ArLA 2024 Annual Conference

Kari Lapp is the Public Relations Manager for the Saline County Library in Benton, Arkansas. Her main focus is ensuring community partnerships and outreach efforts are pursued while spreading a positive view of the library. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Arkansas State University in Journalism/Public Relations and a minor in Marketing. Previous to working at the library, Kari was the Marketing Assistant at the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

In 2019, the marketing team spearheaded by Kari at the Saline County Library was awarded the John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award for the 2018 Library Card Sign-Up Month campaign. Only ten libraries in the nation receive this prestigious annual recognition. This was a campaign Kari started at the library and continued to grow into an annual partnership, consisting of over 85 community organizations involved. In 2022, the marketing department also won a national Digital Public Relations award for the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan.

Kari’s service to the community started when she joined Bryant Rotary in 2016. She has served on numerous boards in her community, including Bryant Rotary (President 2021-2022), Leadership Saline County (President 2022-2023), Imagination Library of Saline County, Young Professionals Network, and chamber ambassador for both Benton and Bryant chambers. In 2017, she was recognized as the Volunteer of the Year for the Bryant Chamber. She is a 2021 graduate of the Jeff Farris Leadership Academy.

In 2024 Kari received her Professional Community Economic Developers certification from the Community Development Council.
Kari lives in Bryant with her husband and three children. She is a mom of two boys, Dawson (10) and Garrett (7) and step-mom to the best bonus-daughter, Ellie (8). They have two dogs, Yoda and Obi, and one cat, Vader.