C. Allen Nichols
Secretary

C. Allen Nichols holds a Bachelor of Science degree in management from the University of Akron and a Master of Library Science degree from Kent State University.  He will graduate in December 2004 with a Master of Business Administration degree from Mississippi State University.  In addition, he is an Ohio Certified Public Librarian and is a former recipient of Ohio’s Diana Vescelius “Young Librarian of the Year” Memorial Award.

He has been Director of the Wadsworth Public Library since March 1997.  Prior to this appointment, he worked for the Cuyahoga County, Rocky River, and Akron-Summit County public libraries.  In addition to his professional work as a librarian, he is an adjunct faculty member at the Kent State University Graduate School of Library and Information Science.  He has presented workshops and programs to a number of library groups around the country on the topic of public library services.  He has co-authored two books and edited a third.  Along with his wife, Mary Anne, he is series co-editor of the “Professional Guides for Young Adult Librarians” published by the Libraries Unlimited. 

Allen is active within the community and professionally.  A past president of the Ohio Library Association, Allen has served his profession through participation in various statewide and national organizations.  He is currently the elected fiscal officer for the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association, and a member of the Ohio Library Council Government Relations Committee.  Locally, Allen is: an alumnus of Leadership Medina County; a member of the Business Advisory Committee for the Wadsworth Schools; on the Board of Director of Main Street Wadsworth; a member of the Wadsworth Chamber of Commerce; and the Wadsworth Lions Club where he is a past-president.  He has previously volunteered at Wadsworth High School through Junior Achievement and as a member of the school system’s Strategic Planning Committee.  As a member of St. Hilary Catholic Church in Fairlawn, Allen serves as a lector and a member of the parish council.

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 Editor, Thinking Outside the Book ©2004 Libraries Unlimited

Series Co-editor “Libraries Unlimited Professional Guides for Young Adult Librarians”