Ohio’s Virtual Reference Service Receives $1.12M Approval

The State Library Board of Ohio has approved $1.12 million in Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds for year two of the state’s innovative KnowItNow 24x7 (www.knowitnow.org) virtual reference service. This free online reference service, which is available to all Ohio residents, makes librarians available around the clock to answer reference questions and assist users in finding information via live chat sessions. It also provides homework assistance and additional informational resources for students. The new funds will be used to update training for participating libraries, extending tutoring hours, providing staff during holidays, as well as launching the KnowItNow service in Spanish at three libraries beginning Sept. 15.

Featured

  • teacher and students in geometric shapes with a glowing holographic tablet and flowing digital lines in a futuristic classroom setting

    Research Teams to Explore and Scale Tech-Supported Learning Approaches

    A new network of technology, school systems, and researchers is forming to "better understand and scale innovative learning acceleration approaches" and improve student outcomes.

  • silhouetted human figures stand opposite a glowing digital brain, surrounded by abstract circuits and shadowy shapes

    Tech Execs Expect AI Advancements to Increase Security Threats

    Forty-one percent of tech executives in a recent international survey said they believe advancements in AI will significantly increase security threats. NetApp's second annual Data Complexity Report points to 2025 as "AI's make or break year."

  • A child surrounded by glowing, fluid virtual patterns and holographic shapes, illuminated in a dark gradient environment of blue, purple, and pink.

    ClassVR Gets Expanded VR/AR Content Library

    Avantis Education has announced a new content library for its ClassVR virtual and augmented reality platform. Dubbed Eduverse+, the library features four content suites — EduverseAI, WildWorld, STEAM3D, and CareerHub — that can be tailored to suit a variety of educational levels.

  • interconnected glowing nodes and circuits in blue and green, forming a neural network on a dark background with a futuristic design

    Tech Giants Launch $100 Billion National AI Infrastructure Project

    OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle have announced a new venture, Stargate, through which they aim to build a massive AI infrastructure network across the United States. The initiative, which was announced at the White House with President Donald Trump, has been described as the "largest AI infrastructure project in history."