Keeping Fast Pace with Changing Technologies

According to a recent study, technology changes in two ways: by replacing old and obsolete technologies or by innovating current technologies. In the case of the Mid-Ohio Library Digitial Initiative (MOLDI), change is not only innovative, it's downright useful.

MOLDI, and don't let the name fool you, is not replacing an outdated mode of reaching library subscribers, it is hyper extending the library's ability to reach their customers by giving them access to over 1,500 titles from best selling authors with no charges for overdue, lost, stolen or damaged items. Audiobooks can be burned to CD-ROM or put onto an MP3 player or palm device, so you can listen to them anywhere. The best part is that it's a 24/7 service that can be accessed from the comfort of your home or any WiFi hot spot.

MOLDI is the result of a 2004 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded by the State Library of Ohio to the Grandview Heights Public Library. The original members of the grant project were the Grandview Library and the Upper Arlington Public Library.

The grant eventually enabled seven additional libraries in the mid-Ohio region to band together with the Grandview and Upper Arlington libraries to focus on cooperatively bringing online audio and print books to the public.

Who will use eBOOKS and eAUDIOBOOKS?

A day passes pretty quickly when you're running errands, shuttling the kids between piano and soccer practice, taking care of elderly parents and traveling for your job. There never seems to be time for you to pick up or return library books. This new service is helpful for:

• Commuters who want to listen to books while coping with traffic
• Students needing assistance with their studies (i.e., Cliff Notes, test reviews and study guides). A plus when you're researching is the ability to highlight and make margin notes with Adobe, which will reappear if you check out the book again.
• People whose learning ability is enhanced by hearing the spoken word
• Anyone whose disabilities prohibit them from reading a book or getting to the library to get a book
• Visually-impaired individuals who can choose to resize the digital print for easier reading or opt to listen to an audio version of a text
• Individuals who are too busy (and who isn't these days) running errands, shuttling kids to and from practices, games and more.

Newest Library Services

If you haven't been to your local library lately -- you're missing out. We highly recommend a visit to either the stacks or via online. Some of the newest services provided:

• For adults: is a 24/7 reference librarian -- yes, we're talking about a real librarian at your disposal around the clock, seven days a week.
• For kids: in grades 4-12, they offer FREE homework help with a personal tutor. Tutors range from high school teachers to college professors. The service doesn't do the child's homework, but tutors will help students reference the materials needed to help write papers, figure out geometry problems, look up historical information and more. It all happens through text messaging. Parents note, the great thing about the whole session is that your child's tutor will send a transcript of the entire text message conversation by e-mail. A great reference for both you and your child.

MOLDI allows our busy lifestyles to still enjoy library services from the comfort of our homes, from a lonely hotel room, or from a foreign country when we're looking for reference help.