[OPLINLIST] E-rate funds for every library

[Stephen Hedges]

Did you know that every public library is eligible to receive E-rate
money? At the very least, by filling out a few forms you can get as
much as a 90% discount on your telephone bills! The telephone
companies and the federal government collect this money from every
telephone customer, but unless you ask for it, it sits in Washington.
PLEASE TAKE THE MONEY!

OPLIN and the State Library will be hosting two different workshops on
E-rate for public libraries this fall, on November 4 (on E-rate Form
470) and December 12 (Form 471). The workshops will be presented by
Lorrie Germann, Educational Technology Consultant at eTech Ohio. These
will be the _only_ dates for the workshops this year; however, they
will be available in several locations by videoconference.

Workshop participants are generally expected to sign up for both
sessions.

The first session, on Tuesday November 4, will provide an overview of
the E-rate process, specific requirements for the upcoming funding
year and a line-by-line review of the Form 470, the first step in the
application process. This session will start at 9:30 and end about
3:00.

The second session, on Friday December 12, will offer a line-by-line
review and analysis of the filing of the Form 471, the actual
application for discounts on eligible services. This session will
start at 9:30 and end about noon.

Lorrie will be presenting the workshop in person at the State Library,
but it will also be available by videoconference in Bowling Green,
Caldwell, Wellston, and three more sites yet to be determined (one in
southwest Ohio, two in northeast Ohio). I will post another notice
once the last three videoconference sites have been determined.

To register for the workshops, go to the C.E. Events Calendar at
http://host6.evanced.info/ohio/evanced/eventcalendar.asp.

NOTE ALSO that this year Lorrie and other staff at eTech Ohio will be
available to answer individual questions from public libraries about
E-rate issues. You may contact Lorrie at 614-485-6050 or
Lorrie.Germann at etech.ohio.gov.

-- 
Stephen Hedges, Executive Director
Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN)
2323 W. 5th Avenue, Suite 130
Columbus, Ohio  43204
614-728-5250    AIM: hedgesst