Every week, we shine a spotlight on one Lincoln Public Schools staff member! This week, meet Karen Campbell, office professional in LPS Library Media Services.

“Karen is a great team player. She's generous with her time and expertise, and she's always willing to step away from her work at the district office when there's a school librarian who needs help on-site. She's a marvel.  While pallets of new books make their way into the shelves of our libraries and into the hands of enthusiastic young readers, very few will ever recognize the work that Karen does to make it all possible.” - Chris Haeffner, Library Media Services Director 

In a few sentences, briefly describe your role at LPS.
I process new library materials so they are ready for checkout. I monitor book vendor shipment notifications. I coordinate the Rotary Club #14 Birthday Book Club – 2,500 books donated since the program started! And, I serve as a member of the Shelf Support Team, traveling to our elementary libraries to assist with collection maintenance.

How long have you worked for LPS?
Fifteen years.

What inspired you to become part of the education field at LPS?
I was a library volunteer at Rousseau for several years and was happy to officially join the team as a paraeducator in 2011. I loved working there. My love of libraries then led me to the media secretary position at Lincoln Southwest High School.  I loved working there too. Wanting a 260-day library position led me to where I am now with the Library Services Department. And, yes, I love it.

What has been your favorite part of working here? What aspect of your job do you find most rewarding?
It is hard to choose just one favorite part of working here. I would say it's working with our Library Services director, Chris Haeffner, a great team of co-workers, and the whole district office full of supportive people, all doing important work. I guess I could say that community is my favorite part of working here. I find it very rewarding to go to the school libraries where we can be around the students, the books and the librarians.

In one word, what makes you proud to work for LPS?
Diligence.

Did you attend LPS as a student? If so, which school(s)? If not, where are you from?
Yes, I went to Rousseau Elementary School, Pound Middle School and Lincoln Southeast High School (Class of 1985).

What path did you take after completing your formal education?
I have a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. My dream job at one time was to be a park ranger. After graduation, I worked on fishing boats in Alaska monitoring catch and species composition and sending data to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). I then worked on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fisheries project for two years. Deciding not to continue with the fish, I switched to libraries. Libraries are a big part of my childhood and adulthood. I'm a reader. I often wish I had gone the Library Science route in college. I started working at the public library in Park City, Utah, where I lived for 10 years. I moved back to Lincoln in 2004, and I have been in libraries ever since, enjoying every minute.

What do you enjoy most about the Lincoln community?
Lincoln is the greatest "small town" city ever. There are people I know all over the place. Lincoln has so much to offer in the way of parks, bike and hike trails, free music, markets and art. We have great restaurants and nightlife. I am really excited for the new library downtown and the whole project down there. I appreciate Lincoln's forward-thinking leaders.

What is your favorite childhood book or a book that has influenced your life positively?
A favorite book from early childhood is “Goodnight Moon", such a peaceful story with colorful pages – it's like a little meditation. I buy that one a lot for new babies. In my school days, I read Judy Blume, the “Little House on the Prairie’ books, Nancy Drew, and all of S.E. Hinton's books, to name a few. Books that recently have left a mark are "The Emperor of Gladness” by Ocean Vuong and “What You Are Looking for Is in the Library” by Michiko Aoyama. Favorites are “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles, "The Overstory” by Richard Powers and “North Woods” by Daniel Mason. I like books that stick with you and make you think differently.

Share a shout out to a former teacher who impacted your life.
I really liked vocabulary and grammar with Mrs. Steinke at Lincoln Southeast. We diagrammed sentences! I had English with Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Murphy. The freedom to read the books we read, along with the projects and discussions, is a wonderful memory.

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