Ohio’s Virtual Reference Service Receives $1.12M Approval

  • 10/01/05

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

  • AI-powered individual working calmly on one side and a burnt-out person slumped over a laptop on the other

    AI's Productivity Gains Come at a Cost

    A recent academic study found that as companies adopt AI tools, they're not just streamlining workflows — they're piling on new demands. Researchers determined that "AI technostress" is driving burnout and disrupting personal lives, even as organizations hail productivity gains.

  • AI microchip under cybersecurity attack, surrounded by symbols of threats like a skull, spider, lock, and warning shield

    Report Finds Agentic AI Protocol Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks

    A new report from Backslash Security has identified significant security vulnerabilities in the Model Context Protocol (MCP), technology introduced by Anthropic in November 2024 to facilitate communication between AI agents and external tools.

  • laptop displaying a red padlock icon sits on a wooden desk with a digital network interface background

    Reports Point to Domain Controllers as Prime Ransomware Targets

    A recent report from Microsoft reinforces warns of the critical role Active Directory (AD) domain controllers play in large-scale ransomware attacks, aligning with U.S. government advisories on the persistent threat of AD compromise.

  • educators seated at a table with a laptop and tablet, against a backdrop of muted geometric shapes

    HMH Forms Educator Council to Inform AI Tool Development

    Adaptive learning company HMH has established an AI Educator Council that brings together teachers, instructional coaches and leaders from school district across the country to help shape its AI solutions.