Advocacy Blog

On Sunday, December 8 2024 the Chicago Tribune ran a story entitled “Schools pick local control over grants.” This article discussed how libraries must adopt the ALA Bill of Rights or an equivalent statement against blanket book bans or lose their eligibility for the IL state library per capita...

We set out to prove that “My Library Is …” a welcoming place for students who read in all languages. Thanks to a generous RAILS grant, the Library Media Center at Vernon Hills High School has been very successful in making this statement feel true to our multilingual students, as well as the whole...

RAILS is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2025 My Library Is… Grants. These grants are designed to help libraries tell their story and are open to ALL types of RAILS member libraries (academic, public, school, and specialized). About the Grant: As part of the My...

The Downers Grove Public Library (DGPL) Summer Reading Club (SRC) is an annual, cornerstone program that promotes literacy, community engagement, and lifelong learning for all ages. The My Library Is… Grant funds afforded us the opportunity to translate all of our SRC program brochures into six...

On October 2, 2024, Green Hills Public Library District launched its latest initiative – a podcast! Entitled Checked Out, this monthly podcast dives into discussions about film, television, music, video games, and of course – books. The concept was initiated several months prior, and once approved...

My library received a My Library Is... Grant to purchase signage and more display carts for our outdated library space. We also purchased book stands, mobile book display carts, a new felt bulletin board for the wall, new Cricut paper, and sign holders. This grant was vital as most of our library...

My Library Is... Cooking was a grant to purchase updated cookbooks for our library. Our library’s cookbook selection was unappealing and outdated, and this grant allowed me to purchase a whole new set of cookbooks based on input from both staff and students. We hosted a book club potluck in the...

As we all know libraries have changed over the years, from e-books, chromebooks, and maker spaces to adding STEAM, reading nests, Lego and Lite Brite walls and so much more. However, one passion of mine has always been to keep real books in the hands of the students. Students need to understand how...

The Macomb High School library was honored to receive the My Library Is... Grant in the amount of $5,000. This grant is sponsored by the RAILS Library System and promotes collaborative projects between libraries and their community. Ms. Pittman’s and Ms. Eddington’s English students visited the...

My school is bilingual. And my library was too . . . sort of. Thanks to the RAILS My Library Is… Grant money, I can now say with confidence that the library is a bilingual space that serves all of our students. Brentano Math and Science Academy is a bilingual school. We have many students who speak...

“I can’t find anything to read. Nothing interests me. These books are too hard. I do not know where the book is located.” Sound familiar? The My Library Is... Grant provided funding to update and enhance the library collection and reading experience. It also provided colorful new signage to improve...

In addition to using the library for academic purposes, students enjoy the opportunity to decompress and have downtime in the library. The library is open to students for their free time before school, during our four lunch periods, and after school. These are ideal times for students to read for...

This school year, I was lucky enough to receive a My Library is… Grant from RAILS at Glenbard East High School. Glenbard East is a majority-minority, Title 1 high school in Lombard, IL. Of our 2253 students, forty three percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Fourteen percent of our students...

The administration of Saint Patrick High School in Chicago decided to renovate the James J. Barrett Learning Resource Center during the 2022-2023 school year. During the renovation, the carpeting and furniture were replaced. Before the renovation, the collection was extensively evaluated and weeded...

Are graphic novels as HUGE in your library as they are in mine? It is our most highly circulated section, and every single title circulates at least once per school year. Safe to say, we love graphic novels here at Adler Park School. As I observed which graphic novels the students were choosing, and...