Greendale's 75th Birthday Countdown - Week #73

History records and explains past events, while folklore preserves what people widely remember.

History and Folklore!
The demand for the services of the  were strong in 1938 as the community was first formed, and are just as strong now. I sat down with the library director since 1980, Gary Warren Niebuhr. I asked him, "what’s changed in the last 25 years and why does the library continue to be so relevant?" But first, some history:

The first Greendale Library opened on October 17, 1938 in the North Wing of the Community Building. The library collection was approximately 3,000 books, Pat Goetsch (n. Moran) was the first person to borrow a book, and a total of 295 books were checked out on opening day.

The Greendale Board of Education determined the budget services of the library in its beginning days. With the remodeling of the Intermediate School in 1969, the library was moved to Greendale High School. However, in 1971 a new Wisconsin State law said that school districts could no longer operate “Public Libraries” and that a library board needed to be formed to oversee its operation.

The Greendale Library Board was established and on July 1, 1974 the first non-school site public library in the Village of Greendale opened at a rented space at 5666 Broad St. It was a 4,000 square foot facility, able to house approximately 35,000 volumes. For years it was the only store front library in the State of Wisconsin. As space needs increased a Library Building Committee was formed. In the spring of 1989 the Village board purchased Drews Dime Store Building, originally built in 1938 as a food, variety and drug store cooperative. This would be the new site for the public library, the Greendale Health Department, the Greendale Historical Society and a community meeting room. The building was to be known as the Municipal building.

After sixteen year and four months of service in the rented space the Greendale Library moved its remodeled space on December 12, 1990. 

The Greendale Library is always evolving. Library director Gary Warren Niebuhr highlighted three areas of change. 

First, with more space is available the children’s area is much larger, there is a Youth Librarian, and 1/3 of circulation comes for children’s materials. Many former youngsters will fondly remember Ann Schubert, Betty Grypp or Jennie McNaughton. They have made the library a fun, learning experience for countless Greendale children.

Second, from the humble beginning with 1 Apple IIe to the current 13 public access pcs, the technology availability to residents has been invaluable. Their use by visitors to the library is constant for learning, research, and enjoyment.

Third, eBooks are making the library resources more easily available. eBooks are books in a digital format, and can be checked out remotely. This easy access equates to more usage for more people.

But most of all, Gary explained, the library continues to function as the town green, the local bartender, or the resident psychiatrist, with 400 visitors per day. People come to the library for help, to increase their knowledge, their skills, and for their enjoyment. Some of the most satisfying success stories come from job seekers who use the library for their search, to increase their skills, and then get that sought-after job. Their joy when they come to thank the staff and say goodbye is extremely rewarding.

Gary credits his great staff with the continued success of the library, Sandra Grams, assistant library director, Jennifer McNaughton, youth services librarian, Theresa Rypel, full time library clerk, and as well as clerks Julie Schumacher, Melanie Vogel, Jeanne Lovas, Jenifer Linske, Mardy Svensson, Martha Honetschlager and Deb Huberty. Thanks to all of them for their service to the community.

But did you know? The office of the library director, Gary Warren Niebuhr, contained the book drop. All day long the books would be banging in, and in the winter the cold came in with the books. Also, the Historical Society had a padlocked chicken wire enclosure in the basement. Truly humble beginnings for these important Village Departments.

People, Past & Present!

By day Gary Warren Niebuhr is the Greendale Library director.  By night, he changes from this disguise and becomes ‘Hobby Man’, a talented super hero to family and friends because of his many and varied interests (hobbies).

Gary grew up close by Greendale on the south side of Milwaukee and graduated from Pulaski High School in 1971. While in High School the father of one of his friends, Bruce, took them to Hales Corners Speedway and that got him hooked on, you guessed it, NASCAR.

While in college at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he took a class on Mystery & Detective Fiction, and got smitten by the books of Raymond Chandler. One of his fantasies is seeing himself as the hard-boiled, private detective Philip Marlowe.

His love of this genre has led to a series of his published works, like Make Mine a Mystery II: A Reader’s Guide to Mystery and Detective Fiction. He’s even been a fictional character in several books. But it gets even better. He is an award winning photographer, and was the Wisconsin State Fair Best in Show in 2009 and 2011. He is also a gardener, an ‘altered book artist’, and a ‘found object mixed media assemblage’ artist. When asked about his most enjoyable hobby as a mixed media artist, he described it as nailing junk together and calling it art.

As talented as Gary is, he’s lucky as well. He met his future wife, Denice Gawlik, while at a Milwaukee music venue. Before meeting Denice he had never heard of Greendale. Denice graduated from  in 1975, went to Cardinal Stritch College, and is a kindergarten teacher in Milwaukee.

She is the daughter of Harold and Marge Gawlik. Her mother still lives in the Greendale ‘Original’ she grew up in. While they were engaged she noticed that the Village was looking for a library director and let him know to apply. He was hired in January of 1980 and married Denice in March. Dream job and a Greendale Girl in one package. So, the next time you’re in the library and you see Gary sitting at the Help Desk answering calls and helping visitors, now you know that is just his daytime disguise. Late at night when he puts away his Library Director name tag, he takes on the persona of ‘Hobby Man’!

Greendale Trivia Question and Answer:

The neighborhood name for the area of Greenfield that became part of Greendale, the former Crestview Acres development around Edgerton Avenue west of 76^th Street, is ‘The Gold Coast’. There are 2 theories for the origin of that name. First, the streets did not follow the naming pattern of the rest of Greendale, the ‘A’ section, ‘B’ section etc. so some overall name was used. Second, at the time of annexation the homes in this neighborhood were larger and on more land than the ‘originals’, hence the appearance of wealth, i.e. ‘The Gold Coast’.

Week #73 Question: 

What was the title of the first book checked out of the Greendale Public Library in 1938?

*** Week #73 contributors Sally Chadwick and Gary Warren Niebuhr.