Get to Know Us

Heidi Mayer Kruse - District Librarian and Media Specialist

Contact: heidi.m.kruse@k12.sd.us
Hobbies: Reading, writing, puzzles, Vikings football, Twins baseball, podcasts, and gardening
Mantra: "It's chaos. Be Kind." - Michelle MacNamara
Favorite Kid or YA books: The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle.  Harry Potter nerd - Ravenclaw with strong Hufflepuff tendencies.
Credentials: Certified professional teacher librarian with both elementary and secondary library endorsements. 

Biography: Heidi grew up riding horses and taming barn cats on a farm in eastern South Dakota. Her parents and much of her family still live there. She joined the Meade School District in 2016 after an early career in marketing and non-profits. She is an occasional freelance writer with articles and poetry published in everything from business magazines to literary journals across SD and the Midwest.

She holds a Master of Arts in communication specializing in rhetorical criticism from NDSU.  At SDSU, she earned a Bachelor of Science in liberal studies with a focus in English & world literature and a Bachelor of Science in mass communication with an advertising emphasis. Her minors are in sociology and political science. ... Yeah. We know - she's a total nerd when it comes to books and media. That just means she really cares how kids interact with both. Be safe out there.

She has served on a number of community volunteer boards including the SD Festival of Books, Sturgis Big Read, and Sturgis Rally Charities. In November 2018, she was humbled and honored to join the Board of the South Dakota Humanities Council. The South Dakota Humanities Council "celebrates literature, promotes civil conversation, and tells the stories that define our state." 

Heidi lives on a densely wooded mountain near Sturgis with her husband, Troy, and their two children: Miriam (Mira) and Seth. They have an ancient cat, Hades, and a possibly evil snowshoe Siamese named, Finn.

Her first job was at 14 as the only employee of the Sherwood Memorial Library in Doland, SD. She's been working amongst the stacks off and on ever since. It's home.