Anne Abate
Executive Director, SWON Libraries
The Regional Library Systems in Ohio have made significant changes while implementing the new structure of four systems, chartered in 2006. For Southwest Ohio and Neighboring (SWON) Libraries, the most significant impact was a huge increase in the area of the State of Ohio that we now cover. Prior to the change a large number of counties had never fallen within a state-sponsored Regional Library System territory. SWON Libraries now encompasses 17 counties in the southwest corner of the State of Ohio.
SWON Libraries is proud to have 86 contributing member libraries made up of 28 academic libraries, 23 school libraries, 21 public libraries, and 15 special libraries. The full range of services is available to these members. SWON Libraries is proud of its multi-type nature and strives to make better connections between the various types of libraries in its region. The key to the connection is frequent and consistent communication and interaction between the members. The staff of SWON Libraries uses a number of tools to encourage communication between the members including semi-annual membership meetings, a large number of Interest Groups, and online discussion lists.
Membership meetings are held in a central location to encourage a large attendance. Beyond the typical business meeting, luncheon, reports from the staff and informal discussion, the meetings always include some special presentation. These range from a visit from a representative from the State Library to a prepared presentation from a charitable organization in the region. At some meetings members are asked to present something special that has happened at their library or accomplishment of one of their staff members. This type of sharing provides new ideas for other members and encourages greater participation and discussion among all of the members.
SWON Libraries sponsors a large number of Interest Groups (at last count, there were twenty-five). The Interest Groups can be based on staff function within the organization (cataloging, reference, interlibrary loan, etc.) or special interest (technology, rare books, etc.) One of the newest Interest Groups is for Retired Library Staff. All of the Interest Groups meet on a quarterly basis and most move their meetings around the region in order to make them convenient to attend. Some Interest Groups plan their own programs that are offered on the regular SWON Libraries calendar of workshops and events.
Technology allows a different form of communication between the members of SWON Libraries that is totally virtual. There are over 40 Discussion Groups sponsored by SWON Libraries. These can be a vehicle for communication between members of an Interest Group, a tool for the staff to send messages to various segments of the membership, or simply a fully online communication tool that the members can use to share ideas.
As SWON Libraries continues to add more libraries to its membership, the staff continues to find new ways to maintain the high level of communication between the members and to utilize new tools to provide richer avenues of networking. This leads to greater understanding of the issues libraries face and the solutions that we can all come up with together.