OH!Libraries: Spotlight on Ohio library services

AASL selects 2006 NSLMPY Award winners
CHICAGO - Hilliard (Ohio) City School District, Biblioteca Las Americas in Mercedes, Texas, and Kapolei (Hawaii) High School will receive this year's prestigious National School Library Media Program of the Year Award (NSLMPY) from the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The honor will be presented at the AASL Awards Luncheon at the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans.
American Library Association. 4/25/06. http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=news&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=124552


Librarian shares nightmares
First of three boys sentenced in crash of car into branch library
In the middle of most nights, Shirley Freeman feels trapped amid a pile of rubble, unable to climb out.
Columbus Dispatch. 4/28/06. http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/04/28/20060428-E1-02.html


Briggs Library lending hand at Ohio River Festival of Books
HUNTINGTON, W.Va – The Ohio River Festival of Books may only come around once every two years, but several local organizations are aiming at making it as successful, if not more so, than it has been the past two times it has been held.
Ironton Tribune. 4/27/06. http://www.irontontribune.com/articles/2006/04/27/news/news804.txt

Harassment Claim Dropped against Ohio State Librarian
Ohio State University officials have found no evidence that a librarian at the school’s Mansfield campus engaged in harassment when he suggested four best-selling conservative books be added to the freshman reading list.
American Libraries Online. 4/21/06. http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/april2006ab/mansfield.htm


Leaking out wisdom
On a warm June day in 1967, days after the new Jerome Library opened, it was already leaking. On a warm April day nearly 40 years later, it still is.
BG News. 4/27/06. http://media.www.bgnews.com/media/storage/paper883/news/2006/04/27/Campus/Leaking.Out.Wisdom-1879363.shtml?sourcedomain=www.bgnews.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com


LIS Celebration of Scholarship Becoming Tradition
Three years is not long enough for something to become a tradition, but the Libraries and Information Services annual Celebration of Scholarship is well on its way to becoming a tradition.
Connect2OWU. 4/26/06. http://connect2.owu.edu/newsandviews/122.php


Library helped write history
The Wright Memorial Public Library opened in 1939 at 1776 Far Hills Ave., between Aberdeen and Telford avenues in Oakwood.
Dayton Daily News. 4/26/06. http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/localnews/neighbors/kettering_oakwood/0427place.html


LEISURE: Arena expecting readers, writers galore
HUNTINGTON [WV] -- Whether you prefer mysteries, romance or some other sort of reading, the Ohio River Festival of Books is bound to tempt your palette. The festival, a joint undertaking of a half-dozen local libraries, will feature more than 50 authors.
Herald Dispatch. 4/23/06. http://www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060423/LIFE/604230327/1004


Tax levy necessary to maintain library services
BLANCHESTER — On the ballot Tuesday is a 1-mill, five-year levy for the Blanchester Public Library.
Wilmington News Journal. 4/26/06. http://www.wnewsj.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=147828&SectionID=15&SubSectionID=44

OSU: Librarian did not harass gay professors
MANSFIELD -- The Ohio State University Office of Human Resources in Columbus determined there is no finding of "harassment" by a reference librarian at The Ohio State University-Mansfield, dean and director Evelyn Freeman said Wednesday.
CentralOhio.com. 4/20/06. http://www.centralohio.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/B7/20060420/NEWS01/604200333/1002&template=B7

Teens find their voice in poetry slam
COSHOCTON - Neither nerves nor their printed works kept 10 local teens from facing off in the third annual Teen Poetry Slam on Thursday. Sponsored by the Coshocton Public Library as a way to celebrate National Poetry Month, local schools nominated their best poets to compete for the traveling trophy and bragging rights for the best poet in the county.
Coshocton Tribune. 4/21/06. http://www.coshoctontribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060421/NEWS01/604210304/1002

Connecting with history
Dan Cutler, who will portray Chief Cornstalk during the Chautauqua program set for later this year in Gallipolis, is seen setting up his display of Native American artifacts in the Bossard Memorial Library. The Bluefield, W.Va., resident will exhibit the items at the library until mid-May.
Gallipolis Daily Tribune. 4/21/06. http://www.mydailytribune.com/articles/2006/04/20/news/local_news/news02.txt

