A tribute to Lois Olsrud: football librarian, colleague, donor
Lois Olsrud, a former library faculty member and long-time colleague, passed away June 2, 2021.
Hired in 1966 as a Humanities Librarian, she retired June 28, 1996, after 30 years of service at the University Libraries.
Lois worked closely with University of Arizona athletes and was known as the “football librarian.” On some occasions, she was even invited to travel with the team. A few years ago at a library event, she proudly shared with one of our employees that she had appeared on ESPN in the early 1980s for a story about the football program.
In 2010, Lois generously established the Lois C. Olsrud Distinguished Librarian Endowment at the University of Arizona Libraries. Her gift funds the annual Lois Olsrud Library Faculty Excellence Award, as well as the annual Support for Outstanding Academic Research (SOAR) grants. The SOAR grants support research projects by our library faculty members.
Since the Olsrud Excellence Award was established more than a decade ago, 11 librarians have been recognized with a plaque and a cash award for embodying our organizational goals and demonstrating a sustained level of excellence in service to and collaboration with our campus community.
Lois often attended our award ceremonies, and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing and talking with her on those occasions.
Donations online or by check can be made in her memory to support the Lois C. Olsrud Distinguished Librarian Endowment. Checks can be made payable to:
University of Arizona Foundation/UA Libraries
PO Box 210109
Tucson, AZ 85721-0109
Olsrud Excellence Award honorees
2025
2024
2022-23
Laurie Eagleson and Ahlam Saleh
2021-22
No award recipients
2020-21
2019-20
2018-19
2017-18
2016-17
2015-16
Mary Feeney
2014-15
Sandy Kramer
Leslie Sult
2011-12
Louise Greenfield
Jeanne Pfander
2013-14
No award recipients
2012-13
Verónica Reyes-Escudero