News & Announcements from RAILS

Explore More Illinois Welcomes Back Normal CornBelters Baseball Team for Their 2024 Season Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Normal CornBelters in Normal! The Normal CornBelters are a collegiate, wood...

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the RAILS Member Update for today, Wednesday, May 8 will be postponed. We apologize for the inconvenience. We will attempt to reschedule this as soon as possible.

Voting is open for the 2024 RAILS Board Election until Friday, May 24, 2024 at 5 p.m. There are 10 candidates running for two open at-large seats and seven candidates running for three open public library trustee seats. Each RAILS member library agency may cast only one ballot. A library agency is...

We welcome staff at all levels from all types of RAILS libraries (academic, public, school, and specialized) to join the RAILS Member Update on Wednesday, May 8, from 3 to 4 p.m. on Zoom. Topics will include a presentation on digital accessibility for libraries. There will also be presentations from...

Dan and Monica discuss why you should vote in the upcoming RAILS Board election, where you can find us during the spring, and how we've expanded opportunities for the My Library Is... grants in 2024. Monica also gives a brief update on library-related legislations in Illinois that would affect...

The eighth annual Directors University will be held July 30 – August 1, 2024, at the Marriott 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. The training will prepare...

The Reaching Across Illinois Libraries System (RAILS) has selected 28 projects to receive My library Is… Grants. The total amount funded for these projects is $104,204.15. The purpose of these grants is to provide an opportunity for libraries to focus on projects that help tell the library story and...

RAILS recently conducted a short survey to find out how current participants are experiencing the new Social Justice in Public Libraries program from Freedom Lifted. The feedback was almost entirely positive. Here are a few quotes from people who have tried the program: “Social Justice for Public...

Jessica Silva has been selected as RAILS Member Engagement Specialist, effective April 3, 2024. Silva fills the space previously vacated by Dan Bostrom, who was promoted to RAILS Director of Marketing and Communications in October 2023. Silva has 12 years of experience in education and librarianship...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, Des Plaines History Center in Des Plaines! The Des Plaines History Center collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Des Plaines and its people. Toward that end...

Furthering his commitment to the Right to Read, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is spearheading legislation that underscores the vital role of librarians in providing essential educational resources and ensures those individuals can go to work without fear and intimidation. HB 4567...

HB 4567 is scheduled for a committee hearing on Thursday, April 4, at 10:00 a.m. All Illinois library advocates are encouraged to support the bill before the hearing by submitting a witness slip. The bill amends the Criminal Code of 2012, to include in offense of threatening a public official or...

The Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE) and the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Awards released a statement highlighting the importance, of its book awards in encouraging students to read widely. This statement has been co-signed by the Illinois Heartland Library System...

The Illinois Library Association (ILA) is seeking witness slip support for amending the acquisition of treasurer bonds for libraries. HB 4224 is scheduled for a committee hearing on Thursday, April 4, at 8:01 a.m. All Illinois library advocates are encouraged to support the bill prior to the hearing...

Explore More Illinois, RAILS’ online cultural and recreational pass program for Illinois libraries, welcomes its newest attraction, the Western Illinois Museum in Macomb! The Western Illinois Museum is located in the heart of rural West Central Illinois and offers a welcoming, small-town experience...