Share Your Story

My wife Nancy and I and our two children moved to St. Charles in 1973 and without unpacking everything, we headed to the library. We visited the library a lot for story time with Helen Gale, and for fiction and cookbooks and…..  Nancy used Youth Services many, many times to supplement her classroom book collection. As STC high school head Librarian and later District Head of Libraries/Media, I had the pleasure to work with public library staff as we partnered on programs like the Annual Literature Festival and summer reading. Retirement meant going to the library for programs, travel planning and new fiction. When Nancy was diagnosed with dementia, I found many library materials that helped me as a caregiver. For the last 20 years I have been fortunate to serve as a library trustee and proud that I serve on the board of one of the best in Illinois.

I have attended genealogy talks at the St. Charles Library for over 10 years now.  It started with Caron Primas Brennan’s “Genealogy Basics for Beginners” on January 20, 2015.  I have attended a total of 25 Genealogy talks at the St. Charles Library from January 2015 until April 2025.  I have also participated in 3 of the “Genealogy After Hours” events at the St. Charles Library.  I always get valuable information from every talk and event to help me on my quest.

Having grown up in the area, I’ve always loved the St. Charles Library. As a teen, I volunteered as a Junior Friend, instilling my love for community service. My first job was as a shelver in the Youth Department, furthering my love for books. Fast forward many years, and my own family has settled in the area and continues to utilize the library.  Most recently, I was able to use the Flatbed Scanner to scan illustrations I created for a children’s book that I recently self-published, called “The Loony Day”. Thank you St. Charles Library for helping me fulfill my dream of being a published author! I hope the library continues to inspire the next generation!

Though I love the vast quantity of books, ebooks, audiobooks and videos that the library offers, the library offers so much more. STC Creative is amazing. I have created Cousin Crew t-shirts and ball caps, I have created personalized charcuterie boards and pizza paddles and even an outdoor sign for our daughter’s Northwoods cabin.

STC Creative has a Cricut, a 3D printer, an engraving Xtool and more. The staff provides one on one tutorials and advice on all the tools. Sarah and Kelly are the best and have guided me all along the way. And did I mention that they offer many supplies as a rate way below Michael’s?

I have loved the library since my childhood, but the recent expansion of services makes it the go to place for almost everything. Thank you SCPLD.

I’ve worked from home since 2019. With 2 kids home this summer, even with full-time in-home childcare, it’s next to impossible to get significant work done from home. Now I come to the Library for at least half of my workday, Monday-Friday and it has changed my life – no exaggeration! I need my St. Charles Library work session!

I get my work done, surrounded by the stimulating, effervescent, scholarly, investigative, productive, and creative ambiance. The St. Charles Library has helped me re-discover my personal interests, bringing back my natural drive to connect my passion to myself and family. This week after my library work session, I have learned how to make fire cider to boost immunity, how to set up a home apothecary station, and how to make dream pillows. I was also able to sign-up for quilting and crochet classes.

My little ones also come here in the mornings for play group learning and social activities.

While my mom was recovering from surgery, we found comfort in something simple: puzzles. We already knew the library lent them out, so we picked up a few and spent hours at the dining table, piecing them together. It gave us something to focus on besides her recovery. We chatted, laughed, and shared stories while hunting for edge pieces and matching colors. Each puzzle became a little journey we took together, one that challenged us just enough and brought us closer with every completed picture. Thank you to the Library for offering puzzles and games!

The library is one of our family’s absolute favorite places. I have especially loved going to storytime with each of my kids (ages 1 & 3). These have been a welcoming space where I get to watch my kids grow and learn, and I have made lasting friendships with other parents and their kids. But, it is the care and attention of the Youth Services librarians that have made our library experience truly special. The librarians really get to know who my kids are, notice their haircuts, and celebrate their milestones with me. At one particular storytime led by Miss Amelia, she played the song “Jumping and Counting” by Jim Gill. My oldest, who had been working on jumping at home and in physical therapy, lit up with joy as he sang, counted, and finally got some air time in a jump! The excitement, connection, and confidence-building from that storytime moment will stick with me forever.

I was always interested in discovering my family’s roots, but for the longest time, I didn’t know how to begin. That changed several years ago when I attended a Beginning Genealogy class at the library. From the moment I sat down, I was captivated. Since then, I’ve tried to soak up every bit of knowledge I could, attending as many genealogy classes as possible. I learned how to navigate census records, maps, immigration documents, and even DNA results.

Thanks to what I’ve learned, I’ve traced my family back six generations to Ireland, Germany, and Poland. It’s been a journey filled with a sense of belonging. And now, this spring, I’ll be traveling to Ireland to walk the same land my ancestors once did—a dream I never imagined would come true.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for offering these classes. They’ve not only taught me how to research, but they’ve helped me find pieces of myself I didn’t know were missing. 💚