HUBBARD, Ohio – Lorena Stearns, director of the Hubbard Public Library, will receive a Certificate of Recognition from the Ohio School Boards Association during the Hubbard Exempted Village School District Board of Education meeting on June 30.
In a letter notifying Stearns of the award, Superintendent Raymond Soloman commended her for “being a strong supporter, and valuable contributor to Hubbard Schools,” and added, “we would like to express our sincere appreciation for all that you do for the children in our community.”
Stearns has served as director of the library since November 2013. Under her leadership, the library has expanded both traditional and modern services, including electronic and public technology offerings, and implemented a range of innovative community programs. These include a Toy Lending Library, a permanent StoryWalk®, a Sensory Path, outdoor musical instruments, a “Library of Things,” and the addition of virtual reality headsets available for public use and classroom instruction.
She has overseen renovations to the library building and grounds, including the development of the Sensory Garden adjacent to the Children’s Room. Current upgrades to the garden include a new reading nook, pollinator garden, and fossil garden.
Stearns is a graduate of the Leadership Mahoning Valley Academy and has experience across all areas of library and information science. In February 2025, she delivered a presentation titled “Unique Community Resources at a Small Library (Hubbard Public Library)” at the Big Talk from Small Libraries 2025 conference, aimed at helping other libraries replicate Hubbard’s innovative programs.
Many of the library’s initiatives have been developed in collaboration with the Hubbard Schools.