By LINDSAY-JO DOUGLAS
BG Independent News
Known for greeting patrons and staff with “Howdy!” Greg Latherow has been honored with the Wood County District Public Library’s 2026 John M. Gibson Award. Established by the library’s board of trustees in 2005, this award aims to recognize excellence in customer service.
Latherow, a reference librarian at WCDPL, was commended for his eagerness to assist patrons and staff alike.
One nomination read, “Greg responds to challenges and patrons with the same ‘can-do’ attitude every time! He is patient, kind, and supportive of everything he is asked to do.”
Another said, “No matter what he is tasked with, he is excited to learn about it and is generous with sharing his knowledge.”
“Greg’s innate nature of wanting to help consistently stands out. He has a true can-do attitude at all times,” added Michael Penrod, library director.
In addition to maintaining a helpful presence in Information Services, Latherow has presented various programs and performed hours of one-on-one tech assistance for patrons and staff. He has also participated in the staff AI study group and the selection team for the ILS system.
“Greg embodies all of the best qualities of an enthusiastic teacher, eager to share knowledge and to help others,” Penrod said.
Since being established in 2005, the Gibson award has been presented to: Mandy Hackley (2005), Mary Boone (2006), AJ Heilman and Donna Mertz (2007), Debra Born (2008), Kristin Wetzel (2009), Linda Conrad (2010), Maria Simon (2011), Nancy Weiland (2012), Katherine Lawn (2013), Anne Render (2014), Matt Mehling (2015), Victoria Forgette (2016), Tara Bahnsen (2017), JJ Hofner (2018), Kevin Puffer (2019), the Children’s Place staff (2020), Angie Babcock (2022), Daniel Hergert (2023), Lauren Canaday Johnson (2024), and Ali Hultz (2025).
For additional information about the John M. Gibson award, visit wcdpl.org/john-gibson-award.
