Aurora Public Library West Branch celebrates 20 years

When Beth Bumgarner was asked to help open an Aurora Public Library branch on the West Side of Aurora more than 20 years ago, she was a paraprofessional working on her master’s degree in library science.
She was informed that when the branch opened, she would be its manager. Now retired, she recently looked back on her memories of the West Branch in honor of its 20th anniversary.
“When the Eola Road Branch was opening on the East Side of Aurora in 1993, my understanding was that people on the West Side felt they deserved a branch as well,” Bumgarner said. Then-mayor David Pierce and the library board agreed, so the hunt was on for a location.
After a few locations didn’t pan out, the decision was made to open a library branch at Washington Middle School, which is in West Aurora School District 129.
A partnership with the School District was formed to construct not only a branch library, but a technology center.
By January 1998, finishing touches were being made to the library and Bumgarner was at the branch to accept delivery of things such as phones, shelving, and other equipment.
“The Eola Road Branch and the Main Library were saving materials (books, CDs, movies) to stock the West Branch shelves in the beginning,” Bumgarner said. By mid-February 1998, staff members were working at the branch to get ready for a Spring soft opening and a grand opening in May.
In December, a computer lab was added in a room that now serves as a small conference room.
Being attached to a middle school had its pluses and minuses, Bumgarner said. A few students used it for after-school homework while others wanted to “mess around” or just come in for a drink from the water fountain.
“When they got out of school for the day they had a lot of energy. They were just being kids,” Bumgarner said.
Bumgarner fondly remembers one creative teacher who used the library in a noteworthy way.
This special needs teacher asked if he and his students could use the kitchen in the adjacent Technology Center.
“He taught the kids fractions by having them measure out ingredients to bake cookies. Then they sold the cookies at school and to us at the library,” Bumgarner said.
Then he began bringing his students into the Library.
If a student could read the first page of a book to him or his aide, that student could check the book out.
Anything those kids checked out went on his (personal) library card, Bumgarner said.
“He came in one day with a young man who finished reading a book at the sixth grade level, which was quite an accomplishment. I gave the student a choice of three or four books and he chose ‘Johnny Tremain’ (a children’s historical novel set in Boston prior to and during the outbreak of the American Revolution).”
The young man came back into the library a couple weeks later feeling proud because he had finished the book.
“He tried to give it back to me, but I told him he could keep it; that it was his book now.
“Those are the kinds of things that libraries can make happen.”
By the end of the first or second year, Bumgarner said, she knew that the West Branch was accepted in the community and had many regular visitors.
“I give staff a lot of credit for the love that’s there,” she said. “They greeted people. When patrons were walking up the hallway, they knew their names and treated them like friends.”
After managing West Branch, Bumgarner was named manager of Eola Road Branch and then served as the Library’s deputy director under Eva Luckinbill. She was instrumental in the planning and construction of the Santori Public Library and oversaw the construction of study rooms at West Branch. She retired in 2015.
Debra Stombres, now the executive director of Poplar Creek Library District, was the West Branch manager for four years, from March 2008 until February, 2012.
“During my time at West Branch, patrons enjoyed an increase in library programming such as a music concert series, multiple computer classes, lapsit storytimes, and the annual holiday open house that peaked at more than 1,000 attendees,” Stombres said.
“Our dedicated and capable staff team added color to the walls and variety to the stacks. West Branch patrons were loyal and faithful in supporting their local library. I will always treasure fond memories of my tenure there.”