About Us

OHIONET is a library membership organization of academic, public, school and special libraries in Ohio, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania. OHIONET is a member-funded, 501(c)(3) corporation.

OHIONET offers an array of services to meet the needs of its members.  Those services include:

  • Technology management solutions including management of integrated library systems, and web and proxy hosting

  • Discount programs for electronic resources, equipment and supplies

  • Billing and training support for OCLC services

  • Continuing education programs on a wide range of topics including library trends and issues, OCLC products and services, and electronic resources

In addition, OHIONET has a long history of partnership with libraries and information providers to build strategic alliances. OHIONET works with the following organizations:

Together with these organizations, we can explore opportunities for pooling resources to address the library and information needs of all Ohio citizens.

See where OHIONET is headed with their strategic plan.

Mission

As a membership organization, OHIONET provides value to libraries and information centers through innovative technology solutions, programs, products, training and consulting. We respond to member needs with experience, knowledge and creativity to support effective resource management.

Vision

OHIONET assists members in acquiring, implementing and using technology solutions to manage operations and resources to meet end user needs.

Our History

In December 1977, OHIONET was established as the first OCLC regional service provider to broker OCLC services in Ohio. OHIONET became a 501(c)3 not for profit corporation in September 1978 and moved to its current administrative offices in 1981 to allow for a growing staff and changing mission.

OHIONET membership has grown from 103 libraries in 1977 to more than 300 today. Member libraries include academic, public, school, and special libraries, library consortia, and a library association, and are located in Ohio, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania.

Brokering OCLC services is still an important function, but OHIONET now offers an array of services to meet the needs of members. Those services include:

  • Continuing education programs on OCLC products and services, reference databases, and library trends and issues

  • Discount programs for electronic resources, equipment and supplies

  • Hosted technology solutions, including web hosting and proxy hosting

  • OPAL, a shared library catalog of Ohio's private academic libraries