Gary Warren Niebuhr is the Library Director for the Village of Greendale in Wisconsin. He holds a Master of Arts Degree in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. He is the 2005 Margaret E. Monroe Award winner from the American Library Association in recognition of his contribution to the development of adult services in libraries. In 2008, he is a long distance Lecturer for the University of Wisconsin's School of Library and Information Science when he teaches a course called The Reading Interests of Adults. Gary is a contributing writer to Book Group Buzz, a Booklist Magazine blog, at book group buzz.
Gary is married to Denice Niebuhr, a kindergarten teacher. They live in Milwaukee with their cats Biakabutuka and Boginskaya. Besides his love for the mystery, Niebuhr is an avid NASCAR fan, a gardener and photographer. In 2007, various photos of his won a first, second, third and fourth place ribbon at the Wisconsin State Fair.
He operates P. I. E. S. (Private Investigator Entertainment Service), a mail order catalog of new and used private eye fiction. The catalog can be visited at http://www.execpc.com/~piesbook/piescatalog.html.
He is the author of READ 'EM THEIR WRITES: A HANDBOOK FOR MYSTERY BOOK DISCUSSIONS published by Libraries Unlimited in 2006. READ 'EM was nominated for an Anthony Award for Best Criticcal / Non-fiction Work at the 2007 Bouchercon: the World Mystery Convention. Gary proves that "mystery book club" is no misnomer, and that when it comes to the mystery genre, there is indeed a great deal to talk about. He also reveals how to organize your group, get participants, select book club titles, prepare for the meeting, and conduct discussions. Everything you need is here--book club themes, inside tips, and background material, as well as provocative questions for 100 of the best mystery titles for discussion. The same questions can also serve as models for discussing countless other mysteries. A list of 50 additional mystery titles to discuss and an index conclude the work. Here are two pieces of PR about the book.
He is the author of a guide to the mystery genre for librarians called MAKE MINE A MYSTERY published by Libraries Unlimited in 2003. Make Mine a Mystery won the Macavity Award for Best Biographical / Critical Mystery Work for 2004 from the Mystery Readers International . Make Mine a Mystery won the Anthony Award for Best Critical / Non-fiction Work for 2004 from Bouchercon 35: the World Mystery Convention held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in October of 2004. Make Mine A Mystery received The Kenneth Kingery Scholarly Book Award from the Council for Wisconsin Writers in 2004. Booklist Magazine's review said, "Niebuhr's type-of-detective approach is a useful way of classifying the factors that appeal to mystery readers, and the indexes offer alternative pointers to titles that readers might like. Among guides to mystery fiction, this one stands out as being thorough and current. Essential for public libraries." Midwest Book Review said, "an impressive, 605-page reference offering summaries and capsule descriptions of hundreds of popular mystery and detective fiction titles. Sub-genres, tag lines and icons informing the browser of the relative level of violence, sexuality, and general theme matter of individual titles, and more, set Make Mine A Mystery apart into a class of its own as a distinctive and first-rate resource for librarians and dedicated mystery readers searching for the appropriate and quality stories of mystery and suspense." MYSTERY NEWS said, "It belongs on the shelf of every mystery fan."
He is the author of A READER’S GUIDE TO THE PRIVATE EYE NOVEL published by G. K. Hall in 1993. This work was nominated for an Anthony Award as one of the best reference books of 1993 at the Bouchercon, the World Mystery Conference, held in Seattle in 1994. The book was also listed as one of the top twenty best mystery reference book by Jon Breen in THE ARMCHAIR DETECTIVE BOOK OF LISTS, 2nd ed.
His private eye short story, OVER THERE, appears on the Summer 2004 issue of HARDLUCK STORIES found on the Hardluck website . "Gary's story snuck up on me. I'm reading it, not thinking too much of it at first, and then BAM! it hit me. "Over There" is masterfully written with an extremely strong emotional payoff. I know this is Gary's first, and he should be proud of it. I know I'm proud that I was able to publish it." Dave Zeltserman, Hardluck Editor. "Damn! I think that bears repeating: Damn! If this story doesn't hit one of the "Best Of" anthologies next year, I'll eat my hat...The characters are so well drawn with so little (apparent) effort that I felt like I knew them. Mr. Niebuhr spends only a few sentences with Old Mrs. Jobim, but those sentences make her a living, breathing human being. And the relationship between Mrs. Jobim and her son, I could feel that as fully as I could have had I been standing there with them...I also liked the way Mr. Niebuhr brought the personal life of the detective into the story. This could have been any detective with any personal life, or none at all. But the way his life connected with the Jobims' elevated the story one more step...Anything else I say will be gilding the lily. If you haven't already read this story, click on the link above. You'll thank me for it." Bob Tinsley, 12/11/04, http://theshortofit.blogspot.com.
