Yet the entire month is packed with other information and events at the King County Library System.

First, please do remember to cast your votes by November 5 at 8pm. Ballots can be dropped off at 24 KCLS library ballot boxes for your convenience. For more information, check https://kcls.org/elections/

While many focus on election season, it is also budget time for KCLS. On November 20, we will hold a public budget hearing during the monthly Board of Trustees meeting. It is a chance for patrons to ask questions about the many services the Library System plans and budgets for, ranging from Mobile Services and Study Zone to ensuring our buildings are maintained in top condition.

KCLS is committed to strong fiscal stewardship of taxpayer dollars as well as public accountability. A reflection of that can be seen in the Board of Trustees’ approval last month of a resolution retiring the capital bond that paid for new, expanded or remodeled libraries. The $172 million bond measure was approved in 2004 by voters, and the building program was completed in 2019, greatly enhancing library spaces, access, green features and programming opportunities.

Please note that KCLS libraries will be closed for Veterans Day November 11, a national holiday that honors the many men and women who are serving or who have served and sacrificed for their country. On November 9, Skyway Library will host military veteran and author Secret Charles-Ford, discussing her book, Vietnam, PTSD and Therapy: Survived all That!

Also on November 9, SilverKite Community Arts is holding an online Veteran’s Day Sip and Paint acrylic class, aimed at creating tributes for veterans, including red poppies. 

Throughout the year, KCLS offers books, DVDs, resources and assistance to the many active and retired Veterans living in our service area. For more information, visit kcls.org/veterans.

November also is a time that we celebrate the many family caregivers as well as the Indigenous communities in King County. Staff has curated an inspiring list of titles for Native American and Alaskan Heritage Month.

To honor National Family Caregivers Month, KCLS is featuring several programs, including a November 9 Autumn Book Group discussing Mother Lode: Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver by Gretchen Staebler.

KCLS is partnering with the Center for Creative Aging and Aegis Living for a Wisdom Café and a discussion about the importance of mentors. The November 18 event will be held at Redmond Library.

Other caregiving resources and a staff-curated book list can be found at www.kcls.org/caregiving.

KCLS also offers Story Times aimed at helping parents and caregivers of young children. These include Play and Learn activities, sensory play time and bilingual Kalaidoscope programs.

Finally, as the days get darker–and Daylight Savings Time ends November 3­–join many of our patrons who have experienced the soothing effects of reading a good book. The Washington State Library Association, in fact, is holding an online “Bibliotheraphy in Libraries” Summit November 16 to discuss the use of reading for therapeutic purposes and how libraries can positively impact patrons’ well-being.

So join us online or in person, check out a book (or movie, music or digital materials), and enjoy all that your local library is offering this month.

The King County Library System is rolling out all kinds of programs and learning opportunities in October, including voter information, author events and back-to-school assistance.

First, an important heads-up for our patrons. This month, KCLS libraries will each close for one day for staff meetings. These meetings are scheduled on a rotating basis to provide staff members an opportunity to come together with their teammates for professional development and customer service training in support of KCLS strategic goals. In addition to system-wide training, each regional team will be able to spend time together working on local issues as identified by management so that all libraries will continue to be supportive community centered spaces. Find your local library’s schedule and more information on our website.

KCLS, and public libraries in general, have always been sources of trustworthy, impartial information, with the belief that patrons can learn and make their own choices and decisions. The important General Election is coming up on November 5, and the Library System is offering programs to increase voter awareness and education.

We are partnering with King County Elections for Voting Rights & Registration Workshops. Elections staff will provide a review on the significance of voting, who is eligible to vote, and how to cast ballots. The first workshops will be held October 2 at Fairwood Library and October 3 at Des Moines Library. Our elections page has more dates, times and information.

Our partnership with King County Elections includes ballot boxes at 24 libraries to make voting more convenient. For a complete list of ballot boxes throughout the county, visit the King County Elections website. Please remember to vote by 8pm November 5.

