Announcing The Ohio Library Council’s 2015 Honorees

The Ohio Library Council (OLC) is continuing its tradition of honoring some of the best and brightest individuals and organizations in the Ohio public library community through its Awards and Honors program. The 2015 honorees have demonstrated outstanding leadership and remarkable dedication to providing the best possible library service. They will receive their awards at the Awards and Honors Luncheon on Oct. 7 at the OLC Convention and Expo in Cincinnati. The following recipients were selected based on nominations and recommendations received from their peers in the Ohio public library community.

Debbie Professional Photo in postHall of Fame Librarian: Deborah F. O’Connor, Geauga County Public Library

This award recognizes a librarian for his or her career achievements. Hall of Fame Librarians have demonstrated sustained leadership; active participation in local, state, and/or national library organizations; a commitment to the library profession; and contributions to their communities.

Throughout her long career in libraries Deborah F. O’Connor, Director, Geauga County Public Library (GCPL), has been a strong advocate for library service. (O’Connor has announced her retirement from GCPL. Her last day with the library will be Sept. 30.) During her 25-year tenure as director, the library has migrated catalogs twice, passed levies, built a new library, added programs, and much more. She is known for embracing innovation and “just saying yes.” GCPL recently embarked on a new project that will triple the size of its Outreach Department by adding a Homebound Delivery Vehicle and another bookmobile.

O’Connor is an active part of her community – creating community partnerships for the library and serving in many local organizations. She initiated adding news from other organizations to the library’s newsletter. The Geauga Growth Partnership, University Hospitals, Geauga’s Community Health Improvement Planning Committee, and others have been able to share their information in this 42,000 copy newsletter. She has been an active member of many community organizations including Leadership Geauga County, United Way Services of Geauga County, and Geauga County Family First Council. Leadership Geauga County recognized her as the Emerald Leader of Geauga County in 2008.

She has served in many leadership positions in local, state, and national library organizations including the Northeast Ohio Library Association Board of Trustees, the Public Library Association Small and Medium Section Board of Directors, as President of the Ohio Library Association, and as Chair of the Ohio Library Council Government Relations Committee. She has also testified in the state legislature on behalf of Ohio’s Public Libraries to ensure state funding for public libraries.

Librarian of the Year: Heidi Daniel, The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County

This award honors a librarian whose recent accomplishments have impacted the library profession and/or library service to the community. Winners are actively involved in local and state library organizations, promote new library services, and develop innovative community partnerships.

Since Heidi Daniel became Director of The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County in 2012, she has instituted a culture of “getting to yes” and removing barriers to library service. Under her leadership, the library has introduced many programs including a Pop-Up Library that allows people to receive library cards and check out materials at community events, shopping centers, and schools; READ library cards for kids and SIMPLY TEEN library cards that allow kids and teens to check out two books at a time without any fees; a digital only library card for use with the library’s computers and online offerings that never carries fines and can be applied for from the user’s home; Baby and Me On-Board which delivers library materials to homes of parents of children from birth through 12 months via the U.S. mail; and many more.

Additionally, the library has passed a levy, constructed a new branch in North Jackson, began construction on a new library in Canfield, and completed a strategic plan during her tenure. Daniel is also the face of the library. She has appeared in several TV campaigns aimed at informing the community about the offerings available from the library. In addition to being a member of the Ohio Library Council, she is a member of the Public Library Association, Urban Libraries Council, and serves on the American Library Association’s Literacy and Outreach Services Advisory Committee.

Trustee Award of Achievement: Kathleen Hickey Green, Massillon Public Library

This honor recognizes an individual library board member or entire board of trustees that demonstrates distinguished service and innovative leadership within the community or across Ohio.

Kathleen Hickey Green has been a member of the Massillon Public Library (MPL) Board of Trustees since 1987. She has served as the Board President, Vice President, and Chair of Policy and Personnel Committee. Her leadership has been an essential element in conducting the business of the library including handling challenges to library materials. She is a strong supporter of staff development and has attended staff enrichment days.

During her tenure on the Board of Trustees and her 35-year career as a teacher and school librarian, Green has been an advocate for the library and library services. She was one of the driving forces behind installing a MPL catalog terminal in her high school’s library and getting public library materials delivered to the high school. She invited librarians from MPL to her school to instruct students on how to use INFOhio and OPLIN databases. She also helped encourage fourth grade class visits to MPL. Green has been very active outside of her library activities. She served as President of the Massillon Education Association. She has also been an active part of the Massillon Woman’s Club, Washington High School Distinguished Citizens Committee, Quota International of Massillon, and is currently President of the Stark County Retired Teachers Association.

Ohio Friends of the Library Recognition Award: Friends of the Cooper Community Library, Paulding County Carnegie Library System

This award recognizes a Friends of the Library group that performs imaginative and effective activities that increase community awareness of its library; support library programs; and promote the mission, vision, and core values of the library.

The Friends of the Cooper Community Library, Paulding County Carnegie Library System began as the Oakwood Library Association, the group that operated the small, volunteer library in the village of Oakwood. Recognizing that it needed more resources to make its library the modern library that the community needed, in 1999 the group asked the Paulding County Carnegie Library System to make the library one of its branches. The new branch library opened in 2000. In the mid-2000s a building that housed a furniture store was donated to the group. Members were able to raise more than $300,000 to turn the building into a library. In 2007, the newly-renovated Cooper Community Library opened.

The Friends host many fund-raising activities throughout the year including the Chocolate Extravaganza, Spring Tea, and the Oakwood Homecoming Days Dinner and Skit. In addition to being responsible for the insurance and maintenance of the library building, the Friends also help fund library programs. The group buys supplies for Trick or Treat on Halloween Street, provides support for craft stations at the library’s Village Christmas, and helps bring special interest classes to the library. It is also a strong supporter of the summer reading program providing sack lunches for the participants and sponsoring a visit from The Imagination Station. This group is an essential part of making the library a popular success in the community. The Cooper Community Library serves the smallest population of any library in the Paulding County system; however, in April 2015, it had the largest circulation figure in the system.

