Minutes – April 10, 2026

Welcome and Call to Order

The two hundred tenth meeting of the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees was called to order at 10:00 ᴀ.ᴍ. on Friday, April 10, 2026 by Board Treasurer Meredith Wickham at the OPLIN office in Columbus, Ohio.

Present were Board members: Jenny Eyink, Mohamed Ragheb, Andrea Ralston, CJ Stephens, Brad Stephens, and Shawn Walsh.

Also present were: Jessica Dooley, Christine Morris, Laura Solomon, Don Yarman, and Derek Zoladz (OPLIN); Mandy Knapp (State Library); and Jay Smith (Ohio Library Council).

Attending virtually via Zoom: OPLIN Board members Jennifer Reynard; and Jamie Pardee and John Stewart (State Library).

Approval of the Agenda

Jenny Eynik moved to approve the agenda as presented; Andrea Ralston seconded. There was no discussion, so the chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Public Participation

The Chair called for public participation.

Mandy Knapp reported that the State Library is relocating its collection to a high-density storage facility in Gahanna and its staff offices to a state-owned building on Chestnut Street. The State Library is piloting a cybersecurity program, conducting network assessments and applying for Category 2 funding for infrastructure upgrades within five libraries. Knapp also discussed the current grant opportunities at the State Library, the State Library's plans to assume administrative leadership of Search Ohio, the RFP for the library services platform to serve the SEO Consortium, the transfer of DPLA's cultural heritage metadata project to Cleveland Public Library, and a new State Library of Ohio Foundation.

Jay Smith reviewed OLC's recent events, including Legislative Day, the Fiscal Officers' conference, and the start of Trustee dinners. He noted that the current focus of the legislature is on the Capitol bill, and briefly touched on the promotional materials that OLC is putting together based on the extensive survey they conducted to gather data on how Ohioans feel about their public libraries.

Approval of the Minutes

Brad Stephens moved to approve the minutes of the February 13 meeting as presented; Mohamed Ragheb seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Acceptance of the Financial Reports

Jamie Pardee reviewed the reports, noting the organization is on target with its budget, with a cash balance projected to be over $2 million by year-end. The E-rate receipts of $1.1 million were noted as overstated due to a temporary accounting issue that will be corrected in the next report. Yarman noted that the budgeted funds for Northstar Digital Literacy will not be spent as Broadband Ohio is covering that cost, and there were unexpected AT&T billing issues that may push the telecommunications line item overbudget until credits are issued.

Jenny Eyink moved to accept the financial reports; CJ Stephens seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Unfinished Business

Spectrum Settlement

Yarman noted that OPLIN's lawyer made some minor edits to the settlement agreement Spectrum had proposed, and he was told that Spectrum's lawyer did not foresee any problems with the changes. It is estimated that OPLIN will receive about $200,000 as a result. 

New Business – none

CyberOhio Grant

Jessica Dooley said CyberOhio shared in a meeting that they have recommended that the cybersecurity projects submitted by CLEVNET, CLC, and OPLIN receive funding approval. Funding is stalled, however, until the federal Department of Homeland Security is funded by Congress. Once the funds are released, CyberOhio needs to have them spent by November. As the grant is structured to reimburse expenses, Yarman is asking for permission to spend up to $260,000 in unencumbered funds to purchase 3,400 YubiKeys of various types for distribution to 65 library systems that have requested them. 

Andrea Ralston moved to approve the use of unencumbered funds to purchase YubiKeys as part of the CyberOhio grant; Shawn Walsh seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a roll call vote on the motion.

Recorded vote: Jenny Eyink, aye; Mohamed Ragheb, aye; Andrea Ralston, aye; Brad Stephens, aye; CJ Stephens, aye; Shawn Walsh, aye; and Meredith Wickham, aye.

OPLIN Staff Reports

OPLIN Director's Report

Don Yarman discussed his recent Washington D.C. legislative visits, which were positive, and discussed a possible "GoFundMe" approach to see if more subscription databases can be offered statewide. Previously, the Board had given Yarman permission to purchase an online event/calendar management product for Webkit customers, and he provided an update on the selection: LocalHop, which was chosen for its cost-effectiveness while providing the desired functions.

Digital Resources Manager’s Report

Christine Morris reported on upcoming transition from the current Form 498 banking system to the more complex SAM.gov payment system. Libraries that currently use invoiced billing will need to register with SAM.gov by August, though this deadline may be extended. The FCC has added an agenda item for their April 30th meeting to propose the creation of a bidding portal (initially proposed and commented on in 2021).

