After more than 26 years of distinguished service to the University of Nebraska College of Law, Sandy Placzek, associate director of the Schmid Law Library, has retired. Sandy is known for her passion for libraries, her dedication to library service, and her deep knowledge of legal bibliography, in particular, Nebraska legal bibliography.
Sandy began her career at Nebraska Law in 1998 as a reference librarian. Her early contributions were so impactful that just two years later, in 2000, she was named interim director following the retirement of then-director Sally Wise. That same year, she transitioned into the role of head of public services, a position that allowed her to build and strengthen the library’s ties with its users and the broader academic community.
In 2010, Sandy became the associate director and has been the driving force behind many aspects of the Schmid Law Library’s commitment to service to all patrons. She developed many outreach programs, including outstanding celebrations during National Library Week, including community coffees, haiku contests, library trivia and many more.
Sandy is an avid reader and library user. Her reading interests span all kinds of fiction and nonfiction, in addition to professional materials. She uses the public libraries extensively and is often among the first to check out (and usually read) new titles. Those who know and work with Sandy could rely on her to recommend books that were entertaining and informative. But her interest in libraries is acute as a law librarian. She is a creative and gifted librarian who always prioritizes our users’ needs. Under her guidance, our reference and practice collections are perfectly suited to all of our patrons, including our faculty, students, members of the bar and judiciary and pro se patrons.
Sandy was also responsible for the maintenance of the library’s spaces and took great care that our outstanding facility looked its best. She had a keen eye for library finishes, layout, and design, and was responsible for making sure the library’s furniture, blinds and carpets were clean and in good working condition, while serving the needs of the law school community. In addition to the facilities and the furnishings in the library, Sandy was also responsible for the layout of the collection. She took great pride in arranging materials in a thoughtful way that facilitated the collection’s use. Over the course of her career at the Schmid Law Library, she had responsibility for the way materials were shelved around the library, and always put patrons’ needs foremost in her mind as she made recommendations for where everything was located.
Sandy was an outstanding teacher. She had a genuine passion for sharing her knowledge of legal research and relished novel ways to make the material relevant and fun. Not only was she an enthusiastic teacher in the first-year Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research class, but she also designed a unique Advanced Legal Research class, which she taught in the summer of 2024. For the class, she applied many of the lessons learned through her extensive reading about learning theory and teaching, and developed a class that incorporated innovative ways of involving students in practical skills and fun exercises. Students loved the class, both for what they learned, and for the fun they had.
Sandy is also an outstanding baker, a skill she shared with her colleagues to all their delight. As a photographer and craftsperson, she participated in the annual faculty, student and staff art show with stunning works over the years.
In many ways, Sandy is the quintessential librarian who took personal responsibility for maintaining decor and comfort for all patrons. As Sandy steps into retirement, her contributions to Nebraska Law, to her colleagues and to the students she served will be remembered with deep gratitude.
