News & Announcements from RAILS

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...

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 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...

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...

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...

Dan and Monica break down the latest in this month’s RAILS Minute: 🎧 A new season of the Can’t Shelve This podcast ✏️ A free, full day of virtual learning for school library workers (PDH included!) 💙 Topics for the upcoming RAILS Member Update 📚 The millions of items available through Find More...

We're accepting bids for laptop computer hardware. The deadline for sealed or electronically submitted bids is 11:00am CDT on Monday, September 15, 2025. See the attached document for specifications and other details.

What can you do to help promote the value of our library system? Help us keep our numbers strong by using the resources we make available Stay in touch! Subscribe to the RAILS E-News, our social media channels, and our email lists Tell your own story to your community; libraries get collectively...

Please join RAILS in welcoming three new member libraries: SAE Institute is a creative media education college with a network of colleges around the world. It was founded in 1976 in Sydney and the Chicago campus was established in 2012. They offer classes in audio engineering and entertainment...