The Kewanee Public Library District board of trustees has hired a new director, a position that has gone unfilled for months.

Cynthia Maxwell is set to begin her new role as library director on March 25.

Maxwell, who has worked as director of the Streator Public Library for the past 11 years, received a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois. She was swayed to come to the Kewanee Public Library, she said, by the prospect of having a larger budget and the ability to get things accomplished.

Although she hasn’t made the move to settle in Kewanee and plans to commute until she can find housing, Maxwell said she fell in love with Kewanee parks, as well as the community feel she got as soon as she stepped through the library doors.

“I walked through and immediately felt that this was a community that believed in and supported their library,” she said.

The Kewanee library also has more full-time staff than she’s accustomed to and she sees more opportunities available here.

Maxwell said she saw the job posting on RAILS, and thought that the time was right to transition into her next challenge. She’s also excited about returning to a more rural community, having grown up at the edge of one.

“I always enjoyed that,” she said.

Maxwell said it will take her time to figure out her role with the Kewanee Public Library, but she’s looking forward to being able to make an impact. She also understands that her finding this job was a “needle in the haystack” situation, and believes she was just in the right place at the right time.

“My job will be to make sure everyone can get their job done and be happy getting it done,” said Maxwell.