Longtime librarian, founding director of the Savitt Medical Library, University Libraries supporter and Friend of the Libraries Joan Zenan passed away in February 2025. Her career at the University spanned 28 years.  The impact Joan made can be felt across campus and beyond. She was a highly engaged member of the community, leaving behind a deep and meaningful legacy demonstrated in how she showed up and worked tirelessly to serve the University and its students, faculty, staff and community.

Joan had a long and distinguished professional career in libraries prior to coming to Nevada in 1976.

From UCLA and Johns Hopkins, then to Alaska

Joan completed her undergraduate and graduate work at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she also participated in a one-year internship at the UCLA Biomedical Library. She had previously worked for the Welsh Medical Library at Johns Hopkins University. Additionally, Joan spent a year at Columbia University where she served in the Health Sciences Library completing a management internship in medical library directorship.

In 1974, Joan brought together her love of geography (she had a bachelor’s degree in the subject) and her library science skills and moved to Alaska where she accepted a job as the librarian of the Arctic Environmental Information and Data Center, a research institute funded by the Alaska Governor’s Office and affiliated with the University of Alaska, Anchorage.

“I had to start from scratch,” she said in 2002. “We basically put together the best environmental sciences library in the whole of Alaska. It was important because this was during the time that the pipeline was being constructed.”

Opportunity in Nevada: From Life and Health Sciences librarian to founding director of Savitt Medical Library

In 1976 Joan moved to Reno, Nevada, accepting the Life and Health Sciences librarian position with the University.

Shortly after arriving and serving in this role, she was appointed medical librarian, effective July 1, 1977. As the founding director of the Savitt Medical Library, Joan was responsible for developing the medical library for the recently approved four-year School of Medical Sciences. She participated fully in the academic development of the school. Joan devoted 26 years of her career to building this library.

“The day we opened, we learned we were converting to a four-year school,” Joan said in 2002. “The library had originally been planned for a two-year program.”

Libraries Advocate

Joan was a tireless advocate for the medical library and the University Libraries. Under her guidance, the medical library met the specific resource needs not only of the School of Medicine, but also as the National Library of Medicine’s designated Resource Library for the state of Nevada.

During her time at Savitt, Joan built the medical library from the ground up and gradually increased its space.

"Joan Zenan’s vision and dedication established the very foundation of the Savitt Medical Library," Katie Jefferson, assistant professor, head of public services, Savitt Medical Library said. "As the University’s first medical librarian, she opened the library in 1977 and guided its growth for nearly three decades, leading renovations, overseeing the move to its current home in Pennington Medical Education, and shaping it into an essential resource for medical education.”  

In 2011 Joan reflected and shared some of her fondest memories of her time on campus. She said, “I am very proud of opening the first library for the medical school, overseeing its two expansions, and later opening the new Savitt Medical Library in the Pennington Medical Education Building. Very few medical libraries get the opportunity to open one – not to mention two – libraries. Those experiences made for an exciting and fulfilling career.”

While Joan was working in her library-related role, she was also heavily involved in faculty governance. During her time on campus she served on many campus-wide and School of Medicine committees, including Faculty Senate in 1984-85.

In 2011 Joan said, “I am proud I was elected Faculty Senate chair. There had been only one other librarian elected to that office in the University’s Faculty Senate history. I was appointed or asked to serve on many committees, and I became quite involved in the University workings in an effort to build relationships between the School of Medicine and the rest of campus. I had a very broad connection with departments and colleges throughout the University because of all of my committee work.”

In 2000, Joan began taking the necessary steps to plan for the construction of the Savitt Medical Library. Also in 2000, Joan received the Outstanding Faculty Member award from the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education. In 2002 the Savitt Medical Library in the Pennington Medical Education Building was complete. In 2003 she earned the status of emeritus faculty (along with Joe Crowley).

Joan retired from the University in 2004. In 2008 she was honored with the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award from the School of Medicine. She was named Honor Court Silver Benefactor in 2010.

