This service provides maintenance and development of the regional union catalog for the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison, Madison-Oneida, and Jefferson-Lewis County BOCES School Library Systems. The web-based catalog is continuously updated so patrons have access to reliable data from the combined resources of 165 schools. Staff and students use the regional catalog in their school’s library for instruction and to borrow resources in area schools through interlibrary loan.

The expanded interlibrary loan service includes researching and requesting books and articles from sites outside the Oneida/Herkimer School Library System’s component school districts by utilizing library resources nationwide. Customized research is also conducted on any topic to meet the educational and informational needs of staff and students. In addition, large print books, audiobooks and books written in languages other than English can be borrowed to support student learning. The School Library System staff have access to online databases and institutions across the United States that are part of interlibrary loan consortia virtually creating libraries without walls.

This Online Resources service provides consortium pricing and procurement for the purchase of NY education law 2D compliant online electronic information and instructional resources. These resources supplement curricula and research as well as provide online resources to students and teachers for use in hybrid learning environments.

The School Library System provides a single sign-on online platform for access, technical support, as well as professional development in online search strategies and training of the online resources for library staff and teachers. Example subscriptions may include Brain Pop, Culturegrams, Worldbook, Raz Kids, Facts on File, NewsELA, Scholastic and SIRS Researcher. Databases and electronic resources not currently on the renewal list may be requested for inclusion.

Training on the use of digital resources is available for library staff, teachers and students. The School Library System also offers training in bibliographic instruction of on-line search strategies and technical support to library media personnel.

This service coordinates the acquisition of additional library materials such as books, ebooks and DVDs selected by a school’s librarian and housed in individual school libraries. Resources are shared with component districts through the Regional Union Catalog (CIDER) and interlibrary loan. The function of the school library collection is to support instruction and meet the informational needs of staff and students. This service allows schools in the region to build exemplary library collections, increasing the variety and availability of books available for interlibrary loan.

This service provides the opportunity for districts to belong to a digital resource library built through the collective purchasing power of all members. This web-based digital collection is selected by a committee of librarians and teachers and is accessible by all students and staff from any computer with internet access. Multi-use, simultaneous-use ebooks and reference materials allow for whole-class usage. Many titles are more expensive than any library would be able to afford without belonging to the service. Examples of titles include Facts on File Companion to Shakespeare, Tumblebooks, Compact Research: Teen Well-Being, Teen Mental Health, Civic Participation, and Gale Research Novels for Students. 

The Regional Library Automation Service is provided through a cross-contract with the Mohawk Regional Information Center. This service provides for local area network installation, maintenance, updates, software installation and training, access to the regional library database for resource sharing and ongoing related support services.