As a kid, Leigh Espey thought it was completely normal to have bookshelves filled to the brim with books. It wasn’t until one of her friends came over and said, “Wow, you have a lot of books,” did she truly notice her family’s collection.
“My parents have always been big readers,” Espey said. “To me, it was normal to have walls covered in books in the house.
“One of the first books my mom read to me was The Velveteen Rabbit, and my collection as a child included the Little Critter books, The Berenstain Bears and The Magic School Bus books.
“Those are the ones I would read time and time again.”
Espey’s mom, D’Lisa McDonald, was an English teacher at Bauxite High School and would frequently take Espey to the old library on South Street in Benton.
“I loved going to that one,” Espey said. “My first work-study position was a library position because I was just drawn to libraries and the knowledge that is housed there.”
Espey was named the new branch manager for the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library in Bryant on Nov. 26. She has spent nine years with the Saline County Library system, most recently serving as the public-services manager for the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library in Benton.
Rick Johnson, who has known Espey for at least three years, took her spot as public-services manager after serving as Espey’s assistant.
“I worked with her on a daily basis, and she is a fine individual,” Johnson said. “She is very conscientious and service-oriented.
“She is willing to go the extra mile, and she is a joy to be with. I have never had a cross word with her. I think she is a wonderful person.”
Espey is originally from Benton, having graduated from Bauxite High School in 2002. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 2006 from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia.
Espey had no desire to follow in her mom’s footsteps and become a teacher. She said being a teacher is “a huge responsibility.”
“I don’t think I explain myself well,” Espey said. “I have a lot of respect for teachers because that is a daunting task. They are responsible for the education of the next generation, and I don’t think I was built for that.
“But I can help students find a book if they need it.”
Espey said she started working in the library because it combined two of her favorite things.
“I love being around books, and I love helping people, and I believe [this position] brings both of those things together,” Espey said.
She is replacing former branch manager Reagan Silva, who moved to Louisiana with her husband.
“I have been with the library for about nine years, and I already know all the staff members here, so the transition has been really smooth,” Espey said. “Having been hired on the cusp of Christmas and December, we are just trying to get through the holiday season and into a groove.”
Espey has worked in several departments at the library, including the children’s department, collections and public services. Jill Martin, the Saline County Library assistant director, said Espey possesses a broad knowledge of library operations and how the departments work together to accomplish the library’s goals.
“Leigh is very committed to providing exemplary customer service and wants patrons to have the best library experience possible,” Martin said. “We are excited and happy for her to apply her talents and leadership to this new role.”
Espey said the reason she switched to the branch-manager position is because it added more responsibilities and bigger challenges.
“The public-services manager is mainly over circulation, and the branch manager is in charge of the whole branch,” she said. “It was a little different than what I was doing. There were newer responsibilities that went along with it, and I thought it would be fun to take on the challenge and grow in my career.”
Espey said that as the public-services manager, she gained experience working with all ages of patrons and assisting with any conflicts or issues that arose.
“Being a branch manager, I welcome all interactions with patrons,” she said. “I feel the library is meant to be a welcoming and accessible place, and I hope that our patrons are met with this feeling when they visit the library.”
The Mabel Boswell Memorial Library has seen some drop-off in patronage after having to close for three months last summer because of renovations. Therefore, one of the challenges Espey faces in her new position is to find a way to get those patrons back to the library.
“The big challenge will be getting the word out and letting people know that we are ready for business after being closed so long for renovations,” Johnson said. “We had some guests coming [to Benton], but for some, it was a stretch to even come here.
“Leigh and her team have done a good job of getting the word out and getting the participation numbers back. … I think it is on the way up. I am looking forward to good things.”
Espey said she doesn’t foresee challenges in her new role, but she said the Bryant branch does have a higher after-school population than the main library location in Benton.
“During the remodeling process, we took into account the proximity of the schools and how to better accommodate the children who walk over to the library,” she said. “I am glad that we provide a safe space for the children to come and wait for their parents after school.
“It can be rowdy, but they are children who have been in school all day and need to burn off energy.”
Espey said she hopes that by next summer, “we will be back to having everyone in the swing of things over here.”
“Our marketing department has done a great job publicizing everything, and once the new year starts, all of our children’s programming should be back in full swing,” Espey said. “Laura Austin, our new user experience manager, has started several new programs for adults, so I think that is really starting to catch on as well.”
Johnson said there has been a little bit of turnover in staff at the Bryant location, but he believes Espey will bring stability to the location.
“She is a good organizer and a good leader,” Johnson said. “I have nothing but good things to say about her. She will do a great job.”
He said the staff at the Benton location will miss Espey.
“I have some goals in mind, but I am waiting till next year to really get that going,” Espey said. “My main goal is just to keep the library running smoothly [after being closed for the renovations].”
Espey said she likes helping others discover new things, find new information or find that new book they want to read, or that new game they want to play or new movie they want to watch. It is fun to see all the different personalities and people that come into the library.
“I don’t think of myself as a people person, but when I explain it out loud, maybe I am.”
She said the goal of the library is to give access to materials and activities to people who might not otherwise have it.
“We have public-access computers, so if anybody needs to print something off, we can do that,” Espey said. “If they need to access the internet, they can do that here for free.
“We’ve got DVDs and children’s programs. Those programs ingrain the love of coming to the library at a young age, and those are the kids who are going to grow up and eventually bring their children and their friends back to the library.
“It’s the circle of life at the library.”
Staff writer Sam Pierce can be reached at (501) 244-4314 or spierce@arkansasonline.com.