Coolidge Wall is proud to congratulate attorney Lu Ann Stanley, who has been selected by the Ohio Library Council to receive its 2026 Local Library Champion Award, one of the organization’s major statewide honors, for her service to Wright Memorial Public Library in Oakwood
Lu Ann Stanley August 4, 2026
According to Wright Library’s Director, Kristi Hale, “Lu Ann Stanley has guided Wright Library’s success for nearly twenty years, serving on both the Wright Library Board of Trustees and the Foundation Board. Her vision and commitment resulting in a strong culture of philanthropy, highly effective leadership, responsive strategic planning, and a transformative renovation.”
For Stanley, the recognition reflects a decades long commitment to Wright Memorial Public Library and the Oakwood community.
Stanley has served in multiple leadership roles with Wright Library, including successive terms as President of the Board of Trustees, Vice-President, Secretary, and Chair of numerous committees In 2025, after leaving her position as a Trustee due to term limits, she rejoined the Library Foundation Board, spearheading a Legacy Society committee.
“Wright Library is a beautiful historic library in the heart of Oakwood. My vision, when I joined the Board of Trustees in 2011, was to restore the library to the highest level of excellence, to recapture the look and feel of the original Tudor-revival architecture, to emphasize the library’s Oakwood roots, and to create a 21st century learning environment reflecting our community’s interest in literacy and education. With an incredible team of library leaders and volunteers, led by the extraordinary Library Director, Kristi Hale, Wright Library ultimately gained national recognition as an American Star Library of Excellence.”
Wright Library’s Foundation plays an important role in strengthening the library beyond what its operating budget alone can provide, raising private support for programs, materials, services, capital improvements and long-term needs. Stanley’s involvement in implementing a Legacy Society will advance both immediate library needs and its long-term future, in the Oakwood community.
That commitment to thoughtful planning and stewardship also closely parallels Stanley’s professional work at Coolidge Wall.
For more than 30 years, Stanley has advised individuals and families on estate planning, trusts, probate, guardianships and estate and gift taxation. Her practice focuses on helping clients address their needs today while planning thoughtfully for the future.
The Ohio Local Library Champion Award is particularly meaningful at a time when Ohioans continue to place significant value on their public libraries. Research cited by the Ohio Library Council found that 90 percent of Ohio voters say public libraries are important to their local communities, and nearly seven in 10 Ohioans can recall a specific time when their library personally helped them.
Stanley will be formally recognized on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, during a special ceremony at the Ohio Library Council Convention and Expo at the Kalahari Convention Center in Sandusky.
Coolidge Wall congratulates Lu Ann on this well-deserved statewide recognition and thanks her for the time, leadership and expertise she continues to invest in organizations that make our community stronger.
