News from RAILS & Libraries

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Centennial Aquatic Center! Opened in 2014, the Centennial Aquatic Center is a summer destination operated by the Park Ridge Park District. Designed to serve residents...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park! Get ready to adventure to new heights at Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park in Western Springs, IL, located in the suburbs just a short...

With a collection age of 2008, the South Park School nonfiction collection was out-of-date and not relevant to the interests of twenty-first century elementary students. Almost one third of the books in the collection had not circulated at all in the past five years, or had only circulated once. The...

The Putnam County Public Library District is pleased to announce the opening of Flag in the Map: Charting Rainbow Flag Stories, a powerful international photography exhibition now on display in the Community Room at the Granville Branch through August 31st during regular library hours. The...

The Evanston Public Library Board of Trustees is seeking search firms to submit proposals for a search for the new Executive Director of EPL. Find the RFP here: https://epl.org/board-of-trustees/.

“Hi!” A young woman, probably in her twenties, approached the Adult Services desk with an eager smile. “This might sound like a weird question, but could you help me find a newspaper from about fifteen years ago? There’s a photo of me sledding that ran in the Bartlett Examiner. I even have the exact...

The Oak Park Public Library has won an American Library Association award for the fall 2025 issue of its magazine, Storyline . The library's print magazine issue won a PR Xchange award in the External Communications category. More than 236 entries in print and electronic formats were submitted from...

Roselle Public Library announces that Roselle parents of children aged birth to five can now register for the Imagination Library, an early childhood literacy program that mails free, high-quality books to your home every month, up until the child's fifth birthday. There is no cost to residents to...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Intuit Art Museum! Intuit Art Museum (IAM) champions the diverse voices of self-taught art, welcoming both new and familiar audiences. Located in Chicago’s West Town...

Joe and Monica break down the latest at RAILS: ⚖️ The federal censorship bill threatening the freedom to read 🗳️ Your last chance to vote in this year's RAILS Board election 💡 What we learned from our first leadership program 👋 Your chance to interact with RAILS this week Relevant Links: ILA Bill...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, the Driehaus Museum! The Driehaus Museum engages and inspires the global community through exploration and ongoing conversations in art, architecture, and design of the...

The Fox River Valley Public Library District’s Public Relations team earned second-place honors in the 2026 National Association of Government Communicators Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Awards. The library was recognized in the Campaign Under $100,000 category for its Fox Box youth reading program and...

They keep the books moving, the doors open, and the students supported—often without any recognition. They're paraprofessionals, and their invisible labor makes a visible impact. Episode 2.10 of Can't Shelve This is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more. Janette and Leah are...

Voting is now open for the 2026 RAILS Board Election! Members may cast their ballot until Friday, May 22, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. This year, we have: 2 candidates running for 1 academic seat 4 candidates running for 1 at-large seat 7 candidates running for 3 public library trustee seats 3 candidates...

On Sunday, April 19, more than 1,000 people gathered at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library to celebrate a major milestone: the library’s 100th birthday. “The library is the heart of the community,” said Library Board Trustee President Amy Somary during her opening remarks. “At 100 years young...