INFOhio Community

The State Library of Ohio recently announced the Library Juice Academy Digital Curation Cohort program is returning for its third year. This initiative offers 15 Ohio library staff members or cultural heritage professionals the opportunity to complete coursework and earn a Digital Curation Certificate from Library Juice Academy. Participants will be selected through a competitive application process, with the State Library overseeing their enrollment in the six-course series. Federal funding awarded to the State Library from the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will cover the enrollment costs for each participant. 

Applications are now available on the State Library website and are due November 8, 2024. 

The award-winning Digital Curation Certificate from Library Juice Academy is crafted to develop skills in areas such as digitization, digital preservation, metadata creation, and beyond. This program is ideal for individuals interested in this field, regardless of their previous experience.

“The State Library of Ohio is dedicated to offering innovative and high-quality continuing education opportunities for library staff across the state. Following the success of the cohorts from the past two years, we are excited to continue our partnership with Library Juice Academy. This collaboration will support library personnel in the areas of digitization and digital preservation,” stated Evan T. Struble, Associate State Librarian for Library Development. 

The six required courses are virtual and asynchronously. Cohort members will be assigned to a schedule of courses, that will allow participants to finish in calendar year 2025. Participants should expect to take one class per month until the course is complete. No additional software or textbooks need to be purchased, but students will need access to a laptop or desktop computer with an internet connection and an updated web browser. Each four-week course involves approximately fifteen hours of work to complete.  

Library, archive, or museum workers in Ohio, full- or part-time, are eligible to apply for this program. However, it is not open to current students in credit or certificate-granting programs. No pre-requisites are required. Those chosen for the cohort will be informed in December 2024, with classes set to commence in February 2025. All selected members must attend the mandatory introductory meeting on January 8, 2025, at 10 a.m.

For questions, please contact Library Consultant Penelope Shumaker at pshumaker@library.ohio.gov