When Becky Mabry first approached me about this column, she offered me carte blanche as long as I wrote about books and reading and not about what was happening at my library. Just this once, I’d like to ask your indulgence.
John Dunkelberger, the head of adult services at the Urbana Free Library, retired recently after 26 years. I believe he has played an important role in devoted service to the readers of this community.
John and six other librarians order all the books for the adult department at the library. We order weekly, and for most, it becomes a favorite part of the job.
Initially, though, it is a terrifying prospect. That is, I was intimidated 18 years ago when John gave me my weekly budget and said, “Buy whatever you want.” I begged for more guidance, and he finally revealed his own technique: As he reads a review, he asks himself, Is this a good book? If yes, who would want to read it?
Over the past 26 years, John has asked himself these questions thousands of times. If he believes a book has an audience in our community, then he wants that book on the library shelf. Occasionally, he even orders books that he might like to read.
He is a fan of historical mysteries, particularly those set in the Middle Ages or Ancient Egypt. P.C. Doherty, who writes under this name and five pseudonyms, is a favorite. Doherty is a prolific writer (94 titles and still counting), but when you’ve exhausted him, John can also recommend the mysteries by Alys Clare and Margaret Frazer.
John loves to travel, and when I asked for his recommendations, he said he particularly likes the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide travel series. However, the only guides that he personally buys to keep are the Baedekers.
As he has grown older, John has come to appreciate the vicarious adventure offered by certain novels. Always the history buff, he likes Patrick O’Brian and C.S. Forester (whom you have probably heard of) and Alexander Kent and Dewey Lambdin (whom you may not know). British history clearly dominates here.
John was the one who taught me not to be afraid of the big books, the ones that cost a bit (or a lot) more. He explained that part of a public library’s mission is to bring such books to people who might not otherwise have access to them.
One of his favorites from this category is “The Art of Florence” by Glenn Andres, John M. Hunisak and A. Richard Turner. This massive two-volume set has 1,553 plates, and, justly described as “opulent,” offers a virtual tour of the Renaissance that no digital source will ever equal.
John also loves opulent cookbooks. “Tuscany the Beautiful Cookbook: Authentic Recipes from the Provinces of Tuscany” by Lorenza de’Medici is a fine example, although he finds French Provencal cookbooks equally delightful.
It goes without saying that the library has a wonderful collection in both these areas.
Public libraries are meant to serve everyone. John has always been well aware of this. In our community, science and nature books, even relatively sophisticated ones, are welcome. They aren’t checked out like best-sellers, but they have an audience.
My own personal favorite in this area is one that John bought some years ago: “Wildlife of the Tibetan Steppe” by George B. Schaller. No, it’s not for everyone. But it is a good book and it has an audience.
John’s devotion to the library’s collection has, at times, taken him far away, to Egypt and other interesting places. But that’s a story I’ll let others tell.
Perhaps we’ll hear it today at his retirement reception from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the library.
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