News & Announcements from RAILS

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...

Season 2 is officially in session! The premiere is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more. Settle into back-to-school season with Janette and Leah as they unpack all the library propaganda we're not falling for. No homework—just laughs, mythbusting, and a few hot takes. Have a...

The Illinois School Library Workers Symposium will be held on Wednesday, September 17. This event is open to all levels of library staff but designed for individuals working in school libraries with no formal library education, certified or non-certified, paraprofessionals, and those considering...

We are looking for organizations to sponsor the first-ever Libraries Count: RAILS Data Conference! Now more than ever, libraries are leveraging data to support their work—but acquiring the necessary data skills isn’t easy. Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) and the Illinois Library...

Reaching Across Illinois Library System is headquartered in Burr Ridge, IL and currently serves over 100 full-time employees in five locations across northern and western Illinois. RAILS is soliciting proposals for a multi-site printing solution. Sealed proposals are due no later than 1:00pm CDT on...

There’s a reason that library workers picture blue bins when they hear about RAILS—delivery is one of our most important and widely-used services! Our member libraries receive high-quality library delivery service up to five days a week. In 2024, our 46 delivery staff produced a 2813% return on...

Dan and Monica break down the latest in this month’s RAILS Minute: 💡 A new leadership program for all levels of library staff 📈 Our first-ever upcoming data conference 💰 The millions of dollars saved through RAILS Deals & Discounts Relevant Links: RAILS Catalyst Libraries Count: RAILS Data...

Now more than ever, libraries are leveraging data to support their work, whether it’s to track circulation and use, guide decision making, or advocate for resources. To do this effectively, library workers need to be experts in not only library and information science but also data and analytics...

We created Find More Illinois (FMI) to make it easier for libraries to share their items with different communities. As an interlibrary loan platform, FMI provides anyone with the ability to search multiple library catalogs in one place. For some libraries, FMI is an affordable alternative to OCLC...