State librarian retires; search for replacement begins

State librarian Sara Parker will be retiring at the end of December.

Parker was appointed state librarian in 1995 by former Secretary of State Bekki Cook.

During her time as state librarian, Parker was involved in creating the Missouri Research and Educational Network, funding the Remote Electronic Access for Libraries to bring the Internet to libraries throughout the state, and the Missouri Bibliographic Information Users System.

The system enables citizens to search and borrow from the collections of public and private colleges and universities from across the state through interlibrary loans.

Parker also developed the secretary's Council on Library Development to allow the Secretary of State to receive citizen, librarian, schools and the higher education academic community opinions on library needs and state policy.

The search to find a new state librarian will begin immediately.

For more information, call Carl Greeson at (573) 751-2974.