Library Services Manager’s Report

Laura Solomon highlighted upcoming accessibility deadlines, particularly for libraries serving populations of $50,000 or greater, whose websites and apps must be ADA-compliant by April 24th. Solomon has been working to convert inaccessible PDFs into webforms for libraries, and discussed updates to the built-in accessibility checker for Webkits. Drupal 10 will reach end-of-life in December, so staff are working to prepare tools for migrating all sites to Drupal 11.

Technology Projects Manager’s Report

Jessica Dooley discussed the progress of circuit orders for the coming year, with 129 orders processed and potentially a few more Managed Branch Connections for libraries still deciding. Two major service-impact maintenance projects are upcoming: replacing routing engines in the core router and migrating 84 Spectrum circuits to 100 gig native handoff. Derek Zoladz was recognized for revising the mailing list software to improve accessibility ahead of deadline.

Chair's Report

Yarman noted that if Ben Bolbach had been able to attend, he would have reported that Meredith Wickham, Jen Reynard, and CJ Stephens had all agreed to be reappointed for a second term, so Yarman has sent that request to the State Library Board for approval at their May meeting.

Adjournment

With no other business pending, Jenny Eyink moved to adjourn; Andrea Ralston seconded. All aye. The Chair adjourned the meeting at 10:57 ᴀ.ᴍ.

Minutes – February 13, 2026

Welcome and Call to Order

The two hundred ninth meeting of the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees was called to order at 10:00 ᴀ.ᴍ. on Friday, February 13, 2026 by Board Chair Ben Bolbach.

Attending virtually via Zoom: OPLIN Board members Ben Bolbach, Michael Butler, Jenny Eyink, Bill Lane, Mohamed Ragheb, Andrea Ralston, Jennifer Reynard, Brad Stephens, CJ Stephens, and Shawn Walsh; Jessica Dooley, Christine Morris, Don Yarman, and Derek Zoladz (OPLIN); John Stewart, Mandy Knapp, and Jamie Pardee (State Library); Jay Smith (Ohio Library Council).

Approval of the Agenda

Jennifer Reynard moved to approve the agenda as presented; Andrea Ralston seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair asked if there were any objections or abstentions. Hearing none, the motion passed unanimously.

Public Participation

The Chair called for public participation.

SEO Director John Stewart discussed the potential move of the State Library to two potential new locations and the possibility of taking on administration of SearchOhio. SEO chose five locations to participate in a cybersecurity pilot project, partnering with DataServ to conduct network assessments, and contracting with Lorrie Germann to file E-Rate funding requests for necessary upgrades. Mandy Knapp discussed her involvement in a steering committee tasked with planning the future of the cultural heritage metadata aggregation project started by DPLA, now hosted by Cleveland Public Library. 

Jay Smith noted that OLC is tracking progress on several bills relevant to public libraries. Library Legislative Day will be held March 18th, and the IT Division will host their Rackside Chat on March 6th.

Approval of the Minutes

Michael Butler moved to approve the minutes of the December 12, 2025 meeting as presented; CJ Stephens seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair asked if there were any objections or abstentions. Hearing none, the motion passed unanimously.

Acceptance of the Financial Reports

Jamie Pardee reviewed the financial reports as of the end of January. The projected cash balance for the end of the fiscal year remains flat from the beginning of the year, so no major increases or decreases are expected. Almost $700,000 in E-Rate refunds have been deposited. Disbursements remain in line with estimates, with $570,000 dispersed in admin expenses, and the remaining $500,000 commitment for databases has been paid. 

Andrea Ralston moved to accept the financial reports; Jenny Eyink seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair asked if there were any objections or abstentions. Hearing none, the motion passed unanimously.

Unfinished Business

Spectrum Settlement

Yarman discussed progress on Spectrum's proposed settlement to resolve retroactive pricing changes for past contracts. With the help of Broadband Legal Strategies, Spectrum has agreed to return relevant E-Rate refunds to directly to USAC, and provide OPLIN with the undiscounted portion of the refund (about 30%). Yarman provided Spectrum with details of all E-Rate reimbursements dating back to 2018. Spectrum is reviewing that to identify other accounts that were eligible for the retroactive rate adjustment.