KCLS takes civic engagement seriously, but also makes time for fun, too. Our patrons enjoy celebrations of all kinds, and because Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month runs through October 15, KCLS is hosting Hispanic author events plus a cultural celebration at Covington Library October 1. The bilingual program includes mariachi music, how to make a paper-bag pinata and a Spanish Story Time.

KCLS is hosting other author events this fall as well, including a special October 15 program. Patrick Flores-Scott will discuss writing, teaching and the role of books in kids’ lives. The 7pm talk will be held at Renton’s Carco Theater, as well as online. Tanisha Brandon-Felder, host of YouTube’s Talking Books with Tanisha! will moderate the discussion of Flores-Scott’s work, including his new young adult  novel, No Going Back.

One of the Library System’s chief aims is to support literacy and learning in all forms, and our commitment is stronger than ever. KCLS’ robust back-to-school program reflects the many partnerships we have developed to bolster education for students, teachers, parents and caregivers. These include the popular K-12 Study Zone, which offers a range of homework help and tutoring. Need help with math? Check out Math Club. Need someone to read to? Connect with Reading Buddies and Reading with Rover. Talk Time offers a chance to practice English with other language learners in a supportive environment.

KCLS also has strong collaborations with schools, ranging from student accounts to programs that encourage and support grade-school reading and learning. Our new Career Online High School offers students a chance to earn a high school diploma while developing career skills. Check www.kcls.org/back-to-school for free library resources.

There are so many ways to learn and grow at KCLS. Join us!

This month’s wide-ranging opportunities include a library anniversary party, some very special author talks, and events honoring Welcoming Week and National Hispanic Heritage Month. You can attend an amazing opera recital, join an outdoor StoryWalk, and attend some election information programs.

September is also National Library Card Month. Your KCLS card allows you to explore a world of knowledge, resources and entertainment. For those patrons who racked up reading minutes for the 1 Million Reads Challenge launched earlier this year, I’m happy to report that patron success in meeting that goal has led us to move the goal posts. Keep tracking your minutes to reach KCLS’ new 3 Million Reads Challenge, which runs through December 31.

Our impressive September program lineup begins September 6 with the Issaquah Culture Fest, the first of several events celebrating Welcoming Week, which runs September 13-22.  Welcoming Week is a national campaign inspiring the everyday work of building multicultural communities of belonging.  The Issaquah event features world dances, food trucks, art and other activities.

On September 13, Redmond Library is partnering with the City of Redmond to bring the community together with an “adventure lab” party, including a geocaching event and scavenger hunt. You can learn more about the library and its neighbor, the City of Redmond’s municipal campus.

KCLS is partnering with the City of SeaTac September 14 to host a Welcoming Week event to celebrate community diversity, with a resource fair, food from different cultures and live entertainment.

Other programs abound. On September 12, KCLS is honored to host former White House speechwriter Terry Szuplat, who will give an online discussion of his new book, Say It Well. The book, scheduled for publication September 17, reveals not only lessons learned while writing speeches for former President Barak Obama, but a compelling account of finding his own voice as a public speaker.

That same night, a later online event features Sabrina Strings, author of Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia and The End of Love: Racism, Sexism and the Death of Romance. Both events are part of our Author Voices series.

That series includes featured authors for National Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, which runs September 15 to October 15. Check our website for staff-recommended books, activities and other inspiration.

Saturday September 14 is a day also packed with various opportunities. You can visit North Bend Library for its 30th Anniversary party, or head to Federal Way Library for an opera event called Recital: Black Excellence in Music. The latter is a partnership between KCLS, Seattle Opera and 5th Avenue Theater.

Also on September 14, a StoryWalk celebration will be held at Sunset Neighborhood Park next to the Renton Highlands Library. The event features The Wild by Yuval Zommer, a story about how all people can work together to protect the earth.

Head to MacFarland Park in Enumclaw for another Story Walk. You can walk park paths while reading We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom through September 12.

Public libraries have always been sources of trustworthy, impartial information to patrons so they can learn and make their own choices and decisions. With the important general election coming up November 5, KCLS is offering programs to this month and next to increase voter awareness and education. Please check our website for various event dates and times.

