March 2026 Newsletter

As the snow melts and temperatures get warmer (or maybe colder?!), OhioNet is gearing up for a busy year. From exciting events to new vendor deals to starting new traditions…there’s something for everyone! This month’s newsletter is full of exciting opportunities to engage.

Director’s Desk: Learning and Connecting with Our Members

With spring on the horizon, OhioNet’s in-person events are back in full swing! Most recently, I connected with members at Boom and Bust: Libraries Navigating Economic Change in Their Communities, co-hosted with the Chillicothe & Ross County Public Library (CRCPL). It was a wonderful day exploring how libraries can support economic development, respond to changing community demographics, connect with stakeholders, build partnerships, and take advantage of grant funding opportunities. Read a recap of Boom and Bust and learn about future events here.

This month we shine the spotlight on Denison Libraries in Granville, Ohio. In this feature, Director of Libraries Amanda Folk will share information about the Libraries and some of the challenges and successes they’ve recently experienced. Amanda is joined by Kent Huffman, Library Specialist III, to talk about the Viewing Room, a feature of the Libraries that has become a popular space for learning and engagement. Read the full March Member Spotlight feature here.

Featured Event

We invite you to join us for a Library Communications and Outreach Summit on April 22, 2026, at the OhioNet Town Hall meeting space. This in-person event will explore the ways libraries can communicate their value, engage users, and build meaningful connections through outreach.

Attendees will hear from featured speaker Grayson Kelly, the Digital Storytelling Specialist at Columbus Metropolitan Library responsible for one of the most popular library social media brands in the country. See the full agenda and register here.  

Call for Proposals — Student Success Summit

OhioNet invites proposals from our members to present at our upcoming Student Success Summit on June 9, 2026. This in-person event, hosted at OhioNet in Westerville, OH, will explore the ways libraries can support students throughout their educational journey…from story time at their public library to developing literacy skills in their school libraries to researching in academic and special libraries and beyond. Proposals are due April 15, 2026. Learn more here.

Save the Date- Ohio Library Employees Institute (OLEI) 

When the Ohio Library Support Staff Institute (OLSSI) announced that the 2025 Institute would be the last, OhioNet worked closely with them to ensure that their legacy—and all the knowledge needed to continue their work—would live on. We have formed a steering committee to move this event into the future.  

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting the Ohio Library Employees Institute (OLEI) on August 11-12, 2026. This two-day in-person event will be held at the OhioNet town hall in Westerville, Ohio, and will honor OLSSI’s original mission of creating a space for library employees to experience professional growth, social networking, and community building.  

Shortly, OhioNet will be releasing a call for proposals for speakers/trainers at this event. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Featured Vendor – Bayscan Barcode Scanners

For libraries seeking reliable, high-performance scanner solutions, OhioNet offers access to substantial savings through our trusted barcode scanner partner, Bayscan. Whether you need durable wired scanners, flexible wireless models, or specialized scanners designed for driver’s licenses and/or 2D workflows, we can help you select cost-effective options that integrate smoothly with your existing systems. Bayscan systems come with a savings of up to 35% off list price. For more information or a price quote, please email [email protected].

Announcements & Other News

• Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our newest OhioNet member Seneca East Public Library.
• OE Electrics is running a promotion for OhioNet members on all QikPac Carry batteries and charging solutions. Members will receive an extra 5% off all QIKPAC products, for a total discount of 15% off list price. This promotion runs until March 30, 2026. For more information click here.
• OhioNet is excited to announce a new partnership with Business Insider. Members will receive an introductory 20% discount off list price for Business Insider through June 30, 2026. For more information click here.
• Register today to attend Conversations Worth Having for Library Employees (at all levels) on May 13, 2026. For more information click here.

Member and Partner News

• Critical Hope & Self-Preservation in Contemporary Librarianship, a new course at the University of South Carolina School of Information Science, is now open for registration! Led by Kaetrena Davis Kendrick, MSLS, the six-week asynchronous course offers an introduction to the established Critical Hope framework and creates a community-of-practice pathway to reflective and intentional application in the Life-work of library students and practitioners. This course is open to LIS employees at all levels working in any library workplace. The course will run from June 22 – July 30, 2026. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/merdhuvu 
• SAVE THE DATE – NOTSL’s Spring Meeting, Connections That Matter: Exploring Library-Vendor Partnerships, will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026, in person in Parma, Ohio. Our keynote speaker will be Hannah Rosen from OhioNet. Presentations will discuss the various aspects of working with vendors, from licensing films to managing periodical subscriptions to learning how acquisitions is managed in public libraries and how book vendors work with libraries. Stay tuned for more information!
• Have news to share with the OhioNet community? Email [email protected] to submit your newsworthy notes!