When you talk to Carol Drachler it doesn't take long for you to figure out she loves the history of art.
Today she's unpacking boxes of her own art history books she used to create her lectures here at Mesa Community College, the place she taught for 34-years.
All 3,058 books used to be in her home. She's now donating them to the college.
"I wanted them to be in the place that I loved more than anything," said Carol.
Her love for art history though started as a child and then really took hold when she got older. "I fell in love with art history from the first lecture I heard."
She's been fortunate to travel the world and witness some of the places these books talk about.
"I'm not creative," said Carol. "I just loved the history part and the fact that you get to look at pictures to understand the history is absolutely phenomenal." An understanding that can be passed down to students through her books.
"To have them donate back to the school and have her collection here and have her memory here is just astounding to us," said Gingher Leyendecker who heads up the school's art department.
Carol is also donating about 51,000 slide collections. Combined with the books its valued at $113,000.
"I feel so fortunate to have been in a the field that I absolutely fell in love with," said Carol. Her donation was so large that the school is opening a separate library for the collection.
The school plans to open the library to students in the of Spring 2018.
