State Librarian & Board
State Librarian
Wendy Knapp
Wendy Knapp is the State Librarian of Ohio, beginning her tenure as the head of the State Library of Ohio in June 2020. She has led the library through an extraordinary time of challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, state funding budget reductions, exponential growth in demand and potential for digital resources, and innovation in library services. Knapp has nearly 20 years of library experience that includes state and public libraries. Before joining the State Library, she was the Deputy Director of Statewide Services at the Indiana State Library, where she oversaw the Professional Development Office, Library Development Office, and Management Information Services Division. Earlier, she served as Supervisor of the Professional Development Office. During her tenure at Indiana State Library, Knapp led initiatives such as founding Indiana Memory, inaugurating the Indiana Librarian Leadership Academy, and establishing Indiana’s role as a hub in the Digital Public Library of America. Her statewide library service began at the Indiana State Library in 2006 as an Indiana Planning Consultant responsible for helping libraries with long-range and technology planning, administering a statewide public library consortium, and serving as State E-Rate Coordinator.
Knapp’s experience includes eight years as an Instructor in the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University–Purdue University and three years as an Adult Services Librarian at the Indianapolis Marion County Public Library.
Wendy earned a Master of Library Science from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Science from University of Indianapolis. She is active in national library work, currently active in the work of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA). She is a member of the E-Rate Taskforce for the American Library Association (ALA) Office of Information Technology Policy and former board member of the Association of Cooperative and Specialized Library Agencies. Wendy is active in community organizations, too and is a board member of the Ray Bradbury Center at Indiana University School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI and a member of non-partisan League of Women Voters of Ohio. She also volunteered as librarian for the Crossroad Church of Avon and served on the Alumni Board of Directors for the University of Indianapolis.
State Librarian Budget Testimony
FY2024 – FY2025
State Librarian’s written Budget Support Testimony to Ohio Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee for FY2024 – FY2025 and supporting documents.
State Librarian’s written Budget Support Testimony to Ohio House Finance Subcommittee on Higher Education for FY2024 – FY2025 and supporting documents.
FY2022 – FY2023
State Librarian’s written Budget Support Testimony to Ohio House Finance Subcommittee on Higher Education for FY2022 – FY2023 and supporting documents.
State Librarian’s written Budget Support Testimony to Ohio Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee for FY2022 – FY2023 and supporting documents.
FY2020 – FY2021
State Librarian Reports
Each month the State Librarian prepares and posts reports about the State Library. Click here to view archived reports published prior to 2018.
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
State Librarians of Ohio Timeline
- Wendy Knapp 2020 –
- Beverly Cain 2010–2020
- Joanne Budler 2004–2010
- Michael S. Lucas 1995–2004
- Richard M. Cheski 1977–1995
- Joseph F. Shubert 1966–1977
- Ruth Hess, Acting State Librarian 1963–1966
- Walter T. Brahm 1942–1963
- Paul A. T. Noon 1934–1942
- John H. Newman 1931–1933
- George E. McCormick 1928–1931
- Herbert S. Hirshberg 1921–1927
- John H. Newman 1918–1921
- Charles B. Galbreath 1915–1918
- John H. Newman 1911–1915
- Charles B. Galbreath 1896–1911
- Joseph P. Smith 1892–1896
- John C. Tuthill 1890–1892
- William B. Sibley 1889–1890
- John M. Doane 1887–1889
- Francis B. Loomis 1886–1887
- Hamilton W. Pierson 1885–1886
- Howard T. Conard 1883–1885
- Joseph H. Geiger 1881–1883
- Henry V. Kerr 1879–1881
- Rodney M. Stimson 1877–1879
- Hiram H. Robinson 1875–1877
- Walter C. Hood 1874–1875
- Samuel G. Harbaugh 1862–1874
- William T. Coggeshall 1856–1862
- James W. Taylor 1854–1856
- Elijah Hayward 1851–1854
- John B. Greiner 1845–1851
- Thomas Kennedy 1842–1845
- Zachariah Mills 1824–1842
- David S. Brodrick 1820–1823
- John McElvain 1818–1820
- John L. Harper 1817–1818
Board Members
Janet Carleton
Board PresidentAthens, OH
Term Ends: 12/31/2024
Janet Carleton was appointed by the State Board of Education of Ohio to the State Library Board and sworn by the State Librarian in the presence of a Notary Public on January 7, 2020.
