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June

Contact: Marsha McDevitt-Stredney
Marketing & Communications
State Library of Ohio
Tel: 614-644-6875
marshams@library.ohio.gov

June 22, 2012
State Library of Ohio Board Member Lynn Grimshaw Recognized for Service

After five years of service, Board Member Lynn Grimshaw is leaving the State Library Board. His leadership on the board included service as Vice-President from February 10, 2009 to June 30, 2009 and Presiden from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2011. At the June meeting Board President Stephen Wood read the resolution expressing gratitude and recognition of  Lynn Grimshaw’s leadership and contributions to the development of Ohio libraries and his “superlative experience and expertise from 27 years as the Scioto County Prosecuting Attorney and serving on the Portsmouth Public Library Board.”

Click here to read full resolution.

 

Board Present Stephen Wood recognizes service of Board Member Lynn Grimshaw
Pictured L to R: Stephen Wood and Lynn Grimshaw

June 6, 2012
Mandy Knapp joins the staff of the State Library of Ohio as Library Development Consultant

The State Library of Ohio is pleased to announce that Amanda (Mandy) Knapp has joined its staff as a Library Development Consultant with an emphasis on technology.  She will serve as Project Manager for the Ohio eBook Project and as the State Library’s E-Rate contact.  Mandy will also be available to assist Ohio librarians in writing Technology Plans, Internet privacy policies, and other technology policies as well as assist them in evaluating technology service needs.

Mandy comes to the State Library from Worthington Libraries where she was an Adult Services Librarian for the past four years. She was recognized in 2010 by Library Journal as someone to watch in their annual selection of Movers & Shakers.

Mandy Knapp has worked for Otterbein University Courtright Memorial Library, Carnegie Mellon University Hunt Library, and the Allegheny County Library Association.  She has a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Otterbein College. This year, Mandy is the coordinator for Ohio Library Council’s Central Chapter Action Council.

Photo of Mandy Knapp at State Library of Ohio

June 1, 2012
State Library of Ohio awards $2,471,481 federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) LSTA grant for Libraries Connect Ohio to purchase statewide set of online resources and publications for all Ohioans

IMLS logoThe State Library of Ohio Board recently approved a $2,471,481 federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) LSTA grant for Libraries Connect Ohio to purchase the Ohio Web Library core set of online resources and publications, also known as databases, for the next state fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2012. “Supporting the Ohio Web Library with LSTA funding is one way the State Library Board works to ensure that all Ohio residents, regardless of their geographic location or economic circumstances, receive the best possible library service and are able to engage in lifelong learning, which strengthens the economic health of Ohio,” said State Librarian Beverly Cain.  “The Libraries Connect Ohio partnership helps to ensure that all Ohioans continue to have access to high quality, relevant, and reliable online resources and publications, at no cost to Ohio’s libraries, schools, universities, and residents.”

The core collection of library databases is available to all Ohioans through the Ohio Web Library and includes current and historical information and resources such as full-text magazines and journals, reference materials, newspapers, art, test prep and tutorials, online courses, and career exploration and job search tools.  Many of the resources are also now available on mobile devices. Mango Languages and ProQuest Ancestry Library Edition were added last year as pilot projects.  "As we near the end of the one-year pilot subscriptions to these two products, we have been pleased to see how popular they have been in all types of libraries across the state,” said OPLIN Director Stephen Hedges.  “We appreciate receiving LSTA funds to support another year of access to these exceptional information resources."

The State Library of Ohio, OhioLINK (Ohio Library and Information Network), OPLIN (Ohio Public Library Information Network), and INFOhio (Information Network for Ohio Schools) formed Libraries Connect Ohio in 2003 as an initiative to define and deliver a shared set of online resources and publications to all Ohio residents. The partnership exemplifies the value of collaboration as partners contribute in areas such as additional funding, training, technical support, outreach and promotion, and more. Libraries Connect Ohio improves the buying power and breadth and scope of electronic resources available to all Ohio residents regardless of where they live or go to school. The savings affords libraries and library networks the ability to build on the core collection in Ohio Web Library by purchasing additional resources to meet the needs of their patrons.

 “OhioLINK is excited to continue to participate in this partnership to bring electronic resources to our academic, school and public libraries,” said John Magill, Executive Director of OhioLINK.  “As lifelong learning becomes increasingly important, this common set of robust resources will assist citizens across the state to explore new interests and opportunities, regardless of where they live.”

