179e The Ohio Library and Information Network Last Update 12/9/97 (User help information is available in "OhioLINK Information" once you connect to the OhioLINK Central Catalog.) The Ohio Library and Information Network is part of Ohio's ongoing tradition in pioneering library automation. The Ohio State University and others in Ohio began integrating campus library systems at an early date. In the 1960s, state funds supported the development of OCLC, then called the Ohio College Library Center. OCLC has since grown into an international organization with a database of 30 million entries representing materials held in more than 10,000 libraries. The private sector in Ohio also has been actively involved in library automation. Organizations such as LEXIS-NEXIS, OHIONET, Predicasts and Chemical Abstract Services continue to develop and provide new products and services to the nation's libraries. OhioLINK, the latest cooperative venture of university libraries and the Ohio Board of Regents, grew out of a 1987 recommendation by the board's library committee that "the state of Ohio implement as expeditiously as possible a statewide electronic catalog system." In response to this recommendation, the board established a steering committee representing librarians, faculty, administrators and computer systems managers from campuses throughout Ohio. After meetings, public hearings, and conferences, the committee prepared and distributed a planning paper (November 1988); a Request for Information (February 1989); and a Request for Proposal (August 1989) to initiate a statewide electronic system. In 1990, OhioLINK selected Innovative Interfaces, Inc. to develop the unique software system to create the OhioLINK central catalog and selected Digital Equipment Corporation for the computer hardware base. OhioLINK licensed four databases from University Microfilms International for citations to millions of business, periodical and newspaper articles and to academic dissertations. These elements formed the foundation of the growing OhioLINK system of services. In 1992, six universities installed OhioLINK systems and began the ongoing process of building the central catalog. Now 56 institutions are served by OhioLINK's integrated local and central catalogs, an online borrowing system, research databases, and document delivery services - 17 public universities, 23 community/technical colleges, 15 private colleges and the State Library of Ohio. The system provides access to more than 4,500 simultaneous users at 104 locations, serving more than 500,000 students, faculty and staff. OhioLINK offers user-initiated online borrowing, giving users the ability to electronically request items while searching the OhioLINK central catalog and research databases. It also provides a delivery service among member institutions to speed the exchange of library items. In February 1996, OhioLINK began offering services through the World Wide Web. Patrons can access the central catalog, research databases, information about member institutions, text to user guides and new service announcements. To date, the OhioLINK central catalog contains more than 6.4 million master records from 56 libraries, encompassing a spectrum of library material including law, medical and special collections. OhioLINK also offers 67 research databases covering a variety of disciplines -- some of them available only through the World Wide Web. OhioLINK serves faculty, students, staff and other researchers at member institutions via campus library systems, campus networks, and the Internet. The OhioLINK central catalog also is available to users from outside of the OhioLINK network through the Internet. However, access to the research databases is restricted to OhioLINK member users (valid patrons at OhioLINK member institutions). Questions and suggestions may be e-mailed to info@ohiolink.edu OhioLINK's WWW address is: http://www.ohiolink.edu OhioLINK currently provides access to a combined catalog of these libraries: * University of Akron * Belmont Technical College * Bowling Green State University * Capital University * Case Western Reserve University * Cedarville College * Central Ohio Technical College (with OSU - Newark) * Central State University * University of Cincinnati * Cincinnati State Technical & Community College * Clark State Community College * Cleveland State University * Columbus State Community College * Cuyahoga Community College * University of Dayton * Denison University (member of CONSORT Colleges) * Edison State Community College * Hiram College * Hocking Technical College * Jefferson Community College * Kent State University * Kenyon College (member of CONSORT Colleges) * Lakeland Community College * Lima Technical College (with OSU-Lima) * Lorain County Community College * Marion Technical College (with OSU-Marion) * Medical College of Ohio * Miami University * College of Mount St. Joseph * Mount Vernon Nazarene College * Muskingum Technical College * North Central Technical College (with OSU-Zanesville) * Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine * Northwest State Community College * Oberlin College * Ohio Dominican College * Ohio Northern University * Ohio State University * Ohio University * Ohio Wesleyan University (member of CONSORT Colleges) * Owens Community College * Rio Grande University/Rio Grande Community College * Shawnee State University * Sinclair Community College * Southern State Community College * Stark Technical College (with KSU-Stark) * State Library of Ohio * Terra Community College * University of Toledo * Ursuline College * Washington State Community College * Wittenberg University * College of Wooster (member of CONSORT Colleges) * Wright State University * Xavier University * Youngstown State University . 0