There are so many ways to enjoy September with KCLS. Join us!

How do we know this? For one thing, there has been a 250% increase in the usage of our 24/7 lockers when compared to the same period last year. The convenient lockers, initially installed to allow holds pick-ups outdoors while libraries were closed due to COVID, have since grown in popularity. Patrons so far this year have checked out 7,796 items at Kirkland Library lockers; 7,450 items at Bothell Library’s lockers; 6,633 at Covington; 4,425 at Woodinville and 3,053 items at Federal Way 320th Library. Lockers installed late last year outside Normandy Park City Hall but operated by KCLS, have notched 2,280 checkouts. The total number of locker checkouts is 31,637 checkouts, versus 27,774 at the same time last year.

While KCLS is known as the third-ranking library system in the world for digital checkouts according to the platform Overdrive, our data shows that patrons love both digital and print books equally. We also know that more patrons are tracking their reading minutes. Summer Reading runs through August 31, and as of August 1, there have been 4,319 total finishers, including 3,838 first-time finishers and 481 repeat finishers. A further reward: Every library has a community board with the names of finishers displayed throughout the summer. 

Reading is important and fun, but growing research also shows it is healthy. The benefits of “escaping” into a good book are being touted by the Washington Library Association (WLA) in an upcoming “Bibliotherapy in Libraries Summit.” Bibliotherapy refers to the use of reading for therapeutic purposes, and KCLS librarians know well how stories can transform, empower and positively impact the well-being of individuals and communities.

Remember that audiobooks and reading to others counts toward Summer Reading minutes read. Explore our staff’s reading recommendations for all ages; our collection is full of books that will entertain and inspire you. Youth Summer Reading participants also can get free Seattle Storm tickets through a KCLS-Storm partnership, while supplies last. Check www.kcls.org/summer.

Many of our libraries are adjacent to or near parks, so bring a book, a blanket and even a picnic, and join us for Summer Reading in the Park.

Our Summer Meals program runs through August 30 at three libraries: Kingsgate, Shoreline and Valley View. The annual program, a partnership with the KCLS Foundation, YMCA and other organizations, provides nutrition for body and mind. You can enjoy a free, healthy lunch and a chance to read books of your choice. Last year, 3,899 meals were served at more than 199 Summer Meal events.

In other news, KCLS’ Author Voices series continues this month, with New York Times best-selling author Emiko Jean discussing her new novel, The Return of Ellie Black August 6. Local writer and public historian Timiko Nimura will moderate the online event, being held 7:30-8:30pm.

Other summer opportunities include the Mobile Services Bookmobile, which will visit fairs, festivals, block parties and farmer’s markets across King County this month. See the Bookmobile events schedule.

Last but certainly not least, do check out our 2023 Annual Report, recently presented to the KCLS Board of Trustees and now available online. It tells the story of a busy and impactful year, highlighting important milestones, initiatives and the many ways we serve the public through popular programs, resources and our commitment to building communities.

Enjoy summer­ and all that your local library has to offer.

Our all-ages Summer Reading Program is in full swing, encouraging patrons to track their reading minutes. Reading to others and listening to audiobooks counts toward minutes read. All can be tracked through the Beanstack app, or with a reading log obtained from your library. Check our website for details.

For those who love to read outdoors (and who doesn’t?), KCLS is hosting a Summer Reading in the Park event from 5-7pm July 24 at Steel Lake Park in Federal Way. Bring a book, a picnic blanket or chair. Some refreshments will be provided while supplies last.

Valley View and Shoreline Libraries are also hosting Summer Meals. Check our website and calendar for dates and times.

Summer Reading challenges people to read, but it also invites people of all ages to participate in fun and educational programs, ranging from arts and crafts to science classes, book groups and author talks.

Our Makerspaces offer a variety of hands-on activities and are popular draws. Labs and other sessions are scheduled at Federal Way Library, as well as the Bellevue Library, which recently reopened following the completion of a window replacement project.

