Contact:Ohio Library Partnership Summit brings Libraries Together
The first Ohio Library Partnership Summit event drew over 250 library community members to Columbus, Ohio on May 21, 2007. The focus of the meeting was to expand collaboration and cooperation among libraries, library organizations, and networks.
Ohio's libraries vary in their participation in resources sharing opportunities which include inter-library loans of books and media to patrons, access to a vast array of databases, programs and services such as KnowItNow- an online homework help service where students can ask questions and get answers from references librarians and Learning Express - an online interactive program for practicing an assortment of tests including the civil service exam, fire training, and A.C.T. In addition libraries participate in group purchase rates with vendors, professional training opportunities, catalog services, and archiving.
One goal established at the Ohio Library Partnership Summit is to increase collaboration and cooperation to include all types of libraries across the state. By working together access to information and services will increase and become more equitable for all residents.
Keynote speaker Bill DeJohn, Director of the MINITEX Library Information Network. presented "Collaboration and Cooperation in Minnesota - Results". He stressed the role of resource sharing among the library community in Minnesota and sited benefits of resource sharing among libraries including: increased access to resources, group purchasing reduces costs, equitable access for all residents, legislators like collaboration and may reward this activity with funding, online all the time, links to one another, continually growing and connecting.
The next steps include the establishment of a steering group that will further define priorities for resource sharing, key roles for library community members, strategies for marketing, evaluating funding options, and creating a timeline.
Libraries Connect Ohio, a partnership between the State Library of Ohio, and Ohio's three library networks OPLIN, OhioLINK, and INFOhio, organized the meeting.
Pictured above left to right : Jo Budler, State Librarian of Ohio; Stephen Hedges, Executive Director, OPLIN; Theresa Fredericka, Executive Director, INFOhio; Tom Sanville, Executive Director, OhioLINK
Nearly 100 members of the SEO Automation Consortium met at Mohican State Park May 17-18 for the SEO User’s Group meeting. State Librarian Jo Budler welcomed the participants and Fiscal Services Officer Diane Fink presented the financial report. The first general session presented by Jim Wilson from SirsiDynix highlighted the changes in the company’s ownership and the development of their next software upgrade called Rome. Over the next two days there were several small group sessions of interest to members on issues such as Horizon circulation, cataloging and inventory and on how to maintain secure networks on which to run the system. Joe Lowry from Cymphonics presented the final general session on managing network traffic. Follow-up evaluations indicated that many people found the meeting useful and informative. To see pictures from the meetings download the report - SEO User's Group Meeting Summary - pdf
State Library of Ohio's Paul Immel receives prestigious President's Award from the Ohio Genealogy Society
The Ohio Genealogy Society (OGS) recently met in Columbus for its annual business meeting luncheon. The OGS annual meeting includes awards for the work of genealogists each year but this year a special President's Award was given to Paul Immel. According to E. Paul Morehouse, OGS President the award is "in recognition Paul Immel's nearly 28 years of dedicated and conscientious service to Ohioans as Genealogical Librarian at the State Library of Ohio in Columbus."
The genealogical collection of the State Library of Ohio was recently transferred to the Columbus Metropolitan Library system. Immel will continue working in the area of genealogy at the State Library though outreach services and collaborations, and training services to Ohio libraries and non-profit State and local institutions and agencies. A graduate of Marietta College and Ohio University, he has spoken throughout the State on many genealogical topics.
Immel will assist in the further development of online digitized images of genealogical and historical items from Federal and State of Ohio documents.