A native Californian, Sandra Ashworth has lived in Bonners Ferry, Idaho since 1969. After running one small business and then another, as well as engaging in a variety of farming activities, she began working at the county library, with primary responsibilities for circulation services, adult programming, and cataloging. Since moving to Idaho, she also became a member of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. Living a life of service for others, according to the example of Christ, is a fundamental tenet of her faith as a Mennonite.

In 1996, she became the director of the Boundary County District Library. She initiated a new management plan to increase staff productivity through extensive cross training and team building, while augmenting the library budget with grants to enhance library resources and services-along with increasing staff, staffing hours, skills and wages. Her library staff is representative of county demographics, including its aging population.

Escalating economic and social needs in the county prompted Ms. Ashworth's development of comprehensive outreach strategies to increase the value of the library to country residents of all ages-particularly the youngest and oldest populations-and cultures through collaborative partnerships. The effectiveness of her library's outreach and partnerships gained national recognition with the 2002 National Award for Library Service given by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and presented by First Lady Laura Bush at a White House ceremony on October 29, 2002. Ms. Ashworth received statewide recognition for her work on March 5, 2003 with a 2003 Idaho's Brightest Star Award presented by Governor and Mrs. Kempthorne at the State Capitol.