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I N S P I R E
Storied Life
B Y L I B E R T Y F E R D A
Agaggle of toddlers
gathers around the
librarian as she
begins to tell a story.
She holds up the book to show its
illustrations, but her eyes never leave
the curious young faces before her. A
seasoned storyteller, she knows that
instead of just reading aloud, “you
learn the story well and retell it in
your own words, as though
it happened to you.”
Story time with preschoolers was
one of the joys of Barbara Quarles’s
32-year career as a children’s librarian
as she nurtured inquisitive, growing
minds. It was Quarles’s high school
librarian, Jean McDonough, who
encouraged her to pursue her love
of books by becoming a children’s
librarian.
To achieve her dream, Quarles
attended Pitt, earning a degree in
library science. On the recommenda-
tion of beloved Pitt professor and
award-winning librarian Elizabeth
Nesbitt, she took a job at the Free
Library of Philadelphia. There, Quarles
worked in book selection and helped
create many book lists, including
those identifying titles suitable for
children with special needs. Later,
she transferred to the Phoenix Public
Library in Arizona where, in addition to
her other duties, she continued her
interest in book selection, generating
reading lists, and connecting young
people to enriching writing.
Rob Bomba’s dream was to become a physician. He
planned to complete his college degree and attend
medical school, with hopes to one day join Doctors
Without Borders to aid those in need around the
world. Service was his passion. An army veteran and former volunteer
fire fighter in Ross Township, Pa., he pursued his education while work-
ing two jobs: one as a paramedic and another as a 911 dispatcher.
In December 2015, Bomba had just earned his associate’s degree
and was preparing to apply to the University of Pittsburgh when he died
unexpectedly. He was 31 years old. Yet, Bomba’s drive and ambition
continue to inspire.
“If Rob did something, he wanted to do it the best,” said Scott
Long (A&S ’95), Bomba’s friend and former roommate. “Everything
about being a nontraditional student was a challenge, but he got good
grades at community college, and he would have gotten good grades
at Pitt.”
To honor Bomba, Long rallied friends and family to establish
the Robert S. Bomba Memorial Fund to support nontraditional Pitt
students (those who pursue degrees later in life) and share the aspir-
ing doctor’s goal of helping others. To raise funds, they turned to the
University’s crowdfunding website.
“When we heard about EngagePitt™ we knew that it was perfect for
reaching out to a multitude of people across a large spectrum,” said
Long. “Rob knew a lot of people at work, in the army, and across the
country. Crowdfunding helped get our message out and track down
that network.”
In April, through contributions from 66 donors, the Robert S.
Bomba Memorial Fund exceeded its goal of raising $20,000. Those
who receive support from
the Bomba fund will add
to the lasting legacy of
a life lived in service
to others. ■
B Y M A T T C I C H O W I C Z
Moving Memorial
The highlight of her career came
in 1974, when Quarles’s expertise was
tapped for a nationwide endeavor. She
was selected to serve on the prestigious
Newbery-Caldecott committee to
choose the two best children’s books
in illustration and story. The winners
were Gerald McDermott, who wrote the
brightly colored Arrow to the Sun, and
the first-ever African American author
awardee, Virginia Hamilton, for M.C.
Higgins, the Great.
Quarles (SIS ’64), who has been
a longtime supporter of Pitt’s School
of Information Sciences, recently
established a $10,000 charitable gift
annuity that will provide discretionary
funding for the School of Information
Sciences. She hopes to encourage the
next generation of librarians to realize
their dreams. ■
Quarles
Bomba