TRAILBLAZERS: Katrina Kmak’s decade of magic at the Park City Library

Katrina Kmak, Park City Library’s Senior Youth Services Librarian, brings warmth, creativity, and a touch of magic to every story time. For more than a decade, she’s helped generations of local families discover joy, belonging, and the lifelong power of books. Photo: Katrina Kmak

PARK CITY, Utah — For over a decade, Senior Youth Services Librarian Katrina Kmak has filled the Park City Library with laughter, music, and lasting joy. She is the kind of person who remembers your baby from a “Baby and Me” class years ago, and notices when that same child, now a fifth grader, walks through the doors on their own.

“I’ve been here full-time for ten years,” Kmak said. “I started part-time, doing story times in the basement of the Miners Hospital before the library moved. I had a background in performing. I did theater all over the country, and thought I’d be here for only a ski season. But then I started working with kids and realized, ‘Ah, this is the special sauce.’”

From Stage to Storytime

Kmak’s journey to librarianship began in an unexpected way—on stage. As a trained actor and singer, she spent years traveling from Alaska to Pennsylvania, performing for audiences nationwide.

“It’s so important to see the world and step outside your comfort zone,” she said. “Doing theater taught me so much about people—about kindness and connection. You can go twenty miles away, and the values shift. That experience taught me to be present for whoever is in front of me.”

When she arrived in Utah, Kmak took a job at Deer Valley, assuming it would be just another stop in her seasonal life. Instead, Park City and its youngest readers captured her heart.

“Kids are the most honest audience you’ll ever have,” she laughed. “They’ll let you know if they’re bored. But when you make them feel something, when they light up—that’s it. That’s the work.”

The Real Magic

Kmak conducts five weekly story times, ranging from “Baby and Me” to “Music and Movement” and preschool sessions. She also oversees youth collections for ages from birth to teen.

However, her real impact is more challenging to measure.

“Even when I’m having the worst day ever, story time changes me,” she said. “When I see a baby do the sign language for ‘The More We Get Together’ for the first time or watch a toddler take their first step in class, it takes me out of myself. That’s my addiction.”

A few years ago, she encountered a group of fifth graders who had all started in her earliest story times. “They were just hanging out in the library after school, existing there,” she said. “That’s success. That’s better than any bonus or award. The library belongs to everyone—it’s the community’s living room.”

Books as Mirrors and Windows

Representation in her collection and programs is the core of Kmak’s mission. “I want every child to feel safe, loved, and know they can achieve anything they desire,” she said.

This commitment includes reading banned books aloud and creating space for discussion.

“Last month, I read Fred Gets Dressed by Peter Brown, which has been banned in some places,” she shared. “It’s about a little boy who tries on his mom’s clothes, and the entire family ends up dressing up together. It’s joyful. When I share that, I’m not being political—I’m being human. It’s about showing kids that stories come in all shapes, colors, and experiences.”

Kmak’s approach is simple yet powerful: “Books are both mirrors and windows,” she explained. “They show us ourselves, but they also open our eyes to what we might never see.”

Building Belonging

Serving both locals and visitors brings both challenges and opportunities. “We’re fortunate,” she said. “Our library is well-funded, our resources are strong—but how do we reach everyone? How do we connect with working parents who can’t come during the day or teens who don’t think the library is for them?”

Her goal is to create programs that welcome everyone, regardless of their schedules, backgrounds, or comfort levels. “Libraries are for everyone,” she stated. “You can use the space even if you don’t have a card. You pay for it—it’s yours.”

Looking Forward

When asked about the future, Kmak is clear. “I’d love for every child to receive a library card at birth,” she said. “It shouldn’t matter where you live or what you can prove—if you’re here, you deserve access to information. That’s what libraries are for.”

And regarding her legacy?

“I want people to remember that joy matters. Even in challenging times, you can find something to laugh about,” she said. “Community and relationships are everything. Be kind. Be a helper. Be yourself. You might feel out of place because you’re different—but guess what? We’re all different. So go for it. Have fun. Be who you are. The library will always have space for you.”

Kmak lives in Park City with her husband, John Burdick IV, and their son, Jack—the fifth generation of Johns.