"The one thing that I have always maintained is that I loved the work and I have always lived with the philosophy that everything doesn't always come back to you in dollars and cents. It is the many privileges and opportunities I have had that have kept me happy in my library career."
-Carolyn Walz
Editor's note: Following is what we believe to be one of the top 10 stories in Emmet County for 2011 - a half century of service by librarian Carolyn Walz to the people of Estherville and surrounding area.
Little did anyone realize that a mere reference given by an educator at Estherville Junior College would evolve into a golden career spanning five decades. Interesting enough, the career at the library was not anticipated as the young coed had her heart set on becoming an elementary school teacher; but that was not to be.
The 50-year career of Carolyn Walz at the Estherville Public Library began on Oct. 31, 1961, and will culminate on Jan. 6, 2012, as she starts the next chapter in the novel of her enriched life: retirement.
The Dolliver native had moved to Estherville in 1959 to attend college. After completing one year at EJC as it was known then, she was employed at the Ben Franklin store when she was offered the position at the library. She married John Walz on Nov. 4, 1962, and they have one son who is a special education instructor in Spirit Lake Middle School.
Initially she was the assistant director at a wage of 65 cents per hour. It was due to another unexpected set of circumstance that Walz was named acting librarian in 1972. Three years later, she was appointed director of library services.
Walz received her first Public Library Management certification from the State of Iowa in 1975. Based on 45 hours of continuing education every three years, she has recertified more than 10 times.
Estherville's Dale Carnegie Library, built in 1903, had an annual circulation of about 35,000 items when Walz began her employment. The circulation numbers steadily grew so that in 1981, the public had borrowed 107,300 items.
A major change during Walz's library years is the public perception of the atmosphere. At one time, too many people had the old idea the library was a scary place to visit and persons behind the counter could not be approached. Walz and her staff are always willing to lend a helping hand along with all of the materials lent out to library patrons. Also long forgotten is the notion that the library is a quiet place. "We are a public library, not an institution."
The library can thank Walz for compiling its first policy manual in 1979. Topics included objectives, charges, gifts/memorials, confidentiality of registration and circulation files. At one time, rural residents were charged for library services. This policy changed when Walz learned that legally the library was eligible to receive subsidies from the Emmet County Board of Supervisors as well as the small towns in the county: Dolliver, Gruver and Wallingford that do not have libraries.
Walz says without a doubt that throughout her years at the helm, her staff has been a dedicated and experienced group. Each one, over the years, was willing to go the extra mile when the need arose.
The crown jewel, of course, was the new library addition. This project had its beginning in 1992 with a community study of the need for a handicapped accessible library. The results of this study moved forward to the $900,000 bond referendum which, thanks to the voters, was approved by 81 percent in September 1992. This was a success story in comparison to the vote in 1971 defeated by 81 percent to build a totally new library. The study had revealed the community wanted to restore the Carnegie with a renovation project including tripling the square footage. Fortunately Estherville's library located in the town square had the space available. Accompanying fundraising efforts were conducted January-April 1993 raising $600,000, exceeding the $450,000 goal.
During construction, the staff shelved many library items and moved the more popular and those in great demand to the library temporarily housed in the old J.C. Penney building on South Sixth Street. The remainder of the collection was stored at the City Hall and the lower level of Dr. Craig Baker's offices.
With the opening of the "new" library, the circulation numbers tripled in size. Other changes Walz witnessed included the manual typewriter being replaced by the electric typewriter that has been made obsolete with the advent of computers and other modern technology. Students and the general public have found the library the place to be to gain knowledge and information via the Internet on one of the many computers available to the public free of charge. Walz has been a constant advocate for the best technology for the library and gives credit to the benefactor of the Friends of the Library who has been generous with annual monetary contributions to meet the long-term technology plans.
One mainstay for Walz that has not changed in her 50-year employment is that wide-eyed look of discovery that children have when they first open a book or look on the computer and realize the opportunity to read to their heart's content with the world at their fingertips. It has been easy to see that Walz has thoroughly met her goal of serving the public, first and foremost.
