E-Rate Information and Training
E-Rate Information and Training Laura Solomon (not verified) Tue, 06/23/2009 - 09:51Did you know that public libraries are eligible to receive discounts on internet connection, wireless access and hardware that supports internet access through the E-rate program? By filling out a few forms you can get as much as a 90% discount on your bills.
The telephone companies and the federal government collect this money from every telephone customer, but unless you ask for it, this money just sits in Washington.
Because it is so important that libraries claim their E-rate money, OPLIN supports workshops on E-rate for public libraries each fall. The workshops are presented by Lorrie Germann, State E-rate Coordinator. Lorrie is also available to answer individual questions from public libraries about E-rate issues. You may contact Lorrie at 740-253-1153 or lorrie.germann@gmail.com.
- Fall FY2022 E-rate Workshop and Form 470 Review (October 2021)
- FY2022 E-rate Form 471 Webinar (January 2022)
PDF copies of the workshop slides can be found here.
Click "Show More" below the videos to find indexes of topics you can jump to the exact subject that interests you. In addition, you can find more E-rate related recordings (including both an overview and a walkthrough for the FCC's Emergency Connectivity Fund) at OPLIN's YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/c/oplinorg.
Libraries participating in the E-rate program must be compliant with the Children’s Internet and Protection Act, also known as CIPA. These restrictions take the form of requirements for Internet safety policies and technology which blocks or filters certain material from being accessed through the Internet. More information on CIPA compliance is available here. Additionally, OPLIN provides internet filtering at no charge to public libraries. More information, including steps to getting an account, is available here.
E-rate Discount Rate
E-rate Discount Rate don Tue, 10/11/2022 - 15:37This chart contains the current E-rate discount percentage for Ohio library systems with branches. The average monthly recurring cost for a 100 Mbps Ethernet circuit is approximately $400, and the chart shows what that would cost a library after E-rate discounts are applied.
| Library Name | Category 1 Discount | Approx Monthly Cost 100 Mbps |
| Adams County Public Library - OH0129 | 80% | $80 |
| Akron-Summit County Public Library - OH0002 | 90% | $40 |
| Ashtabula County District Library - OH0012 | 90% | $40 |
| Athens County Public Libraries - OH0156 | 80% | $80 |
| Auglaize County District Public Library - OH0225 | 70% | $120 |
| Barberton Public Library - OH0016 | 80% | $80 |
| Belmont County District Library - OH0133 | 80% | $80 |
| Birchard Public Library of Sandusky County - OH0086 | 70% | $120 |
| Briggs Lawrence County Public Library - OH0107 | 60% | $160 |
| Brown County Public Library - OH0090 | 70% | $120 |
| Brumback Library - OH0221 | 70% | $120 |
| Carnegie Public Library (Washington CH) - OH0227 | 80% | $80 |
| Carroll County District Library - OH0042 | 70% | $120 |
| Champaign County Library - OH0220 | 80% | $80 |
| Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library - OH0048 | 90% | $40 |
| Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library - OH0049 | 90% | $40 |
| Clark County Public Library - OH0204 | 90% | $40 |
| Claymont Public Library - OH0068 | 80% | $80 |
| Clermont County Public Library - OH0018 | 80% | $80 |
| Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library - OH0053 | 90% | $40 |
| Cleveland Public Library - OH0051 | 90% | $40 |
| Columbus Metropolitan Library - OH0057 | 90% | $40 |
| Coshocton Public Library - OH0059 | 90% | $40 |
| Crestline Public Library - OH0061 | 90% | $40 |
| Cuyahoga County Public Library - OH0052 | 60% | $160 |
| Dayton Metro Library - OH0063 | 90% | $40 |
| Defiance Public Library - OH0064 | 70% | $120 |
| Delaware County District Library - OH0065 | 50% | $200 |
| Elyria Public Library - OH0077 | 80% | $80 |
| Fairfield County District Library - OH0116 | 80% | $80 |
| Findlay-Hancock County Public Library - OH0081 | 50% | $200 |
| Franklin-Springboro Public Libraries - OH0085 | 60% | $160 |
| Garnet A Wilson Public Library of Pike County - OH0229 | 80% | $80 |
| Geauga County Public Library - OH0046 | 50% | $200 |
| Greene County Public Library - OH0247 | 80% | $80 |
| Guernsey County District Public Library - OH0037 | 80% | $80 |
| Harris-Elmore Public Library - OH0076 | 60% | $160 |
