Illinois Partnership for School Libraries

We're four library organizations committed to supporting school libraries in Illinois:

• Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE)
• Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS)
• Illinois Library Association (ILA)
• Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS)

School libraries are essential to:

• student learning
• media literacy
• digital literacy
• inquiry
• research

School libraries provide access to:

• reliable resources
• diverse literature
• a culture of reading
• information skills
• creativity & collaboration
• civic development

AISLE’s mission is to promote lifelong learning by the students of Illinois starting with the school library.  AISLE provides leadership and support for the development, promotion, and improvement of the school library media profession and programs in Illinois. 

Yes! RAILS maintains an online tool to view information about Illinois school libraries called the School Library Advocacy Through Education (SLATE) data dashboard. The information and resources available are essential to understanding and advocating for school libraries and their staff. 

Please encourage staff in your school district to complete the 2026-2027 SLATE Illinois School Library Census. The census is our best way to learn about the status of school libraries, including their staff, collections, and financial support. 

There are two library systems in Illinois that serve school districts: 

• Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS)
• Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS)

Your school district may already be participating in one of these systems. Through the library system, staff at your school district have access to things like: 

• Interlibrary loan delivery 
• Continuing education 
• Grants 
• Deals & discounts 

And much more! If you’re interested, please reach out to your local system to learn more.  

Every year, the Illinois State Library offers the School District Library Grant Program to support library media services for eligible Illinois public school districts based on qualified school libraries serving K-12 students.  

Eligible districts can apply to be awarded $0.885 per pupil with a minimum award of $850.00. Your district must be a library system member to apply.  

Your district must also agree to comply with Public Act 103-0100 (see below).  

Public Act 103–0100 is an Illinois Library System Act amendment that adds this requirement: Sec. 8.7. State grants; book banning. To be eligible for State grants, a library or library system shall adopt the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights that indicates materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval or, in the alternative, develop a written statement prohibiting the practice of banning books or other materials within the library or library system.  

For more information on this act, please see the Illinois Heartland Library System’s FAQ page.  

Good question. The Illinois Partnership for School Libraries recently released a School Library Advocacy Toolkit. The resources in this toolkit will help you speak out for your school library.  

Thanks for asking. Can't Shelve Thisis a monthly podcast for school library workers that  aims to create a space for them to feel seen, entertained, and informed all at once. You can find Can’t Shelve This wherever you get your podcasts.