After Taryn Malila graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley with an English degree, she was still undecided about her career path.
“I knew teaching wasn’t for me,” she said, “so I took a job as an administrative assistant while I was looking for something else. Luckily, I got a position with the High Plains Library District.”
“It was then I began to remember how much I loved libraries when I was growing up, and I began learning about all the things libraries do besides providing books to people.”
From that auspicious beginning, Malila’s career has continued to progress. She began taking graduate classes in library science, obtained a master’s degree, and today, 10 years later, she has been named manager of the Manitou Springs and Ute Pass libraries, both part of the Pikes Peak Library District headquartered in Colorado Springs.
Malila began working for the PPLD three years ago, and soon was specializing in the library’s adult services and programs. She assumed managerial responsibilities at the two libraries last October; previous manager Whitney Springer had moved out of state.
“It’s an exciting environment to start out as a new manager,” she said, referring to the Manitou Library’s temporary location in the Manitou Art Center, 513 and 515 Manitou Ave. The library moved to the MAC while the Carnegie Library building, built in 1911, undergoes a renovation and expansion, in part to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
“The move is working out well,” Malila said. “The MAC is a great place to work. We have community spaces to share and rooms you can reserve. It’s unique.
“We have part of our book collection next door at 513 Manitou Ave. with the MAC’s First Amendment display, and there are computers for library patrons toward the back of that building.
“It’s exciting to be here.”
Malila, whose name is pronounced MAH-lih-lah, said one of her biggest personal objectives is introducing herself to the community and meeting library patrons.
“I’m a new face and that can always be a little jarring, especially in a management role,” she said. “But one of the reasons I really fell in love with this career is because of the people you get to meet and help.
“That’s the most fulfilling part of the job, helping people work on a resume or getting people connected with community partnerships, helping them find what they need, helping kids with school projects.”
Malila describes libraries as being “living organisms” that are always moving, always growing.
“We as an industry (libraries) have always been able to shift with whatever is happening in the world,” she said. “Our role is always, first and foremost, a resource for people. The COVID-19 pandemic has made for strange times, with libraries’ popularity ebbing and flowing.
“But today we’re gaining traction, especially if you consider our resources — and it’s free, we don’t charge for our programs, we don’t charge for using our computers, and patrons can get $7 a week of free printing.
“There are also eBooks, movies and TV shows available, all free with a library card. That’s an important thing to remember when you consider how expensive things are becoming.”
She said the most popular service the Manitou Library provides is the circulation of books.
“With the online ‘hold’ service, people can just pop in an grab an item.”
At the smaller Ute Pass Library, off U.S. Highway 24 in Cascade, the most popular service is the DVD collection.
“We always try to keep that fresh and stay really on top of getting new releases,” she said, pointing out that if you have patience, you can see the newest blockbuster without going to the theater.
At the Manitou Library, children’s programs have always been one of the most popular features, and Malila said the library staff is starting to see a post-COVID pickup in kids’ programming with at least one story time a week and two or three kid-specific programs a month.
Upcoming children’s programs include a visit from the Zoo Mobile, the start of the summer reading program and a visit by therapy dogs as part of the Paws to Read program, which offers children, teens and adults a great way to practice their reading skills.
“We have programs ranging from tiny kids to adults,” she said. “Also, some people don’t know it, but we offer in-depth research help through our Book a Librarian program.”
Malila currently divides her time between the Manitou and Ute Pass libraries.