The Wood County District Public Library Board
of Trustees has posthumously named David C. Miller the recipient of this year’s Legacy of 1875 Award.Miller,
who was editor of The Sentinel-Tribune until his death in May of this year, had served on the WCDPL Board of
Trustees from 1991 to 1996 and went on to serve public libraries on the state and national level as well as
at Bowling Green State University in the years that followed.The trustees made the announcement during the
WCDPL’s annual Volunteer Recognition Breakfast on Tuesday, where Miller’s widow, Judy, accepted the award, a
clock set within a book.The Legacy of 1875 Award was created in 2009 by the county’s library board to
recognize "significant contributions to the library in the spirit of the many people who established
and sustained this library through the years."1875 refers to the year a group of civic-minded men
started the community’s first lending library, the Bowling Green Library Association, which existed for 10
years. In 1911 the city’s Shakespeare Round Table, a women’s organization, raised funds needed to launch
what eventually became the current library.Previous winners of the Legacy Award were Patricia Maurer in
2009, the Library Levy Committee and Bookmobile Committee in 2010, the Wood County Genealogical Society in
2011, and the Shakespeare Round Table in 2012.Miller’s involvement in the county library ran both deep and
wide, according to board President Brian Paskvan, who noted that he served on the library’s Literacy
Committee, as chairman of the personnel committee, and as president in 1996."From helping to install a
new circulation desk in 1994, to thoughtfully crafting… strategic goals, to helping public relations
efforts by marching in many a holiday parade, David contributed to the success of WCDPL in so many
ways," Paskvan noted."His advocacy for libraries was instrumental in bringing the Internet to all
of Ohio’s public libraries with the establishment of the Ohio Public Library Information Network in 1994. In
1995, the Ohio Library Council named him Trustee of the Year."Miller left the county board in 1996 when
he was appointed to the State Library of Ohio Board where he later served two terms as president. He joined
the BGSU University Libraries Advocate Board in 2004 and for many years he also served as a columnist for
the Rural Library Services Newsletter which was distributed nationally."His wise counsel, passionate
enthusiasm for the role of a library in a community, keen wit and sharp sense of humor will be missed,"
Paskvan concluded.Nearly 50 regular library volunteers were recognized during the breakfast, with several
earning special mention.Library Director Michael Penrod pointed out that the library has quite a few book
discussion groups, and he singled out discussion leader Doris Ann Norris for special praise.Children’s
librarian Maria Simon said Children’s Place aides Diane Regan, Kathy East and Stephen Scholl gave especially
vital service in 2013.Karin Edstrom, a caller, and Pam Krebs, who shelves books, were named in the
circulation department.This year marks the 10th anniversary of the library’s popular Community Reads
program, which began in 2003 with Homer Hickam’s "Rocket Boys." Among the 12 volunteers assisting
with the program this year were Barbara Applebaum, Becky Bhaer, Ellen Dalton, Donna Nelson-Beene, Regan and
Anita Richard, as well as Tami Lynch and Patti Rish who aided the Youth Community Reads program introduced
this year."Many people in the community don’t realize we have a library at the jail," said Penrod,
"and we have a dedicated corps of volunteers who go out there every Wednesday." He praised Dolores
Black, Alta Codding, Chuck McCaghy, Donna Mertz and Bonnie Schurk for "their passion and service"
to the Wood County Justice Center Library.Millie Broka was recognized for local history and Lataska Daniels
for service at the Walbridge branch library.