Study Zone is up and running again after a brief break in late June. Tutoring and homework help are available online and in-person.

As for celebrations, many may not realize that public library access in some King County communities predates the formation of the Library System in 1942. Last year, Enumclaw celebrated its 100-year anniversary, and on July 13, Carnation Library will celebrate its own centennial. Everyone is welcome to join in festivities that begin at 11am with crafts, followed by a science program with ice cream samples. A birthday ceremony that includes cake and an Eastside Fire Department firetruck tour will round out the day.

Summer is also the time to visit local farmer’s markets, and KCLS’ Library2Go bookmobiles will be visiting sites to provide some services and convenient access to books and other materials. On July 6, the bookmobiles will visit Maple Valley and Issaquah Farmer’s Markets, and Fairwood Market Night in Renton July 10.

Library2Go vehicles also will participate in parades, offering access to books. Parade events include Pacific Days July 13, as well as Tukwila’s Paint and Read in the Park event July 13. Bookmobiles will also attend the North Bend Block Party and the Vashon Strawberry Festival, both on July 20. See our website for the Bookmobile’s summer schedule.

With all that is happening this summer, remember that KCLS libraries will be closed July 4 to honor our nation’s Independence Day holiday.

Let’s hear it for summertime!

At KCLS, we are excited about launching our annual program, as well as hosting other June celebrations that honor diversity and build community.

On Monday, June 17, KCLS officially kicks off the Summer Reading Program, featuring reading challenges, prizes and programs for people of all ages to enjoy after the school year ends.

Summer Reading, which runs through August 31, offers inspiration, fun activities and community engagement. But it is important in other ways, too.  While research shows that student achievement still lags due to the COVID-19 pandemic, studies also point to summer reading as a remedy. When students continue reading whatever interests them during the summer months, they are far less likely to fall behind academically and are more prepared for the coming school year.

KCLS recommends reading 20 minutes a day, and eBooks and audiobooks count. You can track your reading either with a printed log you can pick up from your library, or through the Beanstack app. Adults are also encouraged to schedule daily reading time, modeling its importance for kids.

Some communities are so eager for Summer Reading, they’re starting early.

On June 15, a kickoff celebration at Federal Way 320th Library features a 2pm performance by Alex Zerbe, a two-time Guinness World Record Holder voted Seattle’s Funniest Prop Comedian. The celebration also includes chalk art, a library scavenger hunt, “book tasting,” reading notebooks, popsicles and more.

Woodinville, Issaquah and Maple Valley Libraries are also kicking off festivities on June 15, with Burien (June 20) and other libraries following suit later in the week. Check our website for Summer Reading events.

If you want a big head start on all the fun, bring a book to Federal Way on June 6 and enjoy Summer Reading in the Park.

Don’t forget to check out this summer’s Community Resource Fairs, which offer mental health, education, financial and other assistance and information.

June is also the time we celebrate the diversity of King County with Pride Month, Juneteenth and World Refugee Day.

KCLS will be closed June 19 in honor of Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of African Americans from slavery. We are celebrating African American freedom and heritage with staff-curated booklists and special events, including a Freedom Celebration June 15 at Renton Library. Come enjoy a Juneteenth-themed Children’s Story Time, a poetry workshop and performance, a community art project and other activities.

Staff have created Pride Month booklists as well as a number of arts and crafts programs to celebrate LGBTQ+ history, culture and stories. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) staff emphasizes that Pride Month celebrates the resilience and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community, honoring the journey toward acceptance and equality. It is a time to highlight diverse identities and experiences and to emphasize the importance of fostering an inclusive environment—one of KCLS’ core values. 

World Refugee Day is June 20, and KCLS has partnered with community organizations to host a World Refugee Global Village event at Tukwila High School on June 22. Last year’s World Refugee Day event drew 600 participants and 40 community-based organizations.

Don’t forget to check out this month’s KCLS Foundation Author Salons. There is still room available in these special events. A June 5 event at the Korean restaurant Revel features Jane Wong, author of Meet Me Tonight in Atlantic City and chef/restaurateur Rachel Yang.

