Library Director Receives Award
Kathleen Rega Kappel, Director of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Library for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped (LBPH), has been awarded the Woman of Achievement Award for 2013.
Mrs. Kappel will receive her award Wednesday, March 6, along with other prominent women of achievement,
at the 8th Annual Celebrate and Share Women of Achievement Awards Dinner at the Omni William Penn Hotel
in Pittsburgh. The event benefits the Cribs for Kids Infant Safe Sleep Initiative.
The Awards are sponsored by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, and District Attorney Stephen
A. Zappala, Jr. and his wife Mary Zappala will host this gathering of a veritable “who’s who” in Pittsburgh, in
honor of prominent women of achievement from the region. Approximately 400 guests will attend including
Pittsburgh’s most notables, alumnae honorees, dignitaries, guests and members of the media. The Awards are
presented by 84 Lumber.
An Award recipient must excel in her profession, help advance and mentor women and participate in
noteworthy community activities and volunteer work.
Director of LBPH since 2002, Kathleen Rega Kappel has over three decades of experience in library services to
people with disabilities. She has been committed to ensuring that these individuals are provided the full
spectrum of reading materials sighted readers enjoy.
During her tenure, LBPH has garnered numerous awards, among them the National Library Service (NLS)
Network Library of the Year Award, the Pennsylvania AARP Library Services for Older Adults Award, and the
Community Heroes Advocacy & Awareness Award from UCP Pittsburgh. LBPH has also been recognized by
PaLA for Best Practices in Early Learning for a program to introduce non-print options for reading and
communication to families, by Pittsburgh Public Schools for the “Ready & Able” volunteer program for youths
with autism, and as a Centennial 100 supporter by Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh for the
Library’s contributions over the past century.
In 2009 Mrs. Kappel was appointed by Governor Ed Rendell to the Advisory Committee for the Blind of
Pennsylvania. She has served on the City of Pittsburgh Disabilities Task Force, St. Lucy’s Auxiliary to the
Blind, Pennsylvania Library Association Committee on Intellectual Freedom, and Pittsburgh City Theatre
Advisory Board for Accessibility. She also serves on the Annual Giving Tree Committee at her parish.
She has been a national voice for the ALA Standards for Libraries for the Blind & Physically Handicapped and
has advised the National Library Service on both Collection Development and Digital Audio Books Planning.
She serves as treasurer for CUL, a seven-state software consortium, evaluates grants for Commonwealth
Libraries of Pennsylvania, and was instrumental in advancing the only Deaf-Blind Lions Club in the world. As
Chair of the Northern Region of LBPHs, this year she will host the first Tri-Regional Conference of her
colleagues from 38 states.
Mrs. Kappel holds a Master of Library Science degree and a Bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology &
Audiology, both from the University of Pittsburgh. In addition, she received certification in Management Skills
from the Katz Graduate School of Business and is presently enrolled in Mediation Training at the Pittsburgh
Mediation Group.