COOL wins 2013 Ohio Library Council Innovation Award
In 2011 our library became a founding member of the Consortium of Ohio Libraries, a loose affiliation of at the time 9 public libraries in Ohio. This group formed around one concept, the idea that there must be a better way, especially for smaller libraries, to acquire online catalog software than the previous model, which was to license a product from a closed source vendor. This group selected Evergreen, a free and open source software catalog and contracted with OHIONET, a library member based non-profit that is located in Columbus.
Cardington-Lincoln Public Library selected for national project, “Future Ready with the Library”
The Future Ready with the Library project is aimed towards helping middle school students get college and career minded. The Cardington-Lincoln Public Library was selected as one of the first 20 libraries across the nation to participate in this project - and the only library chosen in Ohio!
“I am excited for this opportunity to create a new program and to partner with the Cardington-Lincoln Schools,” said Hillary Scholz, the Youth Services Librarian. “I think it’s a great way to get younger, middle-grade students in the mindset of future schooling and learning opportunities.”
Christmas in Cardington was a wonderful night filled with holiday cheer and fun activities. Must Read Monday: The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
In this edition of Must Read Monday, staff member Annie reviews the book The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Check out her review for all you "knead" to know about making good bread amidst a busy schedule.
Hillary Goes to Atlanta
Our Youth Services Librarian, Hillary Scholz, went to Atlanta in January as part of the library's collaboration with YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) for Future Ready with the Library.
State Budget may further reduce library funding (posted March 6, 2017)
House Bill 49, the text of the full year (FY) 2018-19 state budget bill was released in February. Gov. Kasich's budget proposal would cut state funding to Ohio's public libraries by more than $7 million in FY 2018 by reducing the Public Library Fund (PLF) from 1.7% of the state's General Revenue Fund (GRF) to 1.66% of the GRF. The PLF has been the target of the budget ax since 2002 as this chart illustrates.
Read more to find out how you can help protect the PLF.
Library closes fundraising campaign
We did it! The library has closed the books on the gofundme.com campaign to "Warm the Library with a New Furnace" after raising $8,533. With the help of the Consolidated Electric Foundation, Rands Mechanical, and more than 75 patrons, friends and family, the furnace will be installed in August. We would love to show off our completed project. Please request to see it when you visit the library later this summer. Read on for more about our partners and contributors.
State Budget update
Just minutes before the midnight deadline on June 30, Governor Kasich signed House Bill (HB) 49 to fund state government from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2019. Prior to signing the two-year main operating budget bill into law, he line-item vetoed 47 provisions. Fortunately the language temporarily setting the Public Library Fund (PLF) at 1.68 percent of the state's General Revenue Fund (GRF) was NOT vetoed and became effective immediately. The temporary language reduces by half the more than $7 million cut in FY 2018 originally proposed by Governor Kasich.
Christmas in Cardington: Holiday Fun at the Library
Thank you so much to our community for another successful Christmas in Cardington event! The library was blessed with nearly 1000 visitors who had fun in our Nutcracker-themed photo booth complete with a Sugar Plum Fairy, snacked on a brownie, created a Nutcracker ornament, decorated a sugar cookie, bought a book from an author or just stopped by to hang out for a while.