Longtime Schaumburg library trustee Miller dies

Debby Miller of Hoffman Estates, who served as one of the guiding trustees of the Schaumburg Township District Library for more than four decades, died Saturday at the age of 78.

"She was a strong advocate for libraries not only in Schaumburg Township, but across the nation," said Anita Forte-Scott, the vice president of the library board, who served with Miller for a decade.

During her time on the library board, Miller also had various roles with agencies such as the North Suburban Library System and American Library Association. She won numerous awards, including the Illinois Humanities Council Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award, the Illinois Library Association Intellectual Freedom Award and the American Library Association Whitehouse Conference on Libraries Citizen of the Year Award.

Forte-Scott recalled one of Miller's strongest causes was intellectual freedom, campaigning against any effort to promote censorship.

Miller also was among the library's trustees who had a hand in the design of all three of the district's buildings - the central library in Schaumburg and its branches in Hoffman Estates and Hanover Park.

Forte-Scott said one of the most important things she learned from Miller about serving the public trust was to research the needs of patrons rather than basing long-term decisions on personal preferences.

Miller joined the library board in 1971 and served until last year, when she chose not to seek re-election. During the 44 years in between, she was off the board for only two years - after another candidate objected to a paperwork error that had her removed from the ballot.

When she stepped down last year, she described herself as more than ready for retirement.

"It's been on my mind a long time," Miller said at the time. "I've been on the board more than half my life. Not half my adult life, half my whole life. It's been a blessing."

Miller said her proudest contribution to the library was its artwork, which she considered to be an important means of human contribution.

Forte-Scott agreed that part of Miller's legacy that will live on forever. She said Miller always emphasized that the library was not just a place for patrons to check out materials.

"It's also a place where people need to feel engaged with their emotions, and art does that," Forte-Scott said.

Though a staunch Democrat, Miller worked harmoniously with board members of both political parties. Their focus always was on the good of the library, Forte-Scott said.

"If anything, they stood together against those who would come against the library or use it for their own ends," she added. "She was an amazing woman."

Despite Miller's long time in office, Stephanie Sarnoff was only the second executive director of the library with whom she worked - and the only one whom Miller had a hand in hiring.

"She was a driving force in making our library the educational, cultural and technological treasure it is today," Sarnoff said. "She also had a contagious enthusiasm and love for life that inspired everyone who worked with her."

Miller is survived by her son and daughter. Her funeral service will be held at 1:45 p.m. today at Chicago Jewish Funerals, 195 N. Buffalo Grove Road in Buffalo Grove. Interment will be at Westlawn Cemetery, 7801 W. Montrose Ave. in Norridge.

Memorials in her memory are encouraged to one's favorite literacy charity.