WLVS Director Sepnafski to retire after 45 years of service

WISCONSIN – The Wisconsin Valley Library Service (WVLS) recently announced the retirement of Director Marla Sepnafski.

Sepnafski, a Wausau native, will retire on Friday, July 24, after 45 years of service.

The WVLS, based in Wausau, is a public library consortium that serves and supports 33 public libraries in northcentral Wisconsin throughout Clark, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida and Taylor counties.

The Tomahawk Public Library is a member of WVLS.

“After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in education at UW-La Crosse, Sepnafski sought employment,” a release from the WVLS said. “In 1981, she was hired for two part-time jobs: one at the Marathon County Public Library and the other at Wisconsin Valley Library Service.”

Within three months, Sepnafski was promoted to a full-time mail clerk position for WVLS and eventually became the Reference Assistant.  

“I genuinely enjoyed the work I was asked to do,” Sepnafski said. “Whether I was serving as the mail clerk, completing inventory work, or taking on other tasks, my days were full, and I felt my work was appreciated.”

As Sepnafski took on more professional and fiscal responsibilities, WVLS said, she realized that a career in librarianship was meant to be. Before being promoted to WVLS assistant director in 1996, Sepnafski completed her Master’s in Library Science (MLS) at UW-Madison while working and raising a family.

In 2007, she became the director of WVLS. 

One of Sepnafski’s career highlights was receiving the statewide Wisconsin Library Association “Librarian of the Year” award in 2019. 

WVLS said Sepnafski’s commitment, mentorship and years of experience will be missed.

“Marla brings out the best in people,” said Sonja Ackerman, WVLS Board of Trustee member. “Her presence has been essential to the overall success of countless endeavors. Her professional portrait is painted from many individual points of light sparked in colleagues through the conduit of her personal work ethic, persistence and high standards for excellence.” 

After 45 years of service to WVLS, Sepnafski felt that 2026 was the best time to retire.

“My husband retired from teaching a few years ago,” she said. “Now that he is acclimated to retirement, we would like to experience this next chapter together.” 

To learn more about WVLS, visit www.wvls.org/.