Andrew A. Venable Jr., director of the Cleveland Public Library, will be the guest speaker at the Kent State University School of Library and Information Science’s annual Alumni and Friends Honors and Awards Dinner. The event takes place April 17 in the Kent Student Center Ballroom. The evening highlights outstanding student scholarship and recognizes exceptional contributions by alumni and professionals in the library and information science profession.

Venable’s address will focus on the impact and importance of community and public libraries.

The banquet is open to the public, by reservation only, and will begin with a reception at 5:45 p.m. followed by dinner and the awards program at 6:30 p.m.

Since 1999, Venable has been director of the nationally renowned Cleveland Public Library, after serving two years as deputy director. Venable recently announced his retirement, effective July 1. He also was affiliated with CPL from 1970 to 1983 as assistant director of personnel, business manager/treasurer and head of branches/outreach services.

Venable’s experiences also include: deputy director of the District of Columbia Public Library System; regional director of library services for the Indiana Vocational Technical College Northwest Region; director of the Gary, Ind., Public Library; and director of the East Cleveland Public Library.

Venable holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Virginia State University and a master’s degree in library science from Case Western Reserve University. He also completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and was presented with the Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Cleveland State University in recognition of his significant commitment to public service and contribution to the community as an educator representing "The People's University."

Honorees to be recognized at the event include Dr. David K. Creamer, senior vice president for administration at Kent State, as the school’s Friend of the Year; Alumnus of the Year David Jennings, director of the Akron-Summit County Public Library, and Kenneth and Sylvia Marantz for their contribution of 21,000 picture books to the school.

Tickets are $25 per person and can be reserved by calling Ruth Smith, public relations coordinator, at 330-672-0003 or rsmith9@kent.edu.

Kent State University’s School of Library and Information Science is the largest single master’s program at the university. The school is ranked 19th nationally by a U.S. News and World Report survey and is the third largest masters program in library and information science in the country with more than  600 students. It is the only accredited masters program of its kind in Ohio. Classes are offered at the Kent campus, at various distance learning sites throughout the state, including Columbus and online.

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