The 2023-2024 Guiding Ohio Online application period ended at 11:59 PM on March 20, 2023.
Guiding Ohio Online is a State Library administered competitive LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) grant. The purpose of the grant is to allow public libraries in rural Ohio to hire a dedicated technology trainer for their library. The technology trainer is hired as an independent contractor in a full- or part-time capacity depending on the needs of the library. The 2023-2024 grant period is July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024. Trainers can assist with computer instruction, technology-focused community outreach, one-on-one instruction, and other technology related duties.
The LSTA funding covers 75% of the project costs; the remaining 25% must come from a local cash match. This cash match typically comes from the library but may come in whole or in part from a partner organization. Please be aware that the cash match cannot come from another federal funding source.
Application Questions
- Describe your library’s service area and the population segments served. Please cite sources. (maximum 1,000 words)
- Include information about the demographics of your community (poverty level, free and/or reduced lunch offerings, population, income, transportation, employment rate, diversity, education, library cardholders, etc.)
- Describe the digital literacy need in your community. What are the barriers to accessing technology and/or the library? How could a Guiding Ohio Online (GOO) trainer help your patrons and staff? (maximum 1,000 words)
- Tell us why you need a trainer and how that could impact the community.
- What is the vision for the GOO trainer at your library? (maximum 1,000 words)
- There are many ways to provide digital literacy training including 1:1 assistance, teaching classes, developing programs, staff training, and outreach partnerships. DO NOT just list training topics or classes to be offered.
- IMLS defines outcomes as benefits to people: specifically, achievements or changes in skill, knowledge, attitude, behavior, condition, or life status for program participants. Describe some outcomes or goals for the program. They can be quantitative goals (e.g. add 3 technology outreach visits/month) or anecdotal (e.g. increase staff’s level of comfort with technology via trainings and a survey to measure success).
- Briefly describe how your library would implement this program: How would classes be scheduled? How would 1:1 appointments be scheduled? (maximum 1,000 words)
- Think about the schedule and classes/trainings/initiatives the GOO trainer will be asked to accomplish. How will this be executed? What are the expectations of the GOO trainer?
- If you have outreach opportunities with community partners, include the contacts and/or a letter of support from the organization.
- For current sites: How have your library’s technology programs and services adapted in the last 5 years including during the COVID-19 pandemic? Describe how the GOO program has adapted and what was learned. How can you build on a successful program? (maximum 1,000 words)
…or…
For new sites: How did your library’s technology programs and services adapt during the last 5 years? What need(s) became apparent during the initial part of the COVID-19 pandemic? How could a digital literacy trainer assist with these needs?
Documents Required for Application
- GOO Proposed Budget
- Proof of cost from vendor(s). This can be in the form of a quote, screenshot from your Amazon cart, etc. If you have questions, please contact the LSTA Coordinator, via LSTA@library.ohio.gov.
- GOO Application Signature Page
If you have any questions, concerns or comments regarding the funding or budget of Guiding Ohio Online, please contact the LSTA Office at LSTA@library.ohio.gov or by calling 800–686–1532 or 614–644–6863.
If an institution would like to have a review of their proposal prior to submission, please send it to LSTA@library.ohio.gov by March 13, 2023.
If you have any questions, concerns or comments regarding Guiding Ohio Online trainers, hiring best practices, etc., please contact Technology Consultant, Anne Kennedy via akennedy@library.ohio.gov.
Information on this page is intended for use by libraries participating in the current Guiding Ohio Online program.
Getting Started
The Guiding Ohio Online program year runs from July 1st to June 30th. We recommend that you advertise for, interview, and have your digital literacy trainer ready to begin working on July 1st. Please remember that no grant funds can be spent before the program start date.
We suggest that project coordinators set up regular meetings with their digital literacy trainers in formal or informal meetings. These regular meetings will allow the project coordinator to ensure statistics are being gathered correctly and everything is going well with the program. Additionally, we recommend that project coordinators and fiscal contacts also have regular meetings to ensure the grant funds are being spent in a timely fashion.