A testament to this characteristic is aptly captured on a plaque which had a prominent place in her office. It reads, "Our newly expanded library stands as a testimony to the vision, leadership and determination of Carolyn Walz." This project took place from 1993-95 and included the referendum, capital fundraising and moving out of the Carnegie building into a temporary library and back into the renovated library. This is where her organizational skills had to be put to great use. However, Walz said, "I have to say it was a team project and there were many players from beginning to end to help make this dream come true."
Personally speaking, she enjoys reading biographies, travel books and poetry. "I am also an avid reader of current newspapers and I keep up with the latest news because I believe this is very important as the director of a public library."
Tagged as an advocate for her community, Walz is active in her church and has served on boards for various community organizations. She was the recipient of the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame award in Emmet County in 1991 and was Estherville Citizen of the Year in 1995. She is a 10-year cancer survivor and is very active in the annual Emmet County Relay for Life event held annually the first Saturday in June. In previous years, Walz served 30 years as "Team Mom" for the college women's basketball team. She and her husband would travel with the Laker teams and both consider themselves sports enthusiasts.
Carolyn has always been willing to participate as an advocate for the library by speaking to many service organizations and other groups of the community, hosting authors, being a teacher for a day at school, promoting special programs to generate good will such as the annual flag project, supporting our troops, providing materials for the homebound or those in health care facilities and holding amnesty days to get overdue items returned.
In her library career she had the opportunity to attend the American Library Association conference twice. Her first time was in 1984 in Dallas where she had the opportunity to shake hands with Rosalynn Carter and purchase the book, "First Lady from the Plains." She was a special guest at a dinner honoring Coretta Scott King and had her picture taken with her, thanks to a security guard.
The second ALA conference was in Chicago in 2005. This trip was a twofold purpose because she and her husband had a personal tour guide. The next day she was an honored guest at the Bensenville, Ill., Public Library for Estherville's library participation in the annual "Libraries Remember September Project."
Estherville was the first library in Iowa to commemorate this day in history. Carolyn continued this tradition with the final event on Sept. 11, 2011. The following year, in 2006, she was invited back to Chicago to participate on a closed circuit television production representing librarians across the nation serving Hispanic populations. This was an honorable experience.
Carolyn's Golden Achievements
n Member of the State Library of Iowa which due to legislation structures, libraries were first divided into districts, then co-ops, next regional library systems which changed to regional library services and now back to districts of which the Estherville Public Library is in the North Central District.
n Participation in the State lending programs beginning with the COM catalog, Iowa Locator, and presently SILO (Interlibrary Loan).
n Served twice as chairperson for the Adult Section of the Iowa Library Association including hosting one year at ILCC.
n Served on the Advisory board of the Regional Library for two years.
n Moving from the old-fashioned way of the stamper check out to the best in automation/circulation system with bar code scanning check out.
n Air conditioning the library.
n Expansion of Children's Summer Reading Program.
n Vast reference resources, large print books and service accessibility for the blind.
n Organization of Friends of the Library in 1982.
n Constant updating of audio visual equipment and materials including integration of Reader/Printer Microfilm machine through fundraising efforts expanding to digitizing on line still in process.
Four women began the idea of the library in 1882 and housed books in their homes.
The city fathers applied for a $10,000 Carnegie grant and built the first library.
Librarians:
Ethel Lyman 1963-1971
Sade Davidson 1903-1921
Christine Anderson 1971-1972
Lucile Peterson 1921-1963
Carolyn Walz 1961-1972 Assistant
Maye Case 1957-1963
Carolyn Walz 1972-2012 Director (Organized first children's library)
Tena Hanson 2011
I have had the opportunity to serve under approximately 10 mayors, seven city administrators; several finance directors, many city council members and always an awesome group of City Hall staff. Mayor Jacob tagged me as this person who needed to "Be with a book every day." When Lyle Hevern became mayor and came up with the idea of "Living is Great at the Top of the State", I asked permission from him to use a takeoff of his theme for the library, "Reading is Great at the Top of the State." In my 40 years as director I have conducted no less than 490 board meetings with over 100-plus library board members. I have worked with over 45 staff including part-time and co-op students. The longevity of staffing is significant of the dedication of staff to their library work. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with a great State of Iowa library system including state, district and area library colleagues. To all mentioned above plus the citizens of Estherville and all of Emmet County, and least but not last my husband, family and friends, I say thank you for a wonderful 50 years.
