News Monthly Newsletter February 2003	Contents: 100 Years Ago at the State Library - Cindy McLaughlin How Many Shoes Will Fall? - Michael S. Lucas Public Hearing Notice Book Discussions Support Literacy Efforts - Ruth Metcalf

100 Years Ago at the State Library

Cindy McLaughlin Deputy State Librarian for Library Services

The manner of operation at the State Library of Ohio one hundred years ago was very different from today but the mission of the library was the same as that written in our 2002-2007 Strategic Plan:

Provide access to information for Ohio's state government, lead and partner in the development of library services throughout Ohio, enable resource sharing among libraries and library networks, provide specialized services to Ohio's citizens

In the first years of the twentieth century the State Library consisted of the Circulating Library, the Traveling Library, the Legislative Reference Department and eventually the Library Organizer. Staff consisted of a librarian, assistant librarian, cataloguer, stenographer, four library assistants, two assistants, one messenger, and two untitled for a total of 13 positions.

The Circulating Library had recently been opened to all the citizens of Ohio and totaled nearly 100,000 volumes. Until this time the collection was only available to certain members of the legislature and state government and others persons in the Columbus area. Now, not only were the materials available to all but most were available to be checked out of the library.

Space was a major concern as the collection was growing rapidly. In the first few years of the twentieth century the State Library Commission focused much of their energy on obtaining more room in the State House for the Library operations. The rooms appropriated were the Old Flag and Relic Rooms. The Library continued to deal with the problem of space limitations until the next century when it moved to its current location at 274 First Avenue.

Budget was another concern for the Library. It was noted in the Annual Report of the Library Commission for 1903 that Ohio's Traveling Library circulated more than any other state library's traveling library with fewer funds than any other state library. The limited budget impacted the purchases of the materials for the general collection as well.

The Commission was considering the best processes for classifying, indexing and making readily accessible for reference purposes the records of state government from the various state agencies. This is not unlike the problems faced today in trying to capture and archive electronic documents produced by state agencies.

Another program which received a great deal of attention was the collection of old newspapers. It became increasingly difficult to collect newspapers and periodical literature issued in Ohio during the first half of the nineteenth century. However, from 1897 through 1903 five times more newspapers published prior to 1825 were added to the collection than were added for the previous 80 years.

The Circulating collection was kept separate from the Traveling Library collection. It did not include fiction except for an occasional part of a reference set. Special attention was given to Ohio history. The collection of the Traveling Library covered a wide range to meet the varied requests of its patrons. The program now provided library books to citizens in every county of the state through organizations such as women's clubs, study clubs, men's clubs, schools, granges, religious organizations, and libraries. Specific works used by the study clubs were not of interest to the general reader who requested materials of a more popular nature. Juvenile literature was also purchased and sent to the schools. The traveling library had grown from delivering 50 books to two organizations in 1896 to delivering over 27,000 books to 923 organizations in 1903.

At this time the State Librarian provided an annual report that was incorporated into the report of the Commission. This listed all books, periodicals and newspapers which the library purchased during the year. In 1903 2,528 volumes were purchased for the Circulating Library for $2,795, including a new set of encyclopedias for $35. Periodicals and newspapers were also included. While the collection of the traveling library was dissolved, a random search of the current collection indicated some of the materials from the 1903 purchases for the Circulating Library are still available.

A new project in 1903 was the exchange of duplicate magazines, which provided libraries throughout the state with the opportunity to share magazines in order to have complete sets. Another issue that was being developed during the early years of the twentieth century was the development of a form on which to collect library statistics. The plan was for these data to be reported in the annual report of the State Librarian. The data eventually were published annually in "Statistics" and now are online.

While the State Library's programs and services have grown over the years and have been adjusted, they have continued to support the basic mission developed 185 years ago, that of meeting the changing information needs of Ohio's state government, libraries and citizens.

How Many Shoes Will Fall? This is a grim time to be in public service.

Michael S. Lucas State Librarian

Several months ago, I wrote an article about the budget. That article was entitled "Then the Other Shoe Dropped." Well, it turns out that this state budget is a centipede - and the shoes keep falling.

The latest hit to the State Library budget is 2.5%; when taken in the period of less than half of a fiscal year, this translates into a cut of approximately 5% of the State Library's remaining operating funds for FY 2003. Also taking an equal hit are the subsidy lines for the regional library systems and the regional libraries for the blind and physically handicapped.

