Bill Martino, NEO-RLS Executive Director

 

Recently the Northeast Ohio Regional Library System (henceforth NEO-RLS) reduced the price of base membership dues by 33% for the next two years.  This price reduction is for all library types within the region:  Public, Academic, Special and School.  We have always taken pride in providing for the needs of our members when it comes to library support and services.  We feel that it is now time (and proper) that we go one step further and offer financial assistance as well.  We know that libraries across the region are facing budget reductions and are forced, in some cases, to make a myriad of difficult decisions.  It is our hope that, in some small way, by tightening our belt we can help libraries let out theirs a bit. 

 

On May 4th NEO-RLS hosted a “Night at the Maltz” evening.  The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Beachwood, Ohio was the location of our first evening networking program.  The idea was to get together after work and socialize with fellow NEOLand members from around the region (and dare I say, actually enjoy ourselves without resorting to “Breakout Sessions”).   The event was well attended (over 40) and everyone appeared to enjoy the event.  We will be planning more events such as this throughout the region in the future (including an Akron Aeros game and an evening reception at the Cleveland Museum of Art).

 

Attendance at workshops has also continued to grow.  One way in which NEO-RLS is making attending workshops more convenient is by offering them via videoconference at six locations throughout the region.  Videoconferences have been very well attended and are proving to be quite popular.  The idea behind the location of the 6 videoconferencing sites was to provide a location that no one would have to drive more than an hour to get to.

 

Those that work in libraries are uniquely blessed in that they can impact lives on so many different levels from assisting with a job search to checking out free DVDs for a weekend’s entertainment. In closing, please remember to consider an occasional affirmative response to the following phrase (updated for the 21st century) : “Brother, can you waive this fine?”

 

Please check out our website at http://www.neo-rls.org for a complete list of all of our services and upcoming continuing education offerings.