News & Announcements from RAILS

Voting is now open for the 2025 RAILS Board Election. Members may cast their ballot until Friday, May 23, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. This year, there are four candidates running for two open at-large seats; 11 candidates running for three open public library trustee seats; and one candidate running for one...

Chicago Public Library (CPL), Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS), and Reaching Across Illinois Heartland Library System (RAILS) are excited to announce the rebranding of the Explore More Illinois program. Explore More Illinois is a cultural and recreational pass program that allows Illinois...

RAILS would like to share a few short updates on the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funding situation: System Funding for FY 2026 Illinois State Library (ISL) has directed the regional library systems (including RAILS) to submit plans at level funding for the upcoming fiscal year...

All RAILS offices and services will be closed on Thursday, May 15, for a staff in-service day.

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Lincoln Log Cabin in Lerna! Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, part of the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, preserves the 19th-century home of Thomas Lincoln...

Libraries generally operate on tight budgets. This is why we offer several grant opportunities to help our libraries thrive and make sure that they also have room to grow. In 2024, we awarded: $10,185 in RAILS Continuing Education Event Grants to support learning and professional growth...

The Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) has selected 24 projects to receive My Library Is... Grants. The total amount funded for these projects is $98,957.35. The purpose of these grants is to provide an opportunity for libraries to focus on projects that help tell their institution’s...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Lincoln Douglas Debate Museum in Charleston! Visit this first-class facility located on the site of the 1858 Charleston, IL, Lincoln-Douglas debate. Take a self-guided...

The ninth annual Directors University will be held August 4 - 6, 2025, at the Hilton DoubleTree in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. This professional development is intended for first-time directors and directors new to Illinois from public libraries of all shapes and sizes. Directors University (DU)...

RAILS World Language Cataloging Services Program is committed to enriching library collections with global perspectives, one title at a time. Among our recent projects, one stood out as an exciting intersection of literary heritage and linguistic diversity: the cataloging of a Khmer translation of...

Dear Library Colleagues, I’m writing to share some important news about proposed legislation that our office is spearheading designed specifically to improve security at libraries and enhance safety for librarians across Illinois. House Bill 2747 and Senate Bill 1550, which were introduced in the...

Dan and Monica provide updates about the dismantling of IMLS, sharing new resources, events, and talking points that members should know about. They also discuss the new 2024 RAILS Annual Report and highlight the continuing education opportunities available to library workers in Illinois. Relevant...

Every year, RAILS holds elections for its 15-seat board of directors. The members of the RAILS Board work together to shape the future of the library system and the services we provide to our members. To help members navigate the voting process this year, we've created a comprehensive RAILS Board...

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is undergoing significant changes that may impact the Illinois library community. We know many of you are following the latest developments, but for those who are uncertain about what is happening, we want to help you make sense of the changes...

Any staff from RAILS member libraries are invited to the RAILS Online Event: Advocating for Libraries on Wednesday, April 23, at 1 p.m. It will feature a discussion on advocating for libraries regarding President Trump’s executive order defunding IMLS. This discussion includes examples of what...