When her retirement was made public, and as a regular contributor to the journal “Latitudes,” the magazine published an article in 2004 announcing, “Joan Zenan, Resource Library Director Extraordinaire and Director of Savitt Medical Library, University of Nevada, Reno, has retired effective June 20, 2004. A Resource Library Director since 1976, Joan took a major role in developing the networks in Nevada and has expanded health information services to many constituencies within the state.”

A generous University donor

After retirement, Joan remained active and involved with campus. She was a generous donor who committed nearly $3 million to the University.

The Joan S. Zenan Medical Library Endowed Discretionary Fund was created in November 2010 to fulfill Joan’s wish of building a permanent endowment to fund new or ongoing medical library projects and programs at the discretion of the School of Medicine Medical Library Director. The Fund supports a vast array of needs such as salaries, research, travel, professional activities, collection resources, special projects and more.

“Even after her retirement in 2004, Joan remained a steadfast supporter of Savitt, keeping in close contact with the library and its directors, maintaining regular visits and conversations with staff, and continuing to give generously of her time and philanthropy,” Jefferson said. “Through her endowed gift, she often reminded us to ‘use it for whatever you need, continue to make our library the cornerstone of UNR Med.’ Her vision, generosity, and enduring commitment have left an extraordinary legacy that continues to benefit our students, faculty, her beloved Savitt family, and the community we serve."

In 2009 she established the Joan Zenan Professional Endowment for the University Libraries. During her time on campus and throughout her retirement, Joan had great interest in adding to the progress and advancement of the programs of the University as a whole, both as an employee and as a generous donor. She also had a particular interest in the professional development of University Libraries faculty and staff.

Realizing the Libraries are made great not only by their collections, but also by the many dedicated employees it takes to provide high levels of service to students, faculty and community members, Joan established an expendable fund in December 2009 supporting professional development programs and activities to benefit faculty and staff of the Libraries.

A friend and mentor

When Maggie Ressel, associate professor, assistant dean of special projects for the University Libraries, arrived at the University in 1993 to serve in the role of part-time physical sciences librarian, she met Joan while attending departmental meetings. Ressel had just turned 25 and was new in her role on campus and in her professional experience.

“As a young professional just starting out, Joan played a key role in helping me learn how to navigate the politics on campus and within the Libraries,” Ressel said. “Joan was a clear thinker and a straight-shooter who was up-front. She gave the best advice when it came to setting boundaries and limits with any and all parties and she was a good sounding board for questions – which I had a lot of!

“She coached me on how to talk with faculty about their needs and how the library could support them. Joan was one of several mentors who helped me get started in my career. In many ways, she gave me very good advice on what it meant to become a professional.”

When asked to reflect on Joan and all she achieved during her time on campus, Ressel said, “I had the chance to thank Joan for all she did for me at the 2023 Nevada Writers Hall of Fame event that the Libraries hosts and puts on. At the event I was able to thank her for all of the good advice she gave me and told her just how much it meant to me. I was so happy to have had the chance to express my gratitude to Joan directly at one of the many Libraries events she attended as a friend and donor.”

Ressel added, “Joan wasn’t an employee of the Libraries, but she came to our events, participated on our Board and gave her time, energy and money to the Friends of the Libraries for many years. We are all grateful for Joan as the colleague and friend she was. She is missed.” 

Citations and Sources:

Tuesday, August 16, 1977 Nevada State Journal newspaper article titled, “Medical Librarian.”

2002 Nevada Silver and Blue magazine article titled, “Joan Zenan leadership a constant.”

“Latitudes” published an article in the July/August 2004 volume 13, issue 4 announcing changes coming in leadership at Savitt Medical Library.

2011 Nevada Silver and Blue magazine article titled, “What I’ve Done With My Life”

*Photos used in this article came from archived issues of Nevada Silver and Blue magazine. That is why the half-tone printing from the magazine is apparent in the images.