At its meeting on Jan. 17, the State Library of Ohio Board of Trustees awarded an LSTA grant in the amount of $11,050 to support “Re-IMAGEing Ohio’s Libraries: A Collaborative Event for the Staffs of Ohio’s Academic, Public and School Libraries.” This joint conference, hosted by the Academic Library Association of Ohio (ALAO), the Ohio Education Library Media Association (OELMA) and the Ohio Library Council (OLC), is scheduled for Fri., June 14, at the Conference Center at OCLC in northwest Columbus.

The conference will feature programs and experiences intended to improve Ohio’s library workforce, facilitate partnerships, and support initiatives that improve the capacity of librarians and library staff to improve their knowledge and skills. Conference participants will have opportunities to network with other library staffs outside of their usual networks, learn what other types of libraries are doing, and explore mutual benefits across different types of libraries. They will discover what other types of libraries can do for and with them, learn to be thoughtful of other library types in developing new ideas, and find inspiration for new and innovative ways to support fellow library staff around the state.

The LSTA grant will cover all of the projected costs associated with the event except food and beverage costs (not permitted for LSTA funds). As a result, the estimated registration fee will be $35-40 per attendee. More information about the event will be posted on the OLC website in the coming weeks. Registration should open in late April.