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<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">Please excuse multiple postings…<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_6" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" href="http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/11/managing-libraries/lj-index/class-of-2013/americas-star-libraries-2013-top-rated-libraries/" style='position:absolute;margin-left:0;margin-top:0;width:46.15pt;height:46.15pt;z-index:251658240;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page' o:button="t">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><a href="http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/11/managing-libraries/lj-index/class-of-2013/americas-star-libraries-2013-top-rated-libraries/"><img border="0" width="77" height="77" src="cid:image012.jpg@01CEDAFA.6281DC80" align="left" hspace="12" title="" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_6"></a><![endif]><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">The
 State Library of Ohio is pleased to announce that thirty-two Ohio Libraries have been recognized as Star Libraries in the
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><a href="http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/11/managing-libraries/lj-index/class-of-2013/americas-star-libraries-2013-top-rated-libraries/">2013 Library Journal Index of Public Library
 Service</a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">. Only New York had a larger number with thirty-seven star libraries.  “It comes as no surprise that so many of Ohio’s public libraries have been named as Star Libraries. 
 All of our libraries provide outstanding levels of service to their local communities and it is wonderful to see so many of them being recognized on a national level,” said State Librarian Beverly Cain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">Libraries are rated on their performance within categories or peer groups determined by operating expenditures. Performance is measured and points awarded in the areas
 of circulation, library visits, program attendance, and public Internet use. The number of stars a library receives is determined by the total number of points earned in each area.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">The libraries in Ohio awarded the top recognition of five stars include Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public
 Library, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Grandview Heights Public Library, Hudson Library and Historical Society, Leetonia Community Public Library, Wagnalls Memorial Library, Westerville Public Library, Wickliffe Public Library,
 and Worthington Public Library. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">Grandview Heights Public Library received 4,285 points earning the honor of second highest score in the country.  Ryan McDonnell, Director of the Grandview Heights
 Public Library said, “We are ecstatic to once again receive the 5 Star rating and such a high score.  Our community of active patrons and dedicated supporters makes this continued success possible.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">Leetonia Community Public Library had the fourth highest score with 3,715 points and Wagnalls Memorial Library was eighth in the nation with 3,158 points. Loudonville,
 Fairport Harbor, St. Paris, Leetonia, and Bettsville </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">public libraries achieved star rating recognition for the first time in 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">Data used to award points for each public library is from annual statistics public library systems submit to their state libraries.   Then each state library submits
 the gathered data to the </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><a href="http://www.imls.gov/" target="_blank">Institute of Museum and Library Services</a> (IMLS). The star ratings for the
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">2013 Library Journal Index of Public Library Service are based on 2011 annual statistics from IMLS. The State Library of Ohio provides online access to Ohio public library annual
 statistics at: </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><a href="http://library.ohio.gov/LPD/LibraryStats">http://library.ohio.gov/LPD/LibraryStats</a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">To see all of the
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">Ohio Star Libraries in the 2013 Library Journal Index of Public Library Service within peer groups based on expenditures<b>
</b></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"">go to:
<a href="http://library.ohio.gov/Marketing/PR/2013/November#StarLibs">http://library.ohio.gov/Marketing/PR/2013/November#StarLibs</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#002E62"><img border="0" width="120" height="126" id="Picture_x0020_11" src="cid:image013.jpg@01CEDAFA.6281DC80"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#002E62">Marsha McDevitt-Stredney<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#002E62">Director, Marketing & Communications<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#002E62">274 E. 1<sup>st</sup> Avenue<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#002E62">Columbus, OH 43201<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#002E62">Tel: 614-644-6875<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#002E62">Fax: 614-466-3584<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://library.ohio.gov"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:blue">library.ohio.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/StateLibraryOhio"><b><i><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="30" height="30" id="Picture_x0020_7" src="cid:image014.png@01CEDAFA.6281DC80"></span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> 
</span></i></b><a href="http://twitter.com/statelibohio" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="32" height="32" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image007.png@01CEDAFA.5FFA4740" alt="Description: Twitter logo - links to the State Library of Ohio's Twitter page"></span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">  </span></i></b><a href="http://library.ohio.gov/blog/" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="31" height="31" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image015.jpg@01CEDAFA.6281DC80" alt="Description: Blog logo - Links to the State Library of Ohio's blog"></span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></i></b><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""> </span></b><a href="http://pinterest.com/stlibohio/"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="31" height="31" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image016.png@01CEDAFA.6281DC80"></span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><br>
</span></b><a href="http://library.ohio.gov/state-librarian/share-your-story"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:blue">Share Your Story</span></a><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#002E62">
 by </span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#002E62">telling us how a
<br>
State Library service or resource helped <br>
you or your library.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif";color:#002E62"><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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