On June 28, an Author Salon and dinner at Bella Luna Farms features Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht, head judge of Netflix’s The Big Flower Fight and author of Flower Love: Lush Floral Arrangements for the Heart and Home. To sign up, visit KCLSFoundation.org.

In other news, the Bellevue Library, which has been offering limited services due to construction, will reopen with full services on June 8.

As you can see, there is so much to enjoy this month—and every month—at KCLS. Join us for the fun!

We all love having choices, and the King County Library System offers plenty of them this month. Programs, classes and events are being held as we celebrate Older Americans Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Asian American Heritage Month and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

KCLS joins these nationwide campaigns to bring our diverse communities together and to increase knowledge and understanding. This month’s celebrations feature special author events and lots of website information, including a dedicated page for older adults and staff-curated booklists.  

KCLS is partnering with Carco Theater in Renton for the first-ever Read with Pride and Joy Book Fair on May 10, from 3-8pm. The fair centers on books for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

In the coming weeks, KCLS also will ensure that patrons know about the range of assistance available to them as we mark Mental Health Awareness Month. The Library System takes this topic seriously, offering resource centers, mobile clinics, Veterans support, Peers in Libraries, and other help this month and throughout the year.

In addition, the Maple Valley Library will host a special Healthy Habits, Healthy Minds workshop for teens May 28, and Kenmore Library on May 29 will host a program, In Our Own Voice, featuring personal stories of mental-health conditions.

The staff-curated titles for each monthly celebration will provide patrons even more reading choices for KCLS’ year-long 1 Million Reads campaign. Explore the lists and join this reading challenge!

We’re looking forward to May, but I’d like to take a quick look back to acknowledge a successful Día event, which drew more than 350 people to Auburn Library April 27. Also known as El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day), Día is a nationally recognized initiative connecting children and their families from all nationalities to diverse books, languages, and cultures through activities at libraries and schools. Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus, Se Habla Media Anchor Jaime Méndez, poet Mateo Acuña and Latin American musician Marco Cortes joined KCLS staff in the celebration. The event featured Story Times in world languages, including Ukrainian, Spanish, Lushootseed and Marshallese; KCLS distributed over 105 multilingual books over the course of the day. At the conclusion of the event, a world language community listening session was held to help KCLS understand the perspectives and lived experiences of immigrants, refugees, English Language Learner (ELL) individuals and multilingual communities.

I’d like to remind people that KCLS libraries will be closed Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day.

Until then, be sure to visit your local library to learn something new, get to know our knowledgeable staff, and connect with your neighbors. At KCLS, there is something for everyone!

April is packed with events and programs to help King County residents grow, connect and honor others. Whether you are interested in poetry, a reading challenge, multicultural Story Times, volunteerism or environmental stewardship, there is something for everyone.

This is a month when we celebrate the importance of public libraries, workers and volunteers. KCLS is offering many ways for patrons to participate in National Library Week (April 7–13). Patrons can join our 1 Million Reads Challenge, recognize favorite staff members, volunteer with a Friends group or create a short video describing how libraries make a difference in your life. For more information, check out kcls.org/national-library-week/

On April 9, National Library Workers Day, the King County Council will present to me, on behalf of KCLS, a document proclaiming Washington State Library Week and honoring library staff who work so hard on behalf of patrons. National Volunteer Week, April 21-27, recognizes the thousands of people nationwide who give their time and talents to benefit library patrons, including KCLS’ more than 500 volunteers.  I personally want to say thank you for the way KCLS’ staff has shown appreciation and understanding of their communities as I have been visiting our community libraries.  Their passion for their neighborhoods and for the Library clearly shows.  I am also looking forward to getting to meet the volunteers and Friends of the Library groups who support their work!

Becoming more aware of our impact on the environment is another major theme this month. KCLS will celebrate Earth Day (April 22) and Earth Week (April 22-26) with Earth Week programs ranging from art and science exploration to recycling and repairs. Upon moving to the Pacific Northwest, I am constantly in awe of the natural beauty, and am so proud we are offering these education programs to support keeping our environment healthy!

