(via Gwen Gregory, Northern Illinois University) Do you need help demonstrating the value of your library to different stakeholders? Want to know what to say to justify the need for continued or increased library funding or staffing? Would you like to attract new library users? Want advice on how to promote the library’s role in…
Category: Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS)
Registration Open for Upcoming Virtual Town Halls on Future of RAILS (Oct. and Nov.)
(via Gwen Gregory, Northern Illinois University) RAILS will rely heavily on member input as we develop our new strategic plan, and member contributions will greatly influence our final product. To hear from as many members as possible, we will hold two rounds of virtual town halls via Zoom in October and November, with four different…
Call for Contributors from Academic Libraries: RAILS My Library Is… Blog
(via Gwen Gregory, Northern Illinois University) You may have seen the My Library Is… blog from RAILS. The Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) developed the My Library Is… campaign to help member libraries tell your stories and prove your library’s value to stakeholders, including current and potential library users, funders, governing boards, parent institutions/companies, colleagues, elected officials,…
Sign Up for RAILS Monthly Marketing Newsletter on My Library Is… Campaign
(via Gwen Gregory, Northern Illinois University) RAILS has a new tool for libraries to stay connected to the My Library Is… campaign. As part of the campaign, you can subscribe to receive a regular newsletter with links to blog posts, templates, and resources. Anyone who is interested in telling the story of the library and proving the library’s value…
Call for Nominations: RAILS Board (Two At-Large Representatives May Come From Any Library Type, Including Academic or Special)–Deadline Fri., March 26
(via Gwen Gregory, Northern Illinois University, on behalf of RAILS) For those living or working in the RAILS service area: RAILS invites nominations for the following positions on our Board: three public library trustees (to be filled by board members at RAILS public libraries) and two at-large representatives (to be filled by individuals representing any…
Reminder: RAILS Seeking Updated Information for COVID-19 Library Services Survey
(via RAILS) Please continue to update the COVID-19 survey. Yes! Really! This means YOU! We know how busy everyone is. With the Governor and Illinois Department of Public Health evaluating and changing their recommendations and restrictions often, we are asking you please to update your library’s information on the survey on the RAILS Pulse Page every…
Call for Volunteers: RAILS Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (Deadline Fri., Oct. 16)
(via Dan Bostrom, RAILS) The RAILS Board is forming an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee and we are looking for staff from our member libraries to participate, along with a few members of our board and a few RAILS staff serving as ex-officio members. The Committee charge is the following. to develop a shared…
Call for Volunteers: RAILS My Library Is… Advisory Team (Deadline Friday, September 18)
(via Gwen Gregory, Northern Illinois University, on behalf of Dan Bostrom, RAILS) Are you interested in library advocacy and outreach? Want to help RAILS libraries tell their story and make the case for increased support/funding? Apply to be a My Library Is.. Advisory Group member! RAILS is seeking seven volunteers to help publicize the campaign…
Registration Open for RAILS Online Roundtable “Using Data in Libraries” (Thurs., Sept. 24, 10:00-11:00 AM)
(via Gwen Gregory, Northern Illinois University, on behalf of RAILS) Join RAILS on Thursday, September 24, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM, for a discussion using data in libraries. How is your library using data? What are you collecting? How do you analyze your data? Libraries will have a chance to share their own methods. This…
Call for Participation: Survey for ILA Reporter Article on Libraries’ Use of 3D Printing for the Healthcare Field (Deadline Fri., Sept. 25)
(via Dan Bostrom, RAILS) Has your library done 3D printing of face shields for the healthcare field in the past six months? We’d like to know a little bit about your experiences. We’ve set up a short survey for Illinois libraries, available here. We hope to use this survey to write an ILA Reporter article about…