2026 Citizen of the Year
Thomas Suddes, Ph.D.,
Assistant Professor of Instruction, E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University
and member of the Editorial Board, The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com
Citizen of the Year Recipients
The Citizen of the Year Award recipient is selected by the OLC Board of Directors based on nominations from the public library community.
2026 — Tom Suddes
2025 — Bob Hinkle
2023 — Peter Voderberg
2022 — Benjamin Anderson, Mark Hamlin
2021 — Terry Fouts
2019 — Douglas S. Evans
2018 — Ryan D. Burgess
2017 — Stephen A. Hedges
2015 — Jonathan D. Iten
2014 — Bill Morris
2009 — Regina Brett
2007 — Sibongile (Bongi) Sithe
2004 — Kathy Catazaro-Perry
2003 — Marah Walker
1998 — Dr. Thomas W. Flechtner
1996 — Joan Bennett
1995 — Maynard Sauder
1994 — Robert H. Russell, Sr.
1993 — Thomas Dennis, Mark Powell