Flier for Memorial Service for Librarian Jo Osborne

Shown here is the flier for the memorial service for Worthington Libraries children's librarian Jo Osborne, which was held on April 30, 1995 at the Old Worthington Library. The service featured library staff and Jo's family members sharing poems, book excerpts, musical performances, and memories of her. The program closed with the announcement of the Jo Osborne Award for Humor in Children's Literature, as well as the presentation of Jo's living will, a memorial tree, and book of memories.

Osborne 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 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.