During the month of November we are often called upon to reflect on and share what we are thankful for in our lives and the lives of others. As library funding has become more challenging, we can still be thankful that the Ohio public library system is among the best supported library systems in the country.  This support comes from our residents, students, schools and universities, local communities, and state and federal government.

 

This issue of The News highlights the Ohio IMLS LSTA grant program and several projects funded in part through LSTA grants awarded by the State Library of Ohio. As you will read in Missy Lodge’s summary, the Ohio LSTA grant program includes competitive grants available to all types of libraries.   We can be proud of the peer review evaluation process that we have instituted. It is very similar to the process utilized by IMLS and ensures that members of the library community are actively participating in this process.

 

The State Library also uses LSTA funds to help support statewide programs such as the Summer Reading Program, statewide resource sharing (Ohio Libraries Share: MORE), the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled program, library databases available to any Ohio resident and the KnowItNow 24 –7 virtual reference service.  

 

The LSTA grant program provides funding opportunities that have a significant impact throughout our state. We depend on LSTA for improving and sustaining life-long library services for all Ohioans.  It is important to thank members of Congress whenever possible for their continued support of this funding and to mention all the good service which we are able to provide their constituents as a result. Please help us convey this message to your members of the House of Representatives and Senate: we appreciate their support of libraries and LSTA funding because it allows us to provide the best possible library service to the residents of Ohio.