As a candidate for the position of executive director of the Kansas City Public Library, Abby Yellman toured a few of the system’s 10 locations. What she saw and felt made a huge impression on her.

When she returned to Broomfield, Colorado, where she’s currently the deputy city and county manager, she told her team, “I love my job here, but the feeling of energy and connection that I felt upon visiting KCPL… I knew it was meant to be. The Library is the right place.”

The feeling was mutual. Library Board of Trustees President Pete Browne says he and the board were equally impressed.

“Abby Yellman brings years of experience and a passion for libraries. In addition to that, her leadership at the city and county level makes her an ideal fit to lead the Kansas City Public Library,” Browne says.

But neither party allowed that feeling of certainty to be the only deciding factor.

Yellman had thought about the position for years – and wanted the timing to be right.

After graduating with a bachelor's degree in history from Graceland University, she considered studying law. Newly married and with the country still reeling from the attacks of September 11, 2001, she decided to take a breath and secured a part-time position with Mid-Continent Public Library in Lee’s Summit.

Her librarian mentors helped her understand what public service means in a community. She had ongoing conversations with them about the legacy of putting community first and striving to identify the individual and collective needs of those they serve.

Throughout her career, which included libraries in North Kansas City and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, as well as other types of public service, Yellman has consistently put those lessons into practice.

As the director of library services and cultural affairs at the Broomfield Public Library, she restructured the library to ensure a career ladder, creating opportunities for front-line staff to move into leadership positions.

She also advocated for her patrons.

For instance, she saw that even small overdue materials fees posed a significant burden for low-income individuals, children, and families. Yellman says that fines discourage those who most rely on library services from returning, which means no access to books, public computers, job resources, or a safe space to work.

So, in 2018, with the approval of Broomfield’s city council, she eliminated fines – the year before the Kansas City Public Library did the same.

Around that time, she opened Broomfield’s first makerspace in the same building as the food pantry. She also secured a partnership with the city’s detention center to provide detained individuals workforce training, parenting classes, STEM programming, and more.

But it was in her earliest days in libraries – more than 20 years ago – that she first wondered if she could ever be the CEO of the Kansas City Public Library. Every so often, she noticed when the position was open, and each time she asked herself if she could do it.

At least twice, her answer was: Not yet.

Then, after her duties in the city manager’s office allowed her to cultivate an understanding of operations, human resources, legal compliance, finance, and relationship-building, she was ready to apply for the long-dreamed-of position.

A little extra nudge in that direction came from her older daughter, Laura, who will start at the University of Kansas in the fall.

“I'm a big believer that things are put in your path, and you’ve got to pay attention. And so when I saw the position open in March, I just thought: This is it. I'm finally ready to take on this challenge.”

Her younger daughter, Maddy, will be a high school sophomore this fall. Both girls and her husband, Seth, were born in Kansas City. He’s been a railroad engineer with BNSF Railway for 22 years. When Yellman, who holds a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree from the University Missouri-Columbia, assumes the role on August 5, it will truly be a homecoming for her family.

She looks forward to continuing the strong community-building work of the Library, like bridging the digital divide, connecting patrons to critical resources, and standing up for everyone’s right to read.

The Library, she says, is a very powerful public institution that must protect and ensure freedom of thought, freedom of access, and intellectual freedom for all.

“It’s been eye-opening for me over the last few years to witness the combativeness around libraries and the legislative efforts working against librarians and their core mission to serve all in their communities,” Yellman says. “But there is a silver lining; our communities are coming out and coming out strong. They understand the role and value of libraries within our society.”

As the chief executive officer and director of the Kansas City Public Library, Yellman will continue the legacy of public service passed to her through her mentors and looks forward to getting to know patrons and staff members, ensuring they feel seen, heard, and valued.

She says, “Serving the Kansas City community and being entrusted with the care of a dedicated staff who serve with such passion and integrity is a responsibility I deeply value and will not take for granted. I look forward to engaging with and continuing to build on the strong foundation that the Kansas City Public Library has established.”