Eighteen years ago, Deb Lowman moved with her family from Colorado to West Liberty. Lowman’s daughter required a series of surgeries at the University of Iowa, and they wanted to live near where she needed her care.

A medical assistant by trade, Lowman wanted a part time job that allowed her a lot of time to care for her daughter. While in town, she saw the West Liberty Public Library (WLPL) needed a part time youth services librarian and thought, “that sounds interesting. I’ll give it a try!”

Lowman got the job, and thoroughly enjoyed her work. Over the next ten years, she moved from part time to full time, leading after school activities, putting on the summer and winter reading programs, and more.

In 2011, Lowman took a position in the WLPL’s information technology department. From working on the WLPL’s website, tending their social media, maintaining the archives, and even leading some adult reading programs, Lowman continued to keep the WLPL running smoothly.

In 2017 when the WLPL’s director retired, Lowman took over. As with her other positions, she quickly warmed to her new role, coordinating with the city and staff to maintain the library and reaching out to get more people involved at the WLPL.

Now, Lowman looks forward to continuing her career at Scott Community College. A non-traditional student herself (she took classes at night to get her degree after she had a family) she looks forward to helping others succeed.

As she prepares to move forward though, she looks back fondly at her time at the WLPL and promises to continue supporting the community she loves. “I will always have a heart for this library,” she shared.