Good evening and welcome to another expanded edition of Inside the Cover your locally produced PBS Kansas show about books, writing and reading.

It is so nice to have you with us, and I am hopeful that you will enjo our conversation with Jamie Nix, the Director of Libraries for the Wichita Public Library System.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a preview of Ken Burns documentary on the American Revolution.

As a part of that evening's program, I was made aware of the Kansas 250 Bookshel a suggested reading list, month by month of notabl books about Kansas and Kansans, as recommended and curate by the State Library of Kansas.

This is a part of an effor led by the Kansas 250 Commission to help honor and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the establishmen of the United States of America.

The Kansas 250 Commission was established by House Bill 2712, which was passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Kelly in April of 2022.

One stated objective o the Commission is to, ‘Celebrate America turning 250 years old by sharing the triumphs and difficulties Kansans faced when settling the heartland.

The Kansas 250 bookshelf is composed of books recommended for reading and learning more about those triumphs and difficulties.

You can find a complete list by going to the website shown on your screen.

As we move into 2026, we thought it would be fun to periodically visit the Kansas 250 bookshelf and use it as an opportunity to expand our knowledge about the USA and Kansas.

Our first effort in that regard is tonight's conversation with Miss Jamie Nix, the Director of Librarie for the Wichita Public Library.

Jamie, welcome to Inside the Cover.

Thank you for having me.

Well it's a pleasure to have you.

And, let's get started.

There's a lot to talk about.

You have a lot going on at the library.

So, first of all, let our audience know a little bit about Jamie Nix.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up just up the street in Emporia, Kansas.

Yeah, I went to school there.

I transferred in my college years here to Wichita State and thought I was going to become a poet and pursued, the beginnings of a masters of Fine Arts degree, but then determined that poetry really wasn't in my future.

That reall I had been working in libraries since I was in high school s well, and I remember from our, side conversation that in fact there was a librarian at Emporia that was influential to your life.

Absolutely.

There is a librarian.

Her name is Katie.

She's currentl working in Kansas City as well.

She really is reader service.

And yeah, I think, really she was one of the first people, apart from my immediate family who saw me and really encouraged me to pursue the thoughts that I had and, found the perfect books to put in my hand at the right time.

That is so special.

How have you been able to make contact with her?

We've done some things professionally, but stay in touc through social media primarily.

Oh.

That's awesome, that's awesome.

So whether you knew it or not, that influence was going to come to play in your later life.

Absolutely.

So you're working o the master's at Wichita State.

Thinking about being a poet is, thinking that's not going to work.

So what happened then?

Yeah.

I quickly transferred to and back to Emporia State and pursued my masters.

While I was working full time at Wichita Public Library.

Okay.

Yeah.

And that master's was in library science.

Indeed.

It was.

So after graduation, what was next?

I had just a really rare opportunity.

I applie for my first professional jobs.

There were two, that I had.

Both.

I saw trajectory in both areas.

One was to purchase, like, the fiction for the Wichita Public Library system, and the other was to enter management and be the branch manager a what was the brand new Evergreen Library back in the early 2000s when it when it first opened, I was going to ask you for a time.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So it was the early 2000s and I was offered both.

That never happens in one's professional career, offered both.

And I took that choice that I kne was going to challenge me more.

And so I became the branch manager.

I was promoted to a customer experience, manage overseeing branch services here.

And then I left for about a decade.

I went to Pierce County, Washington.

Completely different library system, more than 20 communities.

We served from the foothills of Mount Rainier to island living.

We delivered materials to an island, but I think, more than anything, that experience, like, allowed me to grow in my leadership and my understanding of libraries as a true civic institution.

And I missed Wichita, though.

And so when this job became open, I and my family, we decide that we were going to move back, move back home.

And this job being a director's position.

Well, and again, we were just talking with the staff, earlier this afternoon about the impact that libraries have on people and families and particularly young people.

And I think you've just demonstrated now with your own story about how your experience there in Emporia with this librarian has really focused, yo and your career and your life.

Indeed.

I think the library sees possibilities and everybody and we don't judge, what anybody's interests are.

And so because of that, it's like the perfect pair to just be a champion for people.

Oh, absolutely.

Absolutely.

And of course, our whole premise here of our show, and for me is the wonders of reading, you know, and what that can do for an individual or a family.

