COLUMBUS — The Ohio Library Council (OLC) continues its tradition of honoring the best and brightest individuals in the Ohio public library community. Kimber L. Fender, The Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, has been selected as the recipient of the A. Chapman Parsons Award for her outstanding work on behalf of Ohio's public libraries. She will be recognized at the OLC’s Legislative Luncheon on March 29 in the Ohio Statehouse Atrium.
Fender currently serves as the chair of the OLC’s Government Relations Committee and has testified many times before the Ohio General Assembly on issues that impact public libraries across the state. She was instrumental in the release of the OLC’s 2016 Return on Investment Study which quantified the value of Ohio’s public libraries in clear and understandable economic terms. In addition to her advocacy efforts in Ohio, Fender has represented public libraries on a national level at the American Library Association’s annual legislative event in Washington, D.C. She has had a distinguished career in library services serving as the executive director of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County since 1999.
Throughout her tenure, Fender has expanded services and enhanced resources by partnering with many community organizations including the Cincinnati Reds and the Cincinnati Public Schools. In 2009, the OLC’s Board of Directors named Fender “Librarian of the Year.”
About the A. Chapman Parsons Award
This award is given in recognition of significant activity or accomplishment in the area of government relations. It is named for the late executive director of the Ohio Library Association who defined the elements of successful library advocacy for 22 years. The award reflects Chap Parsons' abiding interest in working productively with governmental authorities.
