by Zach Miller
Quick Summary
Stacey Lunsford is the new Executive Director at the Traverse des Sioux Regional Library System. Lundsford comes to Mankato following a 22-year stint as the library director in Whitewater, Wisconsin.
Tell us about your library journey. Why did you become a librarian?
I applied for the job of library director at my hometown (pop. 201) library after returning to the U.S. from seven years working as a civilian on the NATO base in Vicenza, Italy. It was a life-changing decision at just the right time, combining my lifelong love affair with books with my new life circumstances as a parent. I completed my MLS degree three years later, spent a brief time as the library director in Humboldt, Iowa immediately following graduation, and then took the position as library director in Whitewater, Wisconsin where I stayed for 22 years. I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of story in creating meaningful, empathic connections among people and the power of information and literacy to change people's lives for the better. I can't imagine myself in any other profession.
What have you learned about Traverse des Sioux since you arrived?
The TdS staff are incredibly supportive and knowledgeable. They did such a tremendous job during the transition, I could immediately see how much the region's library directors appreciated them. The board, staff, and libraries have all made it clear that they are eager to embrace new opportunities to enhance services to our region's communities. It's an exciting place to be!
Is there anyone you’d like to thank for helping you reach this point in your career?
Connie Meyer, a Wisconsin Library Association Librarian of the Year and an inductee to the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame in 2023, was my colleague and mentor for 22 years, and continues to be my friend. She always provided wise counsel from her depth and breadth of knowledge and experience, and I am deeply grateful for her support and guidance.
