Email Lists
RAILS EDI Mailing List
All RAILS member library staff members interested in sharing ideas and best practices related to EDI are invited to subscribe to our EDI discussion list. See our Email Lists for Member Discussions page for information about subscribing and access to the list's message archive.
Networking Groups
- New RAILS Networking Group: Digital Equity Networking Group- (Kickoff Meeting July 15, 2024) If you are passionate about increasing digital equity and working towards mitigating the digital divide, please consider joining and participating in the RAILS Digital Equity Networking Group. Participants in this group will work together to identify barriers that stand in the way of digital equity and will collaborate on solutions and opportunities for bridging the digital divide. This meeting is open to all library staff from all Illinois libraries.
- BIPOC Library Workers (BIPOC LW) - This group aims to foster connection, share resources and discuss specific experiences in a safe, welcome, and open space for all library workers members who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color.
- Chicago Chapter of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (CCBCALA) -
This national organization's mission is to serve as an "advocate for the development, promotion, and improvement of library services and resources to the nation's African American community; and provides leadership for the recruitment and professional development of African American librarians." - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Metadata networking group (DEI in Metadata) - This group aims to foster the importance of a shared understanding of the inclusive library metadata practices in Illinois libraries. This group will also provide advice and support for Illinois libraries to create and maintain more equitable, diverse, and inclusive metadata content.
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Team in Youth Services (EDITY-YS) -
- Library staff interested in meeting with like-minded youth services library staff to discuss diversity of all kinds are invited to join this networking group.
- Illinois Libraries Present - The Illinois Joint Library Programming Group provides high-quality online events at equitable prices for participating member libraries of all sizes and budgets. To provide high-quality, high-profile events that highlight national names and social justice/DEI issues, that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive for single libraries to hold on their own
- Reforma Midwest Chapter (The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking) A Midwest Chapter Afro-Latine Affinity Group - REFORMA announces the launch of the REFORMA Afro-Latinè Affinity Group (RALAG). The purpose is to increase awareness of the intersection of Blackness and Latinidad plus foster support among REFORMA's Afro-Latinè members and allies. Contact midwestreformachapter@gmail.com with questions
- SPARK (Spanish Programming And Resources for Kids) is a networking group of librarians and other library staff members who are interested in Spanish programming for children. We meet quarterly to share ideas, tips, favorite resources, and more.
- We Here - We Here®️ seeks to provide a safe and supportive community for Black and Indigenous folks, and People of Color (BIPOC) in library and information science (LIS) professions and educational programs, and to recognize, discuss, and intervene in systemic social issues that have plagued these professions both currently and historically.