Gongwer State Affairs Platform

As previously discussed, the Gongwer news service has moved to a new platform which requires an individual login to access most of the content. OPLIN continues to provide the daily newsletter to library admin subscribers who access content without this individual login requirement. Yarman asked the Board for permission to provide additional Gongwer updates through the listserv, including breaking news, periodic polling results, and the daily Tip Sheet with links to other news sources. To avoid confusion, these additional mailings will be edited to remove individual account login links.

Mohamed Ragheb moved to approve editing the additional Gongwer mailings for listserv distribution; Shawn Walsh seconded. There was no further discussion, so the Chair asked if there were any objections or abstentions. Hearing none, the motion passed unanimously.

New Business

Webkit Calendar Platform

Yarman explained that the State Library had decided to discontinue statewide access to WhoFi, including the Community Calendar tool used by over 60 OPLIN Webkit libraries. Rather than tell libraries they must now pay for something they'd been using for free, Yarman began looking for a comparable platform that OPLIN could offer, and posted an RFP to OhioBuys. Yarman requested permission to use unencumbered funds to provide a new event management platform for Webkit customers. Mohamed Ragheb asked whether the company that the CLEVNET consortium works with for their members submitted a bid; Yarman confirmed that they had. Jennifer Reynard asked whether this was just a transition phase before requiring libraries to pay for their own software; Yarman said his intention was for OPLIN to continue to provide a calendar management platform for Webkit customers. It is possible that in a future year, OPLIN may raise the annual hosting fee to help cover the costs of the event management software. Brad Stephens asked for clarification whether OPLIN's solution would be for Webkit customers only (Yarman affirmed that was the case), and Ben Bolbach asked for clarification on the pricing structure with the vendor. Yarman said he required "per unit" pricing from vendors so that he could make cost forecasts, and the vendors have proposed various solutions for implementation.

Andrea Ralston moved to approve the use of unencumbered funds to subscribe to online event management software for Webkits; Michael Butler seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a roll call vote on the motion.

Recorded vote: Ben Bolbach, aye; Michael Butler, aye; Jenny Eyink, aye; Bill Lane, aye; Mohamed Ragheb, aye; Andrea Ralston, aye; Jennifer Reynard, aye; Brad Stephens, aye; CJ Stephens, aye; and Shawn Walsh, aye.

OPLIN Staff Reports

OPLIN Director's Report

Don Yarman reported on his appearance before the Controlling Board to answer their questions about the State Library's request to waive competitive bidding for Lorrie Germann's E-Rate services (OPLIN's general contract with Lorrie is competitively bid, but the State Library's add-on contract for the cybersecurity pilot was not). Yarman also told the Board that the state now reviews boards and commissions every two years for possible elimination, and he will be testifying about OPLIN to the Sunset Review Committee the following week.

Digital Resources Manager’s Report

Christine Morris provided an update on E-rate initiatives, highlighting upcoming advocacy efforts in Washington and the need to address Universal Service Fund reform. She also discussed her work helping libraries navigate the E-Rate funding application process, including helping them with appeals. She continues to work closely with Broadband Ohio and Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction on their digital literacy project using Northstar.

Library Services Manager’s Report

Yarman announced that in the week since Laura wrote her report, three libraries have contacted her about moving their current, inaccessible websites to a Webkit.

Technology Projects Manager’s Report

Jessica Dooley reported significant progress on circuit renewals and upgrades for the coming year. Upgrades to the core routing engines have been delayed while the state sorts out an issue with Juniper maintenance; Dooley and OIT engineer Mike Horsley will soon begin a careful progress of upgrading the routing engine firmware, and only a single service-impacting event is expected (to be announced well in advance). Dooley has been implementing 802.1Q Tunneling for CLC libraries to replace end-of-life firewall devices, saving those libraries thousands of dollars in equipment replacement costs. Dooley praised Derek's long-term project redesigning OPLIN's datasets, noting the much improved data management and accessibility. Seventy libraries plan to participate in OPLIN's CyberOhio grant application for YubiKey security keys.

Adjournment

With no other business pending, Bill Lane moved to adjourn; Michael Butler seconded. Hearing no objections, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 11:09 ᴀ.ᴍ.

Minutes – October 10, 2025

Welcome and Call to Order

The two hundred seventh meeting of the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees was called to order at 10:01 ᴀ.ᴍ. on Friday, October 10, 2025 by Board Chair Ben Bolbach at the OPLIN office in Columbus, Ohio.

