News Monthly Newsletter April 2003	Contents: Still Moving Ohio's Resources - Cindy McLaughlin State Library Board Report From Library Organizer to Consultant - Clara Ireland Libraries + Community Organizations - Jan Haines

Still Moving Ohio's Resources From the Traveling Library to Today

Cindy McLaughlin Deputy State Librarian for Library Services

In 1896 the State Library of Ohio began a Traveling Library program that grew to be the largest in the country.

A separate collection was purchased and made available throughout the state to a variety of groups. From local libraries to women's clubs, boxes of books were sent for limited periods of time. This was the fastest growing and most widely used program that the State Library had developed at the time. It was developed as a result of inquiries to the State Library by local organizations trying to fill the void of providing materials at the local level. The State Library recognized a need which the citizens of Ohio had and used its resources to meet that need.

The Traveling Library began by sending 50 volumes to two libraries. In 1904 the State Librarian's Annual Report indicated that 30,935 volumes were sent to 966 organizations. This included libraries, granges, schools, and women's clubs, to name a few. By 1934 the Traveling Library circulation had reached over 109,000. This continuing demand for more books required a continually increasing collection. The State Library never seemed to have enough room to adequately house the Traveling Library materials that were kept separate from the state service collection, as it was called.

In 1936 the state aid program was established. This, along with the State Library's library organizer position, assisted in the establishment of additional libraries throughout the state. Through the development of local library collections and standardization of interlibrary loan, libraries could assist patrons on their own. The need for the Traveling Library diminished and in 1973 the 77-year-old program was phased out.

To say that technology has impacted library services is a gross understatement. The possibilities of providing information and sharing resources extend much further than they did in 1896.

Through the initial efforts of OPLIN a new Statewide Resource Project, MORE (Moving Ohio's Resources Everywhere) was developed. Ohio citizens are no longer limited to the size of a collection that the State Library can afford to house and send out. Nor are they limited to their own local library collection. Through specifically developed technology, anyone in Ohio can access MORE to find out where his or her book(s) might be located and request that book directly from the library. He is able to check the collection of any participating MORE library. The book(s) will be delivered to his local library for pick up. The patron can then return them to the local library for shipment back to the owning library.

The US Cargo is the delivery system for the over 260 school and public libraries and regional systems which are currently participating.

Beginning July 1 of this year the State Library will be administering this statewide project. The State Library has made the commitment of time, energy and resources as we continue to move Ohio's resources everywhere to meet the information needs of Ohio's citizens.

State Library Board Report

The State Library Board met in the MOLO Regional Library System offices in New Philadelphia.

Roger Verny, Deputy State Librarian, gave the Library Services and Technology (LSTA) Advisory Council report. The Council will recommend that the Board approve a $1 million grant to Libraries Connect for the purchase of six sets of databases that will be used statewide. The LSTA Advisory Council recommends to the State Library Board that the State Library of Ohio negotiate a contract for Virtual Reference Service with Cleveland Public Library and NOLA Regional Library System, not to exceed $893,550 providing a legal opinion deems this contract appropriate. The Council also agreed that criteria is needed for minigrant applicants who want to use a minigrant to set up mobile or wireless computer labs. Criteria will include evidence that the library has a program of service on how the lab will be used to support the mission of the library. The Council also set up a task force to create criteria for conference grants. The task force will then bring the criteria to the Council for discussion.

Ann Baines, Board President, pointed out that four people will be leaving the LSTA Advisory Committee in July at the end of their terms. She asked that nominations for the open Committee positions be sent to Roger Verny.

Michael S. Lucas, State Librarian told the Board that there was a rally on April 2 to protest the proposed reduction in the Local Library and Government Support Fund (LLGSF) in the House budget. The House budget does not include any reduction in LLGSF. The Ohio Library Council (OLC) Ohio Legislative Day will be held later in May.

Bill Morris, Executive Assistant to the State Librarian, discussed plans for Legislative Day in Washington DC on May 13. Currently, 22 people are planning to attend. They represent all districts in Ohio.

