Submitted by Russ Hall, John M. Lilley Library, Penn State Erie, the Behrend College

Patience Simmonds will be retiring from Penn State Behrend on July 31, 2015. Simmonds started as a part-time librarian in 1992 back when the library was still in the Reed Union Building. She became a full-time librarian the next year. Simmonds moved to the tenure track in 1999 and was promoted to associate librarian and tenured in 2005. She provided reference service and taught many library instruction sessions for thousands of students over the years.

Simmonds…active supporter of student organizations

Simmonds helped the students establish the Organization of African Students, which later became known as OACS Organization of African and Caribbean Students. This was in addition to her role as a faculty advisor and her close work with Andy Herrera, director of Behrend’s Educational Equity and Diversity Office, to support student organization activities. She also collected books and computers for Africa and organized campus-wide book donation programs. Her plans for retirement are to, “take it one day at a time. Be thankful and be joyful and healthy, and spend time with my children, grandchildren, and family and friends.”