News & Announcements from RAILS

RAILS will be closed on Friday, June 19, for Juneteenth. Delivery services will not be provided. RAILS will reopen on Monday, June 22. View a list of RAILS observed holidays on the RAILS website by clicking on the About RAILS tab, then on Location & Hours.

Last times, new beginnings, and everything in between. The season 2 finale of Can't Shelve This is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more. Janette and Leah visit University High School for a behind-the-scenes look at a standout school library and the people who bring it to life...

Please join RAILS in welcoming a new member library: The Japanese American Service Committee (JASC) Legacy Center is a special library in Chicago, IL. They document the lives of Japanese and Japanese Americans in Chicago and have organizational records since 1946. These new members will now have...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Centennial Aquatic Center! Opened in 2014, the Centennial Aquatic Center is a summer destination operated by the Park Ridge Park District. Designed to serve residents...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park! Get ready to adventure to new heights at Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park in Western Springs, IL, located in the suburbs just a short...

With a collection age of 2008, the South Park School nonfiction collection was out-of-date and not relevant to the interests of twenty-first century elementary students. Almost one third of the books in the collection had not circulated at all in the past five years, or had only circulated once. The...

“Hi!” A young woman, probably in her twenties, approached the Adult Services desk with an eager smile. “This might sound like a weird question, but could you help me find a newspaper from about fifteen years ago? There’s a photo of me sledding that ran in the Bartlett Examiner. I even have the exact...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Intuit Art Museum! Intuit Art Museum (IAM) champions the diverse voices of self-taught art, welcoming both new and familiar audiences. Located in Chicago’s West Town...

Joe and Monica break down the latest at RAILS: ⚖️ The federal censorship bill threatening the freedom to read 🗳️ Your last chance to vote in this year's RAILS Board election 💡 What we learned from our first leadership program 👋 Your chance to interact with RAILS this week Relevant Links: ILA Bill...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, the Driehaus Museum! The Driehaus Museum engages and inspires the global community through exploration and ongoing conversations in art, architecture, and design of the...

They keep the books moving, the doors open, and the students supported—often without any recognition. They're paraprofessionals, and their invisible labor makes a visible impact. Episode 2.10 of Can't Shelve This is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more. Janette and Leah are...

Voting is now open for the 2026 RAILS Board Election! Members may cast their ballot until Friday, May 22, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. This year, we have: 2 candidates running for 1 academic seat 4 candidates running for 1 at-large seat 7 candidates running for 3 public library trustee seats 3 candidates...

Geralyn Hesslau Magrady, the 2016 winner of the Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project, recently took to Facebook to celebrate the tenth anniversary of her victory for her novel, Lines. Reflecting on the impact of the Illinois library contest, Magrady shared: “Winning this award was an incredibly...

The Reaching Across Illinois Libraries System (RAILS) has selected 26 projects to receive My Library Is... Grants. The total amount funded for these projects is $104,874.34. The purpose of these grants is to provide an opportunity for libraries to focus on projects that help tell their institution’s...

A clip from Fox 32 Chicago Live in which RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris discusses Illinois House Bill 5236, the Digital Library Protection Act. Monica explains why this bill is necessary to help protect libraries from rising e-book costs. This clip is from Monday, April 27.