Daniel named Librarian of the Year

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Heidi Daniel, director of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, has been named Librarian of the Year by the Ohio Library Council.

The council, located in Columbus, is the statewide professional organization representing the interests of the state’s public libraries, their trustees, staffs and friends.

Ohio has about 250 public libraries.

Daniel became Youngs-town public library director three years ago.

“I’m surprised, honored and grateful,” Daniel said, adding that the award reflects “the incredible work” of her staff and the community.

The award honors a librarian whose recent accomplishments have impacted the library profession and library service.

“I am honored to nominate her for the OLC Librarian of the Year award for her leadership, forward-thinking and innovative changes,” wrote Janet S. Loew, the library system’s communications, public relations and marketing director.

“Ms. Daniel thoughtfully considered new ideas that were coming to her in community conversations,” wrote Carlton A. Sears, Daniel’s predecessor as director of the Youngstown library system, in a letter supporting her nomination for the award.

Among Daniel’s innovations were the mobile Pop-Up Libraries that appear at public events, removal of fine and fee barriers that blocked borrowing privileges, HelpNow homework help, and JobNow employment assistance, Sears wrote.

“She relates to all ages from her understanding as a mother of small children to senior citizens and Friends of the Library members, who are longtime library users,” wrote Joyce E. Brooks, of Canfield, a member of the search committee that unanimously recommended that library trustees hire Daniel as director of the 15-branch Mahoning County library system.

Library Trustee Thomas M. Frost called Daniel “ a visionary and a person of high character who takes responsibility for her leadership decisions.”

Before coming to Youngstown, Daniel advanced rapidly in her library career in Houston, progressing in two-year increments from juvenile librarian to teen services coordinator, then to director of programming and youth services, and then to district supervisor overseeing 16 neighborhood libraries.

Daniel has a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies from DePaul University and a master’s degree in library science from Texas Woman’s University and has 14 years of library service experience.

Daniel will serve on the American Library Association’s Literacy and Outreach Services Advisory Committee through June 2017.

She has twice been a presenter for Library Journal’s “Lead the Change” workshops in Ohio and Pennsylvania and has been a facilitator for online courses for librarians wishing to advance their leadership skills.