News from RAILS & Libraries

The Marseilles Public Library Board of Trustees has appointed Heide Trettenero as our next Executive Director effective October 1, 2023. Heide is a great worker and has been with Marseilles Library for seven years. She has handled all of our cataloging, runs Preschool Story Hour and keeps us all on...

Lake Villa District Library is proud to present A Picture is Worth 1000 Yards: Sports Photography of Walter Payton, a traveling exhibition on loan from the Dunn Museum. The exhibition celebrates the life and achievements of Chicago Bear Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton through photographs and...

Greetings! The NILRC Professional Development Committee is pleased to offer our first Webinar for 2023-24, entitled “What is ChatGPT and Why Should I Care?” Our presenters are Atticus Garrison, Reference and Instruction Librarian at Black Hawk College; and Erica Lannan, Professor of Biology, Prairie...

(LOMBARD, IL) – Helen Plum Library is honored to announce the reception of the Conservation@Work certification from The Conservation Foundation (TCF) of DuPage County. Committed to protecting the environment, the TCF recognizes organizations that transform landscapes for the benefit of people and...

Dan and Monica talk about the qualities RAILS is looking for in their next Director of Consulting and Continuing Education, highlights from Directors University, and the new Unite Against Book Bans in Illinois initiative. Links: Director of Consulting and Continuing Education job posting Directors...

After 29 years of service to the Cary Area Public Library District, Executive Director Diane McNulty will retire on October 6. "I have had a great time as the third Executive Director of the Cary Area Public Library. I have worked with some phenomenal people who were on the staff, on the board...

On Friday, September 08, 2023, the Bookmobile and Library Outreach Networking Group (B’LONG) will be hosting our biennial Round-Up conference from 9am - 3pm! With a great list of speakers, presentations, breakout sessions, and outreach vehicles – you won’t want to miss this! Please RSVP through the...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Haitian American Museum of Chicago in Chicago! The mission of the Haitian American Museum of Chicago is “ To promote and preserve Haitian art, culture, history and...

From the My Library Is ... Blog: Realizing that the biography collection had some big gaps in representation while working with students was an inspiration for this RAILS grant. I wanted students to be able to see themselves in the collection of life stories and also be able to see outside their...

Are you passionate about intellectual freedom and defending the freedom to read? With censorship efforts surging at unprecedented levels across the country, a coalition of library support organizations including ILA, AISLE, IHLS, and RAILS are seeking to create a network of regional response teams...

Please join RAILS in welcoming four new members, DeVry University, District 50 Schools, Rebuild Foundation, and Saint Catherine Laboure School. DeVry University is a private for-profit university with its headquarters in Naperville, Illinois. The university has locations all over the United States...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Community Players Theatre in Bloomington! Community Players is a charitable, nonprofit theatrical organization dedicated to the idea that live theater enhances the...

The Special Libraries Association (SLA) Nominating Committee announced the candidates for the 2023 SLA election. The slate contains two representatives from Illinois: Rachel Cole and Dan Bostrom are two of the eight candidates for the SLA Board of Directors. There are four open board seats available...

From the My Library Is ... Blog: In 2022 Illinois Institute of Technology established the Galvin Library Media Studio (GLaMS) with funds received from the On the Road to Recovery: Transforming Library Spaces grant offered through the Illinois State Library. The new studio provides the space and...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Bronzeville Children’s Museum in Chicago! The first and only African American children's museum in the country serving all children ages 4-9 years old. Focus on history...