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Description automatically generated with low confidence" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif">We
are at once both overjoyed for her and saddened to announce Nicole Merriman is retiring. Her last day is tomorrow, January 31. Nicole has dedicated her 38-year career to public service, including 11 years of service at Ohio public and academic libraries, 8
years of military reserve service, and 27 years of exceptional service at the State Library of Ohio.
<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">Nicole began her tenure at the State Library in 1995 and served in numerous roles, including positions in Circulation, Information Technology, Government Information
Services, Patron and Catalog Services, and Research and Catalog Services departments. Her demonstrated work ethic, commitment to service, and ability to lead with vision, empathy, and grace earned her numerous promotions culminating in May 2011 with her advancement
to Library Administrator 1 – Head of Research and Catalog Services. <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">Nicole served five years as a Documents Reference Librarian and five years as a Government Documents Cataloging Librarian. She is a steadfast champion of government
publications and public access to information. Throughout her career at the State Library, Nicole has striven to ensure success with the State Library’s role in the U.S. Federal Depository Library Program and as a State of Ohio depository.<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">As a Library Consultant, Nicole coordinated challenging and rapidly changing technology and resource sharing projects such as the Ohio Digital Library (originally the
Ohio eBook Project) and Ohio Libraries Share: MORE.<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">“I am deeply grateful for having spent the last 27 years at the State Library of Ohio,” expressed Nicole Merriman. “Over that time, I was honored to serve in roles working
with both libraries and state of Ohio employees and agencies. It’s been an absolute privilege to retire from an organization with such a wonderful mission.”<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">In 12 years as Head of Research and Catalog Services, Nicole integrated several agency projects and responsibilities and oversaw significant advances in digitization
and resource sharing. She promoted and expanded awareness of the library’s collections and services by expanding communications channels for reference help and instruction, commitment to partnerships, and enthusiastic planning and installation of library exhibits
and displays. Through Nicole’s leadership, endeavors to advance our mission and vision, and stewardship in management, she furthered the State Library’s ability to serve state government employees, the Ohio library community, and Ohio residents.
<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">“Everyone at the State Library of Ohio is genuinely happy for this well-deserved retirement! Nicole has worked in almost every department over her 27-year career at
the State Library,” conveyed Ann Watson, Associate State Librarian for Library Services. “We are truly going to miss her, and we will miss her depth of historical knowledge that she takes with her.”<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">###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="96" height="96" style="width:1.0in;height:1.0in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D934B0.2D93A700"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#002060"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#002E62">Marsha McDevitt-Stredney, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#002E62">Public Information Officer<br>
Director, Marketing & Communications<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#002E62">Pronouns: she, her, hers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#002E62">State Library of Ohio<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;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:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#002E62">Columbus, OH 43201<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;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:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><a href="http://library.ohio.gov/"><span style="color:blue">library.ohio.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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