Online resources:

• Ohio Public Library Information Network. OPLIN.  Click here for home access.  See below for a survey of OPLIN databases.

• Willard-Times Junction obituary/birth index.

• Huron county genealogy.

Collection:

• Books, magazines, newspapers on a variety of subjects.

• Videotapes - entertainment films, how-to, educational and children's videos.

• Audio books and large print books.

• Local history - Ohio collection and the Willard newspaper on microfilm from May 1883.

• Railroad collection - books and videotapes.

• Young Adult - paperback and hardcover books especially for junior high and high school.
  
  Services:

• Friendly library staff to assist you.

• An automated library catalog and circulation system connects the main library and the branches.  Patrons may borrow materials (except reserves) at one branch and return them at another.

• Equipment for public use - Internet Computers and Computers for general use, 20" TV/VCR (Willard), photocopiers, laminators, facsimile machines.  Many computers have Microsoft Office 2000 installed and are available for school assignments, resume construction, etc.

• Meeting room - free to non-profit groups by reservation. An overhead projector is available at the main library.

• Historical Photograph Collection

• Hirschy Cabinet - Display cabinet used to feature patrons collections.

• Large flat display case for public use.

• Book Sales - The main library holds a book sale twice a year in the spring and fall. The Greenwich branch holds a book sale in July.  The Wakeman branch holds a year round book sale.

• Memorial Gifts & Donations - Memorial gifts and donations are welcomed by the library. Gifts of books or other materials given in memory of or to honor an individual may be made by arrangement with the individual system libraries.  The library is a non-profit organization and many gifts are tax deductible.

• Interlibrary Loans: Materials from libraries within the Willard library group may be borrowed at no charge. For materials that this library system does not have in its collection, the library participates in the Northwest Library District (NORWELD) Regional System, a consortium of libraries in NW Ohio. There is no fee for this service.  Interlibrary loan (ILL) materials may be renewed if the patron gives a one week notice.  Overdue ILL items may not be renewed.  Requests can be made at the circulation desk for ILL books or system materials.

• Teachers may use the Teacher’s Help button to request books for their classes.

Library Funding:
The library receives its operating funds from state income tax revenues through the Library and Local Government Support Fund (LLGSF) and a small local tax for its Greenwich branch.

The Ellison Machine and all of the dies are available for the public use during the Library’s regular hours.  Anyone using the machine needs to furnish their paper.

Anyone wishing to use the Ellison machine, the growing collection of Ellison Dies and the laminating machine, please inquire at the main Circulation Desk.  No appointments are necessary.  There is no charge to use the Ellison machine or dies.  The laminating charges are as follows:  credit card size - $.25, Stationary size - $.50, letter size - $.75, legal size - $1.00, 12” x 15” - $1.15, 12” x 18” - $1.30.

Some colored paper is available free, courtesy of R.R. Donnelley & Sons and Willard Graphics.

The Ohio Public Library Information Network [OPLIN] provides numerous databases to the residents of Ohio through their public libraries.  Some of the databases can be accessed from home computers.  EBSCOhost, a research database that can be accessed from home computers, has updated their Business Source Premier. 

Business Source Premier is the world’s largest full text business database.  It provides full text for more than 3650 scholarly business journals, including full text for nearly 1,100 peer-revised business publications.  Coverage includes virtually all subject areas related to business.  This database provides full text (PDF) for more than 300 of the top scholarly journals dating as far back as 1922.  This database is up dated on a daily basis via EBSCOhost.

Recently, Industry Profile information has become available.  It offers 1,800 quality full text industry profiles (reports) from three different content providers and within the next few months 1,000 additional industry profiles will become available.

Willard Memorial Library is happy to provide this resource to the business community through their internet computers or from individual home computers.  To explore the OPLIN Databases, click on the button on the left, titled "Databases from OPLIN."

The Library provides access to the consumer health web site NetWellness (netwellness.org) which is now featuring adam.com’s Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, a health resource containing more than 10,000 indexed pages of content with more than 4,000 articles that span over 1,500 medical topics.

The Health Illustrated Encyclopedia is the first stop for students to find reliable information on medical topics such as influenza and genetic disorders.  NetWellness continues to be a wonderful fundamental health resource for middle and high school students,” says Theresa M. Fredericka, INFOhio Executive Director.  The Encyclopedia is a resource for consumers and health care providers as well as students.

The Health Illustrated Encyclopedia was developed by a team of healthcare professionals including physicians, nurses, pharmacists and nutritionists to provide consumers with the most comprehensive resource available for referencing disease and treatment options, symptoms, injury, nutrition and drug information.

NetWellness is a non-profit consumer health Web site that provides high quality information created and evaluated by health professions faculty at the University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University, and Case Western Reserve University.  Started in June 1995, NetWellness was one of the first health sites on the Internet.

