As a democracy, it is critical that access to necessary information resources be provided to all citizens. Historically, in print and even now via the Internet, the highest quality information is sold commercially. Libraries have traditionally provided the means of providing information access to the masses. By working together and purchasing authoritative, commercially provided reference and research resources at the statewide level, Libraries Connect Ohio is able to provide all Ohioans with access to the resources necessary for life in the information-intensive 21st century. Comprehensive individual purchases by libraries across the state are not affordable and thus statewide access is not assured. If every school, college, university, and public library were to purchase these resources individually, either in print or electronic forms, the cost would be in the multi-millions of dollars. With ever-tightening local budgets, few libraries can afford these resources on their own, let alone the space to store them. Electronic access also allows for more convenient, faster, and cheaper information sharing.

1. Improve All K-12 school districts in meeting core competencies and proficiencies.
2. Improve K-12 students’ readiness for higher education.
3. Support workforce development and lifelong learning in Ohio’s adult population.
4. Support the ability of Ohioans to improve the quality of their personal lives through more informed decisions.

It is a myth that the authoritative information Ohioans need for school, work and lifelong learning is available for free on the Internet. Authoritative information has never been and will never be free. When you need reliable, authoritative resources for school assignments, business research or lifelong education, turn to the Ohio Web Library for information you can trust.

While the free Internet can also be useful in the research process, you have to watch out for broken links, unverified information, questionable results from search engines and fees for full-text materials. The Ohio Web Library goes beyond the Internet and provides you with access to subscription-only resources. Ohio Web Library resources are verified by editors and scholars, are created by reliable sources and are acceptable for class assignments.

As a taxpayer, you fund the Ohio Web Library through a combination of state and federal taxes. Specifically, the Ohio Web Library is funded by a federal Library Services and Technology Act Grant through the State Library of Ohio, which provides an average of $1.16 million per year for five years. The three LCO library networks—INFOhio, OhioLINK and OPLIN—provide an additional $2.9 million in state funds each year from their current budgets.

The LSTA grant that helps fund the Ohio Web Library is a temporary funding measure and will expire on June 30, 2008. There is no permanent funding in place to sustain these resources, let alone expand them. Therefore, it is imperative that we find a stable funding resource for the Ohio Web Library. Libraries Connect Ohio is currently working to inform the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate about the need for stable state funding for Ohio Web Library resources. However, the current collection of resources is just the beginning. Rough estimates suggest that a complete core collection of the resources necessary to compete in the global knowledge economy would cost $8-10 million.

• Add a link to the Ohio Web Library to your Web site or blog.

• Share your story. Let us know how the Ohio Web Library benefits you.

Please send questions about Libraries Connect Ohio to ohioweblibrary@oplin.org. If you need help finding information or using the Ohio Web Library, please contact your local public library, academic library or school library for assistance. Or visit KnowItNow 24x7 to chat with a librarian online.