Registration is now open for the 2010 OLC Expo on Sept. 10 at the Ohio Expo Center’s Lausche Building in Columbus. The Expo is full of opportunities to meet with vendors showcasing money-saving products and services, hear top-notch speakers, network with your peers, and win fabulous prizes. Plus, attendees get all this for FREE – talk about “striking it rich”!

This year’s featured speakers include:

• Narrator Johanna Parker, the voice of Sookie Stackhouse in the recordings of Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire books that are the basis for HBO’s series “True Blood” (sponsored by Recorded Books, LLC)
• Scott Brown, President, Foundations of Service, who has 20 years experience in customer service and leadership management (sponsored by BayScan Technologies)
• Zach Price, Library Planner, TRIAD Architects, who will share the five critical steps to assessing your library and planning for change (sponsored by TRIAD Architects, Ltd.)

Check out the Expo section of the OLC website for more information on the OPLIN Stakeholder’s Meeting, the OLC Annual Business Meeting, vendor product demos, OLC Connects! and, of course, how to get free books. Attendance at the 2010 OLC Expo is free but registration is requested for entry in the door prize raffle. Register today and make plans to connect with your colleagues from across the state.

In January 2010, the Connecting to Collections survey was distributed to over 800 institutions statewide responsible for preserving Ohio’s cultural heritage.  This was followed by the Ohio Connecting to Collections Summit held on May 7 in Columbus.  As the Partners develop the Ohio Cultural Heritage Strategic Plan, regional meetings are being held around the state.  The goal of the regional meetings is twofold.  It will provide the Partners another way to obtain feedback from Ohio’s cultural heritage institutions on the future direction of preservation in the State of Ohio.  And, half the day will be an educational program for preservation and conservation practitioners.

Dates and locations are:

• July 15, 2010   National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati
• July 20, 2010   Athens Public Library, Athens
• July 21, 2010   Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware
• July 26, 2010   Bedford Historical Society, Bedford
• July 29, 2010   Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green

All meetings will run from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and are free.  The agenda includes:

• 1:00 PM – 1:15  PM   Welcome and introductions

• 1:15 PM – 1:30 PM    Background and Introduction to the Project

• 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM    Discussion of Survey Results and Overview of the Summit

• 2:15 PM – 2:30 PM    Break

• 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM    Education Resources and How to Prioritize Collection Needs

• 3:20 PM – 3:45 PM    State of Digital Preservation

• 3:45 PM – 4:00 PM    Questions, Next Steps, and Wrap Up

To register go to:  http://host6.evanced.info/ohio/evanced/eventcalendar.asp. (You will need to tab from June to July)

More information on the Ohio Connecting to Collections project can be found at: http://oh.webjunction.org/ohconnectcollect.

This project is funded by an IMLS Connecting to Collections Planning Grant.

For one year only, Library Advocacy Day will replace National Library Legislative Day (NLLD).  On June 29, 2010, library advocates from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. will meet at Upper Senate Park on the U.S. Capitol grounds.   The event, which will begin at 11 a.m., will feature guest speakers, photo ops, and a chance to cheer on libraries!  After the Rally, participants will meet with their elected officials and their staffs.

This is a great opportunity to show our congressional representatives how important libraries are to Ohio and their particular Congressional District.  To register for the event please click on the register now button on the ALA Library Advocacy Day page at http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/libraryadvocacyday/index.cfm

Bill Morris, Governmental Affairs Coordinator for the State Library, will be working with each Congressional Office to schedule appointments on behalf of those attending the Rally and will be providing key talking points and supporting materials to attendees.  Please take a moment to fill out this brief survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MTFBG8D before May 14, 2010 if you are planning on attending the Rally and visiting your congressional office that afternoon.  If you’re uncertain which congressional district you live in enter your ZIP + 4 here to find out: http://www.house.gov.

COLUMBUS, OH – The greatest literary event in the state, the 4^th annual Ohioana Book Festival will be held on Saturday, May 8^th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Readers of all ages and interests will have a wonderful time at the Festival, which will be held at the Ohioana and State Library of Ohio’s facility in the Jeffrey Mining Center at 274 E. First Ave., in the historic Italian Village and Short North Arts District of Columbus. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets or advance registration required.

Festival activities will include panels, roundtables, author readings and discussions, a book fair, book appraisals, food, and a special area for children’s programming.

