Serials cataloger and authority control coordinator Nicolette G. Breski of the USC Libraries is the November 2025 recipient of the Staff Recognition Award, jointly presented by the USC Staff Assembly and the University Staff Club.
Breski, who joined the libraries in 2008, has spent her career ensuring that students, faculty, and other researchers can reliably discover journals and other serial publications across the USC Libraries’ collections. As a serials cataloger, she creates and maintains metadata for continuously published materials—work that supports the accuracy and usability of the libraries’ catalog and, by extension, strengthens research across the university.
In addition to her cataloging duties, Breski serves as the libraries’ authority control coordinator, contributing to the Library of Congress Name Authority File through the national NACO program and supporting the consistency and interoperability of USC’s cataloging data across shared library systems.
Colleagues Marta Fernandez Golbano and Minyoung Chung nominated Breski for the honor. They noted that her meticulous commitment to her work over the past seventeen years has made the USC Libraries’ metadata more accurate, consistent, and closely aligned with emerging national standards. In addition to her technical expertise, they also praised her collegiality and character.
“Nicolette is a delight to work with—good-humored, sharp, and precise, yet always humble and approachable,” Fernandez Golbano wrote in her nomination letter. “Everyone who works with her feels fortunate to do so. She consistently exceeds expectations in every aspect of her work, and I can think of no one more deserving of this recognition.”
For Breski, the award holds personal meaning. “I love my job,” she said. “I am humbled and honored to receive this recognition.”
Established in 1986, the Staff Monthly Recognition Award honors USC staff who demonstrate exemplary job performance and embody the university’s unifying values. Each monthly recipient is honored at a Staff Assembly meeting and receives a plaque, a monetary award, complimentary parking or transit, and public recognition through USC channels. Prior to Breski, the most recent recipient from the USC Libraries was Jynna Hughes, in January 2022.
Breski will formally accept her award via Zoom at the USC General Staff Assembly on Friday, November 21.