Coworkers and members of the community and Friends of Torresdale Library organized a reception to honor retiring librarian Ann Hornbach.
Hornbach is a 1980 graduate of St. Hubert High School. Before her stint with the Free Library of Philadelphia, she worked in data entry and bookkeeping at the old Provident National Bank and the Philadelphia Geriatric Center, where she also handled computer programming.
Hornbach began with the Free Library in August 2000, starting out at Welsh Road Library before becoming children’s librarian/branch head in 2006 at Torresdale, 3079 Holme Ave.
“I found my niche here. I liked it and stayed,” she said of her library career.
Highlights of her career included starting a storytime program for children with autism. In 2015, she received the city’s Richardson Dilworth Award for Excellence in Customer Service.
State Rep. Ed Neilson stopped by the reception to present Hornbach with a citation.
Hornbach, who lives at Delaire Landing, enrolled in the city’s Deferred Retirement Option Plan four years ago, making her retirement mandatory on Feb. 27.
As for retirement, Hornbach, 64, plans to stay busy. She’ll continue as an extraordinary minister at St. Dominic, join the Friends of Torresdale Library, volunteer at St. Hubert, play pickleball and read to children at St. Dominic, New Foundations and Glen Foerd. ••
