OhioNet

10/06/2026

Happy October! 🍂 Don't miss this month's Events Digest of upcoming OhioNet webinars, member events, and product demos: https://tinyurl.com/kk3ukany.

🗓️ October’s Featured Event:
Join us for “Stakeholder Mapping for Strategic Planning” on Wednesday, November 4 from 2-3 p.m.

Successful strategic plans are built with the people who have the greatest stake in your library’s future. During this one-hour webinar, learn more about how stakeholder mapping can help you:

•Identify and prioritize who should be involved in your library’s strategic planning process.
•Understand stakeholder influence, allowing you to make more informed decisions about communication and engagement.

Whether you’re preparing to launch a strategic plan, or looking for better ways to communicate progress and build stakeholder support — this session will provide practical tools you can begin using immediately.

Whether you’re looking to sharpen your skills, explore fresh ideas, or connect with colleagues across Ohio’s library community, OhioNet has something for you! Browse this month’s round-up of upcoming webinars, in-person events, and vendor demos designed to boost your skills and help you connec...

09/25/2026

OhioNet is excited to host our first author talk featuring Sarah Nagle and Paul C. Campbell on October 7! 🌟

As the co-editors of “Librarians as Researchers: Developing our Scholarly Identities,” Sarah and Paul will facilitate a discussion about the real-life challenges and opportunities of engaging in research as part of one’s professional practice.

Campbell and Nagle will begin the session by sharing the origins and key takeaways from their book. They will also facilitate an open discussion with attendees about the real-life challenges and opportunities of engaging in research as part of their professional practice.

Attendees will be invited to share some of their specific experiences and insights on common challenges regarding research, and the webinar will conclude with a Q&A session.

🔗 Learn more and register: https://tinyurl.com/c5u5my8y

09/23/2026

Join us for the next OhioNet Book Club discussion on Wednesday, September 30! 📚 This fall, we're exploring “Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well” by Amy Edmondson. Even if you missed the first discussion, you're welcome to join us for any or all of these sessions!

Drawing on research and real-world examples, Edmondson challenges the idea that all failures are the same and offers a practical framework for distinguishing preventable mistakes from the kinds of failures that drive learning, innovation, and improvement.

📌 For Session 2: Understanding Failure (Read Chapters 3 and 4). Explore Edmondson’s framework for basic, complex, and intelligent failures. Discuss how the distinctions influence accountability and performance. Does the framework hold up in practice?

🔗 Learn more and register to attend here: https://tinyurl.com/35td766z

09/21/2026

There's still time to join us for our webinar series on September 30 focused on navigating Human Resources in libraries! 📚 Both webinars are free to those at OhioNet member libraries – read more about both virtual sessions below:

1️⃣ Organizational Culture in Library Hiring Practices, 10-11 a.m.
Our morning webinar features two presentations focused on organizational culture in library hiring practices including:

• “Starting Fresh or Starting Over? Hiring for A Mission-Centered Library” by Fevean Keflom, HR Coordinator (Worthington Libraries)
• “Why We Serve: Reimagining Recruitment, Retention, and Culture” by Drew Wichterman, Director (Pickaway County Library)

2️⃣ Year-Round Approaches to Employee Training and Performance Programs, 2–3 p.m.
Our afternoon webinar features two presentations focused on building year-round approaches to employee training and performance including:

• “Beyond the Checkbox: Creating a Year-Round Learning Culture” by Susan Cook, Employee Engagement & Development Manager (Columbus Metropolitan Library)
• “Performance Management at CML: Building Performance, Growth, and Accountability” by Gina Sherock, HR Operations Manager (Columbus Metropolitan Library)

🔗 Learn more and register here:

Join us for two free webinars (Non-Member Rate $45) focused on navigating Human Resources in libraries. Each webinar is a separate session with its own registration. Session 1: Organizational Culture in Library Hiring Practices, 10-11 a.m. Our morning webinar features two presentations focused on or...

09/18/2026

OhioNet’s September newsletter is here! 🗞️ This month's edition includes:

• A Director's Desk update from Katy about building community with our members
• September's Member Spotlight on the presenters who shared at the inaugural Ohio Library Employees Institute (OLEI)
• Announcements about new e-resource partnerships and upcoming vendor demos
• Ways to connect with the OhioNet community (hello, fall conferences 🍂)
• And more!

