Director’s Desk – Fall 2024

I am excited to share my first update as Executive Director & CEO of OhioNet! Since joining the team in early August, I have felt very welcome thanks to my wonderful colleagues, our Board, and so many of you around Ohio. My colleagues inspire me with their talent, enthusiasm, and vision, and I look forward to sharing more of their work here and in future newsletters.

I have also been inspired by connecting with members via email, virtual meetings, and in-person visits. It is amazing that, though each library is unique, we share a common passion for the ideals of libraries and the communities they serve.

Strategic Planning –

As OhioNet approaches 50 years of service to Ohio’s libraries in 2027, we are poised to envision a future that strengthens our core values and services while evolving our vision to support contemporary member needs. OhioNet staff have already begun laying the foundation to build our 2025-2027 strategic plan. We are very committed to taking a member-centered approach and invite you to join us in the efforts to envision the next era of OhioNet. You will have several opportunities to help guide our vision including a member survey and listening sessions. Please keep an eye out on our various communication channels for specific details on how to join the conversation. We look forward to sharing our progress along the way and launching the plan in early 2025.

Election Update –

We are looking forward to our annual Board of Directors election in October. Serving on the OhioNet Board of Directors is an excellent way to inform the strategic direction of OhioNet and to network with library colleagues across all library types. Though the ballot for this year is nearly set, we are always looking for members who may be interested. If serving on the Board is something you may be interested in, contact us via email at [email protected] for more information.

ADEI Assessment Report –

Pamela Espinosa de los Monteros and Janice Jaguszewski, the consultants hired to conduct our Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Assessment are finalizing their report, and we look forward to sharing more with you in the coming months. Their findings promise to deliver insightful and actionable recommendations and will be a key element in our strategic plan visioning.

Library Visits – 

I joined OhioNet just in time to attend the monthly Consortium of Ohio Libraries (COOL) meeting which was hosted at Wilmington Public Library. It was a delight to meet such COOL librarians! While in town, I had the opportunity to chat with Joe Knueven, Director of the Wilmington Public Library, and get a tour of the main library. Joe and his team have a welcoming library space that encourages engagement, as evidenced in the vibrant children’s area and dedicated space for classes and events. Joe also led the COOL group on a tour of one of WPL’s most recent successes, the Self-Service Branch in Port William. I’m sure you’ll be hearing more from Joe on what has proven to be a successful project!

Staff Transitions – 

Finally, I would like to give a big thank you to Marcela Gonzalez. Marcela transitioned out of her role in early September to pursue the next exciting step in her career. Marcela has been frontline support for our Ohio Private Academic Libraries (OPAL) members and has explored artificial intelligence as a special interest. We’re excited to cheer Marcela on as she presents, “Revolutionizing Resource Discovery: AI-Driven Innovations in OPACs” at the Academic Library Association of Ohio’s (ALAO) Annual Conference in November. Marcela will also be a speaker at our upcoming summit, AI Alchemy: Libraries Growing Smarter (more on that below) on November 19. 

Katy Mathuews, Executive Director & CEO

P.S.: View the rest of our Fall 2024 Newsletter here.