Wittenberg honors Sears with award
Staff report
springfield, ohio
Carlton A. Sears, director of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, was among distinguished alumni honored earlier this month at Wittenberg University.
Sears, Class of 1972, was honored for exceptional personal and professional accomplishment with the Alumni Citation Award.
The Alumni Citation Award is given to those who, according to Wittenberg University, “have brought honor to Wittenberg by their exceptional accomplishments in which service to humanity is placed ahead of personal gain or recognition.”
A Wittenberg news release notes: “The director of the public library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, Sears devoted his life to the field of library science following his graduation from Wittenberg with a B.A. in East Asian Studies and an M.A. in library science from the University of Michigan. The founding board president for the Library Management Network in Huntsville, Ala., and the recipient of the Urban Libraries Council’s 2005 Urban Player of the Year Award, Sears also serves as a coach with the Harwood Institute of Public Innovation in Bethesda, Md., which featured him in an article titled ‘Public Innovators: Forces for Social Change and Civic Renewal.’ Active in his community, Sears has volunteered in numerous leadership capacities, including as a founding board member for WICK Neighbors Inc. and past president of the Rotary Club of Youngstown.”
Sears said that the education and experience he received at Wittenberg set the trajectory for his life.
“For the university, which meant so much to me, to recognize me in this way is truly humbling,” he said.
Sears has been the director of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County since February 1997.
The Wittenberg Award marks the second time he received prominent recognition for leadership. In 2005, he received the national Urban Player Award from the Urban Library Council for his role in the Wick Neighbors/Smoky Hollow project. The Urban Player Award recognizes individuals who have provided exceptional leadership in both the library and its community.
It’s one of a number of ULC programs that focus attention on the library’s role in enriching the urban communities they serve. “Carlton’s part in the development of Smoky Hollow is a wonderful example of the vital role library leaders can play and are playing in civic arenas,” said Martin Gomez, then-president of the ULC.