Present were Board members: Ben Bolbach, Michael Butler, Mohamed Ragheb, Andrea Ralston, CJ Stephens, Shawn Walsh, and Meredith Wickham.

Also present were: Jessica Dooley, Christine Morris, Don Yarman, and Derek Zoladz (OPLIN); Evan Struble and Jamie Pardee (State Library); and Jay Smith (Ohio Library Council).

Attending virtually via Zoom: OPLIN Board members Bill Lane, Jennifer Reynard, and Brad Stephens; Laura Solomon (OPLIN); Stephanie Herriott, and Mandy Knapp (State Library).

Approval of the Agenda

Andrea Ralston moved to approve the agenda as presented; Meredith Wickham seconded. There was no discussion, so the chair called for a vote on the motion: all aye from those present; Bill Lane, aye; Jennifer Reynard, aye; and Brad Stephens, aye.

Public Participation

The Chair called for public participation.

Mandy Knapp noted that the State Library continues to search for a new location, and that repairs are currently made to the roof of their current building. The State Library has selected a vendor to assist them with their new strategic plan.  Although the federal government is shutdown, the State Library is collecting LSTA competitive grant proposals, which are due October 20. Along with SEO, the State Library has launched a pilot cybersecurity program for small libraries, focusing on areas of need as outlined in the Ohio Cyber Range Institute's Cyber Frontline First Aid Kit. Knapp is nearing the end of her Listening Tour, and will report her findings to the State Library Board in December. 

Jay Smith provided updates on OLC's regional director meetings, upcoming conferences, and changes in cybersecurity reporting requirements. Smith provided clarification on changes in trustee term lengths and explained the impact of new legislation on library levies.

Approval of the Minutes

Mohamed Ragheb moved to approve the minutes of the August 8, 2025 meeting as presented; Michael Butler seconded. There was no discussion, so the chair called for a vote on the motion: all aye from those present; Bill Lane, aye; Jennifer Reynard, aye; and Brad Stephens, aye.

Acceptance of the Financial Reports

Jamie Pardee presented the financial reports, noting that the organization is on target with its budgets and has a cushion for unexpected expenses.

CJ Stephens moved to accept the financial reports; Andrea Ralston seconded. There was no discussion, so the chair called for a vote on the motion: all aye from those present; Bill Lane, aye; Jennifer Reynard, aye; and Brad Stephens, aye.

Unfinished Business

Lower-tier Managed Branch Connection

Many libraries have told Yarman that the existing Managed Branch Connection service costing $2,000 per year for 1Gbps fiber is too expensive and overkill for their small locations. In response, he has proposed a lower-cost service where OPLIN would provide 1Gbps download speeds on providers' business class networks for $750 per year. This new service offers libraries reduced admin (no monthly bills, no E-Rate), better technical support, and even increased cybersecurity by bringing branches within OPLIN’s IP address space.

Shawn Walsh moved to approve the proposed lower-tier managed branch connection service; Andrea Ralston seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a roll call vote on the motion.

Recorded vote: Ben Bolbach, aye; Michael Butler, aye; Jenny Eyink, aye; Bill Lane, aye; Mohamed Ragheb, aye; Andrea Ralston, aye; Jennifer Reynard, aye; Brad Stephens, aye; CJ Stephens, aye; Shawn Walsh, aye; and Meredith Wickham, aye.

New Business

Gongwer Subscription

Yarman outlined a change to Gongwer's subscription model which would provide library administrators with an individual login to the full suite of tools Gongwer provides, enhanced bill tracking and keyword alerts. Yarman expressed concerns about the on-going management of the limited subscription pool, the potential price increases due to the expanded toolset, and the propriety of spending state funds on tools that, at root, are designed to facilitate individual lobbying. The board agreed, and directed Yarman to maintain the current newsletter distribution model.

Strategic Discussion

The board engaged in a visioning exercise led by Evan Struble, Associate State Librarian for Ohio, to discuss OPLIN's role in the library community. 

Question 1: "As an OPLIN board member, what would you like OPLIN to be known for in the library community?" 
Answers emphasized OPLIN's potential to be known as a connection hub and technological resource for libraries, praising OPLIN's customer service and lack of judgement. As libraries face cuts locally, they praise OPLIN's commitment to equity across the board while allowing libraries to remain autonomous and make local decisions. 

