At the latest meeting of the Rodgers Memorial Library Board of Trustees, Library Director Linda Pilla announced the upcoming retirement of a long established staff member, Karen Napo, a familiar face to patrons and colleagues for more than a decade.
“Karen has worked at Rodgers Memorial Library since 2014. I was working at the circulation desk when she came in one day to ask, ‘Are you hiring?’ I had to say, ‘We’re not hiring right now,’ and she asked me, ‘Are you accepting volunteers?’” recalled Pilla. “She started as a volunteer, she became a library assistant, and she’s been with us since then. She is one of the best people to work with.”
Napo’s last day will be May 21, though Pilla emphasized that her retirement will not mean a complete goodbye.
“She’s not going away,” Pilla added. “She’s going to come back in her mode as a volunteer, and just cut down on responsibilities.”
Vice-Chair Lisa Weber echoed the sentiment. “I’d like to wish Karen a bon voyage and a good retirement, although she’s not going far. Best of luck in her retirement.”
While one longtime employee prepares to step back, two others are preparing to advance in their careers. Pilla shared that both assistant librarians in the Children’s Room have applied to begin their Master’s degrees in library science.
“It is exciting to see younger people being excited to work in libraries and wanting to advance to the next level,” she said.
The meeting also included updates on the development of the 2026 – 2029 Strategic Plan for Rodgers Memorial Library, a major initiative that will shape programming, space planning, and community services over the next several years.
“We have a working group for that,” Pilla announced. “I sent out an invitation today for May 11. Although it won’t be a public meeting, it’ll be the working group meeting. This is going to be a planning meeting where the group will get together, and they’re going to talk about what their processes are going to be.”
One of Pilla’s priorities is remodeling the library’s large meeting room, a space heavily used for programs, events, and community gatherings. As part of the working group, Vice-Chair Weber will report back to the Trustees as planning progresses.
Beyond long-term planning, several Trustees expressed interest in strengthening fundraising efforts to support the library’s budget and expand opportunities for patrons.
“My background is in fundraising. Can we talk a little bit about fundraising or who does fundraise for the library?” asked Board member Ali Rafieymehr. “I know some of the colleges I’ve worked at, we actually started to do programs with fundraising to make scholarships for students. It would be great to have scholarships coming from the library.”
Pilla agreed that fundraising should become a higher priority, especially as traditional revenue sources have changed.
“The fundraising has not been a major need, because in the past we had fines which contributed to the Trustees,” she said. “Of course, we don’t do that anymore, and so I’m excited for you to explore this, Ali, and look for partners in the town.”
The next meeting of the Rodgers Memorial Library Board of Trustees is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, at 6 p.m. in the HCTV Building on Kimball Hill Road.
