Name: Stephanie Umbach
Major: English
Home: Valparaiso, Indiana
Employer: (Retired) Valparaiso University
Job Title: Cataloging Services Librarian

STEPHANIE UMBACH ’59 graduated from VU with a bachelor of arts degree in English and history, after which she earned a Master of Arts degree in library science from Indiana University in 1961. For nearly five decades, Umbach has served Valparaiso University as a reference librarian, first in the Moellering Library, and then in the Christopher Center for Library and Information Sciences. Prior to the opening of the Christopher Center, the VU library transitioned its classification tool from the Dewey Decimal to the Library of Congress system. The completion of this update necessitated that every volume in the library be reclassified and reprocessed. Due to this project and her lengthy tenure, Umbach has the singular distinction of personally cataloging nearly every volume on every bookshelf within the Christopher Center, a feat that is unlikely to be matched by any other staff member in the future. Also unique in her service is the fact that she shared many years of faculty membership with her father, VU Professor of English Herbert H. Umbach, who served the university for 34 years. In addition to her work on campus, Umbach has been an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and that congregation's Handbell and Vocal Choirs for nearly 30 years. Additionally, Umbach has enjoyed traveling with other alumni and friends on several Valpo Voyages, annual global excursions hosted by the VU Alumni Association.