Tax limits, tort reform top Blackwell’s initiatives for Ohio
Blackwell speaks out
Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell attended a forum hosted by editors and reporters from the Brown Publishing Company Thursday in an opportunity to discuss the issues he is endorsing as his platform for a possible future as Ohio’s next governor.
Hillsboro Times-Gazette. 4/21/06. http://www.timesgazette.com/main.asp?SectionID=18&SubSectionID=175&ArticleID=138401

Download Movies Now Available From Texas Public Library Website
Films, Documentaries, TV, and Concert Videos Are Free Downloads at Garland's Nicholson Memorial Library System
DALLAS, TX--(MARKET WIRE)-- Today Nicholson Memorial Library System became one of the first libraries in the nation and the first in Texas to offer free downloads of copy protected movies, TV shows, and educational videos.
Market Wire. 4/20/06. http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=123876

Goodwill gesture brings over 100 boxes of books to Meigs
RUTLAND - When kindergartners at Meigs Primary School entered the library this week they immediately noticed boxes and boxes of new books.
Pomeroy Daily Sentinel. 4/20/06. http://www.mydailysentinel.com/articles/2006/04/20/news/local_news/news01.txt

Society of Professional Journalists Sponsors Writing Workshop
CLEVELAND, April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cleveland Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is sponsoring an outstanding program of instruction for journalists and writers, called "Sharpen Your Skills!". The program will be from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 29, at the Cuyahoga County Public Library, Independence Branch, 6361 Selig Drive, Independence, Ohio.
YAHOO! Finance. 4/20/06. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060420/clth538.html?.v=8

First U.S. Carnegie Library Damaged by Lightning
The Allegheny branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) has been closed indefinitely after lightning struck the building’s 115-year-old clock tower mid-evening on April 7.
American Libraries Online. 4/19/06. http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/april2006ab/lightning.htm


Child molester gets 30 years for porn left at library
A résumé that Carl Geddes Jr. left behind at Cleveland Public Library has led him to a long and secure career -- as a prison inmate.
Cleveland Plain Dealer. 4/20/06. http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1145522549217630.xml?ncounty_cuyahoga&coll=2


Library celebrates Poetry Month
MECHANICSBURG – The Mechanicsburg Public Library will present Robert Burns and More Tuesday, April 25 at 7 p.m.
Urban Daily Citizen. 4/20/06. http://www.urbanacitizen.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=141276

Book world can recycle pithy titles
`A Good Day to Die,' `The Island' are names that've had many lives
Choosing the title of a Harlequin release can be as challenging as actually writing the book. The author and editors sometimes spar for weeks over the precise word or words to entice that imagined reader on the supermarket checkout line.
Akron Beacon Journal. 4/19.06. http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/entertainment/14375734.htm


Blackwell's wife silent on plan's school impact
Many local officials oppose proposal to limit spending
Columbus -- Ohio's county commissioners are officially opposed to an amendment that would restrict government spending. The townships and libraries are against it, too. So are many public schools.
Cleveland Plain Dealer. 4/18/06. http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1145349738302720.xml?nohio&coll=2


Tech Center celebration set for Thursday
The TECH CENTER located in the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library will celebrate its 10th anniversary from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday. The public is invited to take part in the celebration, which will include refreshments and tours.
Tribune Chronicle. 4/19/06. http://www.tribune-chronicle.com/community/articles.asp?articleID=2774


Edison Community College Breaks Ground On Expansion
PIQUA, Ohio -- Officials at Edison Community College in Piqua broke ground Tuesday on a campus expansion project that will benefit the residents and communities of Miami, Shelby and Darke counties. The college broke ground on two new educational centers. One facility is the Health Sciences Center and the other is a Library/Learning Center.
WHIOtv7. 4/19/06. http://www.whiotv.com/news/8802964/detail.html

I'm catching up on some old issues of Library Hotline and I noticed a news item about New York residents now being able to access electronic databases with their driver's license. Out of curiosity, I did a quick search to see if any other states did the same thing. I found a total of three (including New York):

New York Online Virtual Electronic Library (NOVEL): http://www.novelnewyork.org/

Michigan Electronic Library (MEL): http://www.mel.org/screens/databasesubjects.html

NebraskAccess: http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/nebraskaccess/

Is it time for Ohio to get it in gear?

