September 30, 2011
State Library Board awards $331,188 in federal Institute of Museum and Library Services LSTA grants to six libraries and organizations

The State Library of Ohio is pleased to announce that the State Library Board recently awarded $331,188 in federal Institute of Museum and Library Services LSTA grants to 6 libraries and organizations. The Montgomery County ESC received an Automation Grant. The Instructional Technology Services of Central Ohio (ITSCO), Ross Local School District, and Wellington Exempted Village Schools were awardedTechnological Innovation Grants. The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County (PLCHC) received anEntrepreneurship Grant, and Brown Memorial Library received anAutomation/Consortia Grant.

Automation Grants may be used to convert a card catalog, join a consortia and participate in statewide resource sharing. TheAutomation/Consortia Grants are targeted for public libraries currently on stand-alone ILSs to migrate and join an existing consortium that uses a shared catalog.  Technological Innovation Grants are awarded for the use of new technologies or the use of current technology in a different way to improve access, services, or support to library customers. Library EntrepreneurshipGrants are to be used to develop new solutions or alternatives to library issues from which all libraries can learn and benefit and if appropriate, replicate. 

“The grants awarded in this cycle will fund several exciting projects that will use technology in new ways to connect customers with library resources, expand access to library materials, and/or serve as models of collaboration that may be replicated in other libraries,” said State Librarian Beverly Cain.  “We are looking forward to seeing the results of these projects and sharing them, as appropriate, with the library community.”

The grant period is October 1, 2011 – September 30, 2012. The organizations, grant amounts, and program activities include:

Instructional Technology Services of Central Ohio (ITSCO), $106,869, for the Book Talks Go Mobile project.  This is the fourth phase of the Literature Lounge program.  This project will continue the program concept of creating Book Talks which will be developed digitally through the use of iPad2s with eReader capabilities.  The project includes a professional development component for media specialists, librarians, and teachers.  Book Talks will be showcased through ITSCO’s website, Ohio on iTunes U, and the INFOhio online catalog.  Four public libraries and 15 school libraries are participating in the project.

Metropolitan Dayton Educational Cooperative Association (MDECA),$39,971, to automate eight school library media centers in one public school district (Mad River Local School District) and one private school library media center (Holy Family School) using SIRSIDynix and link them to the INFOhio union catalog.  This is a collaborative project with Hamilton/Clermont Cooperative Association (HCCA). 

Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County (PLCHC), $81,012, in partnership with the University of Cincinnati Libraries (UCL) will establish a full-service conservation lab.   This lab will provide conservation treatments to the collections of PLCHC and UCL and will allow PLCHC and UCL to provide conservation treatments and preservation consultation to other cultural heritage institutions.  This project can serve as a model to help preserve rare and fragile collections. 

Ross Local School District, $74,492, for the 4C’s Project.  This digital literacy project will utilize iPads and other handheld technologies to facilitate student collaboration, creativity, communication and critical thinking.  The library media staff will work with teachers on the development of projects that will allow students to meet library media and technology standards as well as help them become college and career ready. 

Wellington Exempted Village Schools,$18,990, to develop a technology resource center at the high school that will increase student’s ability to do research and presentations.  The project will provide equipment to access online resources and to create presentations.  The library media specialist will conduct professional development workshops for teachers and then work with teachers to develop projects for students.  The library media specialist will increase the library’s hours of operation to accommodate student needs and also plans to work with the public library to offer workshops to the community.

Brown Memorial Library, $9,854, to migrate its current catalog system to the Serving Every Ohioan (SEO) Consortium.  Membership in this consortium will allow the library to provide its patrons a wider array of materials through SEO’s interlibrary loan program.

September 23, 2011
eBooks Now Available for Kindle

All you need to get started is a valid library card and a registered Kindle device or reading app.

The State Library of Ohio is pleased to announce that Amazon® Kindle compatibility has been added to the Ohio eBook Project collection. This update allows eBooks to be borrowed and read on all Kindle devices as well as on free Kindle reading apps for iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ and other mobile devices.

You can use Amazon’s Whispersync technology to make notes, set bookmarks and highlight passages in library eBooks.  Your notes, bookmarks and highlights will be preserved if you check out that title again in the future or if you decide to purchase your own copy from the Kindle store.

Browse a current list of titles available for Kindle in the Ohio eBook Project catalog.