Linda Kelly Kompanik -- Librarian

 

Linda Maryanna Kelly Kompanik was on born February 13, 1955 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. She was the third of four children born to Harold Eugene Kelly and Johnnie Mae Thomas. Harold was a native of Willow Hill, Illinois and Johnnie Mae was born and grew up in Christian County, Kentucky.  Linda’s sister was Janice Ann Kelly born in 1949 and two brothers, Harold Eugene Kelly, Jr., born in 1952 and Thomas Dean Kelly, born in 1959.

Linda enrolled at Western Kentucky State University where she chose to become an attorney. She planned to get her law degree and practice law with her brother. But while working toward her law degree she stumbled onto a new dream while working part time in the Hopkinsville Library as their Reference Librarian. With some persuasion from a friend, she decided to switch tracks and head in the direction of Library Science.  That is where she found her niche in life.

Linda obtained her AB degree in Library Media Education and English from WKU and later received her Masters of Library Science in May 1995. Upon graduation, Linda continued to work at the Hopkinsville Library where she worked for three years as the head of the reference department and then became the assistant to the library director.

On July 1, 1995, Linda was hired as the director of the Logan County Public Library in Russellville, Kentucky. . The duties of Linda's new position included budget decisions, library stock management, coordinating library programs for the public, and managing the library's nine staff members.  Linda was genuinely committed to doing what she could to help provide the very best library service possible for the people of Logan County.  She respected and appreciated the community’s heritage and had a vision of the library’s place in the county’s continuing progress.

In May 1999, Linda was awarded the Outstanding Library Service Award by the Kentucky Library Association/Public Library Section. The award was presented to her for outstanding achievement in providing library service to the people of Kentucky. This honor is awarded to librarians whose work has enhanced library service across the Commonwealth. She was lauded for her work at the Logan County Public Library as well as her statewide work on various committees including the Legislative Committee, which achieved an increase in state aid to libraries throughout the state.

In 2011, Linda was instrumental in a statewide campaign for the state of Kentucky to create a specialty license plate with a library theme. To gain approval for the plates the state was required to obtain 900 applications.  She personally collected the applications and asked for contributions to make the plates. Linda was successful in her campaign as the state legislature subsequently approved the specialty license plate.

Linda recognizing the growth in the library had a vision for a new library for Logan County. Over the years she literally fought the establishment and public opinion on the need for a new library. She stood up in favor of a new library at meetings and events. The road to getting a new library building is a long one.  It required getting grants, legislative appropriations, obtaining loans and private donations from citizens.  Linda was successful in her efforts and bids for constructing the new Logan County Library were opened September 25, 2012 and construction finally begun on the new facility.  The new library opened in February 2014 in a beautiful new building on Armory Drive in Russellville.  Unfortunately Linda passed away August 28, 2013, in Bowling Green, Kentucky at the age of 58 from a lengthy battle with cancer, five months before the new library she fought for was completed. In January 2014, the local newspaper, the News-Democrat & Leader selected the former Logan County Librarian Linda Kompanik as its “Citizen of the Year.” It stated that, “Although Linda is no longer with us in body, she will be with us in spirit every time the doors swing open at the Logan County Public Library”.

Linda was married on October 9, 1992 to John Paul Kompanik.  They had one daughter, Tamara Kompanik Dillard.  She was buried in the Naples Memorial Garden Cemetery in North Naples, Florida.

 

LINEAGE:  (Linda Maryanna Kelly Kompanik was the daughter of Harold Eugene and Johnnie Mae Thomas Kelly, the granddaughter of John Clealon and Mary Willie Thomas Thomas and the great-granddaughter of Robert Allison and Emma Nora Cunningham Thomas.   Robert was the fifth child of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas.  Stanley was the second child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas. Mary was the seventh child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges. )