The directors

1889–present

The succession: The library has been led, in its first 133 years, by seven people. Evelyn Humphreys, the first head librarian, served 1889 to 1903. Virginia M. Tutt followed, 1903 to 1927; the Tutt Branch carries her name. Ethel Baker, who had joined the library's staff in 1908, was appointed third head librarian in 1927 and served until 1952. Roger B. Francis was appointed director in 1952 and served until 1977; the Francis Branch carries his. Donald J. Napoli, appointed in 1977 at the age of thirty-six, served thirty-seven years — the longest tenure in the library's history, as the South Bend Common Council recorded in the resolution honoring him in July 2015: an Army captain with a master's in library science from Catholic University (1971), Napoli was the fifth director in what the council called the district's 126-year history, and every one of the nine branch buildings then standing had been built under his leadership. Debra Futa, who had worked at the library since 1979 — as assistant manager at River Park and Francis, systems coordinator, financial services administrator, and assistant director — became executive director in 2015 and served until her retirement took effect on 31 March 2022. Stephanie Murphy, appointed in July 2022, is the seventh. The library's own history spells its first librarian's name Humphreys; the county's Wikipedia article spells it Humphries, and the variant stands in the record beside the library's form.

Sources:

1. St. Joseph County Public Library, "History of the St. Joseph County Public Library" — the appointments and tenures of Humphreys, Tutt, Baker, Francis, Napoli, Futa and Murphy, and Futa's service history from 1979.
2. City of South Bend Common Council, Resolution 15-54 (13 July 2015) — Napoli's biography, the thirty-seven years, the five directors in 126 years, and the nine branch buildings.
3. St. Joseph County Public Library, news release of 2022 — Futa's retirement effective 31 March 2022.
4. Wikipedia, "St. Joseph County, Indiana" — the variant spelling "Humphries."