Pete Bates, Deputy Director of Information Systems and Technology, gave a MORE (Moving Ohio Resources Everywhere) statewide resource sharing project status report. Debra Dyer has been hired as a Network Administrator for the MORE project. An additional consultant should be hired soon. Training issues have been discussed with Carol Bradsher. Help Desk calls could be handled by either Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) staff inhouse or by Oarnet. The decision is still to be made. The proposal for delivery in 2004 is being negotiated between US Cargo and the State Library. At issue is the concern about 1 day a week delivery and the volume of books to be delivered. At the State Library, a team is being developed to take over the many aspects of MORE effective July 1.

Jay Burton, Head, Library Programs and Development, discussed the Summer Reading Program. The State Library plans to join a collaborative summer reading program, in place of the current program that is developed by State Library staff. This will enable the State Library to continue to provide the program materials, but free up staff for other projects. Mr. Burton discussed different Consultant assignments. He also reported that the Gates grant, which will provide training on OPLIN's Ebsco and Sirs databases, is moving forward. A training team has been selected and is committed to at least 3 training sessions each. Training materials can be found online.

Michael S. Lucas, State Librarian, updated the Board on the status of the State Library budget. Currently, the 04-05 budget as proposed by the Governor and as included the House budget bill will result in the elimination of another five positions at the State Library. The Board discussed Library priorities in case additional cuts are experienced. The Board asked Library staff to develop a plan for how the Library would deal with an additional 15% and 25% budget cut.

Joanne Limbach, Limbach and Associates, gave a re-cap of the budget history.

Janet Kell, immediate past President of the MOLO Board and Library Media Head for Jackson Local Schools in Massillon and Susan Hagloch, Director of the Tuscarawas Public Library in New Philadelphia discussed the benefits that the MOLO Regional Library System provides its members.

The next State Library Board meeting will be Thursday, May 29 at 1:00 in Columbus.

For the minutes of State Library Board meetings, go to http://winslo.state.oh.us/boardmin.html.

From Library Organizer to Consultant Today, consultants are becoming generalists

Clara Ireland Library Consultant

In the March 2003 issue, Cindy McLaughlin wrote about the position of Library Organizer, established by the Board of Commissioners in 1908.

While the duties of the Organizer changed over the next fifty years, the program was in still place when, in the 1960's, the federal Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) and now the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) were established. The programs are administered in Ohio by the State Library and State Library consultants were needed to evaluate and report about federally funded library projects and grants as well as reviewing and recommending applications for federal assistance programs.

When Regional Library Cooperatives came into being, consultants were assigned as liaisons. They continue these consultant duties today.

The number of public libraries in Ohio has grown from the 200 in 1908 to 250 with 467 branches today. There are numerous academic, institution, and special libraries and their numbers have increased. Not only have the number of libraries grown, but the needs of these libraries and their directors have changed. As library directors retire and new directors learn and become more experienced, their needs for consultants change and the State Library continually tries to meet those needs.

Consultants' position descriptions are broadening. In the past there have been consultants with specialties: youth, school, institution, preservation, state government, and literacy services, for example. Today consultants are becoming generalists.

Libraries have questions about library policies, legislation, legal and boundary issues, finance, and training for staff. There is the need to become more knowledgeable with technology changes, not only computers but home pages, websites, and e-books to name a few. The list of new technologies for libraries goes on and on. Library directors and their staff have found that they need more training and information than ever before. The uses of technology to address these needs, changes as well.

The Librarian's Tool Kit on the State Library web site lists a collection of 20 subjects for librarians to access: Building Design & Construction, Collection Development, Family Literacy, Management, Marketing, Preservation & Conservation, and Sample Library Job Descriptions and Policies, to name just a few. Public library statistics are available, as well as a directory for public libraries and their branches, library organizations, and many of the academic, institution and special and medical libraries in Ohio.