Model of Leetonia's new library unveiled
LEETONIA - The public got a sneak peak Monday at what people have been craving for a long time: a new library.
Morning Journal. 4/18/06. http://www.morningjournalnews.com/news/story/0418202006_new02news18.asp


Claggett named to library board
NEWARK -- Thad Claggett has been named to the Newark Public Library Board. Claggett is the vice president of operations for Claggett & Sons Inc., General Contractors, located on Sharon Valley Road in Newark. He is also a managing partner for Claggett Design/Build, a sister company of Claggett and Sons.
Newark Advocate. 4/15/06. http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060415/NEWS01/604150315/1002/NEWS01

Alden's 7th floor now a space-age furniture surveillance room
The first time I stepped onto the seventh floor of Ohio University's Alden Library, it felt like I had time-warped.
Athens News. 4/13/06. http://www.athensnews.com/issue/article.php3?story_id=24142


McArthur hosts spring literary arts festival
Second annual event includes Pulitzer Prize-winning author
McARTHUR - The Herbert Wescoat Memorial Library and the Friends of the Herbert Wescoat Memorial Library, Inc. will host the second annual Spring Literary Arts Festival Friday, April 21 through Sunday, April 23. The festival will be conducted in and around the library and at the Vinton County High School-both located in McArthur.
Chillicothe Gazette. 4/13/06. http://www.chillicothegazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060413/LIFESTYLE/604130318/1024


Johnny Appleseed to be topic of chat
MOUNT VERNON — “Who Was Johnny Appleseed?” is the topic of the Brown Bag Chat on Wednesday, beginning at noon at the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County, 201 N. Mulberry St.
Mount Vernon News. 4/13/06. http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/06/04/13/chat.html


KnoxNet to cease operations
MOUNT VERNON — An era will come to an end at midnight on June 17 as KnoxNet, one of the oldest community freenets still in existence, will close down its system of free e-mail accounts and dial-up access to the Internet. The service currently hosts about 2,500 free dial-up e-mail accounts, roughly half of which are in active use, according to John Chidester, director of the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County. The library has provided the KnoxNet service since 1997.
Mount Vernon News. 4/13/06. http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/06/04/13/knox.net.html


Partnerships weighed to maintain library
YOUNGSTOWN — Representatives of the Ohio Historical Society, Youngstown State University and Mahoning Valley Historical Society are discussing partnerships that could lead to the transfer of the archives library from Youngstown Center of Industry and Labor, also know as the Steel Museum.
Youngstown Vindicator. 4/14/06. http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/358092689960148.php

Rock out at the library
It's just about time to rock out with books and a band at the Tiffin-Seneca Public Library. Patrons who wish to read in a quiet setting should avoid the Reading Room at the library at 6:30 p.m. April 27, said Patricia Hillmer, the library's director.
Advertiser-Tribune. 4/12/06. http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/community/story/0412202006_com01rock0412.asp


Educator named to library board
Lori McClung, a senior fellow for education and youth development issues for the Center for Community Solutions, has been appointed to the Cleveland Public Library board of trustees.
Cleveland Plain Dealer. 4/13/06. http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1144917412304960.xml?nohon&coll=2


Dressed-up ducklings to make way again
Many holiday events for young planned during next few days
With flowers rising out of the ground, thoughts turn toward spring and the activities for which the season is known: egg hunts, outdoor hikes, duck walks. Duck walks? The 20th annual Duckling Day, inspired by the children’s book Make Way for Ducklings by Ohio author Robert McCloskey, is planned for Saturday at the Whetstone branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library.
Columbus Dispatch. 4/13/06. http://www.dispatch.com/weekender/weekender.php?story=dispatch/2006/04/13/20060413-W2-00.html


