New library director in O’Fallon enjoys serving community

Ryan Johnson feels at home in a library.

But making it a career wasn’t an obvious early choice — rather a late-blooming decision that ultimately turned out for the best.

Johnson is the new director of the O’Fallon Public Library, taking over for Molly Scanlan, who retired in November 2019. He had been her assistant director and came here six years ago, first as adult services coordinator, so it was a smooth transition.

“I like what I do. I’m in my 30s and wanted to take a step up. From a practical standpoint, it was cohesive for the institution, as Molly had been here 12 years,” he said. “I like doing a public service. It’s very fulfilling.”

Johnson grew up in McLeansboro, Illinois, a city of about 2,773 people. It is the county seat of Hamilton County, which is near Mt. Vernon.

He is the oldest of five siblings. His sister, Whitney, 33, lives in Fishers, Indiana, and is expecting her first child soon. Brandyn, 26, works in finance in the metro-east. Courtney, 23, attends Bethel College in upstate Indiana. Destiney, 16, who was adopted from China in 2005, attends high school in Wayne City, Illinois.

After high school, Ryan earned a bachelor’s degree at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and became a history teacher. After three years teaching in Decatur, Edwardsville and Wentzville, Missouri, he decided to leave education and pursue something that was still service based.

As a kid, Johnson admitted he wasn’t much of a reader. He played basketball and video games. But he was interested in history, mainly unsolved mysteries.

“I did what I had to do for class,” he said.

“In a small rural area, you were either a farmer or a teacher. There were not a lot of career role models. You knew what a teacher did because you job shadowed a teacher for 18 years,” he said.

From teaching to the library

After teaching, he worked part-time at the Fairview Heights Library, whose head librarian “supported and encouraged me.” Then he worked at the Glen Carbon Library for 2 1/2 years before coming to O’Fallon.

“I had my foot in the door. I liked the library world. For 10 years, I was able to get experience in the field. It served me well,” he said. “I got the education I needed, and the experience.”

In 2017, 10 years after his obtaining his bachelor’s, he earned a master’s degree in library science from SIUE.

He moved to O’Fallon over a year ago and recently joined the Rotary Club.

“I like to live and work in the same town. Cities really rely on tax dollars. I like going to the grocery store, visiting the shops, restaurants — being part of the community and supporting it,” he said. “We’re fortunate to be a part of a town that is booming. O’Fallon is doing so well.”

The municipal library is a crown jewel in the city, and Johnson wants to keep it that way.

“We provide a community center for the residents. People go to work, church, shop at different places. This is where they can mingle. They don’t have to do anything to belong. They don’t have to spend money to do it,” he said.

Supported by the city, governed by a nine-member board of trustees appointed by the mayor and approved by the city council, the library provides services to more than 30,400 residents living in the city limits.

“All the trustees are active in the community. They are civic-minded, and they care about the library,” he said.

He said 87 percent of the budget comes from local property tax and the other 13 percent is from state and federal funds.

“The state funding is very unpredictable,” Johnson said.

For instance, the library received $38,000 from the state last year. This year may be different.

Positive environment, comfortable gathering place

Johnson wants to make sure the library is a positive environment and comfortable gathering place for everyone.

During fiscal year 2018-2019, nearly 350,000 items were checked out. About 174,000 people utilized either resources, a study room, high-speed internet connection through the computers, Wi-Fi service or attended one of the almost 600 programs available to all ages.

The amount of programs has steadily increased over the years. In January, they sponsored 66 programs, which averaged to 16 a week, Johnson said. Their peak is in June, with 74.

“We try to expose people to the world at large,” Johnson said. “It might instill something in you and create a lifelong passion. You name it, chances are the library has a program about it.

“We network a lot with area libraries. If Edwardsville has a great idea, we can copy it. And it’s reciprocal.”

They also get ideas from regional, state and national resources.

“We can get cutting edge ideas from other places like Seattle or Denver,” he said.

“We can take an idea and tweak it and tailor it to fit what we can do,” Johnson said.

After an extensive $1 million remodel and renovation in 2016, the library at 120 Civic Plaza, behind the post office, now holds more than 66, 203 materials — including 54,000 books and a large collection of DVDs, music CDs, audio books, electronic devices, magazines and newspapers. The library provides access to 50,851 e-books; 10,030 downloadable audio books, digital magazines and database resources.

“Before the remodel, it was all about the books. We had 88,000 items in the building. We trimmed it to 66,000, to make more room for people. We wanted study rooms for tutors and groups could come in together,” he said. “One way to compete in the digital age is to provide services to fit the age. So, we have internet services, notary services, hands-on technology.”

But books and reading are still the main focus. The library has multiple book clubs too.

“There is so much content being published right now. It’s a great time to find something you love,” he said.

This is one busy library. And to provide the best possible customer service, Johnson said they have five full-time staffers and 20 part-time employees.

“We have a terrific team here. Each individual contributes a unique strength and talent that makes us a dynamic whole,” he said.

Some staff will attend an upcoming professional development conference in Nashville, Tennessee, and will no doubt bring ideas back, he said.

The library is now open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. They are one of a few libraries open Sundays.

“It’s our busiest day. We have more people per hour than at any other time, I don’t know why,” he said.

Scanlan had huge impact on library

Among her accomplishments between 2007-2019, Scanlan expanded hours to include Sunday and programs for all ages and interests, including passport printing, kids’ clubs, job-seeking assistance and tutoring. Innovations included an interactive website linking the Illinois Library System.

She also oversaw a complete makeover of the library’s interior, including an expanded children’s section, teen center and computer lab.

“In that time, she transformed the library as a welcoming space for residents to read, relax, and learn,” said City Administrator Walter Denton.

Johnson said the children’s section is a major component of the library.

“We have a large program, and it maxes out,” he said.

“The kid traffic and the family traffic is our driving force. That’s our primary audience,” Johnson said. “But we have all walks of life. We run the gamut — retirees, college students, military.”

Storytime is a big aspect of programming. A by-product of that is families bonding together.

“I found out from a dad that he and his wife made new friends with another couple there for story time, and they now hang out together and the kids have had play dates,” he said. “Parents are so busy these days and feel isolated when there is no time to socialize with other adults.”

O’Fallon Library featuring new programs soon

Johnson is excited about two upcoming new programs the O’Fallon Library is providing.

Girls Who Code is a national initiative, and a local chapter is being formed for young girls. The nonprofit organization aims to support and increase the number of women in computer science by equipping young women with the necessary computing skills to pursue 21st century opportunities. More information will follow, he said.

“This could ignite a field of study for them, having girls learn about tech in a hands-on way,” he said.

In March, the library will schedule a sensory story time on Sunday mornings before the library is open for children with special needs and their families.

“We wanted to find a way to serve them better,” he said. “It will become a regular part of the schedule, and more information is to come.

“We find unmet needs and we meet those needs,” Johnson said.