Last spring, LSU Libraries welcomed Rachel Tillay as Digital Projects Librarian. Rachel is a Louisiana native, born and raised in Destrehan, Louisiana. She holds a bachelor's of arts in music from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. She discovered a passion for academic librarianship while earning her master's of theological studies in practical theology from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. During her tenure at Perkins, she was afforded the opportunity to work for Special Collections in Bridwell Theological Library. This experience inspired her to return to Louisiana to pursue her master’s degree in library and information science at LSU.

As a student at LSU, Rachel served as a graduate assistant for LSU Libraries Digital Services department. This position allowed her to acquire practical digitization knowledge, conduct research related to digital projects and collaborative digital libraries, and participate in every aspect of digital project planning. She is thrilled to return as Digital Projects Librarian and conduct research into digital library standards and best practices. She will assist in coordinating the design, creation, and maintenance of LSU Libraries’ Louisiana Digital Library collections and other digital initiatives.

Rachel is excited to be part of the future of LSU Libraries, including providing a platform that will bring LSU’s scholarship and collections the national attention they deserve, collaborating with the creative technology team at LSU Libraries, and joining our efforts with other cultural heritage institutions across the state in the Louisiana Digital Library.