News from RAILS & Libraries

The Reaching Across Illinois Libraries System (RAILS) announced that 18 projects have been selected to receive My Library Is… Grants for School Libraries. The total amount funded for these projects is $58,346.09. These grants provide an opportunity for libraries to focus on projects that help tell...

Registration for the JJC Summer 2023 Sessions is now underway for new and returning students. The 6-week Summer Session 1 runs May 22 - June 29. The 6-week Summer Session 3 runs from July 3 - August 10. All JJC online students pay in-district tuition. For more information, please contact Michelle Y...

From the My Library Is ... Blog: Everyone's a reader. That is the message I want to send to the students at Medinah Middle School. Last year I purchased celebrity READ posters from the American Library Association for all of the teachers in the school in order to promote reading in all disciplines...

From the My Library Is ... Blog: Pandemic-related delays are being felt throughout schools, but Heyworth’s Junior-Senior High School library was hit hard. Between closures, no in-person group visits, falling literacy levels, and a budget cut, the library was seeing a drastic loss of circulation as...

RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris will continue to travel through the RAILS area in the next month to meet with staff from our member libraries in person. Monica will talk about some of her goals for RAILS moving forward and there will be plenty of time for member questions and feedback. There...

From the My Library Is ... Blog: My Library is…the heart of our school: a space for all students, staff and community members and filled with something for EVERYONE….readers, scientists, engineers, friends and so much more! Read the full post on the My Library Is ... website.

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Children’s Discovery Museum in Normal! The Children’s Discovery Museum inspires the love of learning. We offer 3 floors of hands-on exhibits that actively engage...

On April 30, discussion email lists that are managed by RAILS were moved from our old platform to the new RAILS ListServ environment. Subscribers on each list that was migrated over the weekend should have received a message sent to the list's new address, with details about the move. The most...

50th Anniversary Celebration The Alsip-Merrionette Park Public Library invite the RAILS library community as it celebrates its 50 year Anniversary. Join us on Friday, May 5 as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the passing of the referendum that established the Alsip-Merrionette Park Public...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass for Illinois libraries, spotlights Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford! Anderson Japanese Gardens is proud of its longstanding reputation as one of the highest-quality Japanese gardens in North America. Their passion, however, is...

(Elgin, Illinois) Ten violins that were played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust are on display at Gail Borden Public Library at 270 N. Grove, Elgin, IL. Part of the collection of the Violins of Hope project, the instruments have been lovingly restored. The community is invited to...

Dan Bostrom chats with RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris about the upcoming RAILS Board election, what she's learned on her meet and greet tour, and important legislative issues that our member libraries should know about. Relevant links: RAILS Board nomination form Coal Valley Meet & Greet -...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, the Chicago Academy of Sciences Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago! For over 165 years, the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has served...

From the My Library Is ... Blog: During the pandemic, my workspace in a public high school transformed from a traditional book-centric library to an innovative makerspace community called The Hub. Removing our freestanding bookshelves made all the difference in lightening up this student space. Read...

The Batavia Public Library Board invite the RAILS library community to a retirement reception in honor of outgoing Executive Director George H. Scheetz. The open house reception will be held at the Batavia Public Library on Sunday, May 7, 2023, from 2 to 4 p.m. Enjoy refreshments and conversation...