Janet has been the Digital Initiatives Coordinator for Ohio University Libraries since 2005. She has 25 years of library experience, including more than 20 years at Ohio University Libraries, and extensive knowledge of librarianship in special collections and digitization. She is responsible for digitization, digital preservation, and social media promotion of the Libraries’ unique resources. Her career at Ohio University Libraries began in 1998 at the Mahn Center for Archives & Special Collections as a Scripps Project Reformatting Archivist and continued in 2000 as Digital Projects Librarian. Janet is an active member of state, regional, and national library, preservation, archives, and digitization associations, boards, task forces, commissions, and user’s groups. Her professional leadership includes chair or co-chair of committees for Society of American Archivists, Midwest Archives Conference, Society of Ohio Archivists, and Academic Library Association of Ohio, and chair of the Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board.
Janet earned a Bachelor of Arts in History at the Ohio University, a Master of Library and Information Science, Concentration in Archival Enterprise at University of Texas at Austin, and Post-Master’s Certificate in Curation and Management of Digital Assets at University of Maryland.
Terri Fredericka
Board Vice-PresidentLakewood, OH
Term Ends: 12/31/2025
Terri Fredericka was appointed by the State Board of Education of Ohio to the State Library Board and sworn in on January 21, 2021.
Terri has 37 years of experience serving the school library community. She retired in 2020 from the Management Council of Ohio’s Information Technology Centers (ITCs) after serving as Executive Director of INFOhio since 1996. She helped to drive equity of access to library services and electronic resources for all Ohio’s PreK-12 schools. Terri was a grassroots member leading the establishment of INFOhio and instrumental in its statewide partnership in Libraries Connect Ohio (LCO). The LCO partners (INFOhio, OhioLINK, OPLIN, and State Library of Ohio) fund and work together to build and provide the Ohio Web Library core collection of information resources. Under Terri’s direction, the INFOhio program grew from a library automation service to a robust website portal providing tools, professional development, support, and equitable access to statewide databases including the Ohio Web Library.
Prior to her work at INFOhio, Terri held positions as Coordinator of Learning Resources at Lakewood City Schools; Consultant, School Libraries for the Ohio Department of Education, Consultant, School Libraries for the Kentucky Department of Education; Elementary Librarian for Deer Park Community City Schools, and High School Librarian for Findlay City Schools.
Terri Fredericka earned a Master of Library Science from the University of Kentucky and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Bowling Green State University.
Laurie Gemmill Arp
Board MemberColumbus, OH
Term Ends: 12/31/2023
Laurie Gemmill Arp was appointed by the State Board of Education of Ohio to the State Library Board and sworn in for her first term on March 19, 2015. She is currently serving her second five year term of office.
Laurie’s professional interests focus on the intersection of collections, technology and people. As the Director of DuraSpace Community Supported Software, Laurie supervises ArchivesSpace, CollectionSpace, DSpace, Fedora and VIVO, the community supported open source programs housed at LYRASIS. Laurie provides coordination between the organizational homes and the programs and supports governance, strategic planning and developing partnerships. Previously, she worked for OCLC in positions including Senior Implementation Program Manager and Digital Projects Specialist. For the Ohio Historical Society, she managed several award-winning digital projects and served as the State Archivist.
Laurie earned a Master of Library and Information Science from UCLA; a Master of Arts in European History from UC Irvine; and a Bachelor of Arts in History from UC San Diego.
Drew Wichterman
Board member Tipp City, OH
Term Ends: 12/31/2026
Drew has 8 years of public library experience. In his current position, he serves as the Assistant Director / Adult Services Librarian at the Tipp City Public Library. He demonstrates a strong commitment to all members of the community using the lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility through innovative programming and by planning professional development opportunities for the library community. Drew has served as the project coordinator for numerous local, state, and national grants. Past awards from the State Library include Guiding Ohio Online, CARES Act Mini-Grant, Summer Reading, and Celebrating Ohio Books Awards and Authors. He has also served as a frequent grant reviewer for national and state grant applications. Drew is a former participant in Library Leadership Ohio. He works with the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, neighboring libraries, and high schools to invite award-winning authors to present on complex topics to his community. Drew is an active member of the Ohio Library Council serving in multiple leadership roles and on multiple professional development committees. He was named a State Champion as a volunteer and advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association: Miami Valley Chapter. As a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Men’s Music Fraternity, Drew invites local chapters to perform Mills Music Missions at local nursing homes during the holidays. Other professional involvement includes membership in the American Library Association, Public Library Association, Association of Rural and Small Libraries, and serving as an Audie Awards Judge.
