Photograph of librarian Jo Osborne and author Daniel Pinkwater at the Old Worthington Library

This black-and-white photograph shows librarian Jo Osborne and author Daniel Pinkwater in the fireplace area at the Old Worthington Library during a public presentation he gave on August 4, 1982.

Pinkwater was visiting central Ohio from his home in New York to give the talk, and the circumstances of his visit are as amusing as his books. Pinkwater is the author of many popular children's books including "Lizard Music." According to a "Columbus Dispatch" article from August 4, 1982, teachers Janet and Paul Hammock had formed a fan club for students, the "Lizard Lovers Fan Club." They'd originally planned a program at the library without Pinkwater present, but it was erroneously reported that Pinkwater himself would be present at the talk. The "Dispatch" article reports that "after learning that one of the area's 150 lizard lovers talked her parents into coming home from vacation early to see Pinkwater and that another had refused to travel with his parents so he could stay in town, the Hammocks called Pinkwater." Their goal had been to convince him to call into the event, but within minutes Pinkwater decided to come to Columbus in person.

Pinkwater signed balloons at the White Castle on Kenny Road in the morning, gave a talk at the Cover to Cover bookstore in the afternoon, and closed out his visit with a presentation at the library that evening.

In addition to his books, Pinkwater has been a frequent commentator on National Public Radio shows including "All Things Considered" and "Car Talk."

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. Pinkwater won the Jo Osborne Award in 2010.