South Dakota State Library: Library Development e-Newsletter

In Focus

In Focus: Colleen Kirby

I am the Continuing Education Coordinator at the South Dakota State Library. I work with the Library Development staff to plan the continuing education that is offered by the State Library. I also organize the Library Training Institute. In addition to these duties I oversee the accreditation of public libraries and the certification of public librarians and I serve as a consultant for public librarians.

I was born and raised in the Lebanon area. My first experience with libraries was the bookmobile that came once a month to our rural school. I thought it was wonderful! I would check out as many books as I could carry. Librarianship as a profession did not occur to me until I was a senior in high school. We had a really cute male librarian and I volunteered in the library as much as I could. Unfortunately, the librarian had a really cute wife, but from this unrequited love I found my true calling in the world of libraries.

I am a graduate of Gettysburg High School and Northern State University, back in the days when it was Northern State College. After graduating from Northern I worked as the Interlibrary Loan Associate at Black Hills State University for a couple of years. It finally dawned on me that I was going to either have to turn to a life of crime or further my education if I wanted to move up the economic scale. In 1984, I graduated with an MLS from North Texas State University, now known as University of North Texas.

During my career I have worked at South Dakota State University, South Dakota State Library (twice), South Dakota State Archives and Black Hills State University (twice). Somewhere along the line I managed to pick up an MA in History from the University of South Dakota. If you ever have trouble sleeping I recommend you read The League of Women Voters of South Dakota.

This is my second time around at the State Library and I enjoy every minute, well almost every minute, of my job. I love working with the librarians around the state. They are so enthusiastic and truly dedicated to improving library service in South Dakota. They are my inspiration. I am very glad that back in 1983, I did not choose a life of crime.

 

continuing education, librarian, staff

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