Jake Epp Library names new director

The Jake Epp Library has named a new director and for many who visit the library it’s a familiar face.

Aubrey Walker was born in Landmark and lived there until the age of six before her father’s job took her to Texas for six years and then to Alberta for another six. She returned to Manitoba to go to university at Providence College in Otterburne.

When she moved to Steinbach in 2010, she decided to get a job at the library where she fell in love with working there. She decided to take library and information technology courses at Red River College to advance her career at the library. She was the assistant librarian for a number of years before getting her current role as director this month.

“It feels great (to be the director). I’m really excited,” she said.

In her new role, Walker said she will focus on creating stability and consistency. “I know it’s been a little bit frustrating with people how our hours have been. So we’re really just hoping to right the ship and get it going smoother again and then we’re going to start looking forward to what we can improve upon.”

Walker said the biggest challenge she has right now is the budget. With the minimum wage increase that happened late last year, the library’s budget was hit hard. She said about 50 percent of the budget goes towards wages.

“So, we’re looking into our budget and trying to really see what we can do with the money that we have still,” she said.

Some of the things Walker is looking forward to at the library is the installation of new carpeting to replace the carpet that was damaged when the library had a leak last year. She also noted two new programs at the library: the Sip and Share program for adults and a Dungeons and Dragons group.

“Libraries are so vital to the community,” she said noting that the library is one of the few free spaces in the community where people can just come and hang out or warm up in the winter. It’s also a place that promotes literacy and where people can access resources, such as language instruction, for free.

“It’s just a big equalizer in the community and that’s terribly important.”

Walker said the library is trying to offer the best service possible and that she’s grateful for the community support the librarians have received. “I just love how connected we are and how kind our community is,” she said.

So what does Steinbach’s top librarian like to read? Science fiction and horror are her favourite genres with a love for authors like Margaret Atwood, Ursula Vernon (writes under T. Kingfisher for her non-children writing), Martha Wells, Emily St. John Mendel, Stephen King, and Mary Shelley.