Library officials: Cuts will be needed if levies don't pass
LORAIN -- Lorain Public Library System officials say if the May 2 levies for the Lorain, Sheffield Lake and Avon branches fail, there will be drastic cuts -- including nearly one-third of the branches' personnel.
Morning Journal. 4/13/06. http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16474063&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46371&rfi=6


Microsoft reveals answer to Google Scholar
Microsoft has released an English-language beta version of Windows Live Academic Search, a service for searching academic journals.
New York Times. 4/12/06. http://www.nytimes.com/cnet/CNET_2100-1011_3-6060314.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

City Chatter: Breast Defense: County libraries cloak Sports Illustrated's most popular issue
Right here in the magazine aisle of Parma's branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, the anemic ranks of the Standards Police have found the boobs they'd hoped could be hidden from our children forever.
Cleveland Free Times. 4/12/06. http://www.freetimes.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3258&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0&POSTNUKESID=b02ec1f019cbcfb1a1f33757420338da


Second youth pleads guilty in crash into public library
In one month, Christopher Clark had been in three stolen cars. The 15-year-old was in the back seat of a red 1997 Cadillac he helped steal on Feb. 6 when it was rammed into an East Side library.
Columbus Dispatch. 4/12/06. http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/04/12/20060412-B9-01.html


Marysville Public Library receives $13,000 LSTA Grant
Marysville Public Library is the recipient of a recent grant from the State Library of Ohio.
Marysville Journal-Tribune. 4/12/06. http://www.marysvillejt.com/localnews.htm

Friends of Library holding silent auction
MOUNT VERNON — The Friends of the Library is sponsoring a silent auction, “Birds and Blooms,” on the main floor of the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County.
Mount Vernon News. 4/11/06. http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/06/04/11/auction.html

Library will offer access to 4 other Ohio systems
Lucas County residents unable to find next month's reading selection at their local branch of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library will be able to access collections at other libraries around the state.
Toledo Blade. 4/12/06. http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060412/NEWS33/60412003&SearchID=73241336589448


Library brick a rosy choice for trustees
WOOSTER - Trustees reached a consensus on the color of the brick for the exterior face of the new downtown library in Wooster fairly easily. Agreeing on how to cover the drop-off point on the south side entrance may prove more problematic.
Wooster Daily Record. 4/12/06. http://www.the-daily-record.com/article.php?pathToFile=/articles/news/&file=_news1.txt&article=1&tD=

4/11/06

Falls council vows library levy support
CUYAHOGA FALLS - City Council voted unanimously Monday to support Issue 11, the Taylor Memorial Library's 1.3-mill levy.
Akron Beacon Journal. 4/11/06. http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/14314694.htm


Library hosting poetry festival
LOGAN — Andrew Herold, director of the Logan-Hocking District Public Library, told board members that the library is hosting the 2006 Power for Poetry - Hocking Hills Festival of Poetry this Friday and Saturday.
Logan Daily News. 4/11/06. http://www.logandaily.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=120498


Coloring the perfect Easter egg
This time of year grocery stores are stocking up on eggs for the annual tradition of coloring and hiding them for Easter. The Meigs County District Public Library decided to give young people a jump on coloring their Easter eggs when it hosted an “egg painting party.”
Pomeroy Daily Sentinel. 4/10/06. http://www.mydailysentinel.com/articles/2006/04/10/news/local_news/news02.txt


ELECTION 2006
Bluffton's library asks voters to up tax support
Levy funds targeted for building upkeepBLUFFTON - Faced with continued flat funding from the state and a larger building to heat and maintain, the Bluffton Public Library is asking voters to increase their share of local tax support.
Toledo Blade. 4/11/06. http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060411/NEWS09/604110368


Library levy should not be permanent
The Warren-Trumbull County Public Library is a bargain for local residents.
Tribune Chronicle. 4/10/06.
http://www.tribune-chronicle.com/editorials/articles.asp?articleID=2514

Five Ohio libraries -- Westerville, Cuyahoga County, Toledo, Warren-Trumbull, and Youngstown -- have formed the Search Ohio consortium.

