By Casey Curtis
Leader Staff Writer
Every year, the Frances H. Pletz Award is given to a Michigan library staff person who exhibits outstanding service to teens.
On Friday, April 22, the award was given to Charli Osborne, Head of Teen Services at the Oxford Public Library. And she received the surprise award on none other than her birthday.
‘I was completely surprised,? she said. ‘They did a good job at keeping it secret from me.?
Osborne has worked at the library since 1997 and served as Head of Teen Services since 2000.
Her duties entail selecting and buying book collections for the teen section, organizing reading programs for sixth through 12 grades, and organizing the Battle of the Books, among other things. She also writes reviews of books for the School Library Journal, a national publication, and is chair-elect for the Library Teen Services Division.
Osborne previously chaired the Michigan Library Association’s (MLA) Teen Service Division and has sat on different national level committees.
Osborne received the award while attending a three-day conference in Big Rapids and she said she’s still in shock from the whole event.
‘My husband came, my director came,? she said. ‘It was my big birthday surprise.?
In order to win the Pletz Award, Osborne said that someone will nominate a candidate, letters of support from colleagues are then collected, which then goes to a committee made up of past award winners who determine the recipient.
The Pletz Award was named for Frances H. Pletz, a former Executive Director of the MLA noted for exemplary library service to teens in our state. Established in 1978 by the Young Adult Division (now Teen Services Division) of the MLA.
Osborne said the current renovation of the teen section at the library is one of the reasons she believes she was nominated. The current space available for the section is about 180 square feet. The expansion will increase it to about 1,200 square feet.
‘I’ve been pushing for this for a long time,? she said, noting one in four people who enter the library are between the ages of 12 and 18.
Osborne is starting a teen advisory board at the library, made up of two to six students, to help her come up with ideas and rules for the new area.
Osborne is very proud and grateful the library staff supports her work.
‘I’ve got a lot of really great people that I work with,? she said.