"The Libraries Connect Ohio partnership between the academic, school, and public library networks is a model of collaboration,” said OPLIN Director Stephen Hedges.  “By working cooperatively to purchase online resources under a single license covering all residents of the state, Libraries Connect saves millions of dollars over what libraries would pay individually for these same resources."

“Ohio students and teachers need these resources now more than ever before," said INFOhio Executive Director Theresa M. Fredericka. "The thousands of articles, reference sources, and online practice tests available through the collection are exactly what K-12 education needs to meet more rigorous standards at home and compete with students internationally.”

LSTA grants can only be awarded for one year at a time. This grant is for July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013.  Libraries Connect Ohio has used LSTA funding for the past nine years for the Ohio Web Library and it is the intention of the State Library of Ohio Board to continue supporting the statewide online resources and publications.  The core collection available to all Ohio residents includes:

  • Ancestry Library Edition by ProQuest: A genealogy resource with U. S. Census records; military records; court, land and probate records; vital and church records; directories; petitions for naturalization; passenger lists and more. You must be in a library to access.
  • ART Collection Art & Museum Images: Digital images of a wide variety of art objects including paintings, sculptures, textiles, and decorative art.
  • Biography Reference Bank by HW Wilson: Biographies, obituaries, and photographs of thousands of individuals –both living and deceased.
  • EBSCOhost: Wide variety of thousands of journals and magazines covering general reference, business, health, education, general science, multicultural issues and much more. Also contains full text for reference books, biographies, and primary source documents, and an image collection photos, map, and flags.
  • Job & Career Accelerator: Personalized, step-by-step job search assistance for all levels of job seekers. Job seekers can explore suitable occupations from over 1,000 detailed occupation profiles and find available jobs in their area from a database of over 5 million up-to-date job postings. (part of LearningExpress Library)
  • LearningExpress Library: Comprehensive, interactive online learning platform of practice tests, tutorials, eBooks, basic and job skills courses, and a full range of computer software skills tutorials designed to help students and adult learners succeed.
  • Mango Languages: 49 language tutorials. It is completely self-paced and provides a quick introduction to a language and culture through the acquisition of simple conversational skills.
  • NewsBank: Full electronic edition, excluding paid advertising, of the Cincinnati Post (04/01/1990-12/31/2007), the Columbus Dispatch (7/16/1985-current), the Dayton Daily News (1/1/1990-current), the Cleveland Plain Dealer (6/1/1991-current), and the Toledo Blade (1/1/1996-current). Searchable individually or in groups.
  • Oxford Reference Online Premium: Wide variety of reference books online, including English and bilingual dictionaries, maps and atlases, timelines, an encyclopedia, and subject references.
  • Science Online by Facts on File: Comprehensive, curriculum-oriented overview of a broad range of scientific disciplines in a variety of useful formats.
  • World Book Online: World Book Encyclopedia content, e-books, multimedia, a vast collection of primary source documents, and a wealth of research tools that allow students to customize and save their work.


OPLIN provides broadband Internet connections and related information services to Ohio public libraries. Their primary mission is to ensure that all Ohio residents have fast, free public Internet access through the 251 independent local public library systems in Ohio, as well as the use of high-quality research databases not freely available on the World Wide Web. Though the eventual consumers of their services are often members of the general public, their actual customers are in fact limited to the public library systems of Ohio.

OhioLINK is a consortium of 90 Ohio college and university libraries and the State Library of Ohio that works together to provide Ohio students, faculty and researchers with the information they need for teaching and research. Serving more than 600,000 students, faculty, and staff, OhioLINK’s membership includes 16 public/research universities, 23 community/technical colleges, 51 private colleges and the State Library of Ohio.

INFOhio, a statewide cooperative school library and information network, supports and enriches teaching and learning by providing equitable access to quality resources for Ohio's PreK-12 community of students, educators and parents. INFOhio's components include electronic resources for schools, instructional development for teachers, and school library automation – all promoting information literacy and media literacy through the use of technology.

The State Library of Ohio is a state agency that serves state government and all types of libraries. The vision for the State Library is to lead in ensuring the delivery of all information and library services to all Ohio residents, anywhere, anytime. As Ohio prepares to more aggressively compete in a global economy with better educated and informed residents, the State Library of Ohio is leading in the development of collaborative efforts that support Ohio government, Ohioans, and libraries by providing high quality resources and services at lower costs.