Library Director

Jackie Toennies is the Belle Plaine Community Library director. This is what she says about herself and her job:

I am very excited to be joining the Belle Plaine Community Library as their new director.  I am looking forward to working with this wonderful staff and seeing all of you who currently use the library and hope to see more Belle Plaine residents come in to say "hi" and stay to look around!

I know i have big shoes to fill with Kristi leaving, so I am very fortunate to have her training me before she retires!

After graduating from Belle Plaine High School I attended Iowa State University to study telecommunications and horticulture which led to a major in Public Service and Administration in Agriculture.

From there I was hired by Eli Lilly and Company and worked a four-state territory out east in their Specialty Chemical Division, living in Indianapolis and Columbus, OH, working with golf courses, college turf stadiums, nurseries, greenhouses and lawn care companies.

I settled in Ft. Wayne, Indiana for 20 years raising my 4 children, but stayed active volunteering and subbing in the school system and teaching religious education.

Upon moving back to my hometown of Belle Plaine in 2010, I substitute taught in the schools and then took a job as Director of Religious Education for St. Michael-Belle Plaine, St. Joseph-Chelsea, St. Patrick-Tama for the past 14 years.

I currently have three grandchildren with two more on the way and look so forward to this new chapter of my adventure!