PCPL Board President Richard H. Mynark awarded 2023 ALA Trustee Citation

Pulaski County Public Library Board of Trustees president Richard H. Mynark is the recipient of the 2023 ALA Trustee Citation. He was recognized at the Opening General Session of the 2023 American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago.

Established in 1941 to recognize public library Trustees for distinguished service to library development, the award honors the best contributions and efforts of the estimated 60,000 American citizens who serve on library boards.

Mynark has served as the Board of Trustees president for the past nine years. In addition to his service on the library Board, he volunteers as Treasurer for the Pulaski County Alliance for Continuing Education.

“He is an excellent ambassador for library Trustees…Through many challenges, Richard’s leadership has made a difference at the library, exemplified the mission of the library, and given staff a reason to hope and persevere,” said Library Director MacKenzie Ledley.

In 2022, Mynark requested that Ledley formulate a plan to educate the board on intellectual freedom and revise the local collection development policy. Afterward, the board updated the procedure for requests for reconsideration. This year, as “Material Harmful to Minors” bills were being discussed at the Indiana Statehouse, Mynark suggested that Ledley send out the policies and procedures to the board again, stressing the importance that board members are prepared to speak on the topic.

Mynark’s achievements as board president include guiding PCPL’s lead dust contamination construction project, initiated on the first day of the COVID-19 shutdown; serving as co-host for past Northwest Indiana Library Board Association (NILBA) meetings; and a commitment to continuing education as demonstrated in his support of staff members actively participating in events such as PLA conferences and ALA Annual.

Aside from his service on the Pulaski County Public Library Board of Trustees, Mynark spent 28 years as the CEO of Pulaski Memorial Hospital. He is also a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the Air Force Active Reserve with a career that included service in the Vietnam War.