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<p class="elementToProof" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b><i>OhioNet Launches Ohio Industrial Resource Cooperative (OIRC) to Empower Industrial Libraries
and Drive Business Development</i></b></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">OhioNet, a non-profit membership organization and the only statewide consortium for libraries of every type and size, is excited to announce
the formation of the Ohio Industrial Resource Cooperative (OIRC). This new community purchasing group, powered by OhioNet, aims to leverage the collective buying power of industrial libraries across the state, enabling them to access vital research and resources
that will support their business development efforts.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Inspired by Jim Clarke, Knowledge Management Specialist at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, the OIRC was established with a pilot group
of seven founding members, mostly comprised of Fortune 500 companies located in northeastern Ohio. The OIRC completed a successful pilot project in the fall of 2023; a purchase agreement with one of the top five scientific research publishers in the world,
resulting in cost savings of over $15,000 for the participating libraries, and increased access for new and existing customers.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Andrew Whitis, Interim Executive Director of OhioNet, emphasized the significance of the OIRC, stating, “The Ohio Industrial Resource Cooperative
is a transformative development for industrial libraries across Ohio. By leveraging their collective buying power, these libraries can now gain access to important research materials and resources that will foster innovation and strengthen their R&D capabilities.”</span></p>
<p class="elementToProof" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Now that the pilot period is completed, the OIRC is committed to continued community building and advancing group
negotiations to ensure benefits for its members. Participation in the consortium is open to for-profit companies in Ohio that become OhioNet members. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Hannah Rosen, Director of Member Programs, at hannahr@ohionet.org
for more information.</span></p>
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