News & Announcements from RAILS

RAILS promotes Joseph (Joe) Filapek to Associate Executive Director, effective July 25. Filapek fills the space recently vacated by Monica Harris, who was promoted to Executive Director in February 2023. Filapek first joined RAILS in 2013 as the Consulting and Continuing Education Manager...

Dan and Monica discuss staff changes at RAILS, including the selection of a new associate executive director and retirement of Marketing and Communications Director, Mary Witt. They also discuss highlights from ALA Annual and the Secretary of State's new website, banbookbans.com. RAILS Minute is a...

RAILS Director of Marketing and Communications Mary Witt retired on July 14, after over 42 years in Illinois libraries. Mary graduated with a Master of Library Science from the University of Iowa and began her library career at Fountaindale Public Library District (Romeoville branch). Later, Mary...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago! Lincoln Park Zoo is a 49-acre zoo and arboretum in Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois. The zoo offers free admission and welcomes more than 3...

Joliet Public Library Unveils Youth Art Gallery Presented by Old National Bank Joliet Public Library is pleased to announce the unveiling of the new Youth Art Gallery, presented by Old National Bank. The gallery space on the second floor of the Ottawa Street Branch will feature artwork from Joliet’s...

The RAILS Board is looking for volunteers from our member libraries who are interested in using their experience and expertise to help shape system services and have an impact on all Illinois residents. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) committee members will help identify barriers in the...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago! The National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago showcases 3,000 years of creativity from both sides of the Mexican border...

Our library was created in 2020, after returning from COVID-19, as a newly formed, K-2, dual language center. Previously, we were K-6 English, mono-lingual. With much gratitude towards the support of RAILS and the My Library Is Grant, we are creating and living a new future for our deserving...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago in Chicago! Founded in 1967, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago champions the new and unexpected in contemporary art...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture in Chicago! The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture is devoted to the promotion, integration, and...

We at the Gail Borden Public Library District are honored to be hosting Violins of Hope, ten lovingly restored violins played before or during the Holocaust. This project showcases Jewish stories of resilience, resistance, and unity through the power of musical performance. “Through hands-on...

Joliet Public Library is excited to announce a new traveling exhibit will open on June 16. – The Questioneers: Read. Question. Think. PLAY! Based on the best-selling series of books by author Andrea Beaty and illustrator David Roberts, the imaginative world of Questioneers characters Ada Twist...

Fox River Grove Memorial Library is proud to offer a Sensory Storytime on the second Monday of every month at 10:30 a.m. The next Sensory Storytime takes place on Monday, June 12, 2023. This program differs from the Library’s regular storytimes in that enrollment is more limited; transitions are...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Normal Theater in Normal, IL! The historic Normal Theater gives residents and visitors to Bloomington-Normal the classic cinema-going experience. Through a diverse line...

We are excited to see so many of our member libraries presenting for a national audience at the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition, June 22-27. Below is a list of RAILS members who are presenting at ALA. We’ll update it as we receive more program information. If you or someone at your library is...