While it would probably take a few hundred pages to thank everyone who helped me over the past two years properly, I can try to summarize my appreciation here. First and foremost are, of course, my parents. I could not have accomplished anything without their support, and they inspire me every day.
Then, I would like to thank fellow students in this program who have been wonderful colleagues. This list includes, but is not limited to, many of my group partners, like Erica Delavan, Jenn Bascom, Jane Arnold, Danielle Rowlands, Jennifer Ander, Hayden Bass, Terri May, Heather Tucker, Kati Weinstein, and Darla Moyer-Sims; they always managed to lift my spirits and offered sound advice when the need arose. There are, of course, more students I would like to thank, for they all contributed to my experiences in this program. I look forward to the fact that they will remain colleagues even after we graduate.
Next, these acknowledgements would be incomplete without mention of the most excellent librarians at the Unversity of Washington. In particular, I'd like to thank the librarians I worked with over the past year: Laura Lillard, Faye Christenberry, Theresa Mudrock, Adam Hall, Ann Graham, Theo Gerontakos, and Nancy Huling. I would also like to thank all the librarians who offered advice, helped me out during tricky reference interviews, shared insights, inspired me, and brightened my day with encouragement and a smile, but that list would be much too long indeed.
Last, I would like to thank Joseph and Jill McKinstry. As the recipient of the McKinstry Fellowship, I had a wealth of opportunities by working at the University of Washington Libraries, one of the best academic library systems in the country. Because of Joseph and Jill McKinstry, I have had the most meaningful year in my professional life. The experience afforded by this fellowship is, quite honestly, priceless. It is impossible for me to thank the McKinstrys enough. Although I could--and have--gone on for pages in attempts to express my appreciation, suffice it to say here that Joseph and Jill McKinstry have made a serious difference in my life, and they did so solely out of their commitment to enriching the field of academic librarianship. They are, without a doubt, two of the most inspirational people I have had the pleasure to know.
Credits
With my respect for copyright, I feel compelled to offer credit to the sources of my images. Most of the images I found came from Wikipedia, and they were borrowed under their GNU Free Documentation License. However, the images from the University of Washington Libraries came from webpages at the University of Washington, soon to be my alma mater. The image of the Oxford Library was taken from a Hogwarts site; since that library is used in the films, many fans have posted images of it on the web. Hopefully, this will give credit where it is due.