Library Director

Meet our Director - Marie Van Beek

I am a 4th generation Baxter native.  I graduated from Baxter Community School and Iowa State University.

I am the mother of 3 boys and grandmother of 3 girls. I now have a dog who is spoiled more than my children and grandchildren have ever been.

I was a florist for 28 years. My mother and I ran Karen’s Plant Shop on Main Street in Baxter. After many years on the library board and volunteering at the library, I became the library director in 2008.

The favorite part of my job is unpacking new books and doing children’s programming. The worst part of my job is filling out state forms.

My hobbies are reading, riding bikes, quilting, gardening and playing the piano.