The State Library of Oregon in Salem, is the library for the U.S. state of Oregon. The mission of the State Library of Oregon is to provide leadership and resources to continue growing vibrant library services for Oregonians with print disabilities, the Legislature and state government, and all Oregonians through local libraries.
This article explores the history of the FDLP Regional Collection in Oregon libraries. It covers the origin and evolution of the collection which is currently managed by the State Library of Oregon by way of shared housing agreements. The transition away from print-based to digital access points to a shift in role for the collection, with more emphasis on long-term preservation. This shift prompts an examination of options for improving the management of the collection.
This issue of the OLA Quarterly features articles written by State Library staff highlighting the programs, services, and history of the State Library. The State Library of Oregon was established as the Oregon Library Commission in 1905 and renamed as the Oregon State Library in 1913. Today, the State Library of Oregon has three distinct roles:
During the electronic resource management cycle, library staff review, acquire, evaluate, and deactivate databases based on a number of factors that include usage statistics, collection development decisions, and budgetary factors. One aspect of electronic resource management that has increased in the Government Information and Library Services division is our promotion of new, updated, or existing databases to our state employee users.
The Ready to Read project at your local public library is building literacy skills in early learners and summer readers, even as I write these words. Oregon libraries use Ready to Read funds in their daily work to support visiting Head Start classrooms with storytimes, to offer teen or foster parent literacy classes, to implement summer food site reading programs, and more—all to ensure that as many Oregon kids as possible have the opportunity to build literacy skills in their communities.
