A Note From the
Executive Director
It’s that time of year again! We are seeking passionate individuals to fill upcoming open board seats for the NEO-RLS Board of Trustees. We have three seats open for election including Zone 3, Zone 5, and School Libraries. Board terms are three years and new members of the Board will serve from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027. Emails containing a link to the nomination form were sent to library representatives on April 1st. We are accepting nominations through April 30th, and elections will take place on May 1st.
To be eligible to run for election, you must be the designated representative for your library. Library Directors may serve as the representative OR may appoint another individual to serve.
If you are interested in running for an open board seat but did not receive an email invitation, please contact me at ragan.snead@neo-rls.org. We want to ensure that all interested individuals have the opportunity to participate. These positions offer an incredible opportunity to help drive our mission forward. As a member of the board, you'll have the chance to make a meaningful impact on the direction and initiatives of NEO-RLS.
Feel free to contact Melanie McGurr, our Board President, if you have any questions about the responsibilities of a Trustee. You can also visit our website to check out your current Board members and ask them your questions.
Have a great day! Ragan |
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| Dynamic Dialogue: Understanding Socio-economic Diversity and Uplifting Underserved Communities is Only a Month Away-Register Today!
Thursday, May 9th at the Hilton Garden Inn, Twinsburg
2024 Dynamic Dialogue: Understanding Socio-economic Diversity and Uplifting Underserved Communities, is an event aimed at helping libraries better serve diverse socio-economic and marginalized groups. Attendees will explore practical strategies to promote inclusivity and social equity within their library services. The day-long format of the conference will include a poverty simulation in the morning, breakout sessions in the afternoon, and will conclude with a Q&A. Breakout sessions will be scheduled so that every attendee may attend two different sessions. Click this event link for more information and to register.
Update to the 2024 Directors' Retreat: Fostering a Thriving Work Culture
The second session, How to Talk so your Board will Listen: Education, communication, and transformation, on the first day is not just for public library directors.
For our directors in academic and special libraries, most of this content will apply to you as well. The session is focused on communication, and can apply to various scenarios such as advisory councils and university peer group meetings. In the group discussion portion, all of the discussion prompts will be applicable to the academic setting. Click this event link for complete details and to register for the Directors' Retreat.
Submit your data!
There’s still time to participate in the Statewide Salary Survey. Not quite finished? Not quite started? You now have until the deadline of April 30, 2024, to submit your data. Join your colleagues across the state in providing the comprehensive wage and benefit information needed for decision-making. Utilize the power of the online feature, CODA, to compare your data and keep abreast of trends. Need the link? Email ragan.snead@neo-rls.org ASAP. Results will be available beginning June 1, 2024.
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| Reimagining School Readiness Toolkit Next Session When: April 23, 2024 - 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Where: Willowick Library located at 263 E. 305, Willowick, OH 44095
Lunch: Participants will be given a 1-hour lunch and may bring their lunch or visit a local restaurant in the area. This training is for library staff who work with children from ages 0 to 8 years and their families. Register now. Registration is open to library staff in Ohio. Through an interactive presentation with hands-on activities, this training will introduce library staff to the research, practical implications, and resources offered in the toolkit.
key findings from current cognitive and developmental psychology research the implications of those findings for library staff’s daily work practical ready-to-implement ideas for activities
resources for staff training and for parents/caregivers Registration and more information can be found the State Library of Ohio’s website. Contact Penelope Shumaker at pshumaker@library.ohio.gov with any questions.
For more information: www.ohioana.org/programs/ohioana-book-festival |
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| OhioNet Launches Ohio Industrial Resource Cooperative (OIRC) to Empower Industrial Libraries and Drive Business Development
Westerville, Ohio (March 27, 2024) – OhioNet, a non-profit membership organization and the only statewide consortium for libraries of every type and size, is excited to announce the formation of the Ohio Industrial Resource Cooperative (OIRC). This new community purchasing group, powered by OhioNet, aims to leverage the collective buying power of industrial libraries across the state, enabling them to access vital research and resources that will support their business development efforts.
Inspired by Jim Clarke, Knowledge Management Specialist at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, the OIRC was established with a pilot group of seven founding members, mostly comprised of Fortune 500 companies located in northeastern Ohio. The OIRC completed a successful pilot project in the fall of 2023; a purchase agreement with one of the top five scientific research publishers in the world, resulting in cost savings of over $15,000 for the participating libraries, and increased access for new and existing customers.
Andrew Whitis, Interim Executive Director of OhioNet, emphasized the significance of the OIRC, stating, "The Ohio Industrial Resource Cooperative is a transformative development for industrial libraries across Ohio. By leveraging their collective buying power, these libraries can now gain access to important research materials and resources that will foster innovation and strengthen their R&D capabilities."
Now that the pilot period is completed, the OIRC is committed to continued community building and advancing group negotiations to ensure benefits for its members. Participation in the consortium is open to for-profit companies in Ohio that become OhioNet members. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Hannah Rosen, Director of Member Programs, at hannahr@ohionet.org for more information.
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The Buckeye Children’s Book Award Council is pleased to announce the nominees for the 2024 Buckeye Children’s Book Award and the 2024 Buckeye Teen Book Award.
The following titles were chosen by young readers across Ohio through an online nomination process. Buckeye Children’s Book Award:
Grades K-2
● Big by Vashti Harrison (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2023)
● The Big Cheese by Jory John, illus. by Pete Oswald (HarperCollins, 2023)
● Frank and Bert by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros (Nosy Crow, 2023)
● Simon and the Better Bone by Corey R. Tabor (Balzer + Bray, 2023)
● Stinkbird Has a Superpower by Jill Esbaum, illus. by Bob Shea (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young
Readers, 2023)
Click this link for the entire list. |
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