By Isabella Zarate
Kate Smith has been an “indispensable member” of the Mahomet Public Library team for a long time now and according to Library Director, John Howard, “she’s just so damn good at her job.”
Originally, Smith was hired in 2009, by then Director Lynn Schmitt, as the project coordinator to assist in the development of the new building.
“Her work was integral to the success of the project,” said Schmitt. “She was present every step of the way from conception to the grand opening.”
At that time, Smith served as Schmitt’s “right hand.” Years later, Schmitt still identifies Smith as a vital player. “I can’t imagine having to operate the library without Kate’s presence.”
Once the project was complete Smith stuck around. “That was the first of her many successes and contributions to the library,” Schmitt added.
Howard claims this idea of keeping people on board is something directors do often “this person loves libraries. They’re amazingly talented. We need to find something for them to do here.”
In 2010 “we [Schmitt and Smith] created the role of business manager,” Smith said. “And it grew from there.” According to Smith, what started as a part-time position quickly picked up more hours and morphed into so much more. Schmitt informed that “as years passed Kate took on more responsibility.”
“What is a title,” Smith questioned when describing her present role. “It’s like working for a small company so I do a lot of things.”
From ordering office supplies, creating financial projections, and even facilitating the library’s marketing, Smith’s occupation takes on a great deal of responsibilities.
“She is a woman of many skills, and she wears many hats,” Howard explained.
Like most things, with time, the community evolved and so did the library.
“I’ve loved the changes that I’ve seen happen since we first opened our new doors.” Smith continued to talk on some of those changes such as the addition of material, computers, recent programs, and even new people. And as she put it, “it just keeps growing.”
It is no question that Smith is an asset to the staff. After 12 years of working there, she has a promising idea of how things need to work.
“Kate is the person to go to,” said Howard. He went on to share how Smith has such a deep understanding and an “expertise” in terms of her career and the library. Plus, Howard adds that the enjoyment she gets out of the job makes it that much better.
“I love it,” Smith exclaimed. Growing up, Smith had a passion for books so naturally, she was drawn to libraries. “I’ve been a heavy library user my entire life since I was old enough to have my first car and maybe before,” she shared. “It was my happy place.”
Plus, in a time with no internet, she described how she would find herself using libraries as a public resource. “Pre-internet that’s where you went to get information. If I had a research paper at school, I had to go to the library physically,” she said.
Unfortunately, at the time of her childhood the Mahomet library “was too small” for her enjoyment. Thus, she found herself going to bigger libraries, such as the Champaign Public Library.
Mahomet Public Library “was never really a place where people could gather, it was never big enough,” she said. That being said, when the original opportunity arose to expand and grow the library, Smith was eager to take the job.
“The fact that we were finally getting a library. It would marry my love of libraries and my skillset,” she said. And the outcome was astonishing.
“When we moved to the new building, we immediately saw a 33-percent increase in checkouts. . .more and more people came because they could.”
Finally, the Mahomet Public Library became the place Smith had hoped for. And now, she works so that the library can flourish.
One of Smith’s favorite things about her career is the ability it has to reach her community.
“Everybody can find a home at the library,” she explained. “No matter how you view the world, no matter what is important to you, we have something there for you.”
“She is exceptionally competent as a business manager,” Howard claimed. “She gets so much accomplished.”
He went on to talk about some of Smith’s biggest contributions to the library such as her five-year projections, her financial management skills, her work on facilitating the strategic plan, and her dedication to ensuring the other staff can do their jobs.
“Kate’s work allows the other staff. . . to do their work,” Howard said.
“I would be a far worse library director without having Kate Smith on my team,” said Howard.
Walking into the library, you may not be greeted by or even see Smith, but as Howard explained, Smith’s “work in the background” plays a key role in keeping the library going.
“People don’t even know I work at the library,” Smith joked.
But according to Howard, if there is one thing that is for certain it is that “the library is what it is right now because of her.”
