Photograph of Librarian Jo Osborne Presenting Storytime at the Worthington Public Library, 752 High Street

Pictured here is Jo Osborne presenting storytime to a group of children sitting on the floor in the children's room, circa 1979. She is shown smiling at a child who is standing up. In the background is a Worthington Public Library-branded puppet theater.

Jo was a children's librarian at Worthington Libraries from 1979 until her death at age 59 in 1995. The Jo Osborne Award for Humor in Children's Literature was established in 1996 to honor her commitment to bringing children, books and humor together. The award recognizes the art of humor in either a single children's book or in the body of work of a children's literature author. As described in the brochure for the award, Jo "sought out the silly, the funny, the poignant, the witty for storytelling and puppet shows to impart a love of books to all the children who were lucky enough to cross her path" during her years as a librarian.

At the time of the photo, the children's room was in the basement of the library, which was located at 752 High Street. The library operated out of this location from 1927 to 1979, when the Old Worthington Library location opened a newly constructed facility at 805 Hartford Street (now 820 High Street).