Ashlie Newcomb, Trustee & Board Clerk
Ashley Public Library District (Ashley, Ill.)

I applied for a position with the Illinois Heartland Library System to further serve the Ashley Public Library and my local community. I have been an active member of the Ashley Library Board for the past 4.5 years, during which time I have gained a strong understanding of library governance, community needs, and the importance of regional collaboration. In 2025, I accepted an officer position as Clerk of the Library Board. In this role, I have strengthened my organizational, record-keeping, and communication skills while supporting transparency and effective board operations. In addition, I am currently working toward becoming the Ashley Historian and am collaborating directly with the library to digitize the city’s historical records, ensuring long-term preservation and public access to important local history.

My desire to join the Illinois Heartland Library System stems from a commitment to serve as a knowledgeable and engaged representative for the Ashley Library. I hope to bring forward new ideas, share updates and resources, and help strengthen connections between our local library and the broader system. I value collaboration, innovation, and equitable access to information, and I am eager to contribute these strengths in service to both Ashley and the regional library community.

Kristy Walker, Trustee
Bethalto Public Library District (Bethalto, Ill.)

I learned so much during my first term as a Trustee for IHLS and would like to build upon that foundation to better serve the library system as a whole as well as my local library. Working at my local library for over 10 years and from there, sitting on the Bethalto Library Board of Trustees for a few years led me to reach for a broader connection to my community. During my time on the IHLS Board, several projects have come to fruition, and I would love to continue the work that has been done through another term. Thank you for your consideration.

Charles Atteberry, Teacher-Librarian
Urbana High School (Urbana, Ill.)

This current school year marks my 15th year working in school libraries, primarily at the high school level, though I also have several years of experience in elementary school library positions. I am currently in my second year as a teacher-librarian at Urbana High School. In the past, I have served as the school library representative on the Resource Sharing Alliance System. Although I began my library career at the Bloomington Public Library as a library assistant, my experience with the RSA helped broaden my perspective on libraries. I feel that I would enjoy serving on the board of directors of the Illinois Heartland Library System for similar reasons and I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to my career field on a broader level.

Kristi Lear, Archival Program Administrator
Illinois State Archives (Springfield, Ill.)

Libraries have played an instrumental role throughout my life. As a child, I spent hours at the library checking out books, doing research for school, and using the computers. Starting in elementary school, it was librarians who taught me to do research, and that continued into college, where the librarians were so instrumental that they inspired me to become one myself. I graduated with my Master of Science in Library and Information Sciences in 2017. I spent the first three years of my career working for the Auburn Public Library District, first as the librarian and then as the library director. It was an honor to serve the Auburn community, but an opportunity to work at the Illinois State Archives arose in 2020 that I couldn't let pass. At the Archives, I oversee the Operations Division, which includes Reference/Outreach and Inventory Control/Processing.

I am also the deputy coordinator for the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board. I am passionate about promoting the use of primary sources in education. Libraries and archives go hand in hand as institutions of information. I have enjoyed the past three years that I have spent representing and advocating for special libraries and I look forward to the opportunity to continue working together to support and uplift each other.