“We are so excited that nearly ninety nationally recognized authors – all of them Ohioans by birth or residents with books that have been published in the past year – will participate in our fourth festival,” said Linda R. Hengst, Ohioana’s Executive Director. “They represent every major literary field and genre – fiction (mystery, romance, fantasy, science fiction, horror, and literary fiction), nonfiction (memoirs, history, essays, and cook books), poetry, and books for children and young adults.”

Ten writers – the festival’s featured authors – will come to Columbus early to participate in outreach programming at schools and other community venues, as well as media interviews and book signings.  These authors, all stars in their chosen literary field, are as follows:

David Catrow, a Springfield native, is a writer, illustrator, and cartoonist. He has written or illustrated over seventy notable and award winning books and has been twice honored by the New York Times with the Best Illustrated Book of the Year.

Dan Chaon, a Cleveland Heights resident and professor of creative writing at Oberlin College, is a novelist and O’Henry Award winning short story writer. His book Await Your Reply was named one of the Test Best Books of 2009 by Publisher’s Weekly and is an Ohioana Book Award finalist in fiction.

Lori Foster, a West Chester, OH resident, has produced more that seventy novels since her first book was published in 1996. She writes romantic novels and urban fantasy. Her 2008 book Hard to Handle was a #2 New York Times bestseller.

Andrew Hudgins, the Humanities Distinguished Professor at the Ohio State University, is a poet and the recipient of the 2010 Governor’s Award for the Arts. He has been nominated for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.

Angela Johnson, a resident of Ravenna, OH, is the author of more than 40 books for children and young adults. She is a three-time winner of the American Library Association’s Coretta Scott King Award. In 2003 she received a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” and the Ohioana Children’s Literature Award for the body of her work and contributions to children’s literature.

Lisa Klein, a Columbus resident, was an assistant professor of English at the Ohio State University for eight years. She is the author of three highly acclaimed historical fiction novels for young adults including Two Girls of Gettysburg and Lady Macbeth’s Daughter.

Martha Moody, a Dayton physician, is the author of three bestselling novels, Best Friends, The Office of Desire, and, the most recent, Sometimes Mine, a 2010 Ohioana Book Award finalist.

David Lee Morgan Jr., a Warren, OH native and former high school and college athlete, is an award-winning sports journalist with the Akron Beacon Journal. He is a motivational speaker and the author of four books including LeBron James: The Rise of a Star, and More that a Coach: What it Means to Play for Coach, Mentor, and Friend Jim Tressel.

Ted Rall, grew up in Kettering, OH, is an award-winning cartoonist, graphic novelist, and essayist. He twice won the Robert F. Kennedy Journalist Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in editorial cartooning. He is the president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.

Lucy Snyder, a Worthington, OH resident, has a BS in biology, an MA in journalism, and is a graduate of the 1995 Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Workshop. She is the author of two novels and three collections of short stories and poetry. She received the 2009 Bram Stoker Award for poetry for her collection Chimeric Machines.

During the festival, the featured authors will do individual readings and presentations, including taking part in five panels, including “Real People, Real Stories” with David Lee Morgan and Ted Rall; “How We Write, What We Write” with Dan Chaon and Lori Foster: “Mentors & Muses: The Writers and Books That Inspired Me” with David Catrow and Martha Moody.  Other panels include special interest topics such as how to get published, a writers groups’ forum, and book collecting. A new addition to the festival this year will be a book appraisal clinic from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. conducted by members of the Aldus Society.  A small fee will be charged for appraisals. All times, topics, and panel participants are listed at www.OhioanaBookFestival.org .

In addition to the featured authors there will be more that seventy-five writers at the festival who will be reading, signing books, and engaging in conversations with readers of all ages. (full list available at www.OhioanaBookFestival.org.)

The Kent State University Library and Information Science students and faculty along with local librarians will provide many lively activities for youngsters, including costumed book characters Curious George, Wild Thing, Amelia Buddleia, and Hedgie.

The most recent books of all of the festival authors will be available through the on-site Barnes and Noble Bookstore.

The Ohioana Book Festival will be a wonderful experience for individuals, and a great day for a family to celebrate as part of this Mother’s Day weekend.

More information about the festival can be found at www.OhioanaBookFestival.org .