NetWellness can be accessed using WML’s computers or from home computers.

To use home computers follow these directions:

• 1.      Log on to your home Internet Service Provider.

• 2.      Launch your preferred Internet browser.

• 3.      Open WML’s URL – http://willardlibrary.oplin.org ,

• 4.   Click on the “Oplin Databases” Logo located on the main page.

• 4.      Next type your library card number as it appears on your card.

• 5.      Click submit.

• 6.      You will now see a screen, which allows you to select a database to search. 

NewsBank’s Ohio NewsFile is now available on the library’s OPLIN web site.

This unique resource was specifically created to provide libraries with statewide coverage on relevant social, political, economic, education, environmental, and cultural issues and events.  The news articles in Ohio NewsFile are selected from more than 70 newspapers throughout Ohio.  At the present time Ohio NewsFile is only accessible on the Library’s computers.

It is easy to qualify to use the Internet Computers.  You will asked to read the Library’s Internet Policy and then to sign it.  If you don’t have a library card you will be asked to provide your driver’s license.

A web site available at the Library for persons wishing to obtain a college degree but don’t have time to sit in a classroom at a distant college or university will want to visit this site:  http://www.ohiolearns.org/  .  OhioLearns! Is Ohio’s first statewide course catalog of distance learning courses and degrees.  OhioLearns! Provides quick and up-to-date access to distance learning courses and degrees offered by colleges and universities in Ohio.  It is searchable by keyword, date, institution, method of delivery, and degree level.

OPLIN has a new area under the subtopic Ohio Education http://www.oplin.lib.oh.us/go.cfm/3-32 called Ohio School Web Sites http://www.oplin.lib.oh.us/main.cfm?ID=1833.  This site lists school districts by name and county.  Most school districts on the list have web sites.

How To Get a Library Card

It is easy to get a card.  Adults need:

1.      Driver’s license with current address OR driver’s license and one of the following with name and current address:  a piece of mail, other ID, rent receipt or checkbook.

2.      A local personal reference and their phone number.

3.      Name & phone number of employer, if applicable.

For children under 18:

1.     Parent or legal guardian that already has a library card to take responsibility for them and sign their application.

7.      You will now see a screen, which allows you to select a database to search. Choose one from the drop-down menu at the top of the page.

8.      Begin your search.  Each database interface is the same as it is at the library Public Internet Access computers.

OPLIN’s databases are as follows:

Archives USA: For researchers who use primary source materials, the Archives/USA database provides information about primary source materials from nearly 4,800 U.S. manuscript repositories.

EBSCO Host MasterFILE: MasterFILE Premier provides full text from nearly 1,800 general reference, business, consumer health, general science, and multicultural periodicals.  It also offers indexing and abstracts for over 2,700 additional periodicals.

Electric Library:  Full-text database of 800+ newspapers and magazines.  Over 18 reference books, such as Colliers Encyclopedia, World Almanac, and Book of Facts included, along with pictures, maps, television and radio transcripts, and classic books.

Encyclopaedia Britannica: Includes all of the text of the print set, plus thousands of additional articles, digital images, Internet links tied directly to the articles, and statistics for over 190 nations.

Netwellness: This vital resource developed at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center offers the world’s largest base of medical experts to provide on-line consumer health information.  In addition to aggregating the best of what is available on the World Wide Web.

NoveList: NoveList allows readers of all ages to use a favorite author or title to discover new books to read.  You can also search NoveList’s 57,000 title database by subject or genre.

SIRS Discover & Knowledge Source: SIRS Discover is an informative database of full-text articles.  It helps develop research, reading, writing, language and computer skills while making learning fun and intuitive for the young researcher. It contains thousands of full-text articles selected from more than 450 magazines and newspapers. SIRS Knowledge Source was developed to meet the day-to-day research needs of everyone.  It provides thousands of full-text articles on social, scientific, historic, economic, political and global issues.  Articles are carefully selected from more than 1,200 newspapers, magazine, journals and government publications.  Graphics, including charts, maps, diagrams and drawings, are available for many of the articles.

The public is invited to use these technology services either at the library or from their home.  If any problems are encountered in accessing OPLIN at home, calls will be accepted at the Library (419-933-8564).  For the deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech impaired the Library’s TTY/TDD number is 1-800-750-0750.

An ongoing volunteer project at the Willard Memorial Library is the Genealogy Program.   Volunteers enter birth and obituary information found in the Willard newspapers onto the Internet.  Genealogy enthusiasts can access this information at Willard Memorial Library’s web site.  (Enthusiasts from as far away as Australia have found the website and used the Genealogy Program to find the names of relatives.)

Anyone interested in giving of his/her time to volunteer working on the Genealogy Project should contact the Information Desk.  Volunteers are always appreciated.