[August 6, 2008] - The Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services and Providence Public Library are pleased to announce a new agreement for funding the Statewide Reference Resource Center at Providence Public Library in Fiscal Year 2009. This year's contract includes the implementation of statewide licenses that will provide unimpeded access to electronic resources for all Rhode Island residents. In a new initiative starting this September, select databases and homework help will be accessible online from any library, school, community center or residence in the state via the Statewide Reference Resource Center website, AskRI.org. This is the first step in providing statewide databases for Rhode Island residents.

Online homework help will be provided through a new partnership with tutor.com, which will be available from 2-10 pm wherever learners need help. Tutor.com has been providing one-on-one tutoring online since 2000 and has over 2,000 professional tutors available to assist students with math, science, English and social studies homework. Tutoring is available for students in grades 4 through 12, for those taking introductory college courses, and for adult learners. Service is also available in Spanish. (See how Tutor works.)

All Rhode Islanders will have access to statewide databases that serve many of their information needs. An expanded partnership with World Book provides access to the World Book Online Reference Center, World Book Kids (for elementary students), World Book Advanced (for high school and college students), and the Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos, a Spanish language encyclopedia. The new World Book Discover resource provides a differentiated learning component designed to meet the needs of students and adult learners reading below grade level. Other statewide databases will be added to AskRI.org soon to provide a variety of resources for Rhode Islanders of all ages.

Under the new contract, the Statewide Reference Resource Center will continue to provide online (email and chat) reference services for all Rhode Island residents via AskRI, along with traditional in-person and telephone reference services. Sunday hours will also continue: the Statewide Reference Resource Center at the Central Library will be open Sunday afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00 pm September through May (except Easter Sunday, April 12).

Providence Public Library will continue to serve as the Statewide Reference Resource Center for Rhode Island libraries by responding to reference questions via telephone, fax, email, and interlibrary loan (ILL) Subject Requests. Staff of the Providence Public Library, including development and public relations staff, are available to Rhode Island libraries for consultation. Professional development classes and workshops taught by Providence Public Library staff will continue to be offered to Rhode Island librarians through the Office of Library and Information Services Continuing Education program. Classes include computer software training, web design workshops, reference workshops, and programs for children's services librarians.

The Statewide Reference Center at Providence Public Library is open seven days a week: Monday 12 noon - 8:00 pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Thursday 12 noon - 8:00 pm, Friday and Saturday 9:00 am - 5:30 pm, and Sunday 1:00 - 5:00 pm (through May 18, except Easter Sunday, April 12).

Telephone reference and chat service are available: Monday 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, Tuesday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, Thursday 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, Friday and Saturday 9:00 am - 5:30 pm, and Sunday 1:00 - 5:00 pm (through May 17 except Easter Sunday, March 23). To access online Statewide Reference Resource Center Services, visit AskRI.org.

Providence Public Library serves as the Statewide Reference Resource Center with state funding provided via the Office of Library and Information Services. The goal of the program is to provide quality reference services to all LORI member libraries and to all residents of Rhode Island. State funding for the SRRC in FY2009 is $1,012,378.