John Philip Outreach Award: Tammy Long, Stark County District Library

This honor recognizes exceptional achievement in library outreach services. Winners demonstrate true dedication to the philosophy of bringing library programs and services to the underserved.

Tammy Long, Mobile Services Manager with Outreach Services, at Stark County District Library, is responsible for managing a large outreach department that includes two bookmobiles, two kidmobiles, and two senior outreach vans. The mobile services staff visits every senior center and daycare in the library’s service area along with most schools. Long is committed to improving services for those who need library outreach. She was an integral part of developing and implementing the library’s kidmobile service (special bookmobiles that provide materials for children ages three through six along with resources for their teachers and a 20-minute storytime).

In the past 18 years, this program has grown to two kidmobiles that visit each stop once a month. Her outstanding customer service skills are well documented. When a local school wanted to create a family reading and home literacy program, Long developed a bookmobile schedule that gave students the opportunity to visit the bookmobile with a family member at the end of the school day. Long is able to identify each of her staff member’s strengths and employ them in the best manner to serve outreach customers. Her support helped staff grow programming for seniors to more than 200 programs each year.

Library Innovation Award: Sandusky Library (Internet and Roku Lending Programs)

This award recognizes the wide variety of expertise, creative talent, and successful initiatives incorporated in Ohio public libraries. The winning initiative breaks new ground in library service or programming; significantly benefits employees, library patrons, library operations, or the community-at-large; and can be replicated in other Ohio libraries.

In an effort to bridge the digital divide and provide services outside of its bricks and mortar building, the Sandusky Library began lending Rokus, mobile hot spots, and Internet hubs in 2014. A partnership with the Randolph J. and Estelle M. Dorn Foundation made these services possible. The mobile hot spots and Internet hubs allow patrons to have free, 4G speed Wi-Fi in their home or on the go for a two-week lending period. Hot spot users can connect up to eight devices. Roku devices allow borrowers to turn any TV into a smart TV during the two-week lending period. These set-top boxes stream media from the Internet and come pre-loaded with 25 channels. The very popular and innovative Internet and Roku lending programs have resulted in waiting lists, requests for how to get started from other libraries, and presentations at library conferences.

Supportive Staff Member of the Year: Mary S. Baker, Medina County District Library

This honor recognizes the achievements of a library supportive staff member such as Fiscal Officers, Para-professionals, IT personnel, Clerks, and Clerical Staff.

Mary S. Baker, Reference Associate at the Medina County District Library’s Brunswick Library, is known for going above and beyond. She has cross-trained to work in any department in the library and is recognized for her customer service, database, online learning, and readers’ advisory skills. Baker also finds innovative solutions to issues, creating programs and partnerships. In 2008-2009, she noticed an increased need for job search resources at the library.

Baker created the Brunswick Job Search Group to fulfill this community need. Under her stewardship, the club entered a partnership with Medina Workforce Development and expanded to the Medina Library as Coffee Talks for Job Seekers. Last year, Baker created No Produce Left Behind by working with Ohio State University Extension Services’ Master Gardeners to start a collection of gardening programs. She also collaborated with Feeding Medina County, a local food bank, to make the library a produce collection site. Baker encouraged library staff and patrons to donate extra produce from their gardens to the effort. More than 200 pounds of produce were donated through No Produce Left Behind.

Diana Vescelius Memorial Award: Evan T. Struble, State Library of Ohio

This award recognizes Ohio’s library leaders of tomorrow. Winners are 35 years of age or younger or have worked five years or less in libraries and demonstrate an outstanding commitment to the profession, including advocacy in special areas such as intellectual freedom, library innovation, outreach, and/or expansion of library services. Evan T. Struble, Library Consultant – Library Programs and Development, State Library of Ohio, is known for being a leader in the library community and supporting the career development of library staff statewide.

His responsibilities at the State Library include assisting small and medium-sized public libraries in the development of community-focused strategic plans that help these libraries improve and expand service to their communities, serving as the project manager for the ILEAD USA-Ohio program that provides leadership training to library staff from around the state, and co-leading Guiding Ohio Online an AmeriCorps program that helps rural Ohioans gain digital literacy skills. For these initiatives he has facilitated focus groups, recruited members, helped develop continuing education, conducted training, and much more.

Prior to joining the State Library of Ohio he served as the Community Manager at OHIONET where he was responsible for developing curricula, selecting instructors, and scheduling workshops for librarians in Ohio including Your Library, Your Community. Throughout his career, Struble has helped lead or develop more than 100 breakout sessions, workshops, and webinars. He is also a leader in many organizations serving as Ohio Library Council Expo Committee Chair, President-Elect of the Kent State University School of Library and Information Science Alumni Council, and member of the State Council of Professional Educators Executive Board.

OLC Citizen of the Year: Jonathan D. Iten

This honor recognizes a citizen, or a group of citizens in Ohio who has/have made a noteworthy contribution that has had a positive influence on library services throughout the State of Ohio.

Jonathan D. Iten is a retired partner with Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP. Beginning in 1991 and through his retirement at the end of 2014, he provided outstanding legal counsel and guidance to the Ohio Library Council and its member libraries. Iten’s work has benefitted virtually every public library trustee, director, and staff member in the state. By far the preeminent expert in public library law in Ohio, he has addressed thousands of library legal questions. Iten also drafted and authored some of the laws that currently govern Ohio’s public libraries.

Geauga News
Author: Geauga News