Words to live by Director Pat LaViolette says without the community support the Brown County Library system would not have gained the recognition locally, state and nationally (photo by Tina Gohr). Pat LaViolette credits a community support system for her library success By Tina M. Gohr News-Chronicle Pat LaViolette considers herself one of the luckiest persons in the world. The director of the Brown County Library system has been surrounded by books for 44 years and says its been 44 years of nothing but fun. "It's been a passion for me. There's very few days where I've come to the same job on a single day," she said of her multi-tasking position. "I truly have absolutely loved it. Most people know better to talk about the Brown County Library in front of me because I can go on for hours. Libraries have to be very alive and involved in the community. Years ago, they tended to be this quiet little place in the community." LaViolette recently received the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce's Athena Award for advancement of women's leadership and achievement. If it sounds like a career is about to close for LaViolette, she has pegged a date for early next year. LaViolette began as a children's librarian at the Kellogg Library on S. Jefferson Street (next to WBAY building) sharing the building with the Neville Museum. The only other library was in De Pere. Soon after, she was promoted to the head of children's services before being named chief of the Central Library downtown. When the position of library director surfaced upon the retirement of Jerry Somers, LaViolette valued the position from a distance. She was somewhat apprehensive to apply for the job of director because she says the odds were against her 17 years ago. LaViolette had heard that though people were happy she applied and would make a wonderful library director, in reality she wasn't going to get it. "Number one, because I am a woman, and number two, my experiences have been mostly with children's services. But they didn't realize," she said with a laugh, "I am a determined Irish woman. "And what a privileged it's been," she gleefully noted. "I've tried to be a good leader with a vision that requires good negotiating skills." She administers the Central Library, eight branches and the bookmobile plus outreach centers. Last year the libraries welcomed an unprecedented 1.25 million visitors checking out 2.3 million items. "I can't tell you the amount of the people that said libraries will hurt because of computers and Internet access," she said, adding "It's interesting. They said that about television. I think people are reading more than ever." The 504,150 books have a turn-over rate of atleast five times yearly. A voracious reader, LaViolette is a lifelong non-fiction fan "but lately I've been reading fiction - especially by tape. I'm a type-A person multiplied by 50," she said with a smile "So I don't sit too well." Proudly displaying several awards and serving prominent boards in the community, perhaps her most shining moment was in 1994 when the American Library Association chose the Brown County Library as the National Library of the Year. She quickly states the awards wouldn't be so flowing if it weren't for the strength of the children's programs and the overwhelming partnerships with other organizations in the community. A former teacher, "I believe that it is extremely important to get kids excited about reading. And that has to be done before they are five years old," she said. "Receiving the national and state awards gives the library system the credibility, but certainly I will leave here feeling very proud of the people." LaViolette quickly gives credit to four women who are instrumental in her accomplishments. "No one is successful without a lot of help. Together we achieved it. Terry Swanson is a remarkable motivator and serves on our board. I'll never forget what she told me one day while visiting the library. Her family were regulars. She looked me in the eye and said, 'Pat, I'll always support public libraries. Because no one will be denied an opportunity for an education or to succeed.' It's been a driving force for me. "My assistant Mary Ryan. She's been at my side and five steps ahead of me. I'm so lucky to have her." Another influence has been Carolyn Barnhard. "Every person she meets she makes them feel like the most important person in the whole world. She's been a role model for me. Anybody who meets her, I'm sure, goes away uplifted," LaViolette noted. And of course, my wonderful Irish mother. Mary Rose McCarthy (Ely, Minn). Just an incredible woman. "She was diagnosed with breast cancer with a significant amount of lymph nodes at age 70. She cured herself mentally. She had such a positive attitude. She would get up in the morning, look in the mirror and say that you can decide what kind of day you were going to have. And you'd better program yourself to have a good day. We buried her at 98 years old." LaViolette recalls another saying by her mother. It goes like this: "Life is like a wave. When you're down don't get discouraged because you're on your way up. When you're up, don't get too complacent because you're already on your way down. Most of the time it's good to float."