The Library System takes environmental stewardship seriously. We recently became the only library system in the country to be awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant to develop a Climate Action Plan. The $133,252 NEH grant, plus matching funds from the KCLS Foundation, will enable us to evaluate climate adaptation and mitigation strategies to reduce our carbon footprint and improve energy efficiency. The goal is to create a formal plan that can be shared with other libraries. Our consultants will present a plan update to the KCLS Board of Trustees April 24.

Multicultural literacy is at the forefront of library efforts as well. KCLS will hold its 28th annual Dia Celebration April 20-28, with a special event April 27 at Auburn Library featuring multilingual Story Times, author talks and music programs. Dia, also known as Children’s Day/Book Day (El Día del niño y del libro), emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. 

KCLS is also holding World Language Listening sessions to learn more about what various communities need and would like from their libraries.  

Also tied in with literacy is April’s National Poetry Month, which has become one of the largest literary celebrations in the world, with millions of readers, students, teachers, librarians, booksellers and others marking the importance of poetry for all cultures. The Library System has a number of events celebrating poets and the written word, including an online poetry contest April 1-30. The winner in each of three age groups will receive a $25 gift card, generously donated by the KCLS Foundation. For more information, see kcls.org/poetry.

Your local library offers inspiration, knowledge and resources. Our staff can help you enjoy many of this month’s events, point you to tax or small business assistance, or find your next book, eBook or audiobook. Librarians have even curated a special reading list in honor of Autism Acceptance Month.

There’s a lot going on at King County Library System, and I’m honored to be part of the team.  I look forward to seeing you at your local KCLS library!

Heidi joined KCLS staff members Debera Harrell and Sarah Thomas to discuss libraries, leadership and why she’s excited about her new role.

Q: What do you recall about your first library experience?

A: I grew up in Alma, Michigan and used the Alma Public Library. My first job was there as a shelver. I was terrible at it because I would read the books and talk to people instead of shelving. Neither of my parents went to college. I’m adopted and they felt strongly about making sure that I had the chance to get an education. They thought, “She’ll love to learn because she loves to read.”

Q: What were your favorite books growing up?

A: I was a voracious reader. I had a big imagination. As an only child, I spent a lot of time alone, so books became my friends. Growing up, I read Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary—I loved the Ramona series. In my middle grade years, Harriet the Spy. As a teenager, I loved the Neil Gaiman Sandman series. Later, I loved the Color Purple, and Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. The amazing thing about literature is that you can always find something in humanity to connect with.

Q: How has your library career unfolded?

A: I graduated with a degree in women’s studies and a minor in sociology but realized I didn’t want a life in academia. I worked for an arts council in Oklahoma City, thinking of arts management. But I always had this deep personal connection to public libraries. I went to work as a library children and teens specialist and fell in love with it. We were doing programs after-school and in juvenile justice centers, working with teen moms and the LGBTQ community. I decided what I really wanted to do. I earned my master’s degree in library science and moved to Houston to work for the Houston Public Library as an assistant branch manager for children’s services.

I like challenges, working with people, leading, problem-solving and setting the vision for departments and organizations. I applied for the executive director of Mahoning County Public Library System in Youngstown, Ohio, and was there for five years. When the Pratt Free Library executive director position opened up in Baltimore, I applied and served there for seven years before joining KCLS.

Q: What are some of your favorite memories or stories of people that have been impacted by libraries?

A: In Baltimore, a gentleman told me he had been homeless for years, but brought his daughter to the library to give her a sense of normalcy and stability. He said he was treated with respect and dignity. He would get resources and look for a job while his daughter was in the children’s section. He did find a job and housing, and his life improved significantly. I think we underestimate the power we have to brighten someone’s day and change the trajectory of their lives.

Q: What are some of your biggest concerns facing libraries?

A: One is making sure our funding is sustainable into the future, that our operations and teams can be supported so they can support our communities. The other is the national issue of intellectual freedom. The idea that we should somehow be censoring what we provide to make people feel comfortable just does not hold true to the freedom of public libraries and the principles they were founded on.

