In Memoriam: Ourida Oubraham, Library Director

Ourida Oubraham, Director of the Samuel C. Williams Library at Stevens Institute of Technology, passed away on December 23, 2013.  Ourida, a beloved member of the Stevens community, joined the library in 1984 and was appointed director in 2007. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Algiers University in Algeria, and a Master of Science in Library Science from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

As director, Ourida tirelessly promoted the library as a vital component of the Stevens experience. Always with an eye on the library’s future, she thought first of its users and looked for ways to serve them better, introducing simple-search discovery on the library website and new hardware, including scanners, iPads, and laptops, to give the Stevens community access to diverse forms of technology. She oversaw improvements in document delivery and the creation of a textbook reserve program, as well as an increase in study space and the creation of a media room providing resources to help students prepare presentations.

Ourida encouraged collaboration between librarians and faculty to ensure that the teaching and evaluation of information and digital literacy skills continues to be an important part of student learning.

To promote the legacy of Stevens, she spearheaded initiatives to improve the preservation of the university’s treasures and history, and she organized an annual reception to recognize Stevens authors.

It is telling of her devotion to the library that one of her last acts as director was the creation of a feasibility study designed to evaluate the library and propose ideas for improving the use of library space and resources in the future.  The library will continue the improvements she began to honor her commitment to our community.

Ourida is survived by her loving husband, Youcef Oubraham (M.S. ‘89, Ph.D. ‘93), the E-Learning Technologies Administrator and Library Systems Administrator in the Information Technology department of Stevens Institute of Technology; her son Samir (B.S. ‘98), his wife Nadira and their children, Islam, Amin, and Asiya; her son Sofiane (B.S. ‘03) and his wife Lorena; and many dear family and friends.

A memorial service at the Samuel C. Williams Library is planned for Friday, April 4, 2014.  For information about the memorial service, please contact Acting Director Linda Beninghove linda.beninghove[at]stevens.edu or 201-216-5412.