Library Staff
Kari Burkhart - Director
Kari has served as Library Director of the Urbana Public Library since 2024 and is incredibly proud of how much the library has grown and changed since opening its doors.
She loves planning, creating new opportunities for the library, and working in the community she calls home. Kari believes literacy is essential to lifelong learning, opportunity, and community connection—and that a public library can play a pretty big role in all three.
For Kari, reading is also something a little more personal. In the middle of a busy work and home life, picking up a book is one of the things she does just for herself.
Kari serves as President of the Urbana Lions Club and helps plan many of the community events and activities happening around Urbana.
Outside of work and community projects, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family—and, every once in a while, finding enough quiet time to actually finish that book.
Kendra Coleman - Lead Library Assistant
Kendra lives in rural Urbana and gets to spend a whole lot of her time surrounded by books! Along with working here at UPL, she also works in both the CPU Primary and Intermediate School Libraries.
Kendra loves reading and is passionate about supporting literacy, especially helping children and families build skills that help them succeed both in and out of the classroom. She enjoys getting to work with students at school and patrons of all ages here at the library.
Outside of work, life stays plenty busy! Kendra has three children and spends lots of time keeping up with their many sports activities. When she gets a little downtime, you’ll find her caring for her small farm or enjoying time on the river.
Allie - Library Assistant
Allie is a freshman at UNI, where she is majoring in education and preparing for a future in the classroom!
When she isn’t busy with college or working at the library, Allie enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Here’s something you might not know about her: Allie was an accomplished competitive archer throughout her school career! She competed at a high level and even made it all the way to a world-level competition in Florida!
From hitting bullseyes to hitting the books, Allie keeps pretty busy these days.
Ellie - Library Assistant
Ellie is a senior in high school and somehow manages to fit working at the library into an already VERY full schedule!
When she isn’t here helping patrons, you can probably find her doing something with dance, band, or choir.
With everything she has going on, we’re honestly not sure how she still finds time to read—but she does! Ellie is a sucker for a good romance book and has a serious soft spot for indie bookstores.
(Honestly, working at a library seems pretty fitting.)