Dec. 15, 2022
Retired Engineering librarian Tom Volkening dies at 72
The Michigan State University College of Engineering lost a friend last week.
Tom Volkening, who faithfully served as Engineering Librarian for more than 35 years, died Dec. 9, 2022, at University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was 72.
He retired on July 29, 2022, after 37 years of service as a librarian at Michigan State University. He joined the MSU Libraries in 1984. Read more on his retirement.
As Engineering Librarian, he helped design the layout of the new Engineering Library, supervised the move from its old location on the third floor in the original wing of the Engineering Building to its location on the first floor and supervised several major renovations over the years.
In 2015, he oversaw the move of collections and services to the Main Library when the branch closed after over half a century. After moving to the Main Library, he took on additional duties including serving on the Main Library Reference Desk and taking on collection development responsibility for the purchase of general science materials for the Main Library.
He was the 2020 recipient of the MSU Libraries Career Achievement Award and the 2021 Homer I. Bernhardt Award from the American Society for Engineering Education-Engineering Libraries division. He was active member of the Engineering Libraries Division of the American Society for Engineering Education, the American Library Association, the Association of College and Research Libraries, the Special Libraries Association, and the Michigan Academic Library Association.
Funeral services are pending. More information is available here.
