July 23, 2012

WGAL Jefferson Awards c/o Heather Bruce 1300 Columbia Avenue P.O. Box 7127 Lancaster, PA 17604-7127

Subject: Nomination of Pat Ditzler for WGAL Jefferson Award:

Dear Ms. Bruce:

I nominate Pat Ditzler for the WGAL Jefferson Award on behalf of the Lancaster Public Library. Pat has been a volunteer leader here for nearly thirty years.

Retiring as an Armstrong accountant in 1983, Pat became the driving force behind our annual book sale and two book stores as well as a recognized national authority on book sales and antique book valuation. She has chaired the huge book sale nine times. She has guided and grown our book sale to where it is among the largest of any public library in the U.S., earning us approximately $200,000 per year and drawing 10,000 visitors from near and far. In addition to serving as book sale chairperson, Pat has also served on the Lancaster Public Library Board both as a Trustee and as President. She also served on the Library System of Lancaster County Board and currently serves on the Friends of Lancaster Public Library Boards at both the Duke Street and Mountville Branches. Still active, Pat now serves Book Sale Chairperson Emeritus.

I estimate that Pat has devoted at least 80 unpaid hours per month to the Lancaster Public Library for nearly thirty years or about fifteen person years of volunteer effort.

Our used book sales have yielded $3 million in income to the Lancaster Public Library since their inception in 1956. $2 million has been earned in the last ten years under Pat’s leadership. In addition to the annual book sale, Pat supervises an in-library Juliana Book Store and a remarkable off-site combination book store/book sorting /warehouse facility known as the Marshall Street Book Re-Sort. These facilities are staffed by scores of volunteers who were largely recruited, trained and inspired by Pat Ditzler. With drastic reductions in government aid, book sale revenues are necessary to allow the library to continue serving the life-long learning needs of 207,000 Lancaster County residents who rely upon us as their free public library. This is our single largest source of non-government income.

An innovator, Pat pioneered online selling of surplus books via e-Bay and Amazon. She readily shares her knowledge and experience with library support groups throughout the country. She lectures about book sales at many local, state and national library conferences. Her articles have appeared in Lancaster County Magazine and other periodicals. With sister Jo Ann Dumas, she co-authored the book A Book Sale How-To Guide published by the American Library Association in 2012.

Pat’s commitment to assisting public libraries everywhere is evident when she states: “It has been so rewarding to teach libraries around the country how to maximize their profits while still offering bargain books to their communities or selling on the internet.”

1 Pat is a remarkable person who has given of herself for nearly three decades to improve public libraries in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and in the U.S.A. I respectfully request that WGAL grant to her its Jefferson Award. I cannot think of a more deserving person.

Sincerely,

Herb Landau Executive Director Lancaster Public Library

Enc. Application

2 Pat Ditzler 107 Treetops Drive Lancaster, PA 17601 717-898-1560 Cell: 201-7501 Email: [email protected]

Biographical Information

Educational background Franklin & Marshall College. Bachelor of Science, Accounting

Business experience Armstrong World Industries, Corporate Headquarters - Accounting Analyst Member of Quality Improvement Team. Won many Awards for Excellence.

Raybestos-Manhattan. Accounting Supervisor.

Prior to corporate experience, worked for a Public Accounting firm. Clients included dozens of small businesses. Also prepared individual, partnership, and corporate tax returns.

Professional Organizations Board member and then President of the 200-member National Association of Accountants, Lancaster Chapter. Second woman to lead this organization, which was chartered in 1919 in Lancaster. Wrote several articles for national accounting publications.

Volunteer Activities Literacy Council Adult Tutor. Sunday School teacher at Salem United Methodist Church in Manheim.

Board member of the Library System of Lancaster County. Served on several Library System of Lancaster County committees, and worked at the polls for the library funding referendum. Attended many Trustee Institutes seminars and participated in library Legislative Breakfasts. Attended several Leadership Advantage sessions geared to non-profit volunteers.

Past President of Lancaster Public Library Board of Trustees, serving four years on the Board. Previously served on the Friends of LPL Board.

Volunteer and mentor for Friends of Lancaster Public Library book sales, particularly in pricing of rare and collectible books. Began volunteering with book sale in 1983, and have chaired huge book sale seven times over the years. In 1983 the book sale made $16,419 gross profits. In 2009 book sale activities earned $158,000. Since its beginnings in 1956, the Friends' book sale activities have generated over $2.6 million in gross profits for the library.

Initiated Internet book sales for LPL and was instrumental in setup of LPL's two year-round used-book stores - Juliana Book Store in the library and Marshall Street Book Outlet at book warehouse. These two stores netted nearly $30,000 in 2009.

3 Co-author of Book Sale Survival Kit, A Step-By-Step Guide to Used Book Sale Success, which has sold to libraries around the country and will soon be published by American Library Association Editions. This hands- on manual tells how to get book donations, get and keep volunteers, how to sort and price donated books, and how to expand selling opportunities with mini-sales, book stores and internet sales. Book details how to run a book sale, press releases, and forms that can be reproduced. Based on feedback from book sales using the manual, book sale profits have increased enormously when using the manual.

I have lectured about book sales at many local, state, and national library conferences around the country including Arizona Library Association (AzLA) in Tucson, New York Library Assoc. (NYLA), Buffalo, ALA Mid-Winter Conference (Wash, D.C), North County Library System in upstate New York, Mid-Hudson Library System, Poughkeepsie, NY, various PALA conferences in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and South Central Chapter, and numerous PA libraries including Adamstown, Mt. Joy, Mechanicsburg, and New Cumberland. It has been so rewarding to teach libraries around the country how to maximize their profits while still offering bargain books to their communities or selling on the internet. Had article published in Lancaster County Magazine about LPL’s internet book sales entitled “Dr. Seuss Goes to Paris.”

Other Community Involvement Member and supporter of Lancaster Conservancy and Lancaster County Historical Society.

Personal Information Born and raised in Monterey, Calif. “Army brat” life included living in Ft. Knox, KY and a three-year stint in Naples, Italy, where I graduated from High School.

Two daughters – Diane, who works for Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. and Sandy, who is a webmaster and Six Sigma trainer for CNH/New Holland.

Personal interests include family, reading, traveling, my Bridge and Investment Club groups, rare books. Best weekend activity – NYC including a Broadway play.

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