[November 19, 2007] - 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 2008. In this year's contract, the WorldBook Online Reference Center and HeritageQuest Online will continue to be available for all cardholders of Ocean State Libraries (OSL). Online (email and chat) reference services will continue to be available to all Rhode Island residents via AskRI along with traditional in-person and telephone reference services. This year also sees the return of Sunday hours: the Statewide Reference Resource Center at the Central Library will be open from 1:00 to 5:00 pm on Sundays through May 18 (except Easter Sunday, March 23).

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, reference librarians, children's services librarians, the Special Collections Librarian, and the Electronic Information Services Coordinator, 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 Resource Center will continue to address Rhode Islanders' changing reference needs utilizing evolving technology and methods of delivering responses. As part of this year's contract, Providence Public Library will be developing in-house capacity to support and maintain web accessible digitized content, beginning with the Rhode Island Photograph Collection.

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, March 23).

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 18 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 FY2008 is $1,012,378.