RAILS Member Center: Support Staff

Anyone working in a RAILS member library has access to resources like professional development, networking, and other opportunities. No matter your position in the library, you still have plenty to gain by exploring RAILS.

Taking advantage of these resources is a great step toward advancing your career or finding out more about the profession. Learn more about what’s involved and how to access these resources.

The first step to accessing resources on the RAILS website to to get your L2 account. All levels of staff in RAILS member libraries can have access to an L2 account. For more information, please visit the L2 website.

RAILS offers webinars at no cost to library staff at all levels. Visit L2 to search events by keyword, topic, location, audience, date, and more.

Many RAILS CE programs are recorded and available in our Continuing Education Archives.

RAILS has over 40 email lists for staff in different positions to discuss common challenges and best practices.

RAILS has a Networking Groups Directory with info on meetings and a contact person to find out more. Groups cover almost every department and staff position.

RAILS Online Roundtables are hour-long forums where library staff share best practices on a wide variety of topics.

eRead Illinois Boundless provides affordable access to nearly 70,000 e-books and audiobooks. Approximately 35% of items in the collection are aimed at children/young adults.

Inkie.org is a suite of resources available to everyone in Illinois at no charge courtesy of RAILS. Users can browse unique e-content collections from Illinois authors and libraries. Library patrons of all ages can design and self-publish their own e-books using Pressbooks software.

Explore More Illinois, RAILS online cultural and recreational pass program, features over 54 attractions of interest to library patrons of all ages. There is no charge for libraries to join.

Find More Illinois connects participating standalone and shared online catalogs. Library patrons can quickly search all these catalogs in a single search.

The World Language Cataloging Services program provides original and copy cataloging for materials in world languages in a library’s regular collection. This service is made possible by a grant from the Illinois State Library and there is no charge for libraries to use the service statewide.

RAILS offers a variety of Deals and Discounts, including group purchase offers, to help just about every library department save money. Staff at all levels can play a role in promoting and advocating for their library and all libraries.

To find out more: