Paula Kiely

Paula Kiely was appointed director of Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) by Mayor Tom Barrett in September 2006, making her the 11th director in the library’s 138-year history. Kiely joined MPL in 1995. During her tenure, she has worked as children’s and young adult librarian, children’s services coordinator, and deputy city librarian/central library director. Under her leadership, the library revitalized its early literacy program, completed a data-driven strategic plan, and developed a comprehensive facilities plan. This plan is underway with a major upgrade of the branch library system, using an innovative mixed-use model to rebuild 6 of its 12 branches. A Milwaukee native, Kiely earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Library and Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). She was honored in 2002 as UWM’s School of Information Studies Graduate of the Decade and was selected as one of the Business Journal’s 2011 Women of Influence.