Photograph of Jo Osborne with "Read It" Pillar in Children's Area at the Old Worthington Library

Pictured here is children's librarian Jo Osborne, standing next to a pillar in the children's area at the Old Worthington Library. The pillar is colorfully decorated with frogs, reeds and dragonflies, and the words "READ-IT."

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.