Darlene Brumbaugh

Darlene Brumbaugh is a retired elementary school teacher residing in the village of Glenvil, NE. While she has retired from teaching in the public school system, she continues to educate the children and families of this small community of 320 people.

Darlene consistently emphasized the importance of reading throughout her years as an elementary teacher and inspired her students to read beyond the classroom. If the students could not afford the books, she purchased them. Over the years, she collected approximately 10,000 books. The books are for all ages, from preschoolers to adults, and are from a wide variety of genres.

After she retired, Darlene recognized the community's need for a window to the broader world. The village of Glenvil has no public library, so Darlene converted a space in her garage into a library. Her library has no fees and fines are not assessed for overdue books. The Brumbaugh Library is open four days a week with a volunteer staff. Since the library's opening in 1996, an additional 1,000 books have been acquired.

The State of Nebraska's Governor describes Darlene as, "an innovative spirit whose dedication to education has given others in her community more than just the physical place to read, she's given them opportunity."