Hennessey’s new public library director was a volunteer at the libary for seven years during his middle and high school years.

He’s Steven Mitchell, a 2011 Hennessey High School graduate and a May graduate from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva.

Mitchell, 29, thought about changing his major to library science, but said he was already on a path for the psychology degree, but is now in a job where he belongs.

He lived in Alva for eight years and has been back in Hennessey for two years where he’d worked at “The Sinclair,” then clarified that work place by saying, “The North Dale’s.”

Mitchell has a 5-yearold son, Charlie, who graduated from HPS pre-K in May and will be in kindergarten next month. She’s sure to be a reader, loves being close to her grandparents and they love it too, he said.

Those grands are his parents, Mary (Powell) and Robert Mitchell Jr., and his siblings are Robert III, Robyn, Tasha and Steph-anie.

School years in Hennessey

He remembers when he was at school in Hennessey and putting up books in the public library, helping with the summer children’s reading programs, and with the Haunted Library events for Halloween staged by then-director Mary Haney and Friends of the Library.

He also recalled a chess tournament where he’d won a Lord of the Rings competition. So it’s no wonder that fantasy is his go-to reading aisle.

Mitchell was in the 12-years-together group when he graduated from HHS and has fond memories of high school friends where he was in band and was the drum major.

He also recalled that his 2011 class had the most (60) graduates of any year before them and the fun competitions between classmates Zach Griffin and Raul Orozco.

Future of library

Mitchell said he sees the library as the “municipal center” for the community, as well as a mecca of information and for all genres of books.

“We have business people who come in and use our fax,” he said, adding that youngsters and adults come to the library to use - and learn how to use - computers or have problems with their cell phones.

“We have storytimes for children, and what better than having children being around and learning with other children,” he said.

He hopes to have a reading club, a chess club and to meet the needs of the community whatever they are.

Mitchell said working with Friends of the Library is also a big plus and he knows some of the members because they are parents of former classmates.

Children’s librarian needed

HHS 2022 grad Ashland Crites has been the assistant at the library and worked on the children’s programs this summer and Mitchell said he doesn’t know what he’ll do without her.

Crites will soon be off to college and Mitchell will work with Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman to hire a children’s librarian.

Coming home to library

He had the opportunity to work with Lyndsey Kopsa, former library director, for about two weeks after he was hired as director.

Mitchell said while Kopsa was there, several grant-purchased items came in “and it was like opening up boxes at Christmas.”

“It’s ironic that Lyndsey’s returning to her hometown library in Kansas and I’m getting to return to my hometown library,” he said.