Tracey Aue joined the UC Merced Library in February as our Library Administrative Coordinator, which manages our department’s general support services areas of procurement, travel, entertainment, events, recruitment, onboarding/separations, finance and budgets. Tracey has 20 years of administrative and customer service experience, including 11 years at UC Merced working with the University Police Department and with the UCM service centers of ACT and CBS2. She recently worked as a Travel Specialist in CBS2 and brings valuable experience in administrative, procurement, travel, and event planning.
Recently, Tracey shared with us a little about herself and her background:
What was your first job, and what was the greatest lesson you learned from it?
"My first real job—outside of helping neighbors with odd jobs—was at the Modesto Junior College bookstore. I was 18 and in my first semester of college. I remember having so much fun there; everyone was great to work with, and the environment was really welcoming.
Coming from a family with a lot of addiction issues and being a shy, introverted student, it was eye-opening to work with other students and hear their stories and backgrounds. Being in a college environment exposed me to so many different types of people, and it helped me learn a lot about others—and about myself.
Unfortunately, life took a turn and I didn’t stay in that role long due to moving out of state. But that experience left a mark. I knew I wanted to return to a college or university setting someday. Years later, after going back to school when my oldest son was three, one of the first places I applied to after earning my degree was UC Merced.
When I started working on campus, it brought back so many memories of that first job. Seeing the students, interacting with them, and being a small part of their college journey reminds me every day why I love what I do. I had worked off-campus for a few years, but I’m so happy to be back. It feels like coming full circle—and I’m grateful to be reminded of the purpose behind our work."
What are you looking forward to in your role as the Library Administrative Coordinator? Or what would you like to accomplish or learn in your new role?
"What I’m looking forward to most in this role is all the new things I’ll be learning. In my previous position, the work was very repetitive—I was essentially doing the same task, just in different variations. Even though I’ve only been in this new role for a short time, I’ve already learned so much, and that’s really exciting for me.
I’m especially happy to be back in a position where I get to do a mix of things, like procurement, monthly GL account reconciliation, event planning, and onboarding/separation duties. Having such a wide variety of tasks makes the workday more interesting and keeps things from feeling stagnant.
I look forward to continuing to grow in this role and expanding my knowledge—not only of the responsibilities I handle, but also of the Library as a whole. There’s a lot to take in, and I’m excited to keep learning and contributing wherever I can."
What is your favorite thing to do on a weekend?
"My favorite thing to do on the weekend—or really anytime—is spending time with my family. My husband and I have four children, ranging in age from 3 to 17, so they definitely keep us busy!
Depending on the season, we're often wrapped up in activities like marching band competitions or jazz festivals with our 17-year-old son, Dominic. Our 11-year-old daughter, Aubrey, is more into sports and has played soccer, which keeps us active during the season. She’ll be starting middle school in July, and I'm hoping she tries out for the school teams.
Our youngest two, Ava (3, almost 4) and Carson (5), are full of energy—it’s like having twins! They’re always keeping us on our toes. We try to spend as much time outside as possible with them so they can burn off that energy.
One of my favorite things to do in the summer is go to the lake. We also enjoy visiting amusement parks and the beach. Still, with our busy schedule, sometimes a relaxing weekend at home is exactly what we need."
We are so excited to have Tracey join our Library team. Please join us in welcoming her!
