Charles Stump Selected as the 2025 Recipient of the ILA Trustee of the Year Award
July 28, 2025
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Kristin Pekoll, LTF Staff Liaison
kpekoll@ila.org
Charles Stump, Vice President of the Board of Trustees for the Crystal Lake Public Library, is the 2025 Illinois Library Association (ILA) Trustee of the Year Award recipient. This annual citation is awarded to public library trustees for contributions to their local library and involvement in libraries at the state and national levels. The award recognizes library trustees for their notable leadership qualities, years of service, offices, positions, and accomplishments. This award is sponsored by Peregrine, Stime, Newman, Ritzman & Bruckner, Ltd.
Stump has served on the Crystal Lake Public Library Board for four years, holding various roles and taking an integral role in adding new services and programs to the library. Notably, when the library sought to become the first early voting location in the area, Stump served as the board liaison with staff and county offices to make that a reality. This led to thousands of additional visitors to the library, and new card registrations increased by 142%.
While serving on the Crystal Lake Public Library Board, Stump concurrently serves in a library leadership role at the state level. He serves on the ILA Library Trustee Forum Board where he shares his guidance with his local trustees and with trustees all over the state. With patience and good humor, he is quick to encourage others to participate and to network with other trustees to beer serve the library community. He regularly attends state-wide educational programs to bring back new ideas to his board.
Often overlooked is the need for library trustees to seek government support for operations. Stump answers this need with determination and skill. He tirelessly advocates for the library and the wider library community. He attends ILA Legislative Meetups and encourages other trustees to attend as well. He is a frequent correspondent to state and national representatives to request support for libraries, library staff, access to collections, and beer funding. He shares his letters and responses from representatives with his library board. He also attends mobile office hours for local representatives when they are held at the library to introduce himself and continue his library advocacy.
In addition to these significant contributions, Stump generously shares his time and energy to increase the love of reading in his community. He is a regular visitor to the city’s YMCA Preschool to read stories recommended by his library’s youth services staff. He also reads to elementary school classes. Constantly serving as an ambassador for the library, Stump can be seen not only at children’s events but also at City Council meetings to update the local government on the library’s programs.
Stump’s experience in teaching, his enthusiasm, and his love for what libraries stand for are all assets for the library and community and all those serving in Illinois libraries. He has made a positive impact that reverberates beyond his library. His leadership and his resolute work in serving as a voice for Illinois libraries make him an outstanding Library Trustee and worthy of the ILA’s prestigious Trustee of the Year Award.
The Trustee of the Year Award will be presented at an awards ceremony during the 2025 Illinois Library Association Annual Conference. The Conference will take place on October 14-16, 2025, in Rosemont, Illinois. For further information, contact the Illinois Library Association.
About the Illinois Library Association
The Illinois Library Association (ILA) is a professional membership organization that represents Illinois libraries and the millions who depend on them. Founded in 1896, it is the third-largest state library association and serves as a chapter within the American Library Association. ILA is comprised of 2,000 personal and more than 500 institutional members, made up of public, academic, school, and special libraries, as well as librarians, library staff, trustees, students, and library vendors.
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