Welcome to #FDL’s feature column, Five Questions, where we ask library staff and other East Peoria residents roughly the same five questions. For this Five Questions column, we’re interviewing Genna Buhr, FDL’s Director – the lady who makes the wheels on this bus go round and round.

1. Who are you?

Hi! I’m Genna Buhr, Library Director of Fondulac District Library. I’ve been at the library for about seven years and have been leading our staff of about thirty as Director for the past two years. I’m a mom to two young boys who keep me on my toes and have been married for almost eleven years. I’m a member of the East Peoria Kiwanis and active in various library organizations. I like futzing in my yard when I have time, Muppets, and cheese. I can’t hold a tune, and I’m not a speed reader. I do like fast cars, though.

2. What is your favorite part of working at FDL?

My favorite part is that none of my days are the same. One day I might be working to ensure that the library’s budget for the next fiscal year is ready, the next day I might be helping launch a new service for the public, and the day after that I might be hanging out with Clifford the Big Red Dog. Every day brings a new surprise, and there’s always something happening at FDL.

3. What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?

I’m reading Ray and Joan by Lisa Napoli. It’s the story of Ray and Joan Kroc of the McDonald’s fortune. The book looks at not only at their complicated relationship, but also how he led the business to making its billions and how she used it for the greater good.  My family is kind of wrapped up in watching the end of the latest season of America’s Got Talent, mostly because it’s entertaining and something on which we can all agree. (We agree on the show, not necessarily on which acts are our favorites!) We also like to watch The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation, which highlights past and current inventors and innovators who use (or have used) technology and design to solve problems. On the off chance I get to watch something all on my own, it’s usually a movie I brought home from the library (no horror films for me, though) or maybe something I saved to the DVR and have had every intention of watching for months, but still have gotten around to. I listen to the radio back and forth to work, but if you were sneak a peek at my Pandora or iPod, you’d see a lot of 80s, 90s, and alt-rock, some Patsy Cline, Jim Croce, Carole King, and Jimmy Buffett, and about 6  different renditions of Wild Horses.

4. If you didn’t already have your dream job, what would you be doing?

If you mean in lieu of working, I’d want to be traveling! I’ve been fortunate to see many places, but there are so many more I’d like to visit or revisit, both in the U.S. and abroad.  I’ve always loved sightseeing, but I’m learning to appreciate being on a beach with a book and a frozen concoction more and more.

5. Who would win in a fight – the monster truck Bigfoot or the sasquatch Bigfoot?

That’s a toughie. So, assuming the furry Bigfoot does exist, I figure she’s fairly intelligent to have eluded everyone for this long and would probably just avoid the fight with the truck altogether. (Yeah, I’m going with a girl Bigfoot.) Then again, toe to tire, I’m not sure the yeti stands a chance against nearly 11,000 pounds and 1,000 horsepower. That’s a lot of truck. Of course, that’s assuming Bigfoot has a driver who has eluded the sasquatch! In the end, though, I think I have to pick big blue as the winner. I’ve been to the monster truck shows several times. They’re capable of some serious tricks.

Interviewed by: Carey Gibbons, Reference Specialist

About #FDL

Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.