Beyond the books: The BYU librarian cultivating true belonging

On the first floor of the social sciences section of the Harold B. Lee Library, Jessica Tuwun, a management, marketing and design librarian, sits in an office that feels more like an island in the Pacific than a workspace.

Handwoven baskets, nunu leis and a small wood carving from her husbands homeland of Yap showcase Tuwuns passion and make her office inviting for students.

I try to be as much myself as I can and give a glimpse into like, this is who I am, Tuwun said. I'm a whole person, and I care.

For Tuwun, the desire to connect began in her childhood.

Some kids would play house ... I would play library, Tuwun said. I always loved this idea of being organized and sharing and helping people.

Growing up in a small town in Canada, where her family often faced judgment for being members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, made connection all the more important.

I lived out in the woods the nearest town was 10 miles away, Tuwun said. We were pretty remote, pretty isolated.

Her time at BYUHawaii, where she was often one of the few non-Polynesian students, reinforced that feeling of being an outsider and drew her closer to the library.

I felt like I was on the outside or felt like I didnt have the same resources that others had, Tuwun said. Libraries were places that would welcome all, that would provide access to all.

It was not until her senior year that Tuwun worked at a library in Hawaii and realized there was a career path for people interested in libraries. However, her career path was not straightforward.

My bachelors degree was in international business management, and there was this bias towards, or need for, people who have studied English, or the humanities or language as their undergraduate to be the people who are in a library, Tuwun said.

Tuwun also said that Utah did not, and still does not, offer a masters program in library science, a two-year program in which students learn cataloging, metadata, archival services, collection development and other essential skills for librarianship.

I was like, well what am I gonna do? My husbands in school, we have these little kids, we need to make money, Tuwun said.

She decided to work in accounting, spending time in payment services and the banking industry. She later earned a second bachelors degree in accounting and an MBA after discovering she enjoyed organizing information and supporting management.

Still hoping to one day pivot into libraries, Tuwun completed a masters in library science but remained in accounting until the pandemic, when services were permanently moved to remote work.

It was lonely I did not realize until the pandemic how much I rely on work, my work life, to be fulfilling and socially connect with people, Tuwun said.

Then she got an unexpected call from the BYU Library, a location she had applied to years before. They thought she would be a great fit and invited her to interview.

Part of it is her experience, but part of it is the way she approaches questions, Maggie Marchant, an economics, finance and social sciences data librarian who was on the hiring committee at the time, said. Shes able to explain things and break them down into the most important parts. She just understands people and relates to people well.

The dream of working in a library was not on Tuwun's mind when the offer came, but she gave it serious consideration. Since the position was three-quarters time and paid significantly less than her previous job in finance, deciding whether to accept was not easy.

Im so blessed to have a husband whos amazing. He was like, You know what? If its something youve dreamed of we can make it work, Tuwun said. So I did, I came and worked here, and about a year after I had been hired, this job opened up as a subject librarian.

While the job still had its challenges, Tuwun said she has had experiences that confirmed that she is exactly where she is meant to be right now.

Because of my background in accounting and my MBA, this job here as a business librarian, is the best of both worlds, where I get to, sort of, keep in touch with that aspect of my life and the years and the experience I had doing that, Tuwun said.

Her co-workers, including Cindy Ledingham, a reference specialist in social sciences, say they admire Tuwuns skills and kindness.

There really is a depth about her. She just really wants to give to others, Ledingham said. She explains and she wants to be a part of their learning she would ... not only just give me the answer, she would walk me through how to do it and how to apply it.

As a subject librarian, Tuwun has four main responsibilities: collection development and management, reference and user services, faculty liaison and teaching.

In addition to these core duties, Tuwun is expected to produce scholarly work, whether research or creative projects, and fulfill a citizenship role, often serving on committees and participating in a professional association.

Of all her responsibilities, Tuwun said the part she loves most is connecting with students and helping them feel seen and supported.

I have kids who are the same age as many of the students who are on campus, Tuwun said. And I understand what it is like to be far from home. I remember what it was like to feel lonely. I know what its like to not feel confident.

The support goes beyond the students and into the lives of those she works with.

I dont have to hide or worry about how Im being perceived with her. I can share my honest thoughts, concerns, experiences, and Im not scared that shes going to humiliate or take advantage of that, Miya Jensen, a digital preservation specialist, said. Im just grateful I found someone like her here that I can see a living example of belonging and kindness and empathy and authenticity, psychological safety."

Tuwun said throughout her journey, she realized making a difference in the lives of others was most important.

You are so much more than the grade you get. You are so much more than the class you take. You are so much more than the boy who likes you or the girl who doesnt, Tuwun said. You have this intrinsic value as a human being, as a child of God, that goes with you no matter what.