WITH A PASSION

Elmhurst Public Library Director thrives in her job

BY CHUCK FIELDMAN | PHOTO BY VICTOR HILITSKI

It takes about 10 seconds of listening to Mary Beth Harper talk to realize she has deep passion for her job as director of the Elmhurst Public Library.

Harper began her job in Elmhurst in 2011 after a four-year run as director of the Ela Area Public Library in Lake Zurich and a tenure at the Palatine Public Library that included about 15 years of part-time work and a five-year stint as assistant director.

“I came for a tour of the Elmhurst library and there was just something about it,” Harper said. “I said then that if the job as director ever comes up, I’m going to apply for it because there was just something about this place.”

The job as director of the Elmhurst

Public Library opened about four years after Harper took her tour. She applied for it and got the job. “Applying for the position here is one of the best decisions I ever made. I really embrace this career,” she said. “This community is fabulous They love their library.”

Harper said she never tires of looking out and seeing people taking advantage of the many different things the library has to offer. “There are so many things people come here for, whether it is to check out a book or some of our other materials, use a study room, participate in some of the various activities we have, take advantage of our Makery, or something else,” Harper said.

The library’s Makery was installed in the basement of the building about five years ago as a do-it-yourself maker space for hands-on experiential learning. Some of the popular projects at the Makery have been etching a charcuterie board or wine glass using the laser cutter, customizing a mug, using the sublimation printer; customizing t-shirts, using heat transfer vinyl and the Cricut, a brand of cutting plotters, or computer-controlled cutting machines, designed for home crafters; and submitting a design for 3D printing. “The community has really embraced this,” Harper said of the Makery. “We have over 600 visitors a month using this, including some local businesses. It’s really been a fun place.”

Another non-book feature of the Elmhurst library is the Library of Extraordinary Things, which is a collection of items to help patrons learn something new, get something accomplished from a to-do list or try something they may not have at home.

The Culinary Cupboard collection is part of that Extraordinary Library and has many kitchen tools, pans and gadgets that can help make a dinner party a big success.“We have things like a waffle maker and an ice cream maker and many things for crafting,” Harper said. “Something else we have here are board games for both adults and kids.”

Harper said she loves watching patrons take advantage of the many different offerings at the library. “One of my biggest thrills is seeing everyone cohabitating,” she said. “I can see the parking lot filling up every day. This truly is one of the last places people can come everyday and not spend a dime. It’s truly a gathering place and has a million and one different uses.”

Harper said she and her staff, which numbers just over 100, always are watching and listening in an effort to keep tabs on the interest of its patrons. “We notice what our community is asking for, anecdotally and with hard statistics, and we keep up on what’s going on in our field. We’re always scanning our environment, and one of the nice things about working in a library is we don’t compete with each other. We share all the time and get some great ideas from each other. I’m someone who really loves change.”

Sam Cresswell, head of circulation for the Elmhurst library, said Harper has great vision and embraces change in order to move the organization forward. “She unequivocally supports staff and empowers us, as managers, to make decisions and to lead our departments,” Cresswell said. “There have been so many opportunities that have been made available to staff under her leadership.”

Mary Smith, head of the Kids’ Library, called Harper “a dedicated leader with a strong vision for the future of the library.”

“She continually pushes staff to strive for excellence and to anticipate trends in order to provide new and innovative services,” Smith said. “Her focus on providing excellent customer service is evident in the way she develops the staff, listens to patron, and fosters strong relationships with community stakeholders. She understands that a library is only as good as its board of trustees, its patrons, and its employees.”

While being director of the Elmhurst library, which has an annual budget of about $7 million, remains a passion and commitment for Harper, she does have a life outside of her job. The mother of four children, ages 22 to 32, and a baby granddaughter, Harper is a big music fan and loves to cook. ■