News & Announcements from Libraries

Incorporating Spanish language books into your school library collection isn’t just about providing enjoyable reading material; it’s about creating an environment that values diversity, promotes language development, and prepares students for a global world. Whether you're supporting native Spanish...

Registration for the JJC Fall 2025 Session is now underway for new and returning students. 2025 Fall Semester starts 8/18. Join us online. Each of the following 3 credit classes run for 16 weeks. The semester ends 12/12, in plenty of time to prepare for your holidays! LTA 101- Introduction to...

The Aurora Public Library District is seeking proposals from experienced developers or design professionals to create a custom HTML header for our Vega library catalog. Proposal Deadline: August 29, 2025, by 2:00 p.m. Deadline for Questions: August 20, 2025, by 2:00 p.m. Submit Proposals/Questions...

On March 14, 2025, Executive Order 14238, “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” called for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). RAILS is spotlighting libraries and institutions in Illinois that have received IMLS grant money and sharing how they...

At Rockford University we know that student research and expression can take many forms – sometimes written, sometimes visual, and increasingly, spoken or recorded. That’s why we’re excited to announce a brand-new creative space opening in Fall 2025: The Audio Lab @ Howard Colman Library. This space...

Friday August 29, 9am-1pm Arlington Heights Memorial Library Build your accessibility network at this energizing unconference. Whether you have expertise to share on a specific topic or want to discover what’s working in other libraries, this is the perfect chance to connect, mentor, learn, and find...

Logos may act as the first opportunity for patrons to connect with the library. Found on bookmarks, signage, websites, and other outreach materials, a well-designed logo is a tool to aid the public perception of the library. So, what does an effective library logo look like? What considerations do...

2025 Powering Safe Communities Program Awards Over $165,000 in Grants to 23 Communities Across Northern Illinois ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus are proud to announce the latest recipients of the Powering Safe Communities Grant Program, kickstarting projects focused on public safety and...

The Manhattan-Elwood Public Library applied for the My Library Is... Grant to furnish our new branch with a curated selection of Spanish titles and resources for the community. Our library district serves the villages of Manhattan, Elwood, and Jackson Township in the south suburbs. In 2023-24, we...

Aurora, IL — The Aurora Public Library District is proud to announce that three of its staff members have been selected as 2025 ALA Spectrum Scholars by the American Library Association. This prestigious national honor supports the advancement of diversity in the library profession through...

Reaching Forward North is a professional development conference for library support staff in central and northern Illinois put on by the Illinois Library Association. This took place on May 1, 2025. The staff at RAILS operated a booth at the conference and hosted a giveaway. Participants of the...

John L. Hensey Elementary School was very excited when we were awarded this wonderful grant opportunity to help update our History and Social Studies book collections throughout the school. Our school collection had less diversity (only 3% of the collection) when I started a few years ago. I was...