Database RFP Update

As you may know, for the past five years, the State Library Board has been providing LSTA funds to help purchase electronic resources for the collection currently called "Ohio Web Library." These electronic resources are available to all public, school, and academic libraries in Ohio.

In June 2007, the State Library Board requested that the Libraries Connect Ohio (LCO) partners -- OPLIN, OhioLINK, INFOhio, and the State Library -- release an RFP to re-evaluate the current collection.

A review committee was formed with 5 members of each library community and a representative from the State Library serving on the committee. The task before this review committee is to recommend databases to be purchased with approximately $1 million in LSTA funds.

After receiving 37 responses to our RFP, the Database review committee met for the first time on January 30, 2008.

During the meeting, participants discussed options, reviewed the proposals and left with assignments to review further specifics for selected subject areas and vendors. The committee will meet again on February 28th, 2008 to finalize information and make recommendations to the LCO leadership, who in turn will prepare a proposal for presentation to the State Library Board.


The members of the committee include:

Stephen Hedges, OPLIN
Pamela Benjamin, Cleveland Public Library
Jay Burton, State Library of Ohio
Sally Kramer, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
Pat Lora, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library
Jeff Regensburger, Worthington Libraries
Janis Williams, Shaker Heights Public Library

Tom Sanville, OhioLINK
Mary Cummings, Shawnee State U
Earl Griffith, Denison U
Louie Mays, Southern State CC
Jerry Newman, U Cincinnati
Barbara Schloman, Kent State University

Theresa Fredericka, INFOhio
Connie Evans, New Philadelphia City Schools
Christine Findlay, Centerville City Schools
John Myles, Liberty Center Local Schools
Laurie Switzer, Strongsville City Schools
Krista Taracuk, Worthington City Schools