Q: Tell us a bit about your family.

A: I have two teenagers, a husband and mother and two dogs. My son is 15 and has started school here. He had been home-schooling. My husband is an at-home parent; he helps make things work at home so I can be fully present at work, which is a luxury. My daughter is going to stay in Baltimore with him until she finishes 8th grade. We’re all excited to be in a new region of the country.

Q: What are some of your top career successes?

A: The ones with the most community impact. When I was in Ohio, there was a branch in a community that was scheduled to close before I got there. Their sense was that losing the library and a place to come together would be the last nail in the coffin. A donor came on board because of the listening sessions and deep work we did to identify what the community needed and to support the solution the community wanted. We were ultimately able to build a new library with the Community.

I’m proud of leading fines-free initiatives in both libraries. Also, facility improvements. In Baltimore, a community that was highly impacted by redlining and systemic racism wanted a library, but the city had no funding for it. Pratt’s team worked closely with the city and the state and we were able to get the investment together for the first library in 15 years. I’m also proud of the social impact programming the Baltimore team created while I was there, and that we had a 12-year high in circulation last year.

Q: What are your hopes for KCLS?

A: We are a property tax-funded organization. We have to be critical to the communities we serve, ensuring services are essential to them. I’d also like to be a place where people love to work. I hope we can create a shared vision and actions that ensures both of those things.

Q: What excites you about your new role?

A: KCLS has a great reputation nationally. I’ll get to work with communities that love their library and with staff that are clearly so dedicated to the work of KCLS and the mission. I’m a builder. I’m excited to get to know the staff, to figure out what our challenges and opportunities are, and how to move forward. I’m really looking forward to it.

Heidi se juntó con los miembros del personal del KCLS Debera Harrell y Sarah Thomas para discutir bibliotecas, la dirección y porqué ella está emocionada sobre su nuevo cargo.

P: ¿Qué recuerdas de tu primera experiencia en una biblioteca?

R: Crecí en Alma, Michigan, y frecuentaba la Biblioteca Pública de Alma. Mi primer trabajo fue allí como acomodadora de libros. Yo era malísima porque leía los libros y hablaba con la gente en vez de acomodarlos en las estanterías. Ninguno de mis padres fue a la universidad. Soy adoptada y querían que tuviera la oportunidad de recibir una educación. Pensaron: "Le encantará aprender porque le encanta leer".

P: ¿Cuáles eran tus libros favoritos de pequeña?

R: Era una lectora voraz. Tengo mucha imaginación. Como hija única, pasaba mucho tiempo sola, así que los libros se convirtieron en mis amigos. Cuando era pequeña, leía a Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary y me encantaba la serie de Ramona. En mis años de secundaria, Harriet la espía. De adolescente, me encantaba la serie Sandman de Neil Gaiman. Más adelante, me encantaron El color púrpura y La casa en Mango Street, de Sandra Cisneros. Lo asombroso de la literatura es que siempre se puede encontrar algo en la humanidad con lo que conectar.

P: ¿Cómo se ha desarrollado tu carrera bibliotecaria?

R: Me gradué en Estudios de la Mujer y en Sociología, pero me di cuenta de que no quería dedicarme al mundo académico. Trabajé para un consejo artístico en Oklahoma City, pensando en la gestión de las artes. Pero siempre he tenido una profunda conexión personal con las bibliotecas

públicas. Entré a trabajar como especialista en niños y adolescentes en una biblioteca y me enamoré de ella. Llevábamos a cabo programas extraescolares y en centros de justicia juvenil, trabajando con madres adolescentes y con la comunidad LGBTQ. Decidí lo que realmente quería hacer. Hice un máster en biblioteconomía y me trasladé a Houston para trabajar en la Biblioteca Pública de Houston como subdirectora de los servicios infantiles.