Search Ohio makes any of over 7 million public library items available to the communities served by Westerville Public Library and the county libraries of Cuyahoga County, Toledo-Lucas, Warren-Trumbull, and Youngstown-Mahoning. The Search Ohio portal allows direct, online requesting of books and media and delivery of these items within a matter of days.

You can read the press release, or (if you're lucky enough to be a customer of one of these libraries), start using the Search Ohio catalog.

Chapter 2 for library levy
Falls ballot issue back, described as only avenue to restore services
CUYAHOGA FALLS - Securing local funding is the only way the Cuyahoga Falls Library can restore and improve service, the director says.
Akron Beacon Journal. 4/09/06. http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/14301997.htm


Loudonville library holding photography contest
LOUDONVILLE — Throughout April, there will be a photography contest for seventh through 12th-graders at the Loudonville Public Library.
Mount Vernon News. 4/07/06. http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/06/04/07/photography.html


TEL proposal raises concerns
ST. MARYS — To TEL or not to TEL — that is the question.Voters will face a new amendment this November that could radically change how local governments operate.
St. Mary’s Evening Leader. 04/10/06. http://www.theeveningleader.com/articles/2006/04/08/news/news.01.txt


'China meets America' at Heidelberg library
In 1986, Heidelberg College began a faculty exchange program with China. Since then, about 100 professors from Heidelberg and 20-30 Chinese professors have taken part in the program.
Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune. 4/09/06. http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/news/story/049202006_new01china0409.asp

04/06/06

Grant to expand services to elderly
Computer classes to get money boost
A whole new world will be opened up to the elderly in Ross County through the expansion of a library community outreach program. During the last year, residents of Hopeton Village have been receiving weekly on-site computer classes through the Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library.
Chillicothe Gazette. 4/06/06. http://www.chillicothegazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060406/NEWS01/604060302/1002

Filtering the funnies
Newspapers more wary of content as cartoonists push envelope
The editor who oversees the Chicago Tribune comics pages almost choked on his coffee one November day while perusing a strip for an upcoming edition.
Columbus Dispatch. 4/04/06. http://www.columbusdispatch.com/features-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/04/04/20060404-B1-01.html

The League of Women Voters uses forum to talk about TEL
LIMA — A small crowd gathered in the basement of Lima Public Library on Wednesday to hear the pros and cons of the Tax Expenditure Limitation Amendment. Hosted by the League of Women Voters, the forum ushered in residents and city officials all wanting to know more about what this legislation will mean to Ohio.
Lima News. 4/05/06. http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=24365

Worms will retire to library site
This year, the students will care for the worms in their elementary classrooms, and in May bring them back to the library to join the Wild School Site that will be developed and partially funded by a $500 grant from the state Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.
Springfield News-Sun. 4/05/06. http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/ 2006/04/05/sns0405worminside.html

Where to hang with Peeps
Peep Research: A study of small fluffy creatures and library usage. http://www.millikin.edu/staley/fluff/peep_research.html

Every now and then I like to take a look at the tag cloud at the University of Pennsylvania's library. (http://tags.library.upenn.edu/). I think it's an interesting experiment, for several reasons.

For one thing, what the library is basically doing is allowing library users to re-catalog their holdings. Sure, the library has added subject headings to their catalog records, but the tags allow the library's users to add their own subject headings. That's an interesting notion: the organization of the metadata does not end when the library saves a catalog record, but continues as users actually use the records.

The reason I keep glancing at this page, however, is that the quality and quantity of the users' tags are interesting. You'll see a lot of odd tags, some tags that have probably been added several times by the same user in order to "inflate" the cloud, and other such things that librarians would consider to be junk. But there are also some useful tags in there. And interestingly, the more the tags are used, the more useful the tag cloud becomes.

So I can't resist peeking from time to time to see if this tag cloud might yet become a storm in the library world.

In celebration of National Library Week, the Twinsburg Public Library is having an essay and photo contest on the theme "How the Library Changes Your World." The prize is a gift certificate to a local restaurant.

Even if you're not in Twinsburg, your local library would love to receive a note telling them what impact they have on your life. Why not let them know?