Wichterman Named ARSL Equity Champion 

Pickaway County Library Director Drew Wichterman recently received a national award for his work to keep libraries accessible for all. 

The Association for Rural and Small Libraries, based in Seattle, Washington, recognized Wichterman as an Equity Champion at its annual meeting in Springfield, Massachusetts. The award is based on the nominee’s commitment to sustained and intentional inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility through their work.

To date, Wichterman has written and received more than $200,000 in grants to serve his small and rural communities. He developed grants for Guiding Ohio Online through LSTA funding at both Tipp City and Pickaway County. Additionally, his connection to the Student Author Series of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize brought the program to Tipp City and now Pickaway County and has generated grant funding from multiple sources.

Serving on the Ohio Library Council's annual conference planning leadership team, Drew advocated for accessibility for attendees and presenters. Recently, his library submitted a grant for the ALA/ARSL Accessibility grant to improve accessibility at the Pickaway County Library. 

The nomination form for Wichterman said, “He presents the highest level of professionalism, and demonstrates this through his involvement with American Library Association, Public Library Association, Association for Rural and Small Libraries, Ohio Library Council, and the State Library Board of Ohio.”  Wichterman also serves as a member of the Advisory Council for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. He is a frequent presenter at state and national conferences focusing on community engagement, accessibility, and intellectual freedom.

In the nomination for this award, his peers said, “Wichterman’s passion for building communities allows doors to open for people of all socio-economic status and views. He is a champion for intellectual freedom and the tenants of librarianship and does not waver in his ethics. He is a professional and will use only kindness and empathy with everyone he meets.”

Wichterman has served 75 percent of his professional career in small or rural libraries, including Tipp City Public Library outside of Dayton, and, since August 2023, in Pickaway County. He holds a Masters in Library Information Science from Kent State University and is a Certified Public Librarian by the Ohio Library Council.

Other awards presented at the ARSL annual meeting include: Solo Librarian of the Year to Lucretia Calonder, Altoona Public Library, Altoona, Kansas; Innovative Service Award to Waynesboro Public Library, Waynesboro, Virginia, for its "Community in Motion" initiative, which launched a Book Bus program to bring library services to underserved areas; and Distinguished Service Award to Loly Gomez, Upper Skagit Library, Concrete, Washington. Round Valley Branch of Mendocino County Library in Covelo, California, was the recipient of the Library Journal Best Small Library in America award.

ARSL represents rural and small libraries for their uniqueness and is committed to providing an environment that encourages excellence within this community and supporting their goals of service. ARSL values accessibility, responsive service, intellectual freedom, professionalism, collaboration and accountability.