While we struggle to deal with this latest round of cuts in this fiscal year, we must now look forward to the next biennium which begins on July 1, 2003. On February 3, 2003, the Governor released his proposed budget for FY 2004 and FY 2005. Depending on which news source you read, the State Library is either a loser or a winner. Of course, the question then is: How can that be?

The answer is "easily," depending what you are looking at in the budget and which year you are looking at in the budget. In FY 2004, the State Library's operating budget is flat-funded; the subsidy lines are cut 5%.

So, if you look at general revenue funds in the State Library's section of the Governor's proposed FY 2004 budget, those funds are less than they were in the FY 2003 budget.

On the other hand, in FY 2005 the Governor proposes moving the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) back to general revenue funds. The result? A spike in FY 2005 in the general revenue funds in the State Library's budget.

This is a grim time to be in public service. A multitude of factors have come together to make this the most difficult period for state budgets since the Great Depression, though if I hear "Perfect Storm" used to describe the situation one more time I am going to find a hundred foot wave to hurl myself into. Many public institutions will not survive; many will be changed mightily. To survive and eventually prosper, we must continue, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, to prove our worth, to prove our value to our public.

Public Hearing Notice

The State Library Board hereby gives notice of its intent to promulgate a rule designating five depository libraries for the deposit of materials incorporated by reference into Ohio Administrative Rules. This rule is proposed in accordance with Section 3375.01 of the Ohio Revised Code as enacted by SB 265 of the 124th General Assembly.

A public hearing on the proposed rule will be held at the beginning of the Board's regularly scheduled board meeting in March. The proposed rule will be available online at the Register of Ohio at http://www.registerofohio.state.oh.us or copies may be obtained at the State Library's Administrative Office located at 274 East First Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43201.

Book Discussions Support Literacy Efforts Combining the excitement of a story with the stimulation of discussion

Ruth Metcalf Library Consultant

Reading can be a profound experience when a book speaks to one's own experience, provides insight into a common experience, or sheds light on a truth. Learning to ask questions, read carefully, imagine oneself in the story, analyze the book, and search for personal meaning can lead to a very rewarding book discussion.

One of the programs that the State Library of Ohio offers to stimulate book discussion among children and families is Helping Books Helping Families, a unique concept in book discussion and storytelling. It combines the excitement of a good story with the stimulation of good discussion. The best part of the program is that libraries are able to use books and materials that are readily available in their library to implement the program.

Helping Books Helping Families can be used as a basis for parents, librarians, teachers and children to talk about often difficult issues. Through discussion participants will build communication, as well as reinforce positive values being taught in the home.

A program manual, developed by the State Library of Ohio and an Ohio Library Council (OLC) committee is provided. It includes:

• Lists of suggested titles & themes
• Publicity Guidelines
• Outreach and Networking Tips
• Support Resources & Appendices
   
  

The programs are structured as a four to six week Picture Book/Storytelling/Discussion program. Helping Books Helping Families offers parents, children, and students a supportive environment that promotes healthy child development, access to community services, stimulates good discussion, and supports literacy. For more information on the program see: http://winslo.state.oh.us/services/LPD/tk_helpbks.html

Libraries are eligible to apply for Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the State Library for the implementation of a Helping Books program. See http://winslo.state.oh.us/publib/lstafamlit.html for more information.

Helping Books Connection

Did you ever wish for an easy-to-use, on-line database that supplied answers for parents and caregivers?

Did you ever long for an annotated review source that would help you build a collection that deals with sensitive issues and/or character education for children and young adults?

Tony Petruzzi, children's librarian from Morley Library in Painesville, along with a group of committed children's librarians saw a need for this type of database and as a result they have created Helping Books Connection at: http://www.helpingbooks.lib.oh.us

This database offers a review source for collection development; a reader's advisory source; and quick printable bibliographies for character education and sensitive issues. Librarians can find lists of titles on a variety of issues.

In addition to the searchable feature of the database, you can also easily contribute your favorite titles to Helping Books Connection. The database currently has almost 1,000 titles and many of them have been contributed by local librarians.

One of the best features of this database is the fact that it complements the Helping Books Helping Families program. Themes shared on the database can easily be utilized in an HBHF program.

For more information on Helping Books Helping Families or Helping Books Connection contact Ruth A. Metcalf, Library Development Consultant at 1-800-686-1532 or rmetcalf@sloma.state.oh.us