Mandy Havert, head of Research Services and the graduate outreach and research services librarian for the Hesburgh Libraries at the University of Notre Dame, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, October 21, 2021.
Mandy graduated from Ball State University in 1996 with a Bachelor’s degree in history and joined the Hesburgh Libraries in 1997. She earned a Master’s degree in Library Science (MLS) from Indiana-Purdue University in Indianapolis in 2007.
Mandy has been part of the Hesburgh Libraries family for 24 years. She started her career in public services in the Business Information Center (now the Mahaffey Business Library) and moved into positions in Information Technology. In 2007, after earning her MLS, she was appointed as a library faculty member and served as the head of monographic acquisitions.
Most recently, Mandy’s professional focus was on connecting people to resources, how organizations work and how they can be improved through leadership development. She had a tremendous impact as a member of the Teaching Research and User Services program, particularly through her innovative work with The Graduate School as the graduate outreach and research services librarian.
Mandy was an original member of the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship and served as the Center liaison for graduate students. In addition to consultations, workshops, and library instruction, Mandy developed the popular week-long Thesis and Dissertation Camps and started weekly programs designed to strengthen research skills and scholarly output for graduate students throughout their time at Notre Dame. She also served on the Graduate Student Professional Development Team, the Graduate Student Life Team and the Healthy Campus Coalition. Her presence will be deeply missed.
Mandy was widely respected and loved by her colleagues in the Libraries and across campus. Mandy lived her personal value of connection every day, engaging the Notre Dame community on behalf of the Libraries cheerfully and intentionally. Her impact was broad and valued, especially by her colleagues and the graduate students she served.
Mandy was a member of and served in leadership and committee roles for many professional organizations, including the American Library Association (ALA), the Association of College and Research Libraries (a division of ALA), the Academic Libraries of Indiana, the Indiana Library Federation and the American Educational Research Association. She is a published author in several academic library journals and a volunteer for the Westville Prison Education Initiative and St. Dominic Catholic Church in Bremen, IN.
Together with her spouse, Nik, Mandy enjoyed traveling the world, good food, live music, art, exploring other cultures, and striving for the betterment of others by improving access to education and practicing compassion for all. She was a caring person who was always there to help those in need. As an organ and tissue donor, Mandy’s caring spirit continues. Her gift will allow many others to have a better life.
The Hesburgh Libraries family offers our deepest condolences to the Havert family and her many colleagues and friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00am on Friday, October 29, 2021, at St. Dominic Catholic Church located at 803 W. Bike Street in Bremen, IN. Family and friends may visit from 10:00am until the time of the service. Burial will be at a later date in Cosperville Cemetery in Kendallville, IN.
For colleagues and friends who are unable to attend in person, the funeral services will be live-streamed on the Halbritter-Wickens Facebook page.
Contributions in memory of Mandy may be made to the Humane Society of Elkhart County or to the Moreau College Initiative. Online condolences and tributes may be made at www.halbritterwickens.com.