Me gustan los retos, trabajar con personas, dirigir, resolver problemas y establecer la visión de los departamentos y las organizaciones. Solicité el puesto de director ejecutivo del Sistema de Bibliotecas Públicas del Condado de Mahoning en Youngstown, Ohio, y estuve allí cinco años. Cuando se abrió el puesto de director ejecutivo de la Biblioteca Gratuita Pratt en Baltimore, presenté mi candidatura y trabajé allí durante siete años antes de incorporarme a al KCLS.

P: ¿Cuáles son algunos de tus recuerdos favoritos o historias de personas que se hayan visto marcadas por las bibliotecas?

R: En Baltimore, un señor me dijo que llevaba años sin hogar, pero que traía a su hija a la biblioteca para darle una sensación de normalidad y estabilidad. Dijo que le trataron con respeto y dignidad. Conseguía recursos y buscaba trabajo mientras su hija estaba en la sección infantil. Encontró trabajo y vivienda, y su vida mejoró notablemente. Creo que subestimamos el poder que tenemos para alegrar el día a alguien y cambiar la trayectoria de su vida.

P: ¿Cuáles son las mayores preocupaciones que afrontan las bibliotecas?

R: Uno es garantizar que nuestra financiación sea sostenible en el futuro, que nuestras actividades y equipos reciban apoyo para que puedan ayudar a nuestras comunidades. La otra es la cuestión nacional de la libertad intelectual. La idea de que deberíamos censurar lo que ofrecemos para que la gente se sienta cómoda no se ajusta a la libertad de las bibliotecas públicas ni a los principios sobre los que se fundaron.

P: Cuéntanos un poco sobre tu familia.

R: Tengo dos hijos adolescentes, marido y madre y dos perros. Mi hijo tiene 15 años y ha empezado la escuela aquí. Había estado recibiendo la educación en casa. Mi marido es padre en casa; ayuda a que las cosas funcionen en casa para que yo pueda estar plenamente presente en el trabajo, lo cual es un lujo. Mi hija se va a quedar en Baltimore con él hasta que termine el octavo grado. Todos estamos entusiasmados por estar en una nueva región del país.

P: ¿Cuáles son algunos de tus mayores éxitos profesionales?

R: Los de mayor impacto comunitario. Cuando estuve en Ohio, había una sucursal en una comunidad que tenía previsto cerrar antes de que yo llegara. Tenían la sensación de que perder la biblioteca y un lugar donde reunirse sería el último clavo en el ataúd. Gracias a las sesiones de escucha y al trabajo en profundidad que realizamos para identificar las necesidades de la comunidad y apoyar la solución que quería la comunidad, apareció un donante. Al final pudimos construir una nueva biblioteca con la comunidad.

Estoy orgullosa de haber liderado las iniciativas de gratuidad de las multas en ambas bibliotecas. También mejoras en las instalaciones. En Baltimore, una comunidad muy afectada por la exclusión social y el racismo sistémico quería una biblioteca, pero la ciudad no tenía fondos para ello. El equipo de Pratt colaboró estrechamente con la ciudad y el Estado y pudimos reunir la inversión para la primera biblioteca en 15 años. También estoy orgullosa de la programación de impacto social que el equipo de Baltimore creó mientras estuve allí, y de que el año pasado alcanzáramos la cifra más alta de circulación en 12 años.

P: ¿Cuáles son tus esperanzas para KCLS?

R: Somos una organización financiada con impuestos sobre la propiedad. Tenemos que ser fundamentales para las comunidades a las que servimos, garantizando que los servicios sean esenciales para ellas. También me gustaría que este fuera un lugar donde a la gente le guste trabajar. Espero que podamos crear una visión y unas acciones compartidas que garanticen ambas cosas.

P: ¿Qué te entusiasma de tu nuevo cargo?

R: KCLS tiene una gran reputación a nivel nacional. Trabajaré con comunidades que adoran su biblioteca y con un personal claramente entregado a la labor de KCLS y a su misión. Soy una constructora. Me entusiasma conocer al personal, averiguar cuáles son nuestros retos y oportunidades, y cómo avanzar. Me hace mucha ilusión.