| Highland County District Library - OH0101 | 80% | $80 |
| Holmes County District Public Library - OH0146 | 70% | $120 |
| Huron County Community Library - OH0241 | 80% | $80 |
| Ida Rupp Public Library - OH0188 | 70% | $120 |
| Kate Love Simpson-Morgan County Library - OH0139 | 80% | $80 |
| Lakewood Public Library - OH0115 | 50% | $200 |
| Lane Public Library - OH0100 | 80% | $80 |
| Licking County Library - OH0163 | 80% | $80 |
| Lima Public Library - OH0121 | 90% | $40 |
| Logan County Libraries - OH0021 | 70% | $120 |
| Logan-Hocking County District Library - OH0123 | 80% | $80 |
| Lorain Public Library System - OH0125 | 90% | $40 |
| Mansfield-Richland County Public Library - OH0130 | 90% | $40 |
| Marion Public Library - OH0132 | 90% | $40 |
| Mary L Cook Public Library - OH0231 | 40% | $240 |
| Marysville Public Library - OH0134 | 50% | $200 |
| Massillon Public Library - OH0136 | 90% | $40 |
| McKinley Memorial Library - OH0166 | 80% | $80 |
| Medina County District Library - OH0141 | 50% | $200 |
| Meigs County District Public Library - OH0187 | 90% | $40 |
| Mentor Public Library - OH0142 | 40% | $240 |
| Mercer County District Public Library - OH0043 | 70% | $120 |
| MidPointe Library System - OH0144 | 90% | $40 |
| Milan-Berlin Public Libraries - OH0145 | 60% | $160 |
| Muskingum County Library System - OH0250 | 90% | $40 |
| Napoleon Public Library - OH0155 | 70% | $120 |
| Patrick Henry School District Public Library - OH0069 | 60% | $160 |
| Paulding County Carnegie Library - OH0179 | 70% | $120 |
| Pemberville Public Library - OH0180 | 50% | $200 |
| Peninsula Library - OH0181 | 70% | $120 |
| Perry County District Library - OH0158 | 80% | $80 |
| Pickaway County District Public Library - OH0050 | 80% | $80 |
| Pickerington Public Library - OH0184 | 60% | $160 |
| Portage County District Library - OH0089 | 60% | $160 |
| Portsmouth Public Library - OH0189 | 90% | $40 |
| Preble County District Library - OH0075 | 60% | $160 |
| Public Library of Mt Vernon and Knox County - OH0153 | 80% | $80 |
| Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County - OH0208 | 90% | $40 |
| Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County - OH0248 | 90% | $40 |
| Puskarich Public Library - OH0035 | 80% | $80 |
| Putnam County District Library - OH0176 | 50% | $200 |
| Ridgemont Public Library - OH0154 | 50% | $200 |
| Rodman Public Library - OH0005 | 90% | $40 |
| Sabina Public Library - OH0197 | 70% | $120 |
| Sandusky Library - OH0199 | 80% | $80 |
| Shaker Heights Public Library - OH0200 | 50% | $200 |
| Shelby County Libraries - Amos Memorial - OH0203 | 80% | $80 |
| Southwest Public Libraries - OH0099 | 80% | $80 |
| St. Paris Public Library - OH0207 | 60% | $160 |
| Stark County District Library - OH0039 | 90% | $40 |
| Toledo-Lucas County Public Library - OH0215 | 90% | $40 |
| Troy-Miami County Public Library - OH0216 | 60% | $160 |
| Tuscarawas County Public Library - OH0161 | 70% | $120 |
| Union Township Public Library - OH0192 | 90% | $40 |
| Upper Arlington Public Library - OH0218 | 40% | $240 |
| Warren-Trumbull County Public Library - OH0226 | 90% | $40 |
| Washington County Public Library - OH0131 | 70% | $120 |
| Washington-Centerville Public Library - OH0045 | 40% | $240 |
| Wayne County Public Library - OH0245 | 70% | $120 |
| Weston Public Library - OH0239 | 60% | $160 |
| Williams County Public Library - OH0032 | 70% | $120 |
| Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library - OH0242 | 60% | $160 |
| Wilmington Public Library of Clinton County - OH0243 | 80% | $80 |
| Wood County District Public Library - OH0029 | 50% | $200 |
| Worthington Libraries - OH0246 | 50% | $200 |
Statewide Library Branch Assistance Plan
Statewide Library Branch Assistance PlanOPLIN is releasing a statewide, competitive bidding opportunity for broadband vendors to provide library branch circuits. OPLIN cannot pay for the branch circuits, but by issuing a statewide RFP through the E-rate system, it is hoped that vendors will take advantage of expanded business opportunities to offer better pricing (and lower construction costs) than libraries have seen acting on their own. Libraries could then locally request E-rate discounts against the bids received in the statewide call for proposals. You can view a short video explanation for more information.
To participate, please fill out and submit the form below by December 1, 2022, for each branch you want to include in the omnibus RFP.
Questions? Email branch470@oplin.ohio.gov.