Question 2: "If money were no object, what would you change about OPLIN?"
Board members talked about the potential of OPLIN to become a "solutions architect," driving library innovation and becoming more hands-on with library solutions in technology, networking, cybersecurity, marketing, and even software development. They discussed expanding the staff and the geographic footprint into regional offices. Through economies of scale, they imagined OPLIN taking on a coordinated technology purchasing role, offering a "standard OPLIN machine" similar to the preconfigured equipment the Ohio Auditor's office provides, removing some technical frustrations from libraries.

Question 3: "What are the core values of OPLIN as an organization?"
Participants agreed that public service is a key principle guiding the staff, caring about the ultimate result of what libraries do to give patrons a good experience, a frictionless experience. Others mentioned values such as efficiency, a commitment to sustainability and accountability; proactivity, identifying solutions to problems libraries may not know they have; and the openness, respectfulness, and professionalism of the staff, noting that OPLIN never passes the buck. 

Question 4: "How does OPLIN lead with those values—both now, but also into the future?"
Discussion focused on OPLIN's leadership in cybersecurity and digital library services. Participants discussed how OPLIN could drive cost-effective cybersecurity solutions for libraries through scale and collaboration, particularly with smaller libraries during funding squeezes.

OPLIN Staff Reports

OPLIN Director's Report

Don Yarman reviewed the current state of E-Rate bid requests—fewer managed branch connection requests than last year, double the usual number of library circuits expiring. The OPLIN staff are preparing for the upcoming OLC Convention in Cleveland, designing new booth displays and finalizing plans for the stickers to give away. Yarman said that the informational focus at the booth will be to provide libraries accessible information for developing their cybersecurity plans. Ben Bolbach suggested that OPLIN encourage libraries to conduct tabletop exercises to practice how their plans stand up to potential cyber incidents.

Yarman also told the Board that he is working the State Library on a possible Capital Budget request to get funds for upgrading and expanding OPLIN's core. He'll have more information about that request at the December meeting.

Digital Resources Manager’s Report

Christine Morris talked briefly about the end of E-Rate hotspot funding, noting that ALA worked hard to advocate for continued funding, and that the Brown County library was part of ALA's national advocacy campaign. The legislative focus has turned toward expanding the funding source of the Universal Services Fund. With the loss of IMLS grant funding, the E-Rate State Coordinators have organized a series of virtual workshops for themselves. And Morris outlined the statewide relaunch of Northstar Digital Literacy resources in libraries alongside a project to bring digital education into the state's correctional facilities.

Library Services Manager’s Report

Laura Solomon reported that nearly all the library Webkit sites have migrated to the new templates; only seven libraries remain. Solomon continues to remediate accessibility issues on various OPLIN resources, such as her "What Does This Mean to Me, Laura?" blog. Solomon has been holding "accessibility office hours" to assist Webkit customers with the accessibility problems flagged by the checker tool installed on their sites.

Technology Projects Manager’s Report

Jessica Dooley reported that 90% of the new circuit orders for the current fiscal year are complete; there were unusual delays mostly due to Spectrum's project to upgrade their infrastructure in the SOCC. Dooley has been assisting libraries with changing their internal network configurations to accommodate a change in how Spectrum delivers their point-to-point branch circuits, and is working with the Central Library Consortium to implement layer 2 VPN tunneling between member libraries and the consortium equipment in the SOCC, saving libraries the cost of purchasing new VPN devices. Dooley reported that DAS is in the process of restoring Juniper maintenance agreements; she has paused any major hardware maintenance activities until coverage is restored.

Dooley praised CyberOhio's webinars that outline for local government entities the new cybersecurity requirements in ORC 9.61, and she will be presenting a webinar packaging some of that information specifically for libraries, highlighting tools such as CIS controls that will help libraries develop plans that comply with requirements. Dooley emphasized the common information-gathering tasks that are the first step in forming such plans—"What are your critical business assets? How do you get access to them? Who is the vendor providing them? Do you have a secure storage of the credentials for them?"—information libraries have to compile for themselves since no consultant can do it for them. Since federal funding was ended for the MS-ISAC program providing free vulnerability scans to state and local governments, OPLIN paid to enroll all library IPs it controls in the program, and passes on any vulnerabilities detected to the local library.