So I envy you your career.

Are you.

I'm, going to ask this question.

I think I know the answer.

Are you a reader yourself?

I am, I am one, though that lapsed.

I lost my reading for about six years.

I think I over read a lot as a youth.

That's not possible, Jamie.

I think, I mean, I we'd be on family vacations and I'd not be seeing the sights, but instead my nose was in a book.

But I think, yeah just a certain period in my life I needed to not read.

I guess it was weird but my reading back, it's back and it's fierce.

Wonderful.

Yeah.

Do you have, favorite genres?

Favorite authors?

Yeah.

I really love, literary fiction.

I love a human condition story one with very lyrical language, of course.

And good, good scenery.

But reading a lot of, women's fiction lately, there's a book that I just finished, The Wide Open Shore, that was really thrilling, though.

That kind of got into little bit of a different bend, but it was climate change and family and, have really the longevity of, the seed that create our entire universe.

So I have to, I just finished a book, that I loved that I checked out of there.

Well, I'll tell you the story.

Well, first of all, the book, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.

I've heard good things about it.

I really encourage you to read it.

And my story is that my daughter in law in Kansas City recommended it to me.

Really loved it.

So I go to Rockwell and put my name on the list.

I find out I'm 86th in line.

But that's fine.

And I got plenty to read.

But, was just last last week, actually, I went and picked it up about 2:30 in the afternoon.

I finished it in five hours.

Wow, that's engrossing.

I just I couldn't put it down literally.

So highly recommend it.

Any other books you want to talk about before we move on?

We've got a Big Read book.

Tell us about.

Well, one of my topics was I just read, about the Big Read.

Of course, I've known about the Big Read over the years.

We've done some shows focused on the Big Read here.

So tell us about this year's Big Read.

Yeah, this year, we're launching i actually on the 29th of March.

Oh, our timing is wonderful.

It is.

I think, we've got a full 6 to 8 weeks of programming, tons of book discussions.

This year is a bit different than any other.

We work with a committee of partners to really narrow down what the selections are.

As you know-- Tell us about that committee.

Is that at the library or this is community wide?

So, as we do the one book program, we've always centered it around partnerships.

And through the years we've gained some really strategic, integral partners who then help u shape each year going forward.

And this year we presented a number of selections and the group, read, reviewed and selected the Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay.

So it's a book of poetry for us.

I know that author.

Yeah, yeah, he' really got an interesting voice.

Contemporary.

His poems are really quite beautiful, even in their urban settings.

tell us a littl bit more about your community.

How many people?

It varies year to year.

I think this year there were about six different partners.

And in addition to library staff who who worked on, kind of the selection.

And then once the selections made, then we branch out even further to see if there are other partners based on the content of the book, who would like to do different program or different ways to celebrate or things that we need to be thinking about as we're putting together the program.

Tell the audience, tell our viewers, some of the things, Jamie, that you'll be planning or going along with the Big Read this year.

Yeah.

So this year where our kickoff is really special, generally the kickoff has occurred at our Advanced Learning Library.

We've relocated it to, the Maya Angelou branch at 21st and Hillside.

Absolutely.

That location actually has the beginnings of a community garden.

We've just, our foundation did some capital campaign fundraising, and we were able to, transform th the north side of the library.

That remodel that just finished, they have a sunroom in their library now.

And so from the sunroom you'll be able to see the growing that happens.

We've got garden beds that will be, adopted by community members.

The garden has a steering team, and they're really excited to do a volunteer led bill today to actually build the raised beds that again I so applaud you and the library and the staff that is so creative and s community focused and involved.

And one of my things I wanted to talk to you, and it's a good lead in, and I know that Angelou has been remodeled and my branch, the Ford Rockwell branch, has been remodeled, which, let me just say, I love the outcome.

What you've done there.

Tell us about that project.

Was this all the libraries?

A certain number?

Yeah.

Yeah.

So back in the 20 teens, I think the community, was really wrestling with a conversation, with Google why do we need public libraries?

And our leadership at that time, really answered the question strongly that even with technology, we need libraries because people need people.

People need spaces and places that they feel safe.

People need belonging, and primaril they need access to information in a variety of formats.

And Google is just one format.

And is it as trustworthy?

As for example, the industry of librarians who have cited their sources in Wichita for more than 150 years now?

