories that shape the archives themselves.”

Sarah Nguyen

Sarah Nguyen is a student in Management Information Systems who works as a sound engineer at the Hamill Foundation Studio, producing and editing song, vocal, and musical projects.

“I love how comfortable the environment is,” Nguyen said. “Everyone inside and outside of the studio is a blessing to work with.”