CyberOhio is has reviewed applications for their Cybersecurity Software and Services Grant, and will announce the awards after they receive their funds from FEMA. CyberOhio anticipates more rounds of federal funding, and Dooley outlined several eligible services that may be of use to libraries.

Chair's Report – none

Adjournment

With no other business pending, Andrea Ralston moved to adjourn; Michael Butler seconded. All aye. The Chair adjourned the meeting at 11:44 ᴀ.ᴍ.

Minutes – August 8, 2025

Welcome and Call to Order

The two hundred sixth meeting of the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees was called to order at 10:00 ᴀ.ᴍ. on Friday, August 8, 2025 by Board Vice Chair Ben Bolbach on Zoom.

Attending virtually were OPLIN Board members Ben Bolbach, Michael Butler, Jenny Eyink, Bill Lane, Mohamed Ragheb, Andrea Ralston,  Jennifer Reynard, Brad Stephens, CJ Stephens, Shawn Walsh, and Meredith Wickham; Jessica Dooley, Christine Morris, Laura Solomon, Don Yarman, and Derek Zoladz (OPLIN) (OPLIN); Stephanie Herriott, Mandy Knapp, and Jamie Pardee (State Library); and Michelle Francis (Ohio Library Council).

Nomination and Election of Board Officers

Shawn Walsh nominated the following slate of officers: Ben Bolbach, Chair; Bill Lane, Vice Chair; Meredith Wickham, Treasurer; Jennifer Reynard, Secretary. Michael Butler seconded the nominations. The Vice Chair asked if there were any objections or abstentions. With no objections, the motion passed unanimously. Ben Bolbach continued to run the meeting as newly elected Chair.

Approval of the Agenda

Michael Butler moved to approve the agenda as presented; Mohamed Ragheb seconded. The Chair asked if there were any objections or abstentions; with none, the motion passed unanimously.

Establish Board Meeting Schedule for FY2026

Following the pattern of holding OPLIN Board meetings at 10:00 a.m. on the second Friday of even-numbered months, Yarman presented the following meeting schedule:

• October 10, 2025
• December 12, 2025
• February 13, 2026
• April 10, 2026
• June 12, 2026
• August 14, 2026

CJ Stephens moved to approve the proposed meeting schedule; Shawn Walsh seconded. The Chair asked if there were any objections or abstentions; with none, the motion passed unanimously.

Public Participation

The Chair called for public participation.

Michelle Francis explained that the new state budget, HB 96, sets the PLF at a line-item appropriation rather than a percentage of the state's general revenue. She noted that for FY26 funding is approximately $26 million less than FY25, and in addition to the Library for the Blind and OPLIN, appropriations for the regional library systems, Ohioana Library Foundation, and the State Library will be deducted from the PLF. The governor vetoed the provision regarding the segregation of certain library materials for individuals under 18 was line-item vetoed, and while there are efforts to override this veto, it is unlikely to happen until September due to legislative recess. Francis also discussed new cybersecurity provisions in the state budget, noting that aside from some listed best practices, it contains little that is new to libraries.

Mandy Knapp provided updates on several State Library initiatives, including discussions about cybersecurity support for libraries and the State Library's upcoming RFP for a strategic planning consultant. She shared that her listening tour continues to visit libraries across the state. A potential downtown location for the State Library on East Chestnut was ruled out due to structural issues; the State Library is exploring a partnership with the Ohio Expo Commission regarding a building on the fairgrounds. Knapp also noted positive news regarding Federal LSTA funding through the Senate Appropriations Committee, though this is an early stage in the budget process.

Mohamed Ragheb passed along concerns from libraries about the end of the statewide WhoFi contract. Knapp said the State Library initially purchased WhoFi for wireless statistics counting, and it was never their intention to provide community calendar and other products the company later developed and bundled into their offering. She acknowledged that the timing of the contract end isn't great due to budget challenges, so the State Library will pay for an additional year of the products to give libraries time to consider their options. Yarman noted that the OPLIN staff will help libraries get their WiFi stats after the analytics portion of the WhoFi contract ends in December, and he intends to pursue a contract with the company for those other products in use by OPLIN's Webkit customers.

Approval of the Minutes

CJ Stephens moved to approve the minutes of the August 9, 2025 meeting as presented; Andrea Ralston seconded. The Chair asked if there were any objections or abstentions; with none, the motion passed unanimously.

