Kim Matherly, administrative assistant I in Library administration, has worked at the UI for 19 years.
She started as a secretary III in the department of political science in 1990. Since then, she has worked at the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, the department of chemistry and the Coordinated Science Laboratory.
Prior to joining the UI, Matherly worked in banking for five years and part-time as a file clerk.
Matherly was born in Charleston, grew up in Argenta and graduated from Monticello High School. She and her husband, George, the manager for General Steel in Mattoon, now live in Argenta.
She’s working on her bachelor’s degree in general studies through Eastern Illinois University.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR JOB.
I do all the normal assistant-type tasks – filing, correspondence, supervising other secretaries, all those sorts of things. But my main job is to make (Dean of Libraries and University Librarian) Paula Kaufman’s life as easy as possible. She does a lot of traveling, so I take care of all of her travel arrangements. She also has a very heavy schedule, which means lots and lots of rescheduling. So I spend a lot of time with her schedule, because she’s so busy.
That’s the purpose of my job – whatever it means, whatever it takes. That’s what I strive for every day, to make her job as easy as possible, because she has a very complex job.
I can’t think of anything that she would ever ask me that I wouldn’t or couldn’t do, or find a way to do.
WHAT’S YOUR AVERAGE DAY LIKE?
When you’re the assistant to the dean, you do a little bit of everything. No two days ever look the same. Part of what I like about this job is that it’s not the same thing over and over.
WHAT’S THE MOST ENJOYABLE ASPECT OF YOUR JOB?
My colleagues here at the Library are just wonderful people. I also like the variety of what I do, and the variety of people I get to deal with.
WHAT’S THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF YOUR JOB?
Coordinating Paula’s schedule would definitely be the most challenging part of my job. She’s on national and local committees, so she’s constantly on the go.
WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING AT A PLACE THAT MUST BE A BOOK-LOVER’S DREAM?
Well, there are over 12 million books at our Library, and there’s usually nothing that I want to read that I can’t get here. It’s very convenient to have all of that at your fingertips.
I’ve always loved books, and reading has always been a passion of mine, so I’m working in the perfect place for it. I could go to the stacks and just browse there for days.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OFF THE JOB?
I like to hike. Just recently I went on a volunteer vacation to build hiking trails on the Cumberland Gap in Tennessee. I always look forward to the weather being warm enough to get outdoors – I just hope it doesn’t get too hot too soon.
I also like spending time with my grandchildren and cross-stitching. I’m not good at just sitting and watching TV, I need to be doing something. So I cross-stitch while we watch TV, and I find it really relaxing.
GROWING UP IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS, HOW DID YOU DEVELOP YOUR LOVE OF HIKING?
Every weekend, for something to do, I would take off with my dog to a different state park for a walk. I just love being outdoors and in nature. To me, it’s very peaceful and calming; there’s almost something spiritual about it.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE PLACES TO GO HIKING?
I love Weldon Springs State Park near Clinton. I’ve spent many days walking around the lake there. There’s also a park called Apple River Canyon, up near Galena. A river runs through it, and it is so beautiful there.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ‘HOLY GRAIL’ HIKING ADVENTURES YOU’D LIKE TO TAKE?
There are hundreds of places I’d like to go. I’ve mostly just stuck to the Midwest – Illinois, Missouri and Indiana – so far in my hiking. Eventually I’d like to branch out, maybe even try the Grand Canyon.
