Raising literacy achievement is no small task. As teachers know, every student is different with unique challenges and characteristics to consider. Students with dyslexia are a unique group of learners who have specific needs and strengths. While using research-based, structured literacy instructional approaches is the first step, dyslexia is more than a deficit or something that we need to fix.

The choice of colors and background images you use for Fetch, INFOhio's basic library catalog search, can have a considerable impact on user engagement. A visually pleasing background image can attract a student's attention and encourage them to continue exploring Fetch.

Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement addresses the need to support educators to recognize and plan instruction for students with dyslexia. Because dyslexia affects between 11 and 17 percent of the population, all educators must have access to instructional approaches that are explicit, systematic, and structured (Wagner et al). This quality instruction will impact not only students with dyslexia but also their classmates who are not. Equipping educators with knowledge and skills from the Science of Reading is essential for reading proficiency for all students.

This summer, INFOhio's Library Services Platform will be upgraded to Symphony 4.0. With this upgrade, users of WorkFlows will need to update their version of the WorkFlows application.

Literacy Pro for Grades 3-6 has been available through INFOhio since August 2022 as a replacement for Storia for Grades 3-6. INFOhio’s subscription to Literacy Pro will end June 30, 2023.

Starting with the 2023-2024 school year, content in Educator Tools will primarily focus on digital tools and resources licensed or purchased by INFOhio. Users can continue to find training and support materials for resources such as BookFlix, the World Book suite, and Points of View Reference Center using Educator Tools’ simple search features. In addition, it will be easier for educators to access videos, flyers, lesson plans, and other materials to help them use and integrate the quality resources from INFOhio. Educator Tools also includes direct links to individual BookFlix eBooks, World Book webquests, and videos from the INFOhio Digital Video Collection.

An enhancement to help support searching within Fetch is infinite scroll. Infinite scroll enables students to continuously scroll through search results without having to click to load additional pages. This approach is often used for sites targeting younger audiences because it provides a browsing scaffold for early users and a seamless user experience. Students can continue to scroll through search results without having to click through to the next page, which can be particularly appealing for mobile users. 

The Management Council, acting in the interest of Ohio Information Technology Centers (ITCs) and Ohio PreK-12 schools, is soliciting information from interested parties for collections of ebooks, audiobooks, and digital video available for purchase, to be made freely accessible to all Ohio PreK-12 students, educators, and families through INFOhio, Ohio's PreK-12 Digital Library.

Let your knowledge blossom with three new Learn With INFOhio Webinars. Join us in April and May to cultivate your learning with INFOhio resources and tools. Fight end-of-year fatigue and shower your students with content that will help them grow!

All webinars are now available as recordings.

Celebrate School Library Month with resources and activities at no cost from INFOhio!

Gale In Context: Elementary and Transparent Language Online have been available through the INFOhio website as part of the Libraries Connect Ohio shared collection, July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2023. Beginning July 1, 2023, Gale In Context: Elementary and Transparent Language Online will not be included in the Libraries Connect Ohio shared collection and will no longer be available through INFOhio.

Book Nook has a new look! Browse a collection of student-created book trailers. This collection serves as a tool for teachers and librarians to explore and curate book titles to support curricular needs.

On Thursday, March 16th, the State Library of Ohio Board approved a grant to contribute LSTA funding to the Libraries Connect Ohio (LCO) collection of digital content. INFOhio, OhioLINK, and OPLIN, representing school libraries, college and university libraries, and public libraries, contribute funding for this collection of quality digital content. Through this unique partnership of library organizations, Libraries Connect Ohio is able to provide a strong and consistent set of resources that demonstrates the benefits of shared services and effectively serves Ohioans of all ages.

Instructional materials matter. While securing a coherent curriculum and professional development for teachers is fundamental to student success, identifying high-quality supplemental materials at grade level for all learners can be helpful in increasing student engagement, meeting diverse needs, and filling instructional gaps. In this Teach with INFOhio Blog post, learn how to use licensed digital content from World Book Kids to engage, empower, elevate, and extend student learning in elementary classrooms.