Pierce takes on challenge as Lincoln's new librarian

The new branch librarian at the Lincoln Library is a familiar to face to those who have dropped in to peruse the stacks or use the computers.

Eleanor Pierce has been the assistant branch library for about 20 years, and she stepped up to fill the librarian position left open when Kate Radford returned to Boise to take on a new challenge at the Boise Public Library in December.

"There are many opportunities for me to learn and grow," Pierce said of her decision to apply for the position.

"I'm so excited that Eleanor is the new Lincoln Library Branch Manager," Radford told the BVD in an e-mail. "She has shown such amazing dedication to library services in Lincoln for so long. Eleanor brings a ton of knowledge and compassion and dedication to the community to this job, and I think Lincoln is really lucky to have her take over this role. I've already heard great things from community members about the impact she's making."

Pierce, who officially took over the position February 21, said she originally trained as a secretary and will always be a secretary at heart, but her years working at the library as the assistant librarian have set her up well for managing the Lincoln branch. She brings with her the experience of working for both Radford and long-serving librarian Sherri Wood, who retired in 2019 after 36 years as Lincoln's librarian.

"Sherri and I had a great time. We always had fun working, and Kate and I did too, but it was different because Kate's a lot more outgoing" Pierce said. "I think Kate showed me some things about where we can go and where we're allowed to go."

Her new position isn't without some challenges, and Pierce said she's learning a lot of the technology as she goes.

"It takes a lot of time to learn things and sometimes I just didn't have time. Like Facebook," she said. "I've never done Facebook and I need to. I need to be able to reach out in that way too."

Pierce said she will also have to get out in the community a little bit more than she has before. "I'm pretty much of a homebody, but it's not a bad thing to be learning. I do have skills that have developed over the years I can share.

Pierce hopes to continue with some of the science, technology, engineering and math that Radford had gotten started before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and as the pandemic subsides, she's looking forward to getting back to being able to do more in-person projects.

"It's looking like that isn't going to be too far away. That's exciting," she said, "That would be bringing back story time and all the meetings that happened, or as many as we can."

For now, Pierce and the other branch librarians have been working on the summer reading program and the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program. She plans to begin working on coordination with the school and POUNCE programs once she settles a bit more into her new role and is more comfortable with the technology.

"So far I'm still learning a new language, it seems like," she said.

She likes to see both old and new faces at the library and said she's going to continue to work hard to make sure they are helping people and are providing what people need and wanted.

"That will never stop," she said.