MADAME LIBRARIAN: ROBEY LIBRARIAN RETIRES AFTER 15 YEARS IN CURRENT POSITION

Katrinka Sieber assumed her position as Robey Memorial librarian in 1985, when the facility was still housed in the Old City Hall.
“It was a very scary thought, moving a whole library,” said Sieber of the library’s 1985 move immediately following her employment to its current location at 401 1st Ave. N.W.
Sieber, due to retire the end of June, has served 15 years as librarian in Waukon and been instrumental to the new library's continued growth over the years.
Sieber didn’t set out to be a librarian. In fact, she earned her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Madison, WI, in vocal music. Certain, however, that she did not wish to be a singer yet not sold on a particular career path, she opted for a few library science electives during her senior year. And loved them. Sieber went on to earn a Master of Arts Library Science degree and has worked within the library system ever since.
Robey Memorial Library, founded by female volunteers in the 1920's, has expanded greatly during the past 15 years. Sieber reports the current facility to include a growing collection of books on cassette, for instance, as well as a wide selection of videos for children and adults alike.
The addition of computers to the library, said Sieber, has been beneficial, both to the employees and the public at large. Currently, the library offers four computers for use, one equipped with internet access.
“Getting ready for the computers took three years of steady work,” said Sieber. Staff members have now placed all books in the library collection on the computer for public access. In addition, the library is now connected, via the internet, with other area libraries, expediting the inter-library loan and general exchange of information processes.
Since the computers arrived, Sieber has been using the timed saved to implement other library programs she finds beneficial to the public. In particular, she is fond of the children’story hour and makes mention of the possibility of more adult programming, similar to the Robert Wolf presentation on one-room schoolhouses the library has conducted in the past. And most recently, the land behind the library has been purchased. Plans for the space remain open-ended; the area will fill an immediate use as a parking lot yet may one day provide additional space in which to build.
During an “average” work day, Sieber routinely completes a variety of tasks. “If you’re a small-town librarian, you find yourself doing a little of everything,” she said. As librarian, Sieber is responsible for the cataloguing, book orders, everyday financial management, personnel decisions and communication with the library board members.
To choose books for the library, Sieber has relied on patron suggestions as much as possible, and has sought to lend particular attention to regional writers and issues of interest to the Allamakee community. She remarked on the large variety of readers attending the library, and that a large portion are well-read.
For guidance when needed, Sieber consults the regional library in Waterloo, as she stated, “the small librarian really depends on their help for all sorts of things.”
Sieber has enjoyed her years at the library. “I think the favorite part of my job is the variety of things I’ve got to do,” said Sieber. “That, and meeting people,” she added. “You walk down the street in Waukon and you’ve got to say hello to everybody.”
Sieber and her husband, John, who has recently retired as a professor of religion at Luther College, have sold their home in Decorah and will move to Imperial Beach, CA, this July.
A public reception for Sieber will be held June 13, 6 to 8 p.m., at Robey Memorial Library.
Asked what she will do during her retirement, Sieber says immediately, “Oh, there’s a library just two blocks away...”.