Shelia Wright-Coney, Receiving and Rapid Cataloging Assistant, 1943-2023

Known for her kindness and her crafting, Shelia Wright-Coney, Receiving and Rapid Cataloging Assistant at the University of Chicago Library, was a committed member of the Library staff for more than two decades. Wright-Coney made vital contributions to the availability of collections, the researchers who rely on them, and the lives of her colleagues. She passed away on July 13 on her 80th birthday.

Wright-Coney joined the Library staff 24 years ago as a periodical recorder and soon moved into general receiving, where she handled monographs housed throughout our campus libraries. In recent years, Laura Sill, Head of Acquisitions, explained, “Shelia was our go-to person for material from GOBI”—the Library’s largest domestic vendor for books in every discipline, from art to linguistics to zoology. Faculty, students, and visiting scholars using the Library’s print collection have benefited from tens of thousands of books that Wright-Coney received, assessed for condition, and checked to confirm proper cataloging.

Her Library colleagues appreciated Wright-Coney’s collegiality and commitment. “Shelia took deep pride in her work, and she genuinely enjoyed her colleagues,” Sill said. “She would often remark how much everyone here meant to her and how coming into the library was something she greatly looked forward to doing each workday. The Acquisitions Unit and the Library were blessed by Shelia's sweet, gentle disposition, her beautiful smile, and her kindness.”

Scott Perry, Head of Collection Support, knew Wright-Coney for more than a decade and remembers her friendliness and dedication over the years. “She was persistent and eager to make things work,” Perry said.

Charmaine Lane, Payments Assistant, joined the Library just before the start of the pandemic and met Shelia when staff came back on site. “I did not know Shelia all that long, but you would think that I had known her all my life. She was like a mother figure,” Lane said. “She always had a kind word and a smile for anybody.”

Wright-Coney was a native Chicagoan and a graduate of Parker High School and Kennedy-King College. She was employed at United Air Cleaners for 30 years before joining the Library staff, and she served as a Chicago Board of Election judge for more than 35 years. An active member of her community, she enjoyed participating in the 79th and Carpenter Block Club.

Many Library colleagues fondly recall Wright-Coney’s skill in turning everyday objects into crafts. She was particularly known for folding dollar bills into shapes such as hearts, shirts, and trees and would give her creations to coworkers across the Library spontaneously. She also enjoyed knitting and cooking for a crowd.

Jeremy Poe, Principal Receiving and Rapid Cataloging Assistant, sat near Wright-Coney in the Joseph Regenstein Library. “Shelia was always friendly and welcoming—especially with student workers.” She was also dedicated to her family and took pleasure in helping her granddaughter with Girl Scout cookie sales.

Wright-Coney took action to help the families of others as well. “When the news came out about a tragedy in my family, Shelia reached out to provide me with support,” said Gillie Abdiraxman-Issa, Executive Assistant to the University Librarian and Dean of the University Library. “I will always remember her kindness.”