Thank You Letter from Rachel Alexander to Reporter Kent Cahlander

This is a copy of a letter sent from Rachel Alexander to "Worthington Suburbia News (SNP)" reporter Kent Cahlander, thanking him for his coverage of the inaugural Jo Osborne Award for Humor in Children's Literature.

The award, established in memory of Worthington Libraries children's librarian Jo Osborne, was given to author and illustrator Patricia Polacco in its first year, 1996. Polacco received her award on February 9, 1996, during a ceremony at The Ohio State University's Children's Literature Conference. That same day, she also spoke to a crowd of children and adult fans at the Cover to Cover Children's Bookstore, which at the time was located in Clintonville.

Cahlander reported on the award as well as Polacco's bookstore visit in his "Worthington Suburbia News (SNP)" articles in the February 14, 1996 issue, "Children's author receives first Jo Osborne Award," as well as the February 21, 1996 issue, "Her spirit lives: You can find it in a child's eye." In the latter article, which was about Polacco's bookstore visit, Cahlander wrote:

"Few eyes left Polacco as she gestured and wove her words. The message behind the tale: Don't ever underestimate the powers of literature.

"Such a message was one which Osborne delivered again and again before her life was cut short by cancer last year. Through her work and humor she had touched hundreds of lives--many of whom left words of appreciation in a special memorial book at the Worthington Library."

In the letter shown here, Alexander thanks Cahlander for his sensitivity and insight into Osborne's spirit, which was carried on in the hearts and minds of patrons she had served as a children's librarian, and which was expressed by Polacco in her presentation.

Jo 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 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.

The letter pictured here has been altered to remove addresses and phone numbers of the recipient and sender. At the top of the letter, "Kent Cahlander" is crossed out and written next to it is "Cliff Wilshire 11/96." Cliff Wiltshire is the former editor of Worthington Suburbia News, who launched the "Clintonville Spotlight" in 2017 and the "Worthington Spotlight" in June 2020.