The festival is presented by the Ohioana Library Association with major funding provided by the Greater Columbus Arts Council, the Ohio Humanities Council, the Reinberger Foundation, the Ohio Arts Council, Honda of America, Mfg., Inc., and the State Library of Ohio.  The children’s activity area is co-sponsored by Huntington Bank and Nationwide Children’s Hospital.  Media sponsors are WOSU Public Media, OHIO magazine, and WCBE radio.  Barnes & Noble is the official bookseller.  Additional support is provided by more than twenty contributors and community partners including the Toledo and Lucas County Public Library, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Ohio Center for the Book, at the Cleveland Public Library, and numerous local organizations. The full list can be found on the Ohioana Book Festival web site.  www.OhioanaBookFestival.org

The mission of the Ohioana Library, established in 1929 by First Lady Martha Kinney Cooper, is to recognize and encourage the creative accomplishments of Ohioans; preserve and expand a permanent collection of books, sheet music, manuscripts, and other materials by Ohioans and about Ohio; and disseminate information about the work of Ohio writers, musicians and other artists to researchers, schools and the general public. Individuals can visit the library at 274 E.  First Ave., Columbus, OH, or online at www.ohioana.org.

Additionally, you may still participate in Library Advocacy Day even if you do not attend the ALA Annual Conference.

For more information, go to http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/libraryadvocacyday/index.cfm

If you are interested in being a part of the Ohio delegation please contact Bill Morris, Legislative Day State Coordinator, at wmorris@library.ohio.gov.  Please look for additional information and messages about participation in the next month or so.

Libraries can visit http://www.nationaldayoflistening.org/ to download our free Do-It-Yourself Instruction Guide with step-by-step interview instructions, equipment recommendations and great questions.

There are several other ways libraries can get involved in the National Day of Listening. Feel free to send them the following recommendations:

• Distribute StoryCorps’ Do-It-Yourself Instruction Guide at your facilities, and encourage patrons to conduct their own Do-It-Yourself recordings with a loved one on the day after Thanksgiving.
• Provide recording equipment and a quiet recording space for people to record National Day of Listening interviews at your facility.
• Download StoryCorps’ Community Service Toolkit and host a National Day of Listening event using our event guide.
• Utilize StoryCorps’ online support materials, such as our web banners, logos, customizable web text and Facebook fan button.
• Post the National Day of Listening flyer included in the Community Service Toolkit on your community bulletin board.
• Incorporate StoryCorps Education Toolkit into your library’s existing education programs.
• Recommend Listening Is an Act of Love as a book club selection for the month of November.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2009
Contact: Marsha McDevitt-Stredney
Marketing & Communications
State Library of Ohio
274 E. 1^st Avenue
Columbus, OH 43201
614-644-6875
marshams@sloma.state.oh.us

The State Library of Ohio recently hosted a Find Help in Tough Times webinar for library staff throughout Ohio. The webinar featured speakers from eight state agencies presenting programs and services to help Ohioans during these tough economic times and beyond. “Our goal was to help state agencies and libraries raise awareness of these resources and provide practical tips on their use,” said State Librarian Jo Budler. The attendees were pleased with the range of services covered in the webinar. Chris Atzberger from Bexley Public Library said, “I liked the very broad scope of the presentation–much more than I had anticipated.”

The presentations included: Michelle Nabors of the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services provided a review of the Ohio Means Jobs website; Anika Chandler with the Ohio Treasurer of State’s office discussed financial help opportunities; Sharon Seiling with the Ohio Agricultural Extension spoke about consumer publications on financial security and mental health in stressful times; Susan Shockey, also from the Agricultural Extension, spoke about Ohioline health and wellness resources for families under stress; Lori Stewart of the Ohio Department of Insurance gave an overview of consumer affairs publications on finding health insurance and locating a long-term care facility; Dana Smith of the Ohio Housing Finance Agency spoke about the many helpful homeownership publications and programs produced by the agency; Jennifer Flatter of the Ohio Department of Commerce pointed out publications & programs for foreclosure prevention at Ohio’s Save the Dream website; and John Ratliff represented the Ohio Department of Aging and highlighted the money-saving Golden Buckeye program, Ohio’s Best Rx program, and the resources of the state’s twelve Area Agencies on Aging.

