The State Library of Ohio is pleased to announce that it has been selected to receive the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf. Connecting to Collections is a national initiative to raise public awareness of the importance of caring for our treasures, and to underscore the fact that these collections are essential to the American story. The Bookshelf is a collection of resources chosen by conservation and preservation experts to help libraries and museums care for their collections.

 

The State Library of Ohio is one of 907 museums, libraries, and archives to be selected. This was the third and final installment of the Bookshelf program, which has distributed 2,751 sets of books, online resources, and a user's guide to institutions in every part of the country. “The Connecting to Collections Bookshelf will become part of the State Library’s reference collection.  As such, it will be available not only to those within the State Library for preservation of our collection, but also to anyone within the state who wishes to use the Bookshelf,” said State Librarian Jo Budler. “The State Library has a network of library development consultants who will use the collection and refer librarians to it when working with individual libraries.  Additionally, consultants work together to offer workshops to public libraries and libraries with special collection needs.”

 

The Bookshelf comprises resources for collections typically found in art or history museums and in libraries' special collections, with an added selection of texts for living collections. It is a component of Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action, the strategic initiative by IMLS to address the challenges described in A Public Trust at Risk: The Heritage Health Index Report on the State of America's Collections, an IMLS-funded study conducted by Heritage Preservation.

 

The 24 Ohio institutions receiving the Bookshelf in 2009 join the 58 Ohio institutions who received the award in either round one or two. For the State Library, receipt of the Connecting to Collections Bookshelf will assist conservation activities at the Library itself and will complement activities associated with the Connecting to Collections Planning grant awarded to the State Library, in partnership with the Ohio Historical Society, in February of this year.

 

"When IMLS and our partners began the journey to help save America's collections three years ago, we knew that money and appropriate resources would prove major barriers between many of our nation's collecting institutions and proper collections care," said Dr. Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of IMLS. "With the Connecting to Collections Bookshelf initiative, we were able to offer these institutions tools to help them preserve and conserve their treasures for future generations. We commend them for answering this call to action."

 

The IMLS Bookshelf was made possible by a cooperative agreement with the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) with support from the Getty Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation.

 

 

Ward Murrey began his term on the Board on January 1, 2008.  Mr. Murrey retired from the State of Ohio after 37 years of serving as Director of the Southeastern Ohio Regional Library System (currently the Serving Every Ohioan Library Center).  He is a longtime advocate for libraries, especially rural and small libraries.

State Library of Ohio Board passes resolutions in support of Library Media Specialists/School Librarians and Public Libraries

The State Library Board passed two resolutions in support of Ohio libraries during its June 25, 2009 meeting. The first resolution is in support of Ohio's Library Media Specialist/School Librarians. The resolution of support includes the State Library of Ohio's "requests that the Ohio General Assembly consider restoring the “Media Services” reform provisions in the final adopted version of the Biennial Budget Bill, HB1 and ensure that all Ohio students benefit from the services of a licensed Library Media Specialist/School Librarian."

 

The second resolution expresses continuing support for Ohio's Public Libraries. The resolution includes the following statement, "the State Library Board, providing services and support to all types of libraries in the state, including public libraries, and to state government, respectfully requests that the Ohio General Assembly consider the continuance of the statutory funding formula for local public libraries at its current level with no further reduction in funding outside the Public Library Fund formula."

 

   The State Library of Ohio is pleased to announce the launch of Find Help in Tough Times, a new one-stop center on their website to help residents quickly locate important information and resources during these difficult economic times.

 

 

Find Help in Tough Times is easily accessible from the State Library website and is divided into six sections that include Employment, Financial, Health & Wellness, Housing, Parenting, and Help for Seniors. Within these sections there are links to help with topics such as finding jobs, training opportunities, services for the unemployed, insurance, home health care, childcare, tax help, and more.