Advocacy Blog

The Zion-Benton Public Library is taking the initiative to become a friendlier and more welcoming place for those with sensory needs. Participating in storytimes, enjoying picture books, and feeling secure in community spaces are experiences we wish for patrons of all ages that visit the library...

The RAILS My Library Is... Grant provided the crucial financial resources necessary to bring our vision to life. Our plan, initially called the “Ready Player One” Lounge, was to create a visible, public gaming venue that would serve as an ongoing draw for student veterans at the library and...

On March 14, 2025, Executive Order 14238, “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” called for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). RAILS is spotlighting libraries and institutions in Illinois that have received IMLS grant money and sharing how they...

“Your Free Pass to…” was a partnership with Moline Public Library and Rock Island Public Library to create a cost-effective marketing campaign to increase awareness and library use in neighboring communities that are underserved, racially diverse, and may face language barriers. The project aimed to...

On March 14, 2025, Executive Order 14238, “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” called for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). RAILS is spotlighting libraries and institutions in Illinois that have received IMLS grant money and sharing how they...

Does your academic library have an archive collection? Is it located in a storage closet? Or basement? If you asked your college community about the archive, what would they say? Our library team took an alternative approach to engagement and created multidimensional displays within glass display...

On March 14, 2025, Executive Order 14238, “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy,” called for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). RAILS is spotlighting libraries and institutions in Illinois that have received IMLS grant money and sharing how they...

I am honored that Gower Middle School received one of the My Library Is... Grants for the 2024-2025 school year! We did not have a certified librarian from 2003-2018. When I took over the position as district librarian in 2018, there were so many books that needed to be weeded and replaced. While I...

At Washington District Library (WDL), we’re always looking for ways to bring library services into the community and are lucky to have a fantastic partner in the Washington Park District. Installing a Storywalk® in a nearby park was an obvious step for us. Getting It Done WDL is a smaller library...

At the Klinck Memorial Library at Concordia University Chicago (CUC), we believe that the library is not just a place for quiet study and academic research, it is a center for connection, learning, and creativity, starting at the earliest age possible. With the generous support of the RAILS 2024 My...

For the last several years, our library has worked to make our space welcoming, accessible, and inclusive. One of the areas we wanted to improve on was by reaching our whole community, which is diverse in languages spoken. We saw a lot of kids translating our collateral for their parents and...

Research has shown that diverse books are beneficial in many ways: they provide students with affirmation of their identities, they allow students to see other perspectives and experiences, and they help to create empathy and community. Professor Rudine Sims Bishop has described how diverse books...

What Dementia Is According to the World Health Organization, more than 55 million people have dementia worldwide. Dementia is a term that encompasses several diseases that affect memory, thinking, and the ability to do daily tasks. It is more common in adults over 65 and those who suffer from other...

Once a quiet place reserved for hushed study halls and solitary reading, our Marist library has undergone a radical transformation with Project Refresh and it was exactly what our students needed. Our administration greenlit an overhaul of the space and this grant provided the funding to create a...

It was quite an honor for the Virginia Community School District to receive the RAILS My Library Is… Grant! We were able to receive this grant through our teamwork and love for the library. It all started when our 2023-2024 School Librarian, Ms. Stephanie, and our High School ELA teacher, Mrs...