Nancy grew up in Chicago, but relocated to Huntley and has lived in the friendly village with the country charm for 32 years. Her earliest recollection of libraries was when she was in the 3rd grade. In Bacheller’s words, “We had a bookmobile that came to our Chicago neighborhood once a week and I really looked forward to that. I was able to walk the two blocks there alone, and I could spend an hour or more, lost among the books. I always came home with a stack of books”. The Catholic school that she attended did not have a library, so the bookmobile was very special for her and she loved it.
Like many of the people the that were selected to participate in our profiles, Nancy had a difficult time narrowing down her choice of favorite book. “How could I name just one? I have read thousands and thousands of books”, she added. She enjoys Alexander McCall Smith’s books and likes anything with an historical aspect to it, especially if it is well researched and well-written. The first books she selected from the bookmobile as a child were “Gone Away Lake” and “Return to Gone Away”. She loved those stories so much, she just wanted to keep reading!
She has given back to the library as an adult, helping to establish the Local History Department and continues to maintain it as a job, something she says that she never would have dreamed of. For her, it is the perfect job. She can combine her love of the library and interest in history. That perfect combination also led to her writing a book about Huntley history, a highlight of her professional life. Much of the research and the preparation of the images for the book were done using materials and computers at the library.
To this day, reading is Nancy’s outlet, her main hobby. More than 50 years later, she still can get lost among the books! She frequents the Friends Foundation book sales and occasionally checks out a DVD. You can find more from Nancy by checking out her books “Huntley” and “Looking Back at Gilberts” (both will be part of the library’s new Local Authors Collection) and at the library’s Local History website lh.huntleylibrary.org
