Plattsmouth - For 14 years, Plattsmouth Library Director Karen Mier has overseen the upkeep of computers, additions to media collections and provided support to staff in their efforts to develop innovative programs appealing to patrons.

Now, at age 70, Mier has decided to retire Jan. 9 from her busy career and initially “do nothing for a while,” she said.

The city hired Mier in 2011 and her first day was March 20.

 Mier: “When I was first hired, they had delayed replacement of the public computers. I learned they were paying a lot of money every year to have a company manage the computers.”

At first, the library was given thin clients.

Mier: “They are not full computers. They were chosen because the IT company didn’t have to do much to manage them. Nobody was happy with them. (Former) City Administrator Erv Portis got a lot of negative feedback from the public about them.”

The IT company agreed to replace them with personal computers but once they were installed, they were not going to provide maintenance for them.

Mier: “So that’s when I said, I’ve got experience working with computers at Baright Public Library (in Ralston). I could maintain them myself.”

Her education and experience brought a myriad of skills to the library. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and English in 1978 at the University of Michigan. She spent 1979 at the university earning her Masters in Library Science degree.

“The job market was tight when I graduated, so I sent applications to the East Coast, Chicago area and Idaho. I did a couple of interviews and then received a call from Pharr, Texas, near the Mexican border.

“They offered me the assistant directorship over the phone.”

 Mier stayed in this position for the next nine years. Mier met her husband Guadalupe Mier in Texas.

Mier: “We married and after we had two children we left and moved to Nebraska. We had some misgivings about the (Texas) educational system.”

Her husband became Bellevue Public Library’s director when they moved here in 1989.

Mier: In 1990, after the children got older, I acquired a job in the Methodist Hospital/ College of Nursing’s health sciences library. We helped doctors, nurses and nursing students research articles on different procedures and disorders. I was in one of the first hospital departments to get Internet. I also learned a lot from the IT staff as the library moved from searching databases online with a dot matrix printer to searching the databases on CDs.”

In 1990, two young girls went missing in Omaha during extremely freezing weather.

Mier: “When they were found, they were brought to the hospital. We found articles for the doctors and nurses who were working on them. They took blood out of their system, warmed it and put it back in. That’s when I saw how the job impacted patient care.”

In 2005, Mier decided to return to the public library field. She was hired part-time at first, then full-time at Baright Public Library in Ralston.

Mier:  “At Ralston, I learned a lot about computers like adding memory or occasionally replacing parts. It was challenging because I’d also never done a website or interlibrary loans before.”

After six years, Mier heard Plattsmouth was looking to hire a library director and she landed the job. Her library science education and computer experience has been invaluable to the library and city departments as well.

Her duties, however, were never strictly computer-related. She continued to promote programs as well as developed and maintained the collections.

Mier: I’ve collaborated with staff to add new types of collections such as graphic novels, games and puzzles. Some of those came out of the library’s 2019 Community Needs Assessment survey. We will submit a new assessment in 2026.”

Mier and the staff also planned the library’s 100th Anniversary Celebration in 2016.

Mier:  “Since I knew it was coming up, we planned what we wanted to do.”

The event included activities from the library’s past like serving buttermilk pie, making rag balls with names inside and the opening of the cornerstone.

During her tenure, Mier also helped add Makerspace equipment for patrons to use including the laser cutter, heat press and mug press.

Using both work and private time, Mier has continued the library’s recycling efforts of paper and plastic products. Mier thanked the city for its support. Although her last official day as director is Jan. 9, she will be back to help with replacing computers and the transition with the new director.

Mier: “I’ve seen a lot of change in libraries. It’s a love/hate relationship. I’ve kept up with the changes, which is good, but there are always challenges.”

Staff members appreciate her empathetic nature and calm in the face of multi-faceted challenges.

Library assistant Mary Pat O’Callaghan: I am thankful that Karen took a chance to hire me. I enjoy being a part of the Plattsmouth library community. As a new employee, I have many questions. Karen patiently answers all of them! Knowing of my interest in library work, she has taken the time to talk with me about various aspects of library operations and management. I appreciate having the opportunity to work for Karen—even if it was for a short time.”

Library Supervisor Kenneth Turner has worked with Mier the past five years and appreciates all she has taught him on the job.

Turner: “She trained me to do my job, taught me how to do interlibrary loans, helped me train new staff, showed me how to prepare for the book sale and listened when I presented her with any problems.”