News from RAILS & Libraries

Booth Library on the campus of Eastern Illinois University sponsored its 12th annual Edible Book Festival on April 4. It’s been a tradition to kick off National Library Week with this activity. The edible creations were put on display throughout the day in the library’s foyer, and the public was...

RAILS Member Engagement Manager Dan Bostrom talks with Andrea Perrin, Janine Asmus, Gail Meyer, & Robyn Whitlock about their letter published in the Chicago Tribune. These four Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE) members discuss why school libraries are so important and what...

The Lisle Library District has a long history of offering a variety of book groups, including the Science Fiction & Fantasy book group which has been meeting monthly for over 30 years and still has a few founding members, while the Food for Thought culinary book group is new as of this January. Our...

“Learning is a treasure that follows its owner everywhere.” — Chinese Proverb A library card opens the door to so many amazing items and opportunities that it can be easy to let a few go unnoticed. Back in “normal times,” our library staff members were always eager to share news and offerings with...

Debbie Baaske, acting Member Engagement Manager speaks with Laura Turner, Librarian at the Technical Information Center at Caterpillar Inc. located outside of Peoria, IL. Laura talks about this highly specialized engineering library that serves all worldwide employees of Caterpillar. They also act...

RAILS Member Engagement Manager Dan Bostrom speaks with Estevan Montaño, University Librarian at the Rebecca Crown Library at Dominican University. This year, the Crown Library will celebrate its 50th anniversary. Estevan talks about the celebration and all of the events planned. To learn more...

The Kankakee School District and Kankakee Public Library love to collaborate with each other when the opportunity arises. The My Library Is…Grant gave us the opportunity to work together to support KSD students’ creativity. Kankakee School District has held a district-wide Young Authors contest for...

Dan Bostrom, RAILS Member Engagement Manager talks with Eugene Giudice, Senior Research Services Training Specialist at Dentons. Eugene talks about his role at Dentons, a large law firm with locations around the world. By providing specialized training and research services, Eugene brings value to...

The social emotional wellness of our students is always a priority. The question becomes how can we make sure that students are getting the support and assistance they need when they need it. Unfortunately, there is not one set solution that meets the needs of all. The best solution is to offer...

Dan Bostrom, RAILS Member Engagement Manager talks with Juanita Harrell, Law Library Manager at DuPage County Law Library. Juanita discusses how the library serves a wide audience including litigants, attorneys, judges, and the general public. This library has a unique mission to help everyone...

River Forest Library is the final destination for an elaborate marriage proposal. On Sunday, February 20, 2022, the Library was fortunate to be part of a very special event. Christopher had planned an ambitious adventure for his girlfriend Allison - that included scavenger hunting, puzzle solving...

A long time ago, in a library far, far away, someone suggested the first "summer reading" program, and for a LONG time, that is exactly what most library summer programs consisted of - reading. Nothing more, nothing less. Different programs count pages or days or minutes, but reading has been at the...

In February, McHenry County Youth Librarians encouraged residents to get out and discover the wealth of resources available in county libraries. To celebrate Library Lovers Month, the McHenry County Library Lover’s Expedition began February 1 and was open to all residents of the county and...

The library at Deer Creek-Mackinaw High School has made a positive impact in the lives of students in that it has become a place where students can meet, become friends, and have positive interactions with one other. It is a place where all students are welcome, and a place where all students...

The Chicago Collections Consortium is a nonprofit organization of over 60 libraries, museums, and cultural organizations all working together for the promotion and preservation of Chicago's history and culture. CCC's cornerstone initiative EXPLORE CHICAGO COLLECTIONS portal provides free and open...