Congratulations Annie Busch

Retired Executive Director Annie Busch has been selected for the Distinguished Public Service Award by the Springfield Daily Citizen. The celebration to honor Annie will be on May 19.

Annie served as the Springfield-Greene County Library’s Executive Director from 1989 to 2008. During her tenure, the district transformed a former Payless Cashways lumber and hardware store into its flagship facility, The Library Center. She also converted a former furniture store into the Library Station and opened a new branch on Park Central Square. In addition to facilities, she led the development of the Ozarks Regional Information Online Network, which gave the community its first opportunity to access the internet in the mid-1990s.

Along with expanding the library district, she actively engaged in the community by serving on the Springfield School Board and as the first female President of the Rotary Club of Springfield. Annie was a role model for female leadership in the community. She championed early childhood education, the unsheltered community and children in foster care.

Executive Director Ed Walton added, “The first time I met Annie, I was impressed by her vision and passion to improve literacy in our community. She believed the library played an integral role in making our community stronger. Because of Annie, our vision and passion today are to make the library an integral part of our community."

Photo credit Mike O'Brien