After serving the library for 10 years, Library Manager Dolores Deuel retired from her position on Friday and welcomed new library manager Stephanie Freedle.
Deuel announced her retirement a few months ago and the city began a search for her successor. They found Freedle, their new manager, at the end of May in Westville, Okla, running the library there as part of the Eastern Oklahoma Library System.
Each library manager has aimed to take the Siloam Springs Public Library forward and keep it relevant as the way people read continues to change.
Deuel
Deuel was hired in April of 2012 and has spent her time getting to know her staff and community members, she said.
Over the years, Deuel has helped to create programs such as the Baby Book Worm project and a Spanish-language program, Deuel said.
She also worked to create other programs, like 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, and adding an extra book club to the roster, Deuel said
The biggest highlight for Deuel was the opening of the new library in 2016, she said. Deuel helped pick out the interior for the new library and made sure that the library would have different-sized reading rooms to meet the needs of different patrons, she said.
Covid-19 proved to be the most challenging time for the library under Deuel's tenure, but the library persevered and even succeeded.
"I think we came out of covid pretty quickly," Deuel said. "We were the second library in NWA to open back quickly. We opened up two months after being shut down."
Curbside service was started because of covid and continues to this day, Deuel said.
Deuel hasn't really planned out her retirement completely, she said. Deuel plans to take three to four months off and take it easy and then may get a part-time job, she said. Her only stipulation is that she gets to work with people, she said.
Although Deuel has accomplished a lot, there were some things she didn't get to, she said. Deuel said she would have liked to add to the library's collection and weed out books that are no longer relevant.
When looking at the future of the library, Deuel said it would probably become more digital, have fewer staff members and be more of a meeting place in the community.
"Covid has enhanced the digitization of the library," Deuel said. "I think the library is going to change but is still going to be an active part of the community."
Deuel said she really enjoyed working for the library and the city.
"Siloam is a great place to work for," Deuel said. "We've had some very good patrons and still have great patrons."
Freedle
Freedle may be new to Siloam Springs, but she comes to the library with a lot of experience. Freedle has worked for public libraries for most of her adult life, she said.
Growing up in Fayetteville and outside of Little Rock, Freedle first started her career working the front desk and children's desk at the Fayetteville Public Library, she said.
After that she worked at the library at the University of Arkansas -- Little Rock and later as a supervisor at the physics library at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Freedle said.
After completing her master's degree online at the University of North Texas, she got a job with the Eastern Oklahoma Library System, Freedle said.
Even though Freedle presently lives in Prairie Grove, she is looking at moving to Siloam Springs, she said. While learning the processes of the library, Freedle is also learning the community and what Deuel has brought to the library, she said.
When asked what she is looking to bring to the library, Freedle said she is looking to the public for guidance for the next phase.
"I am looking to bring fresh suggestions and be open to suggestions," Freedle said. "There is so much good going on and I am hoping to take us wherever libraries go."
Freedle also weighed in on what the future looks like for the library. She echoed Deuel's words about the library gravitating towards more digital content.
"There is always going to be a necessary physical collection but it will get smaller," Freedle said. "During the last two years in Westville, we had so many patrons come in only when they needed to renew their cards. There is much digital happening."
As Freedle now takes the helm at the library, she said that she is excited to be here and city and patron support has been great.
"I'm just really excited to be here," Freedle said. "The more I'm here, the more I love it."