News from RAILS & Libraries

Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS), Illinois Library Association (ILA), and Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) are excited to announce the release of a series of Directors University (DU) videos called DU On Demand. Directors University is a joint project of IHLS, ILA, and RAILS...

We are thrilled to announce the continuation of the Illinois Cataloging Mentorship Program (iCAMP), a nine-month initiative designed to foster both professional and personal development among participants. Program Overview: iCAMP operates on a comprehensive nine-month framework, structured to...

We are happy to report several changes made to our submission form. In order to streamline the submission process for large batches of items, the following fields will now be auto populated from the last form submission: Method of Sending Item Phone Return to Library Building Delivery Code Mailing...

Season two, episode two of Can't Shelve This is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more. In "The One Where They Get Connected," Janette and Leah are joined by Cyndi Robinson (Executive Director of the Illinois Library Association) and K.C. Boyd (District of Columbia Public...

RAILS’ new leadership development program announces members of the inaugural RAILS Catalyst cohort. Due to strong interest, we increased the number of available spots from 40 to 48. All applicants demonstrated a passion for advancing their careers and building leadership skills. Final selections for...

From the My Library Is... Blog: At Aurora University Library, we are always looking for meaningful ways to enhance the services we provide to our students, staff, and the wider campus community. When the opportunity arose to apply for a library grant, we knew exactly what we wanted to do: invest in...

Caitlin Stewart, Illinois State University, and Heather Jagman, DePaul University, are excited to announce the launch of the Education Library Workers of Illinois (EduLibs) — a new email list for library workers across Illinois to connect, collaborate, and stay informed! Whether you support a...

Are you looking for fresh program ideas and resources for kids in Spanish? Innovative solutions, and a supportive network of peers who understand the challenges of our field? Join SPARK ( Spanish Programming And Resource for Kids)! A dynamic networking group where library professionals come together...

RAILS is excited to announce that the Founders Library at Northern Illinois University (NIU) is bringing over two million items to the Find More Illinois platform. By joining as a lender-only, Northern Illinois University will bring unique collections not previously available to Find More Illinois...

As part of a year-long effort to encourage staff and trustees from member libraries to sign up for a Library Learning (L2) account, RAILS declares September “L2 Signup Month.” To celebrate, we’re hosting a contest! Throughout September 2025, anyone who creates a new L2 account will be automatically...

RAILS is excited to announce the launch of its new Resource Sharing Map, a powerful tool designed to help libraries explore, analyze, and advocate for libraries across Illinois. Built on the advanced ArcGIS software platform, this updated map is now publicly available and offers more features and...

From the My Library Is... Blog: Libraries today are about so much more than just borrowing books. In our library, you can find plenty of books, but also DVDs, audiobooks, CDs, and a variety of items through our Library of Things. The Library of Things includes items to help the vision impaired...

At the World Language Cataloging Service, our mission is to expand access to the many languages spoken and read in Illinois libraries. Juvenile materials make up a large portion of the requests we receive, and are some of the most interesting materials to work with. We receive cataloging requests...

Burr Ridge, IL — RAILS is excited to announce that we’ve secured an eRead Illinois exclusive discount on content through Boundless, allowing us to purchase an additional $50,000 worth of e-books and audiobooks for the shared collection. This means more titles will result in shorter wait times and...

We invite all levels of staff from any type of RAILS library to join the online RAILS Member Update on Wednesday, September 10, 3:00-4:00 p.m. Topics include a new memo from Ancel Glink on Public Act 104-0054, a presentation on the Narcan rollout at Chicago Public Library, the RAILS Resource Sharing...