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The State Library of Ohio Board recognized and honored Beverly Cain on her retirement from the State Library of Ohio following 10 years as State Librarian of Ohio.  Beverly’s retirement began in 2020 during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shut down of most government buildings. Consequently, her recognition was delayed. The following is a section of the State Library Board’s Retirement Resolution passed at their October 2022 meeting:

WHEREAS Beverly Cain has been a leader throughout her 35-year career in Ohio libraries, working as the manager of Reference and Adult Services at the Medina County District Library, as Branch Manager at the Upper Arlington Public Library, and as the Director of the Portsmouth Public Library; and

WHEREAS Beverly Cain has served on a multitude of library and community organizations including as past president of the Ohio Library Council Board and past president of the Portsmouth Rotary Club, demonstrating her strong commitment to both the Ohio Library community and the local community at large; and

WHEREAS Beverly Cain has guided the State Library of Ohio through difficult budgetary constraints, while implementing new strategic initiatives and maintaining high staff morale, as demonstrated by the recognition as a Top Workplace by Columbus CEO in 2014 and 2016.

As State Librarian, Beverly led both innovative and needs-based initiatives and positioned the State Library as a leader and exemplary partner in collaborations with Ohio’s libraries and library organizations. She implemented a strategic plan with a vision of a Smarter Ohio, focusing on improving access to collections and use of meeting rooms for state government employees, growing statewide library resource sharing and collaboration, and using federal IMLS funds for special Ohio Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants to encourage collection development of books by award winning Ohio authors and illustrators and assist libraries to join an existing library consortium.

“I am proud of the many programs and services the State Library of Ohio was able to develop and implement during my tenure,” expressed Beverly Cain.  “With the support of the State Library Board and the hard work of State Library staff, we were able to introduce a new leadership program, ILEAD USA – Ohio, as a companion to Library Leadership Ohio; provide LSTA grants to help libraries join existing ILS consortia, leading to increased access to electronic and print materials across the state; implement Guiding Ohio Online, an innovative technology training program for Ohioans delivered through local public libraries;  work with Serving Every Ohioan (SEO) Service Center leaders to initiate Training on Demand and the SEO DigiHub, and establish the Ohio Digital Network as Ohio’s service hub for the Digital Public Library of America.  I am confident the State Library of Ohio will continue to use these and yet-to-be-developed initiatives to support and expand library services throughout Ohio.”

Beverly guided the formation of Regional Digitization Hubs and steered the Ohio Digital Library, SEO Consortium, and Statewide Delivery through exponential growth during her State Library leadership service.

“Beverly Cain served the State Library of Ohio for ten years as libraries progressed into an era of electronic information serving the public in new ways with new methods,” said Alan Hall, State Library Board President.  “Her guidance and experience were important during this critical time of development.  She was a real communicator to the library profession and a mentor to all she reached.”      

An open house retirement celebration for both Beverly Cain and Bill Morris was held on October 20, 2022.

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