Stern Lecture Series

Read answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the Mary S. Stern Lectures Series.

The late Mary S. Stern endowed an annual lecture series for the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library through The Library Foundation, opens a new window to support bringing internationally renowned thought leaders to our community. The Stern Lecture selection committee was formed in 2018 to select and invite lecturers who can honor Stern’s legacy by advancing the Library’s mission to connect our community with a world of ideas and information. The committee is committed to making the topic and speaker accessible to the community physically and financially.

The views and opinions expressed by the Mary S. Stern lecturer are solely those of the lecturer and do not represent those of the Library Foundation, the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library, staff, and partner organizations.

2025

The 6th Mary S. Stern lecturer was Nicholas Kristof, author of Chasing Hope.

2024

The 5th Mary S. Stern lecturer was David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon.

2023

The 4th Mary S. Stern lecturer was Isabel Wilkerson, author of The Warmth of Other Suns.

2022

The 3rd Mary S. Stern lecturer was Walter Isaacson, author of The Code Breaker.

2021

The 2nd Mary S. Stern lecturer was Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of Leadership in Turbulent Times.

2019

The inaugural Mary S. Stern lecturer was Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption.

The Library Foundation is dedicated to ensuring a great library system by raising, managing and allocating funds to expand and enhance the Library's programs.

For more information, please visit supportCHPL.org, opens a new window.

The Stern Lecture selection committee includes Sandy and Peter Stern, Betsy Sittenfeld, Tony Covatta, and Vicky and Rick Reynolds.