🔗 Read the full newsletter on our blog:

Director’s Desk: Building Community with Members As summer moves into fall, I’ve been reflecting on the wonderful opportunities I have to connect and collaborate with OhioNet members. This summer, we co-hosted Library Leadership Ohio with the State Library and worked with a steering committee of...

09/17/2026

Build your peer mentorship network by joining New to Libraries Network (NLN) for a series of Virtual Monthly Meet-Ups!

These monthly sessions will consist of a mix of presentations and discussions focused on one topic per month to build a community of support and development for those early in their library careers.

🍁 The first virtual session will take place on October 8 from 3-4 p.m. As we gear up for the fall library conference season, the October Meet-Up will focus on engaging with conferences.

At the October session, attendees can:
• Share conferences they’re attending or interested in to help raise awareness of the many opportunities available to develop your skills and share your work.
• Learn tips and tricks about how to navigate conferences big and small.
• Arrange informal meet-ups at upcoming conferences.
• And more!

🔗 Learn more and register to join us on October 8:

Build your peer mentorship network by joining New to Libraries Network (NLN) for a series of Virtual Monthly Meet-Ups. These monthly sessions will consist of a mix of presentations and discussions focused on one topic per month to build a community of support and development for those early in th...

09/14/2026

OhioNet Book Club starts this week – join us for our first discussion on Wednesday, September 16! 📚

What if the goal isn’t to avoid failure, but to become better at learning from it? Join us for a four-part discussion exploring “Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well” by Amy Edmondson.

Drawing on research and real-world examples, Edmondson challenges the idea that all failures are the same and offers a practical framework for distinguishing preventable mistakes from the kinds of failures that drive learning, innovation, and improvement.

📖 For Session 1: Rethinking Failure (Read Prologue through Chapter 2). Examine why failure is often misunderstood and explore how our beliefs about failure influenced decision-making and organizational culture.

🔗 Learn more and register to attend here: https://tinyurl.com/3terwdb3.

P.S. Interested in attending, but can't make it this week? Join us for our next discussion on September 30, or view a full schedule of book club discussion dates on our blog: https://tinyurl.com/yakhkxwf.

09/09/2026

OhioNet is pleased to add Newsreel to our line-up of e-resource offerings! 📰 Join us for a preview of the Newsreel site and Q&A with the founders during a free demo on September 24 from 4-5 p.m.

Newsreel is an award-winning daily news platform built for people who have give up on the news. The National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) named Newsreel its 2025 Media Literacy Resource of the year, and it’s now in more than 350 schools and libraries.

🔗 Learn more and register to attend here: https://tinyurl.com/299pcywh.

09/03/2026

Build your peer mentorship network by joining New to Libraries Network (NLN) for a series of Virtual Monthly Meet-Ups!

These monthly sessions will consist of a mix of presentations and discussions focused on one topic per month to build a community of support and development for those early in their library careers.

🍁 The first virtual session will take place on October 8 from 3-4 p.m. As we gear up for the fall library conference season, the October Meet-Up will focus on engaging with conferences.

At the October session, attendees can:
• Share conferences they’re attending or interested in to help raise awareness of the many opportunities available to develop your skills and share your work.
• Learn tips and tricks about how to navigate conferences big and small.
• Arrange informal meet-ups at upcoming conferences.
• And more!

🔗 Learn more and register to join us in October 8: https://tinyurl.com/yje4e9du.

Build your peer mentorship network by joining New to Libraries Network (NLN) for a series of Virtual Monthly Meet-Ups. These monthly sessions will consist of a mix of presentations and discussions focused on one topic per month to build a community of support and development for those early in th...

09/02/2026

Help your patrons discover what's new with Wowbrary! 📚

Join us for a free demonstration on Sept. 17 to learn more about how Wowbrary makes it easier for patrons to discover the newest books, movies, and other materials in your library's collection.

Save time and effort promoting new materials through features like:
🗞️ Weekly email newsletters that are customizable based on readers' preferred genres.
🖥️ Animated widgets for your library's website that update automatically to feature the newest titles, staff recommendations, NYT Bestsellers, and more.
📣 Optional automatic posting to social media, including Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and RSS feeds.

OhioNet member libraries receive a 20% discount on this service. Learn more and register to attend here: https://tinyurl.com/2kyrmhp7.