Statement on COVID-19

The situation with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve on a daily basis. At this time, Governor DeWine has made the decision to continue the closure of all public and private schools through the end of the school year.  Schools will continue with virtual instruction.  More information will be provided in the coming months for how schools will be operating in the fall. 

All OELMA meetings (board, committee, etc) are currently being rescheduled , either as virtual meetings or moved to later dates. Details will be provided as they become available.

OELMA encourages all librarians to continue working with their local health departments to have the most up-to-date information for their local communities as well as continuing to check the State of Ohios Department of Health COVID-19 website.  The Ohio Department of Health website also has a FAQ fact sheet and infographic available to share on social media or posting in your libraries and schools. In addition to Ohios resources the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization continue to provide information on a national and international level.

The Ohio Department of Education has created a COVID-19 FAQ page for schools and districts that provides detailed answers to many of our teachers, administrators, and parents questions.  INFOhio Open Space is also available for teachers to search and share resources; encourage your teachers to contribute their own resources so it can continue to grow. And OELMA will continue to share digital resources through our Facebook page  and through our LiveBinder to aid you and your schools through the end of the school year and beyond.

https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/

School libraries can help prevent panic by providing staff, students, and parents with accurate information and links to trusted resources about the virus including the Ohio Department of Health, the World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control.

The ODH recommends the following precautions in public settings and for personal health:

• Provide supplies such as soap, hand sanitizer, tissues, wipes, and trash cans within your buildings.

• Clean high-touch surfaces and objects often. This includes counters, tabletops, doorknobs, keyboards, etc.

• Wash your hands for 20 seconds or more with soapy water. If unavailable, use hand sanitizer.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

• Avoid contact with people who are sick.

• Stay home while you are sick (except to visit a health care professional) and to avoid contact with others.

• Cover your mouth/nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.

• Get adequate sleep and eat well-balanced meals to ensure a healthy immune system.

Inquiries about COVID-19 should be directed to the ODH COVID-19 hotline at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634) or the ODH website at coronavirus.ohio.gov. The public hotline is available from 9:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. Monday-Sunday.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Ohio Educational Library Media Association (OELMA) is to be the responsive and forward-thinking hub of Ohio's school library profession, providing value to school librarians as they support the instructional needs and personal learning of all students and teachers.