Thank you for bringing that up, because, I knew in my research that, you know, not only is it the 250th anniversary of the United States, as well as the 100th anniversary of Route 66, it is also a significant day fo Wichita Public Library, right?

Yeah.

The 3rd of February in 1876, there was a charter ordinance that began the Wichita Public Library.

So just a mere couple of years after Wichita became a city, city officials and leaders really needed to find something productive to do, for its community outside of work.

And so it decided that a public library was its first institution, Do you kno where that library was located?

We were we actually were nomads for quite a while.

We had a number.

We were a library in a number of storefronts, moved around, and then landed at the city hall that's now the historic museum.

And we were there until the central Library was built in 1906, or until actually the Carnegie Library was built right adjacent it.

And that opened in 1915.

Yeah.

What a great history.

Yeah, well, congratulation to the Wichita Public Library.

And what a fun tim to be a director.

Right, right.

So I will say just from the 20 teens conversation over under ten years, Wichita's no transformed its library system.

All seven locations have been fully remodeled.

They've been expanded.

They've been modernized.

And we're here to welcome.

That was another interesting fact.

So there are seven branches throughout the city?

Yes.

Is there still a, traveling library, a bus?

Yes.

Yeah.

A couple of years ago, we were, really fortunate to receive a grant from the Kansas Health Foundation.

And, hand-me-down vehicle from the transit department.

So we transformed it into our book bus, and it's, I think last year it was on the road about 600 hours.

And what is its route?

How do you decide where it goes?

It has varied stops and locations.

I think, we partner a lot with, our park system, schools.

We've got a lot of places and childcare facilities that we go to, but, individuals in the community can actually book the bus to come and visit their location, any large community event.

We primarily prioritize agencies, nonprofits or groups that are serving families, and that's the primary audience for it.

You know, I have so many questions we could talk about, Jamie, that are of interest to me and I think to our audience.

But I want to be somewhat strategic.

Anything els to tell us about the Big Read?

I think we've got poetry reading happening.

I will say one of the events that's going to be happening through the Big Read, and it's kind of different, because it's really centering around America's 250th.

We've got a launch of a new project, but, it, i launches on the 23rd of April, where we're bringing in an author, Pete Davis.

He's written a book called, Dedicated.

He's written a book called Dedicated.

Really, about, the importance of joining and being part of your community.

In a time where scrolling is really where our attention is not a lot is sticking, and when not a lot sticks, where we're seeing that, social cohesion is slipping away.

And one way to, make sure that that doesn't happen is to get involved in your community.

So Pete's coming, and he'll be talking a lot about his book and kind of the concepts for making strong communities even stronger.

But we'll be launching something called the Civic Action Passport.

So, our residents will have an opportunity from families to anyone.

Everyone is invited to participate in this.

There are seven different categories of activities, and you complete seven activities in each category to complete the passport.

But it's really low risk, hig reward, ways of people selecting ways to use their voice understand how the city works, and advocate for themselves.

The library is also involved and I'm going to give her credit.

There's a number of peopl involved, but Suzanne Perez's, ICT Read.

Exactly.

And, I believe Wichita Public Library is involved in that as well.

That's celebrating its 10t year, its 10th anniversary.

Now.

So it's an annual all throughout the year, 12 different categories of books to read.

I think one of the thing that I love most about it is the collaboration and communication that happens between people, especiall in a social media environment.

It's been really fun to see a lot of chatter and encouragement.

Well, for our, audience, I would say look into, the reading challenge the ICT Read Challenge.

It's a lot of fun.

And it's reall I think, a great way for people to move beyond their comfort zone.

Absolutely.

Which I think by, incidentally, that, the Big Read poetry book may, help in that regard too.

Absolutely.

I think a lot of people are either going to love it as a new, and fresh way of participating in the Big Read.

Othe people may not find themselves like in the space, but I hope they try.

Yeah, exactly.

Exactly.

Now, as we started our program, I was all, excited and talking about Kansas 250 bookshelf.

Tell us, Jamie, what the Wichita Public Library is doing in connection with that project.

Yeah, I think, the state library's done an amazing job of putting togethe this toolkit for public library libraries of all kinds throughout the state.

For us we're really leaning into it as, content for our in branch book displays, our reading carousels that you'll see online.

