Pittston Memorial Library board member Lois Ostrowski honored as Friend of the Year

The Pennsylvania Citizens for Better Libraries (PCBL) recently notified Pittston Memorial Library (PML) board member, Lois Ostrowski, she has been selected the 2024 Friend of the Year in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Howard Grossman nominated Ostrowski.

The award is given to a citizen who has made an outstanding contribution to the improvement of a local library, group of libraries, or libraries in general throughout the Commonwealth during the past two years. The Friend must be a member of a Friends Group belonging to PCBL or an individual member of PCBL.

“I was surprised,” Ostrowski said. “Howard said he was going to sent it (nomination) in, but I just didn’t think it would come to fruition. I was pleased and very happy because it’s only one person in the state that gets the award. It’s a very good honor and I’m happy with it and I’m thankful for it because not often do these things happen.”

Ostrowski said representatives from PCBL drove two hours to present the award to Ostrowski.

In Grossman’s nomination letter he submitted in support of Ostrowski, he said, “Lois is a constant volunteer and teacher, having been a teacher in the Pittston Area School District for many years in the subject of mathematics. Among her contributions, both recently and in the past, has been to review the financial condition and budgets of PML and to ask many questions regarding the needs of PML and how it can best achieve results. She continuously serves on the PML committee that prepares the budget annually.”

He continued, “Much of what she has done for PML has been continuing and has sharpened over the last two plus years. One activity she was part of prior to being on the PML Board was to serve on an Ad Hoc Committee since the Board is no more than seven members by State statute, and the then President decided to establish such a committee.”

Grossman’s letter was enough to convince the PCBL’s Friend of the Year committee Ostrowski is a worthy choice for the award.

Ostrowski is a graduate of St. John the Evangelist High School, holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from Misericordia University and a Master of Science Degree in Mathematics from Wilkes University, and participated in doctoral studies in Mathematics Education at The Pennsylvania State University.

She is a retired Pittston Area mathematics teacher, where she received the Gerard M. Musto Award presented by the members of the Pittston Area National Honor Society for her ongoing support, interest and dedication to the high values of scholarship, service, leadership and character.

While at Pittston Area she started the Middle School’s participation in the Math Counts Program (supported by the Luzerne County Society of Professional Engineers); that team of students became the first to win the Chapter Competition and proceed to the State Competition.

The teams that followed over the next few years met with similar successes, bringing scholarship opportunities and accolades to the students and the District. For her work with Pittston Area’s partnership with Techneglas, Lois also received the Business/Education Certificate of Recognition presented by The Partners in Education Committee of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber.

Lois was Adjunct and Continuing Education Professor in the Mathematics Department at The Pennsylvania State University, and was Assistant Director of the Mathematics and Computing Summer Program for Mathematically Talented Middle School Students at The Pennsylvania State University at University Park.

In addition, she has served on The Parents’ Advisory Council of Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School and on the Dance Outreach Board of Ballet Northeast, working to bring exposure to and an understanding and appreciation of the performing arts into local school districts.

Currently, Lois serves on the Ad Hoc Committee of the Pittston Memorial Library Board of Trustees where she is Chairperson of the Naming Rights and Celebration Brick Project, and a committed volunteer, drafting policy, teaching computer classes and helping out wherever needed.

She also volunteers with the Shamrock Heart Foundation, which assembles and delivers corsages and boutonnieres to nursing home residents on St Patrick’s Day, and with the Pittston Area Key Club, which prepares meals for families in residence at The Ronald McDonald House among other service projects.

Lois has been an active member of the Catholic Choral Society of Scranton for the past seven years and currently serves on its Board of Directors.