Drew Wichterman earned his Master of Library and Information Science from Kent State University and his Bachelor of Arts in History from Muskingum University.
Jeff Winkle
Board MemberVan Buren, OH
Term Ends: 12/31/2027
Jeff Winkle was appointed by the State Board of Education of Ohio to the State Library Board and sworn in on January 19, 2023.
Jeff retired after a twenty-one-year library services career, including eleven years as Director of Findlay-Hancock County Public Library, three years as Director of Kaubisch Memorial Public Library and a short period as Director of the Tiffin-Seneca County Public Library. He has extensive experience in library administration, library public relations, outreach services, and library planning. Jeff’s background includes facilities management, marketing, hiring and supervision, business planning and inventory control.
Jeff is former board president of the Ohio Library Council (OLC) and has been an active member throughout his career. He has served on numerous OLC statewide committees and as a member of the OLC NW Ohio Chapter Action Council. In addition, Jeff Winkle has served as a board member for Serving Every Ohioan (SEO), Northwest Regional Library System (NORWELD), and his local school district. He has served on numerous community service, workforce, and literacy organizations. Prior to his library services career, Jeff’s career was focused in the business sector, including twenty years as a bookstore owner and operator.
Jeff Winkle earned his Master of Library and Information Science at Kent State University and Bachelor of Science in Public Relations at Bowling Green State University.
History
The State Library of Ohio was established by Governor Thomas Worthington in 1817. In 1824, legislative recognition was made acknowledging the Library as one of the institutions of the State.
In 1844, a law was passed that placed the State Library under the care of a Board of Commissioners consisting of the Governor, the Secretary of State, and the State Librarian.
In the 1840’s and 50’s there was a standing committee on the library in the legislature.
In 1896, the law was changed to establish a Board of Commissioners of three chosen by the Governor to serve a term of two, three, and six years respectively, and then six-year terms thereafter.
In 1921, the law was changed to increase the Board to five members, with four members appointed by the Governor and the Superintendent of Public Instruction serving as the Chairman. The Superintendent of Public Instruction at that time was an elected official. The other members of the Board served eight-year terms overlapping at two-year intervals. This was done as part of the Governmental Reorganization Act of 1921 and effectively made the State Library a division within the Department of Education.
In 1955, the General Assembly enacted the present section of the Ohio Revised Code (3375.01) which sets up the State Library Board as an agency separate and distinct from the State Department of Education. According to a 1967 report, “The Ohio State Library: Present Operations and Future Opportunities,” the Chief Administrative Officer of the Department of Education had been a regular appointee to the Board until the 1955 change in law and in fact was the only member that had not served continuously on the Board since 1955.
About the State Library Board
The State Library is governed by a five member board. The Board members are appointed by the State Board of Education and each member serves a five year term of office. Under the Ohio Revised Code, section 3375.01, the State Library Board is responsible for the State Library of Ohio and a statewide program of development and coordination of library services. Specific powers of the State Library Board include:
- Maintain the State Library, holding custody of books, periodicals, pamphlets, films, recordings, papers, and other material and equipment.
- Accept, receive, administer, and expend in accordance with the terms thereof, any moneys, materials, or other aid granted, appropriated, or made available to it for library purposes by the United States, or any of its agents, or by any other source, public or private.
- Administer such funds as the General Assembly make available to it for the improvement of public library services, interlibrary cooperation, or any other library purposes.
- Approve, disapprove, or modify resolutions for establishment of county district libraries.
- Approve, disapprove, or modify resolutions to redefine boundaries resulting from school district consolidations.
- Amend, define, or adjust the boundaries of library districts submitting applications for changes in their boundaries.
- Encourage and assist the efforts of libraries and local governments to develop mutual and cooperative solutions to library services problems
- Recommend to the Governor and to the General Assembly such changes in the law as will strengthen and improve services and operations.
- Adopt such rules as are necessary for the carrying out of any function imposed by law.
The State Library Board usually meets in the State Library of Ohio Board Room or Conference Room D, 274 East First Avenue. Updated information can be obtained by calling (614) 644–7061.
Meeting Agenda
The next meeting of the State Library Board will be July 20, 2023
View our Event Calendar for meeting agenda and other information.
Board Meeting Minutes
Meeting Schedule
The State Library Board business meetings are located at the State Library of Ohio. Upcoming meeting dates and times are:
- July 20, 2023
- October 19, 2023
- December 7, 2023
- January 18, 2024
- March 21, 2024
- May 16, 2024