Narrative and Financial Reports
Narrative and financial reports are due promptly at the end of each quarter. The next installment of the grant payment will not be issued until after both reports are turned in and they are approved by State Library staff. The program year quarters and corresponding due dates are as follows:
2022-2023 Reporting Period |
Due Date |
|---|---|
| July 1 – September 30 | October 10 |
| October 1 – December 31 | January 10 |
| January 1 – March 31 | April 10 |
| April 1 – June 30 | July 10 |
Third quarter narrative report (2022-2023)
2022-2023 Budget transfer request
2023-2024 Reporting Period |
Due Date |
|---|---|
| July 1 – September 30 | October 10 |
| October 1 – December 31 | January 10 |
| January 1 – March 31 | April 10 |
| April 1 – June 30 | July 10 |
First quarter narrative report (2023-2024) – Form will not open to collect responses until the beginning of the program year
2023-2024 Budget transfer request
Samples
Click on the examples below of digital literacy trainer job descriptions and a sample trainer contract.
Job description sample 1 [Doc]
Job description sample 2 [Doc]
Contract sample [Doc]
Templates
Compiled here are some useful templates that past participating libraries created or found useful.
During the program year 2017-2018, the digital literacy trainer for Athens County Public Libraries visited each location once a week, if possible. In order to book one-on-one appointments, patrons or staff could fill out the form on the library’s website with their name, contact information, help topic, and which branch location worked best for them.
Book-a-Trainer Form [PDF]
During the 2017-2018 program year, Adams County Public Library employed multiple part-time trainers. In order to facilitate the gathering of data for the quarterly narrative reports, the trainers filled out this Google form at the end of each program. The data was automatically entered into a Google Sheet which could then be exported into an Excel document if needed.
Narrative Report Online Form for Trainers [PDF]
Invoice for use by digital literacy trainer.
Invoice [Xlsx]
Logos and Credit Line
Because a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has funded your Guiding Ohio Online trainer, your library must acknowledge IMLS and the State Library of Ohio in all spoken, online, and printed promotional materials. Promotional materials include program introductions, interviews, websites, emails, discussion list posts, flyers, program signage, advertisements, presentations, slideshows, evaluation forms, newsletters, and press releases.
Include the following logos on any printed promotional materials:
- Guiding Ohio Online logo
- State Library of Ohio logo
- The IMLS logo,
Use the following wording on any printed promotional materials:
“This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the State Library of Ohio.”
You may choose to include this acknowledgment in Spanish:
“Este proyecto ha sido posible en parte por el Instituto de Servicios de Museos y Bibliotecas y por la Biblioteca del Estado de Ohio.”
Required Surveys
The IMLS Surveys are required to be made available at the end of every program or presentation for patrons or library staff to fill out. Libraries are allowed to add additional questions to the survey. Please do not include the additional questions in your reporting.
IMLS Survey for Public [Doc]
IMLS Survey for Library Staff [Doc]
Contact Information
Have any questions regarding Guiding Ohio Online trainers, hiring best practices, etc.? Please contact Technology Consultant, Anne Kennedy at akennedy@library.ohio.gov or by calling 614-466-1710. For any questions, concerns or comments regarding the funding or budget of Guiding Ohio Online, please contact the LSTA Office at LSTA@library.ohio.gov or by calling 800-686-1532 or 614-644-6863.
The Guiding Ohio Online application period ended on March 20, 2023.
State Library staff conducted a live webinar on the Guiding Ohio Online application process on Wednesday, January 20, 2023. The virtual training session provided information about the 2023-2024 program in general, how it works, how it’s funded, the reporting required, and how to apply.
