Bill Sibley tends to the living, breathing library
Bill Named Employee of the Month - June 2008
By: Jillian Helmer
While the modern architecture of the Leslie F. Malpass Library does set it apart slightly from the other buildings lining Western Avenue, the interior of the library is what truly makes it unique.
From the ground floor of the building all the way up to the atrium-style ceiling of the sixth floor, the library is ornamented with abundant vegetation in nearly every corner.
The stairway, perhaps the most decorative area in the building, has plants surrounding every edge of the regal staircase that extends upward.
"This building was designed to have a lot of plants in it, not only from an aesthetic standpoint, but the plants are an integral part of the library. They help maintain a balance of proper moisture or humidity for the maintenance of the books," Sibley said.
Greenery that surrounds the handrails of the higher levels of the staircase casts intricate shadows downward from of the light streaming through the glass ceiling, while hanging plants spill over the railings and cascade down from above.
Numerous plants also decorate rooms of the library besides the stairway - nearly every room has at least a few plants dotting the aisles.
The man responsible for caring for this vegetation that makes Western's library so unique is botanist, Bill Sibley, the library's primary nursery worker.
Sibley, a Western Illinois University alumnus, said he first became interested in botany when he was just a child.
"I grew up on a farm, and when we were small kids, our parents always had huge gardens. I don't know anything different," he said.
With the experience of growing up on a farm, coupled with studying at Western and working in other jobs dealing with plant life, Sibley is now responsible for caring for both the plants in the Malpass Library and the plants in the curriculum library in Horrabin Hall.
Sibley said that the vegetation in Malpass, while it is meant to be aesthetically pleasing, also serves a greater purpose.
"This building was designed to have a lot of plants in it, not only from an aesthetic standpoint, but the plants are an integral part of the library. They help maintain a balance of proper moisture or humidity for the maintenance of the books," Sibley said. "Books can't be too dry or have it too humid, and it helps maintain the physical well-being of the books in the library."
Sibley said that another part of his job is to "recycle" the plants by breeding new ones. "We purchase very, very few plants; we're on a limited budget, and most everything in here is propagated from the older plants that are in the building," he said. "We do accept donations from time to time of plants that outgrow their usefulness in people's homes, and we're usually most appreciative of those donations."
Sibley said he has even tried introducing some new flowering species of plants into the library, but said he ran into some difficulties, because of the low amount of lighting in the building despite the building's numerous windows.
"That was part of the architect's scheme - that's why there's so much glass, so the plants can utilize the light." He said, however, there still just is not enough light for some species.
"Most of the plants in the building are considered low-light level' plants, and many of these are simply foliage plants, but we still try to have a variety of plants to add to the overall beauty of the building. We hope that students enjoy them; we try to make it a home-like atmosphere."
After graduating from Western in 1963 with a degree in agriculture, Sibley worked for the Farm Services Fertilizer Company for a year before he was drafted into the United States Army. He served for two years before returning to work for the same company.
Sibley also worked for a florist in Macomb, which is no longer in business, called Norris Florist before coming to work at Western in 1986.
Sibley said he enjoyed attending school at Western, and said it has been strange working here now and seeing how much has changed since he was a student.
Sibley said he occasionially gets the chance to work with some of Western's current students.
"Dr. Loehrlein, a horticulture professor here, has me give a tour each year in the fall for her houseplants class," Sibley said.
"I just hope that the students enjoy the plants," Sibley said, "and if they ever have any questions, they can ask me."
