As Johnson County Library moves towards its 75th anniversary in 2027, the Library Foundation is highlighting leaders and public servants who have made a difference in our Library’s history.
Few places have been as constant in Nancy Hupp’s life as Johnson County Library. From her early days as a young mom looking to connect in a new community, to decades later serving on the Library Board while caring for her husband, the Library and its staff have surrounded and supported her — offering help, inspiration and even love.
“The Library touches so many people in so many ways,” Hupp said.
And she would know. Her connection to the Library began soon after her family arrived from Fort Worth, Texas, in the 1970s.
“Church, school, library,” she said with a smile and without hesitation. “Those were the first connections we made here.”
She remembers fondly those early days in Johnson County. She and her daughters would get on their bicycles and ride up to Antioch Library at the corner of Shawnee Mission Pkwy. and Antioch Rd. They would browse the diverse collection and eventually come to know the helpful staff. Books in hand, they would pedal their bikes back down the road to Antioch Park, where they would relax in the shade and get lost in the magic world of literature.
“The Library helped us become part of the community,” she said. “The Library helped us fit in.”
As time marched on, Hupp continued to connect with the community. She became involved with the city of Merriam, including work to help form a foundation to support the Community Center. She worked with others to transform the landlocked community with the development of Merriam Town Center, where the new Merriam Plaza Library stands.
Later, when County Commissioner Ed Peterson needed to appoint someone to the Library Board, Hupp’s name was suggested as an active Library patron and volunteer. That began Hupp’s service on the Board, including stints as chair, between 2010 and 2019.
Hupp said a groundbreaking 2015 study with the University of Kansas, “Analyzing the Return on Public Investment in Johnson County Library,” is one of the most significant accomplishments during her time on the Board. She credits the highly innovative staff with demonstrating the true community value of the Library.
“Local residents not only benefit from the usage of various Library services directly, but also from many diffused social and economic impacts indirectly,” the study said. In all, it estimated the overall return for the investment in Johnson County Library at 300 percent.
Hupp said the vast number of social services available at the Library is both staggering and essential.
“A conversation with a librarian can change people’s lives,” she said. “Everything from job searches to furthering their education. Libraries are very open to helping people in many ways.”
In addition to the Library Board, Hupp has also volunteered with the Library Foundation. One of her favorite roles was to call donors and volunteers to simply thank them. “We did not ask for anything,” Hupp explained. “We just said, ‘thank you.’”
For people who may be considering volunteering, she said the Library is an excellent choice.
“There are so many different jobs you can do,” she said. “The Library staff truly appreciates the volunteers, and they will help you find what you want to do.”
Challenges of changing technology and aging facilities continue to confront the Library, but Hupp is confident in the staff and volunteers to meet the changing times. The demand for social services is growing. She believes there are good policies and people in place to protect the Library, its mission and its community.
Because, after all, community is what it is all about.
Decades after the Library helped her connect to Johnson County as a young mom, Hupp found herself on the Library Board at a time when her husband was quite sick. She told her colleagues that she needed to always keep her phone close by in case he needed her. More than once, she had to leave a function to care for him. She still gets emotional thinking about the caring support she received.
“After he passed,” she said slowly, “the love and support of the staff that I felt, the cards and messages that I got. This Library … it really touched me. They knew it was family first … family first.”