Karen Rothman at Way Public Library said she “will use (the information) to assist patrons with specific questions or needs, such as rental housing or insurance…  (and) check out websites for printed materials for handouts or display information.” An overview with links to the presenters’ state agency’s websites is available in the October issue of The News.

October 21-23, 2009 – Columbus Convention Center

Special Offer: OLC members may attend the conference at the OELMA member rate.

The conference will feature nationally known speakers, such as David Loertscher and Nancy J. Keane (who was listed as one of Library Journal’s 2009 Movers & Shakers) and other great authors including Betsy Lewin,  Pete Hautman, Lauren Myracle, and Tony Abbott. We are also very excited to have Ingrid Law, author of Savvy, which was selected as a 2009 Newbery Honor book as well as Mike Sullivan an expert on boys and reading.  In addition to sessions, Sullivan will be the featured speaker at the OELMA Author and Awards Luncheon taking place on Friday, Oct. 23. Go to: http://www.oelma.org/Conference/2009/authors%20flyer.pdf to learn about ALL of the featured authors/speakers who will be attending the OELMA Conference.

In addition to authors, the OELMA Conference will host over 65 different educational sessions including ten featured authors and speakers that are sure to inspire.  Go to http://www.oelma.org/Conference.htm to access links to the Thursday and Friday sessions. Two preconference sessions will be held at the State Library of Ohio on Wednesday from 4-7pm (a box lunch will be provided): The Tech Savvy Booktalker with Nancy Keane and What’s New with New Literacies? with William Kist . The OELMA Conference is also a great time to visit with various library vendors.

On Thursday evening OELMA will host our fourth annual AuthorPalooza event from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Authors from around the state will be on hand to sign and read from their books, offer Q&A sessions and discuss their work.  AuthorPalooza admission is INCLUDED in registration for the OELMA Conference, so register today.  Guests can also attend AuthorPalooza by paying $10 at the door (check or cash only). AuthorPalooza is a great way to see local authors that can be booked economically for public library programs, too. Participating authors include:  Betsy Lewin, David Loertscher, Tony Abbott, Pete Hautman, Ingrid Law, Lauren Myracle, and Shelley Pearsall, among others.

Register today at (https://www.tandmservices.com/oelma2009/ )

7/20/09 OLC Cancels 2009 Convention & Expo

On Friday, July 17, the OLC Board of Directors made the difficult decision to cancel the 2009 Ohio Library Council Convention & Expo, Oct. 21-23, in Cleveland. This decision was unanimously supported by Tom Adkins, Convention Chair, as well as the Planning Committee Chairs – Cindy Lombardo, Program Chair; Andrew Mangels, Local Arrangements Chair; Jamie Mason, Expo Chair.

The Convention & Expo is considered to be the signature event of the Ohio Library Council. However, OLC staff learned last week in a survey of library directors that very few libraries will have the funds to send library staff to this event. In light of the recent developments in the state’s public library funding and the drastic adjustments that all libraries have been making to their operations, the OLC made the most fiscally-responsible route for both members and the organization.

As the OLC moves forward, members will receive more information about how the OLC plans to restructure its education programming to respond to members’ needs in the challenging times ahead. The OLC staff is exploring several different education alternatives, including regional and electronic options.

The board and the OLC staff truly regret that this decision had to be made and the OLC’s focus continues to be on meeting members’ needs. The needs of library staff are changing so the OLC is evaluating the best ways to continue providing the services that are most important to OLC members.

The OLC board and staff would like to thank everyone who has volunteered many hours to plan this event.

Please direct questions regarding the cancellation of this event to olc@olc.org.

The Ohio Genealogical Society dreamed it, planned it, and thanks to donors, a new 18,000 square-foot library will be built on Ohio 97 Bellville.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday on an eight-acre site of land, donated to the society by James and Marjorie Gorman for the new Samuel D. Isaly Library of the Ohio Genealogical Society.

Samuel Isaly of New York City, was the lead donor for the $1.7 million project. His contribution allows the society to continue to preserve the history of Ohio’s families.

Isaly’s grandfather started the Isaly Dairy Company in Mansfield. They are known for the creation of the Klondike Bar.

Other funding for library includes a $600,000 rural development loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a $50,000 matching grant from the Richland County Foundation and a $350,000 grant from the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission.

Samuel D. Isaly has made is mark upon America for being one of the most recognized healthcare fund managers.