Time magazine annually nominates a person who is seen as the most influential figure globally for that year. This year’s winner of that honor is Elizabethtown College’s very own Instruction and Outreach Librarian Josh Cohen. The announcement came on the morning of March 30 and was anything but a surprise for the many people who have been keeping up with his work, as Cohen has become an internationally recognized inspiration for many in recent years.

“What an incredible honor!” Cohen exclaimed after learning that his face will be this year’s symbol for human progress. “Who could have guessed that a college librarian in central Pennsylvania would be on Time magazine’s radar?” Cohen continued in his well-known humble tone. “Certainly not me. But maybe 2023 is the year of the librarian.”

Cohen had gained fame recently due to his revolutionary work as a librarian, completely changing the field of library science for years to come. He has also contributed to his community by being a great resource whenever students need help with citations or when a first-year faces their first bibliography assignment.

“I don’t know if I would have gotten this far in my college career without Josh’s help,” sophomore secondary education major Grace Diehl tearfully said. “I personally know of at least a dozen people who share the same sentiment. I am just glad that he is finally getting well-deserved recognition.”

The magazine’s selections for this honor have often included presidents, diplomats, scientists and business magnates. This announcement shows a dramatic shift from the usual selections and represents a new era of showcasing professions that may not always have the spotlight but still have a major influence on society.

International press has been trying to understand the thought process that went behind this selection. For one, there have been leaks that the increase in events hosted by the High Library has resulted in this honor being bestowed on Cohen. Another possibility that has been discussed is that Cohen’s many appearances on the Etownian had influenced Time magazine’s nomination. 

“That’s certainly one possibility,” Cohen said when asked to comment on the leaks. “Another possibility is that my mother had something to do with this. She can be very persuasive.”

This comment by Cohen went viral after accusations by members of the press of potential conflict of interest and bribery. However, the rumors came to an abrupt end when Cohen’s spokesperson discussed that Cohen’s sarcastic humor and tone may be mistaken for serious comments and that the comments made pertaining to the conflict of interest were nothing but a joke.

The College is now facing increased global fame after the announcement. Cable news vans have been spotted all over the campus, the Jay’s Nest is announcing record daily sales and the Blue Bean is seeing an unprecedented rise in coffee sales. The College, once tucked away in a quiet town in central Pennsylvania, is now being seen as the next big city and talks about the Olympics being held in the Bowers Center for Sports, Fitness and Well-being have already started.

To many of the kids growing up in Etown, Cohen has become a role model to look up to. He has been cited as an active community member who visits classes often, especially first-year classes, to help students struggling to adjust to college. His work has evidently not gone unrecognized, but he has remained humble through all the newfound fame.

“Wow, that is incredible (and unexpected) that Time magazine would pay such close attention to my research instruction sessions with first-year students,” Cohen said when asked about his work with students being the possible reason he had received the nomination. “I honestly had no idea that the magazine cared so much about information literacy.”

This award represents a win not just for Cohen but for many communities as well. For him, this was a major recognition for the work that his fellow librarians do. “I’ll take it as a win for instruction librarians everywhere!” he proclaimed.

Cohen had a long list of people he wanted to express gratitude to after his nomination. “So many people to thank,” Cohen said when asked who he wanted to highlight during the award ceremony, “but at the top of the list would have to be the hard-working folks like yourself at The Etownian, helping to promote the work that we do at the library.”

“Plus, I’d like to thank my fellow librarians,” Cohen continued, “Sarah Penniman, Jennifer Strain, Rachel Grove Rohrbaugh, Tom Zaharevich, Susan Krall and Clarissa Grunwald. We have such a great team at The High Library. But most of all, I’d have to thank my mother who I suspect is the main person behind this nomination.”

This is definitely not the end for Cohen’s star-like rise to fame. There has already been chatter about what the future could hold for Cohen. However, with the 2024 Presidential Election coming up, reporters could not help but wonder if they will see Cohen’s name on the ballot.