The video is also available to view on the State Library YouTube Channel at https://youtu.be/Ki6JRNNHut4
2022-2023 Guiding Ohio Online participating libraries
- Ada Public Library
- Canal Fulton Public Library
- Cardington-Lincoln Public Library
- Champaign County Library
- Columbiana Public Library
- Cuyahoga Falls Library
- Forest Jackson Public Library
- Hardin Northern Public Library
- Henderson Memorial Public Library
- Kinsman Free Public Library
- Licking County Library
- Logan-Hocking County District Library
- Madison Public Library
- Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County District Library
- Mechanicsburg Public Library
- Meigs County District Public Library
- Milton-Union Public Library
- Newton Falls Public Library
- North Canton Public Library
- Pickerington Public Library
- Putnam County District Library
- Ridgemont Public Library
- Salem Public Library
- St. Clairsville Public Library
- St. Paris Public Library
- Tipp City Public Library
- Troy-Miami County Public Library
- The Wagnalls Memorial Library
- Way Public Library
2021-2022
- Ada Public Library
- Ashtabula County District Library
- Cardington-Lincoln Public Library
- Conneaut Public Library
- Cuyahoga Falls Library
- East Palestine Memorial Public Library
- Forest Jackson Public Library
- Guernsey County District Library System
- Hardin Northern Public Library
- Henderson Memorial Public Library
- Jackson City Library
- Kingsville Public Library
- Logan-Hocking County District Library
- Madison Public Library
- Meigs County District Public Library
- Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County District Library
- Milton-Union Public Library
- Pickerington Public Library
- Putnam County District Library
- Ridgemont Public Library
- Salem Public Library
- St. Clairsville Public Library
- Tipp City Public Library
- Troy-Miami County Public Library
2020-2021
- Ada Public Library
- Adams County Public Library
- Cardington-Lincoln Public Library
- Cuyahoga Falls Library
- East Palestine Memorial Public Library
- Forest Jackson Public Library
- Hardin Northern Public Library
- Henderson Memorial Public Library
- Huron County Community Library
- Kingsville Public Library
- Kinsman Free Public Library
- Licking County Library
- Logan-Hocking County District Library
- Madison Public Library
- Meigs County District Public Library
- Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County District Library
- Newton Falls Public Library
- Perry Cook Memorial Public Library
- Pickerington Public Library
- Putnam County District Library
- Ridgemont Public Library
- Salem Public Library
- The Wagnalls Memorial Library
2019-2020
- Ada Public Library
- Adams County Public Library
- Bellevue Public Library
- Brown County Public Library
- Cardington-Lincoln Public Library
- Carnegie Public Library (Washington Court House)
- Cuyahoga Falls Library
- East Palestine Memorial Public Library
- Forest Jackson Public Library
- Hardin Northern Public Library
- Henderson Memorial Public Library
- Kingsville Public Library
- Kinsman Free Public Library
- Licking County Library
- Logan-Hocking County District Library
- Meigs County District Public Library
- Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County District Library
- Newton Falls Public Library
- Perry Cook Memorial Public Library
- Pickerington Public Library
- Putnam County District Library
- Ridgemont Public Library
- Salem Public Library
- St. Clairsville Public Library
- The Wagnalls Memorial Library
2018-2019
- Ada Public Library
- Adams County Public Library
- Athens County Public Library
- Briggs Lawrence County Public Library
- Brown County Public Library
- Cardington-Lincoln Public Library
- Cuyahoga Falls Library
- East Palestine Memorial Public Library
- Forest Jackson Public Library
- Hardin Northern Public Library
- Jackson City Library
- Kingsville Public Library
- Kinsman Free Public Library
- Licking County Library
- Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County District Library
- Newton Falls Public Library
- Perry Cook Memorial Public Library
- Pickerington Public Library
- Putnam County District Library
- Ridgemont Public Library
- Salem Public Library
- St. Clairsville Public Library
- The Wagnalls Memorial Library
2017-2018
- Ada Public Library
- Adams County Public Library
- Athens County Public Library
- Brown County Public Library
- Cardington-Lincoln Public Library
- Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library
- East Palestine Memorial Public Library
- Forest Jackson Public Library
- Garnet A. Wilson Public Library
- Hardin Northern Public Library
- Kingsville Public Library
- Licking County Library
- Lima Public Library
- Madison Public Library
- Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County District Library
- Meigs County District Public Library
- Perry Public Library
- Perry Cook Memorial Public Library
- Ridgemont Public Library
- St. Clairsville Public Library
- The Wagnalls Memorial Library
2016-2017
Libraries hosting AmeriCorps members:
- Ada Public Library
- Adams County Public Library
- Athens County Public Library
- Barberton Public Library
- Birchard Public Library
- Brown County Public Library and Union Township Public Library
- Bucyrus Public Library
- Cardington-Lincoln Library and Mt. Gilead Public Library
- Canal Fulton Public Library
- Public Library of Chillicothe and Ross County
- Fairfield County Public Library
- Forest-Jackson Library and Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County Library
- Garnet A Wilson Public Library
- Hubbard Public Library
- Jackson City Library
- Kingsville Public Library
- Lima Public Library
- London Public Library
- Massillon Public Library
- Meigs County Public Library
- Minerva Public Library
- Perry Public Library and Madison Public Library
- Piqua Public Library
- Puskarich Public Library
- Reed Memorial Library
- Rock Creek Public Library
- Sandusky Public Library
- St. Clairsville Public Library
- Wagnalls Memorial Public Library