OPLIN is the Internet service provider for Ohio's public libraries, and more.

• We connect Ohio public libraries to the Internet;
• We provide access to high-quality databases of electronic information for Ohio's public libraries and for all Ohioans;
• We provide direct and indirect assistance to Ohio public libraries in the implementation of technologies that enable web-based delivery of services to library users and all Ohioans.

An introductory booklet in PDF format, "What is OPLIN?," is available at http://www.oplin.org/oplin/training/WhatIsOPLIN_08.pdf

OPLIN is an independent agency within the State Library of Ohio. OPLIN has its own governing board, appointed by the State Library Board, and receives all fiscal and employee services from the State Library (http://www.library.ohio.gov). This allows OPLIN to spend only about 10% of its state budget on employees and other administrative costs.

Libraries Connect Ohio is a strategic partnership of OPLIN, OhioLINK (http://www.ohiolink.edu/), INFOhio (http://www.infohio.org/), and the State Library of Ohio. While the three library networks provide many different services to different types of libraries, all three provide access to electronic databases. The Libraries Connect Ohio partnership allows the three networks to combine their resources, adding them to Library Services and Technology Act funding distributed by the State Library, in order to get the best possible terms from database vendors.

While the Ohio Library Council (http://www.olc.org) was instrumental in the creation of OPLIN in the mid-1990s, OPLIN is not part of OLC. Rather, OPLIN and OLC are two separate organizations that both provide services to public libraries. As such, the two organizations often partner with each other to improve those services.
(OLC is the professional association for public librarians in Ohio, not a government agency.)

The term "Ohio Web Library" refers to two related things.

Initially, Ohio Web Library was the name of the collection of databases purchased by Libraries Connect Ohio for statewide access. While these databases are valuable in their own right, the Ohio Web Library was also intended to demonstrate the potential for building an even more robust collection of authoritative information if more funds were available.

Lately, the term has also been used to refer to the web page that searches the Ohio Web Library collection and a few other selected online resources (www.ohioweblibrary.org).