From being one of many proud Hawkeyes in her family to maintaining close relationships with a number of Delta Delta Delta sorority sisters, the University of Iowa will always hold a special place in Christie Krugler’s heart.
“My involvement with the LAC has provided valuable insight into the Libraries’ important role in fostering student success and community engagement,” says Krugler. “The Libraries are at the heart of academic life on campus and this allows me to contribute in a meaningful way. I want to make sure they have the resources they need to operate and evolve.”
One way Krugler is giving back to her beloved alma mater is by being a member of the Libraries Advancement Council (LAC). The group actively champions the Libraries and provides guidance and feedback to help the UI Center for Advancement’s (UICA) effort to increase support through fundraising, advocacy, and engagement. Krugler, who lives in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, recently completed a one-year term as chair and has been a member of the group since 2021.
Krugler became involved with the LAC after a memorable tour of Special Collections and Archives with her mother and several friends in 2019. She believes that by providing access to credible resources, study spaces, and expert assistance, the Libraries is crucial for developing research skills necessary for any career. Krugler and her husband, Bill, also believe in the power of stories, especially those that emerge from archives and collections. They graciously provided the seed money for the new UI Libraries Exhibits and Galleries Fund, which will support exhibitions of unique and rare materials in the Main Library Gallery and beyond.
“The Libraries are places for information and also cultural hubs where history, creativity, and exploration come together,” says Krugler. “For us, it was an investment in education and especially engagement. My hope is it honors the Libraries’ collections, celebrates the curators, and attracts new support.”
Krugler says she feels a deep sense of responsibility in helping the Libraries better support campus and is excited to continue being an advocate.
“Serving on the LAC has given me an opportunity to work alongside passionate, mission-driven people who care about the Libraries and the University of Iowa as much as I do,” says Krugler.
“I’ve seen firsthand how the libraries are dynamic spaces of engagement, and I hope in some small way I could play a part in furthering their mission by introducing my network to the Libraries role and importance at the University of Iowa.”
To honor Krugler’s service as chair, the Libraries added a copy of Heavy Threads to Special Collections and Archives during its spring 2025 meeting. This book is significant to Krugler because she earned a degree in clothing and textiles.
The book is an artist’s book by Lise Melhorn-Boe, with a poem by Hazel Hall. An edition of seven copies, the book is completely made from fabric scraps found in Melhorn-Boe’s house. The carousel structure of the book gives it a 3D quality that also mimics the look of windows, reflecting the words of Hall’s poem:
When the dawn unfolds like a bolt of ribbon
Thrown through my window,
I know that hours of light
Are about to thrust themselves into me
Like omnivorous needles into listless cloth,
Threaded with the heavy colours of the sun.
The book was purchased in honor of Krugler’s service with support from the University Libraries Excellence Fund.
Linda “Lin” Phillips, from Norwalk, Iowa, is now serving as chair and Amy Sullivan from Denver, Colorado, is vice chair. The LAC’s next meeting is scheduled for November 2025.