State librarians honor Haeffner for helping hundreds of people at LPS

August 14, 2025

Lincoln Public Schools librarians raised their voices in celebration this summer when they honored Chris Haeffner for her top-shelf service to the community.
 
Dozens of librarians, family and friends cheered for Haeffner when she received the Nebraska School Librarians Association (NSLA) Meritorious Service Award. Haeffner, the director of library services at LPS, became just the 11th person in Nebraska history to be honored with the award. She wore a stunned look on her face as people from across Lincoln walked into Mickle Middle School’s library for the surprise ceremony.
 
Haeffner said afterwards that it meant a lot to receive encouragement from so many people. The ceremony also included video tributes from more than 20 people who have worked alongside her at every stage of her career.
 
“It takes my breath away to look at the faces of all of those who have supported me and walked with me on this journey and worked side by side with me to do the work that means so much to me and all of us,” Haeffner said.
 
NSLA leaders Joy Harvey and Emily Jacobs both said Haeffner was well-deserving of the applause. Harvey is the current NSLA president and Jacobs is president-elect of the statewide organization. They said Haeffner embodies everything that is good about the school librarian profession.
 
“I think Chris is a strong leader because she has a clear vision for our libraries that puts students and reading at the center,” Jacobs said. “Her passion for creating welcoming spaces and providing great books really shows. She’s kind, thoughtful and open to different perspectives, always working toward the best solution. I appreciate working with her because she keeps our focus on what truly matters.”
 
“Chris encourages all LPS librarians to give their best to all students through her unending support, whether it’s providing curriculum or by reimagining library spaces to make them more welcoming for students,” Harvey said. “She empowers her leaders by trusting them to use their strengths to contribute to our mission.”
 
Betsy Thomas works with Haeffner as a library instructional leader at LPS Library Media Services. She said Haeffner “radiates positivity” with her uplifting personality.
 
“Chris makes people want to be librarians,” Thomas said. “She’s not only an exceptional leader for our district, but also a respected voice at the state and national levels. Her innovative ideas and willingness to openly share what we’ve built have elevated librarianship far beyond our own schools, impacting educators across the country.”
 
People who have made significant contributions to the school librarian profession are eligible for the NSLA Meritorious Service Award. Nominees can be school librarians, but they can also be individuals or groups who have helped others through administrative or community work. Any NSLA member may nominate someone who they feel meets the criteria.
 
The NSLA Board of Directors will review nominations before determining if they will bestow the award that year. There is no requirement for the award to be given on a yearly basis. The NSLA has only presented the honor ten times in the previous 55 years: 1970, 1972, 1988, 1995, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2022.
 
Jacobs said the non-annual nature of the prize makes it even more significant.
 
“This award reflects the outstanding leadership and service Chris demonstrates not only in Lincoln, but across Nebraska,” Jacobs said. “Her work, including leading the development and statewide rollout of K-12 library objectives and corresponding lessons, is being used by educators across the state and even nationally.”
 
Haeffner has been at the forefront of many initiatives since her first day at LPS in August 1996. She has spearheaded district citizenship education lessons across all grade levels, curated MOSAIC displays of a wide variety of books and compiled a full range of online resources for students and families. She and LPS Cataloger and Archivist Sara Scott have teamed up on a project to provide digitized yearbooks to the public, and she has been instrumental in renovating library spaces at all LPS buildings.
 
Haeffner, who will start her ninth year as director of library services, has also encouraged her team by highlighting their efforts at many state and national events. She said it is fun to work alongside people who share the same passion for helping others.
 
“I still believe libraries are one of the last truly creative areas in education, where we do get to create and invent and sort of be responsive to whatever educational landscape our communities and schools are living in,” Haeffner said. “We get to do incredible work that I think makes a difference every day to the students and the teachers and the families we serve.”
 
Thomas said the NSLA Meritorious Service Award represents the far-reaching impact that Haeffner has had on hundreds of people. She felt those achievements would continue to inspire others in top-shelf ways for many years to come.
 
“When we’ve presented at national conferences, she’s literally received standing ovations, because people recognize that the work she leads is nothing short of game-changing for students and school libraries,” Thomas said. “She puts instruction and teaching at the forefront of our profession and sets the standard for what excellent librarianship looks like.”
 
Want to learn more about the mission and vision of LPS Library Media Services? Visit home.lps.org/libraries to view dozens of resources that benefit students, families and all community members.
 
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