CURRENT POSITION Children’s Librarian, Ericson Public Library, IA DEGREE MLIS, Drexel University, 2011; Ed.D., Concordia University, 2020 FAST FACT Stier has two books coming out this year, Zach Ollie’s Adventures: A Walk through the Seasons and Creativity in the Lives of Young Children. FOLLOW linkedin.com/in/mrzandcompany; iowahealthieststate.com/makeitok/stories/zachsstory Photo by Logan Kahler. Folkmanis, Inc, grants permission for use of the photo with their Yeti puppet

Every Voice Matters

Zachary Stier’s journey to find acceptance of his own learning disability and bipolar disorder diagnosis has led to an appreciation for how he and others learn and experience the world; now Stier provides children with a range of opportunities that spark joy, kindness, and wonder while nurturing reading skills and development.

In 2019, Stier launched Little Engines, a collaborative pilot project that supports early learning through virtual resources. The program, which uses the reading tracking program Beanstack, provides families with interactive engagement activities; each family receives a bag of supplies and earns badges for reading and completing activities. He hopes to expand Little Engines throughout Iowa.

Thanks to the NASA@ My Library program, Stier is certified to handle moon rocks and meteorites for patron observation. In 2023, he partnered with the Iowa Space Grant Consortium to develop To the Moon and Back, a curriculum for science programming in libraries throughout the state.

Stier’s programming for wellness extends to the community’s adults as well. In 2021, he acquired a community grant to develop Activating Community Voices, a program and symposium featuring speakers from partner organizations including Des Moines Area Community College, Drake University Head Start, Des Moines Y-Camp, Boone Community School District, Boone Chamber of Commerce, Boone County Hospital, and many more. During 2023’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a range of local agencies and organizations offered programs at the library and off-site, including a platform for individuals to share their mental health journeys. Stier shared his own story of living with bipolar disorder with the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative.

“A key to the success of this collective is the contribution from all stakeholders, who hold a vast array of lived experiences that helps to support the development of equity-focused programs,” says Stier. “Each voice matters. Each person is valued.”