"As changes come into your life, you evolve and you grow."
Those are the words of Ina Smith. Teacher turned entrepreneur, and now librarian, if there's one thing she knows about, it's change.
Growing up in southern Saskatchewan, Smith has called Bonnyville home since 1977. In the late 1980s, she became a teacher at Dr. Bernard Brosseau School, where she had a chance to teach each grade level.
"My first year of teaching was actually the first year the school opened. It's been interesting to see how when I first went there, there was nothing. It was a school out in the field. I couldn't imagine the town catching up to the school but it did," recalled Smith.
After five years as a teacher, it was time for her first change of careers. Testing the waters of entrepreneurialism, Smith became part-owner of the local Home Hardware.
"It was very scary to go into the hardware store. I had never really had to deal with people like that, I've never worked in a retail setting. So it was a steep learning curve, but I had some really good partners and we learned the business together."
Over her six years in the business, the new entrepreneur grew to enjoy the change of scenery.
"I think you take something out of every job. What I took out of that was being able to deal with people, learning how to deal with people."
With a change in her personal life, Smith decided it was time to do something she had always wanted to. Heading back to school in her 40s, she attended the University of Alberta to get her Masters of Library and Information Studies.
Originally planning to work at an academic library, opportunity brought her back to the Bonnyville Municipal Library, where she's been the director for 12 years.
"Really, when I look back, it's probably the career I would have began in," expressed Smith, adding that in hindsight, it's the perfect fit for her.
"I do just love books, that's number one, and I've always been a reader, so I think that part of it just fascinated me... I didn't really have that much of an idea of what it was about, but the library was always a place that I loved, so I thought it'd be a place I'd like to work."
Excited to start her new career path, Smith got right to work setting herself goals for the local library when she arrived in 2005. One of those being renovating the close to 20-year-old building.
"The library isn't always the place that gets a lot of money given to it, sometimes you have to make do with what you have. When I came here and had a lot of energy and fresh ideas, it was the right time for some changes."
With that in mind, Smith set about renovating the library inside and out. Continuing to embrace change on all levels, her next goal is to see the library get an expansion in order to accommodate their patrons and programs.
Taking such a winding path through life, the woman who now sits at the helm of the library understands how intimidating change can be. But, more importantly, she realizes how its an integral part of life.
"There are always those things that happen in life that make you switch gears. Starting out as a teacher, then something comes along, a different opportunity. I became an entrepreneur, which I never thought I was going to do. Then to switch gears again later on, I never thought that was going to happen either," Smith expressed. "It's just evolving and accepting that things are going to change, and you don't always expect it."
When she's not leading the library, Smith spends her time volunteering with the Bonnyville Community Learning Council and the Northern Lights Library Board. She is also a member of the Emergency Social Services Team, which responds to disaster events including the Fort McMurray evacuation, where her duties include setting up and working in the reception centre. A member of the Bonnyville Community Church, she volunteers regularly for both congregation and public events, including the annual International Food Fest.
Raising children of her own, and now keeping up with five grandkids, while she chose a career path, Smith believes it's important to recognize the contributions of all women.
"It's not just business people, it's everybody; it's the stay-at-home mom. I think all women need to see their value no matter what they do."