Today the State Library has consultants located throughout divisions of the library providing consultant services for the Talking Book program, Government Information services, training in using web reference services, long range planning and disaster planning assistance. Concurrent with other duties, consultants are conducting visits to public libraries to update them on programs and information available from the State Library and learn what the State Library can do to best help them meet their library service goals.

The Organizer of yesterday would be awed by the libraries of today and as overwhelmed as the librarians of today sometimes are as change continues to accelerate. Bennis and Thomas in Geeks and Geezers state: "The world has changed more in the eighty or so years since our oldest leaders were born than it had in the previous millennium. To name a single remarkable difference, the word is now 'wired', a term that would have made little or no sense to the man in the street of 1920."

Once again things at State Library are changing as we move toward a more versatile staff capable of meeting the ever changing and growing challenges that we, as librarians, must meet to reach our goals.

This month we continue to look at examples of partnerships between small public libraries and community organizations and agencies.

Often good collaborators are right under your nose. Friends groups are great partners as the folks at Wayne Public Library can attest. At Christmas time, the Friends charge a modest fee to answer any letter mailed to Santa received from an area child. The parents are pleased with the idea and the children are thrilled.

Each spring Andover community members anxiously await the Friends of the Andover Public Library's Basket Auction. Theme baskets are donated from individuals, organizations and local businesses and are displayed in the library with suggested starting bids. Wine baskets featuring items from local wineries, "Barbie" baskets, baby baskets, gardening baskets, much needed Relaxing baskets, and other themes are represented at the auction.

One of the goals of the Marvin Memorial Library in Shelby County in their long-range plan was to provide greater recognition of the library. To meet that goal, Marvin the Mouse was purchased. He visits schools, nursing homes and marches in all county parades. His picture adorns bookmarks and brochures. By being so visible in his community, Marvin has connected with many citizens to become a symbol of the library as well as the county.

Jackson City Library, Oak Hill Public Library and Sylvester Memorial Wellston Public Library are participating in the Jackson County Health Department's Welcome Home program, a component of the statewide Help Me Grow initiative. The libraries had struggled in the past to find a way to contact parents of newborns since there is no maternity hospital in the county. Through a coordinated effort with the Health Department, the libraries take turns providing a board book, a bookmark detailing services for children at each public library, and a bookmark listing books parents can read to babies.

An Independence Day library project "The Neighbor You Never Knew" to honor local veterans led to an invitation for the Mary L. Cook Public Library in Waynesville to receive a full partnership in the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Mary L. Cook was the first library in Ohio and the first in the nation to receive the partnership. The library has hosted several in-house workshops on interview techniques, including the sensitive nature of interviewing war-scarred veterans from WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm. A core group of 40 volunteers have interviewed over 125 veterans and 600+ veterans are waiting to be interviewed. The project has brought people from every age, race and ethnic background together for a common cause: to record the histories of the people who lived it before it is lost to us forever.

All of southwestern Ohio, parts of northern Kentucky and eastern Indiana are included in the project. The library partners with local schools and civic organizations including the Rotary, American Legion Women's Auxiliary, Senior Citizens Centers, home school organizations, VFW Posts, American Legion Posts and the U.S. Air Force Museum. The project is housed at the library's Ohio History Room and archived at the Library of Congress American Folklife Center.

While most small libraries do not have a large community room that accommodates 300 people, they can modify two programs hosted by the Bellaire Public Library. For the past three years, the Bellaire High School Thespians have presented a Christmas play for children at the library, Shadyside Branch of Martins Ferry Public Library, nearby Oglebay Mansion, and at a local private school. Instead of charging admission, the library accepts canned goods, which are donated to the Salvation Army. The library is home to the Thespians who raise their own money for costumes and props and use the community area for rehearsals and plays such as Our Town and The Crucible.

The library also hosts a Christmas party for area foster children. The Belmont County Department of Job and Family Services provides food and presents and the inmates at the Belmont Correctional Institution provide decorations and artwork for the party as part of its community service program.

These are just a few examples of partnerships that can benefit everyone within our smaller communities. Library partnerships are making big impacts upon citizens while building strong communities.