Acceptance of the Financial Reports

Jamie Pardee reviewed the final financial reports for FY25—expenses totaling $4,897,000 and receipts of $5,400,000—and presented the FY26 budget estimates. 

Meredith Wickham moved to accept the financial reports; Andrea Ralston seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a roll call vote on the motion.

Recorded vote: Ben Bolbach, aye; Michael Butler, aye; Jenny Eyink, aye; Bill Lane, aye; Mohamed Ragheb, aye; Andrea Ralston, aye; Jennifer Reynard, aye; Brad Stephens, aye; CJ Stephens, aye; Shawn Walsh, aye; and Meredith Wickham, aye.

Unfinished Business – none

New Business – none

Staff Raises

Andrea Ralston moved to approve staff raises of 4.5%; Meredith Wickham seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a roll call vote on the motion.

Recorded vote: Ben Bolbach, aye; Michael Butler, aye; Jenny Eyink, aye; Bill Lane, aye; Mohamed Ragheb, aye; Andrea Ralston, aye; Jennifer Reynard, aye; Brad Stephens, aye; CJ Stephens, aye; Shawn Walsh, aye; and Meredith Wickham, aye.

FY2026 Services Plan

In light of the new cybersecurity requirements for libraries which include annual training, the Board agreed to add cybersecurity planning to the services plan,  encouraging  libraries to enroll in OPCI training when available, and use alternative options like Niche Academy and the Cyber Frontline First Aid Kit (CFFAK) in the interim.  

Shawn Walsh moved to approve the FY2026 Services Plan; CJ Stephens seconded. The Chair asked if there were any objections or abstentions; with none, motion passed unanimously.

Strategic Planning

Noting that OPLIN's strategic plan expired in June, Yarman suggested that the Board invite Evan Struble, the Deputy State Library, to lead a strategic planning discussion at the October board meeting. Board members expressed their enthusiasm for using the services of Struble and his staff.

OPLIN Staff Reports

OPLIN Director's Report

Don Yarman provided updates to his written report, nothing that his concerns about the vendor Everstream's bankruptcy were resolved, and that North Star Digital Literacy is finalizing the contract for Ohio's statewide digital literacy training platform. 

Digital Resources Manager’s Report

Christine Morris highlighted the Supreme Court's ruling on E-rate's constitutionality, triggering discussions on funding mechanism reforms. Morris noted that the Congressional Revue Act resolution to reverse E-Rate support for hotspots is stalled in Congress, and meanwhile no requests for hotspot funding have been acted upon. Morris advises libraries to keep their options open when finalizing contracts with vendors. Morris also outlined that, even though grant funds were loss, the training for state E-Rate coordinators will continue.

Library Services Manager’s Report

Laura Solomon discussed some work remediating accessibility problems with some older OPLIN resources, like about:books and the Sanborn Maps interface (which Derek Zoladz is working to rebuild from scratch). Solomon continues to hold office hours to answer libraries' questions and concerns about meeting website accessibility requirements ahead of the DOJ deadline.

Technology Projects Manager’s Report

Jessica Dooley provided an overview of circuit installations, noting an increase in orders due to new managed branch connection services, and discussed Spectrum's infrastructure upgrade in the SOCC, replacing their fiber paths, core equipment, and network cards to ensure redundancy and abundant capacity. Dooley reported that the Cuyahoga County Public Library has finished migrating their network edge and production equipment from their Parma location to their rack in the SOCC, taking their disaster recovery equipment back to Parma.

Regarding the new cybersecurity rules for libraries, Dooley noted that the law takes what has long been best practice and makes it a legal requirement for local government entities. Dooley is pleased to hear about the progress of libraries in receiving training and support through programs like Ohio Persistent Cyber Improvement. She praised the Cyber Frontline First Aid Kit for providing helpful introductory content to organizations. Ragheb thanked Dooley and the OPLIN staff for their efforts working with vendors to bring up the new managed branch connections.

Chair's Report

Ben Bolbach echoed Ragheb's gratitude for Dooley's work coordinating communications between vendors and libraries during the projects to install new circuits, and the rest of the OPLIN staff for their commitment to service. Bolbach then appointed Jenny Eyink, Meredith Wickham, and CJ Stephens to the nominations committee.

Adjournment

With no other business pending, Andrea Ralston moved to adjourn; Jenny Eyink seconded. The Chair asked if there were any objections or abstentions; with none, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 11:07 ᴀ.ᴍ.