News from RAILS & Libraries

Arlington Heights Memorial Library Youth Services staff recently accepted an award recognizing the Hub and the Arlington Heights Memorial Library (AHML) as a Safe Space for Youth. Awarded by Kenneth Young Center and Communities for Positive Youth Development's Youth Advocates for Change (YAC) group...

We are excited to see so many of our member libraries presenting for a national audience at the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition, June 22-27. Below is a list of RAILS members who are presenting at ALA. We’ll update it as we receive more program information. If you or someone at your library is...

The Illinois School Library Workers Symposium will be held on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. This event is designed for individuals who are working in school libraries with no formal library education, certified or non-certified, paraprofessionals, and those considering getting a school library...

From the My Library Is ... Blog: This year Glenside Middle School rolled out WeVideo accounts to all of our students. This was the first time that students had access to a full-feature video editing program on their Chromebooks. It wasn’t a perfect journey, but over the year almost all students...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, spotlights attraction Galesburg Parks and Recreation in Galesburg, IL! Galesburg Parks and Recreation are back this year offering a discount on their beach and their waterpark. Lake Storey Beach is...

From the My Library Is ... Blog: As a Librarian, nothing is more frustrating than having students look at our shelves filled with thousands of books and say there is nothing they want to read. I wanted to leverage the RAILS My Library Is Grant to make my shelves more accessible and encourage reading...

RAILS is happy to announce that Chicago Public Library joined Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program, on June 5, 2023. This will transform Explore More Illinois into a true statewide cultural and recreational pass program, as the program will be available to all...

Congratulations to the 2023 candidates who have been elected to serve on the RAILS Board: Academic Library Seat Gwen Gregory, Northern Illinois University Public Library Trustee Seats Jean M. Carroll, Thomas Ford Memorial Library Jennifer Hovanec, Villa Park Public Library Alex Vancina (re-elected)...

Fox River Grove Memorial Library is proud to offer a Sensory Storytime on the second Monday of every month at 10:30 a.m. The next Sensory Storytime takes place on Monday, June 12, 2023. This program differs from the Library’s regular storytimes in that enrollment is more limited; transitions are...

From the My Library Is ... Blog: The Lisle Library District (LLD) was aglow from sunflowers and the LiteZilla on Saturday, April 22. After a year-long two-phased renovation, the Lisle Library District celebrated with a Grand Opening that attracted about 800 attendees, who enjoyed soft pretzels from...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Normal CornBelters in Normal! The Normal CornBelters are a collegiate, wood bat summer baseball team based in Normal, Illinois. Normal CornBelters is offering Two...

Fabulous Bookends The Geneseo Public Library District (Friends) is selling bookends for a future reading garden. Enclosed is a picture of the bookends.

Mrs. Estelle Soger, the Learning Resource Center Director at Montini Catholic High School in Lombard is retiring after 30 years of service!

Dan Bostrom sits down with RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris to talk about the next steps in the RAILS Board election, highlights from her now-completed meet and greet tour, and EDI training that will soon be available to RAILS members and their trustees. Monica also provides updates on...

Turtle Power! Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™ Share Secrets of the Sewer, Ninja Tactics, and Teamwork at Gail Borden Public Library starting June 2. Thank you to Gail Borden Public Library District Foundation and KCT Credit Union for supporting this exhibit and Reading is Rad Summer...