WHEREAS, the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) will continue to provide outstanding Internet service to the Ohio public library community and its 8 million patrons, by cooperatively purchasing broadband connections for the 251 public libraries through State of Ohio purchase instruments;
WHEREAS, the Ohio Public Library Information Network will continue to collectively purchase authoritative online information resources for use by all Ohioans through our ongoing partnership with the academic libraries (OhioLINK), the school libraries (INFOhio), and the State Library of Ohio;
WHEREAS, the Ohio Public Library Information Network recognizes that the public libraries of Ohio have now entered a state of financial distress due to steeply declining revenues and would be further damaged were the Ohio Legislature to draw the funding for OPLIN from the already diminished Public Library Fund;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of the Ohio Public Library Information Network respectfully requests that the Ohio General Assembly continue funding OPLIN from the General Revenue Fund, as it has in previous bienniums, and that this funding be established at 100% of adjusted fiscal year 2009 appropriations ($3,897,000).