He was a contributor and the co-editor and co-publisher (with Orietta A. Hardy-Sayles) of THE BIG JACUZZI: A COLLECTION OF SHALLOW SHORT STORIES (c1992) and FAREWELL, MY LOBBY: A COLLECTION OF SHAMELESS SHORT STORIES (c1993) published by Bootleg Press and P. I. E. S. He is the editor and a contributor to THE LADY IN THE 10,000 LAKES: A COLLECTION OF DEEP BUT STILL MEANINGLESS SHORT STORIES (c1996), THE LITTLE SISTER IN CRIME: A HISTORICAL YET HYSTERICAL COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES (c1997), and THE LONG GOOD CRY, OR I’D RATHER BE IN PHILADELPHIA: A MOVING ANTHOLOGY OF MYSTERY SHORT STORIES BY CONTRIBUTORS TO DOROTHYL published by My Books, his own publishing effort.
He is a regular contributor of articles, interviews, and reviews to various mystery publications including CRIMESPREE,DAPA-EM, and MYSTERY NEWS. His essay on Ken Kuhlken is a part of the publication, THEY DIED IN VAIN, published by Drood Review in 2002, winner of The Agatha Award, Anthony Award and Macavity Award for Best Non-Fiction in 2002. He contributed essays on Robert Crais and Robert J. Randisi to the ST. JAMES CRIME AND MYSTERY WRITERS, 4th ed. (c1996).
He is a member of Private Eye Writers of America and Mystery Readers International. He was a 1997-1999 member of the board of directors of the Mystery Writers of America - Midwest.
He has served on the Private Eye Writers of America Shamus Award Committees for best novel (twice), best first novel (twice) and best short story (twice). He served on the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award Committee for Best Critical/Biographical Award published in 1997.
He is a regular participant in mystery fiction conferences. He served on the Bouchercon, the World Mystery Conference Standing Committee (1997-2005). He was the co-coordinator, with Ted Hertel, of the 1999 Bouchercon, the World Mystery Conference, held in Milwaukee in October of 1999. He was the assistant coordinator of Bouchercon XII, the World Mystery Conference, when it was held in Milwaukee in 1981. During 1997, he chaired a national effort to revise the Bouchercon by-laws and create an executive secretary position.
He was the Fan Guest of Honor at the 2004 Bouchercon: the World Mystery Convention held in Toronto, Canada. He was the Fan Guest of Honor at Magna Cum Murder, at Ball State University in Muncie, IN, in 1995.
In 1995, Niebuhr was the conference coordinator for the first ever conference to honor the Private Eye Writers of America. The conference, EYECON’95, was held in Milwaukee from June 15th to the 18th with Sue Grafton as the Guest of Honor.
On October 18, 2002, Niebuhr received the Don Sandstrom Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement in Mystery Fandom presented by Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine.
He was has appeared as a fictional character in the following books:
THE COLD HEART OF CAPRICORN by Martha C. Lawrence
FOOL'S PARADISE by Steve Brewer
IN THE SHADOW OF THE ARCH by Robert J. Randisi
INVASION OF PRIVACY by Jeremiah Healy
MAJIC MAN by Max Allan Collins
THE NIGHT MEN by Keith Snyder
ONE SHOT by Lee Child
PAID IN FULL by D. C. Brod
TANGLED JUNE by Neil Albert
U. S. MARSHALLS by Max Allan Collins
VULTURE CAPITAL by Mark Coggins
WINTER AND NIGHT by S. J. Rozan
A PowerPoint show for groups with an interest in crime and mystery fiction. This program covers the history of crime and mystery fiction from Edgar Allan Poe to Sue Grafton.
A PowerPoint show (can also include video) for groups with an interest in how fiction authors began to create the private eyes in the pulps of the 1920s and how this continues today with the works of Sue Grafton and other modern authors.
A PowerPoint show (can also include video) for groups interested in the life and times of one of the greatest private eye writers of all time.
A PowerPoint show (can also include video) for groups interested in the life and times of one of the greatest private eye writers of all time.
A program for anyone interested in learning book discussion leadership skills and how to select great crime and mystery books for a book discussion.
A book discussion on a crime or mystery fiction title.
A program for librarians interested in developing readers’ advisory skills by combining BASIC READERS ADVISORY training with a genre study of crime and mystery fiction. Three hour minimum or full day.
A program for librarians interested in developing a readers’ advisory effort in their libraries. 90 minute minimum (or see program above).
A lecture on this film style that uses video to illustrate techniques, styles and stars.
A PowerPoint and video program on the life and times of the greatest comedy team of all time.
Programs for librarians have been provided to the American Library Association Annual Convention, the Public Library Association National Convention, the Wisconsin Library Association, the Wisconsin Association of Public Librarians, many Wisconsin library systems, the Anchorage Public Library, the Cleveland Area Metropolitan Library System, the Rocky River Library (Ohio), the Illinois Library Association, and the Indiana Library Association. Programs for the general public have been given to Friends of the Library organizations, civic organizations and at bookstores.