And then also it's being, integrated into some of the programs that are happening throughout each month.

But I think, we're really just trying to leverage it as a, as a way of showing up and showing out, amazing Kansas notables.

There's an incredible display right now at the Advanced Learning Library and our children's area, that showcases 150 years of children's books, and many of them are actually Kansas authors.

Really?

Yeah.

Well, again, I just, love the the whole concept of celebrating Kansas and Kansans throug literature and through reading.

And it is remarkable to me when one thinks about it, the number of books, about people and events and occurrences in Kansas that are out there.

Do you, put you on the spot?

You have personally a favorit book about a Kansan or Kansas?

You know, the first book that came to mind, of course, was Willa Cathers My Antonia which was a Big Read selection.

But the second one and I haven't thought about this book in a long time, so thank you.

Einstein's Brain.

I can't remember the author, but essentially, Einstein's brain goes on a driv from East coast to West Coast, but is in Lawrence, Kansas, and so there's a moment, where Einstein's Brai has a showcase here in Kansas.

I thought it was really fun.

Well, of course there, I've read a number of books about Dwight Eisenhower.

I just finished one, earlier this year.

And, of course, it's a common theme.

Jamie.

But the shootout at the OK Corral and Tombstone and, of course, the big player in that is Wyatt Earp and his brothers.

And I just finished another book.

Actually, I remember this year I rea two books about the shootout at, the OK Corral.

And, Both of them, talk about Wichita and, of course, Dodge City.

But it takes me bac to the early days of the Wichita Public Library.

You know that while we were having desperados on the street and Wyatt Earp was trying to maintain law and order, Wichitans were wanting to read.

Indeed they were.

But again it's and I agree with you that, the State Library, the folks there have done a really remarkable job of selecting books.

And for our audience, I think I've got this right, Jamie, each mont has a bit of a different theme.

Is that right?

It does.

Yes.

And is there additional programing that you're doing aside from everything else you got going relating t Bookshelf 250?

I think, probably we're seeing some more in our adult programing team.

So some senior Wednesday and I nothing's coming to mind off the top of my head.

Okay, well, and lets spend a couple of minutes as we near the end of our show, sadly, the Advanced Learning Library.

What a fantastic facility.

Tell us about your involvement and the planning for, what's turned out to be a fantastic facility.

Yeah, when I worked here in the prior term, I was really involved in the early conversations o why do we need a public library?

And I think, one of the I do remember doing some community focus groups, and one of the things that parents and caregivers talked abou was a desire for outdoor play.

And then play was a really critical, experience they wante to have in their public library.

And so, I moved away and kind of watched from afar and saw the really hard work the team did to to actualiz the Advanced Learning Library.

But I think the learning from that, in addition to what we did at our Westlink branch, just the design, learnin about the types of experiences, the spaces really need to have the flexibility that they need to have.

And truly, what are people intending and how are they using the space today, but also for the future?

Right.

That kind of learning, I think we put into application at each of our branches, and each one has such a different personality.

It was really important.

Even though we're a syste and we are a branded experience and have quality, services that you can find at each of them.

We wanted each to reflect the unique nature of the neighborhoods that are in service to.

Well, let's just talk about that briefly, because you hit somethin that resonates with me because, you know, I've been to Angelou and I've been to Rockwell, I've been to Evergreen, and they do.

Each one of them has their own personality.

They do.

And, you know, the idea being that that is to reflect the neighborhood.

Indeed, the library is nothing except it's community.

Yeah.

Real quickly, how many employees do you have?

We have 115 full time equivalent employees.

And, are there volunteer opportunities?

Absolutely.

We had almost 11,000 volunteer hours contributed last year.

Fantastic.

Well, and my last visit to Rockwell, I saw the.

Well I actually saw it on the street.

There's a poster available for folks to donate, volunteer and use the library.

Indeed.

Jamie, we're running out of time but what a pleasure to have you with us.

Congratulations.

Thank you for what you do.

Thank you to all the staff.

You know, I'm.

I'm committed to the Wichita Public Library.

Thank you.

That's been our show.

We've had a wonderful visit with Jamie Nix, directo of the Wichita Public Library.

I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have with this conversation, and we will look forward to seeing you again next time on another expanded edition of Inside the Cover here on PBS Kansas.

Good night.