Library News

To add a news item to the IHLS library news page, please send to webadmin@illinoisheartland.org

ILEAD USA Applications Now Available

Submitted by Nick Bennyhoff on Mon, 10/15/2012 - 13:04

The State Library continues its preparations to host ILEAD USA (Innovative Librarians Explore, Apply and Discover): The 21st Century Technology and Leadership Skills Institute for the States. This continuing education initiative will be held at the University of Illinois Springfield on March 25–28, June 17–20 and October 21–24, 2013.

We are accepting applications for mentors, instructors, and participants for ILEAD USA.  ILEAD USA is a competitive, application-only program.  Please consider applying for one of the three components of this program at http://www.webjunction.org/partners/illinois/il-programs/ileadusa/ilead-usa-illinois.html

For more information regarding ILEAD USA, go to http://www.webjunction.org/partners/illinois/il-programs/ileadusa.html

ILEAD USA is made possible by a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant awarded to the State Library by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Contact Gwen Harrison at gharrison@ilsos.net (217-785-7334) or Debra Aggertt at daggertt@ilsos.net (217-558-1945) if you have questions.

 

Public Library Survey

Submitted by Nick Bennyhoff on Mon, 10/08/2012 - 07:52

The Illinois State Library is currently participating in an IMLS grant-funded project to investigate how public libraries provide training and assistance to patrons on information technology and digital literacy topics. ISL  needs your help.

ISL is asking directors/branch managers of all public library locations to complete a brief survey to tell tem about their training and assistance activities. Libraries’ participation in this survey would be greatly appreciated and would provide valuable insights for state library planning. Your efforts in helping to provide information will ensure a foundation is in place in Illinois when this national project launches in February 2013.

Go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3HMJX8D to access the survey, which should take under 20 minutes to complete. Please submit your response by October 19, 2012.

Questions and comments can be directed to Debra Aggertt, daggertt@ilsos.net.

Thank you for supporting this research. Results will be shared with you later this year.

School District Library Grant Application Now Available

Submitted by Nick Bennyhoff on Fri, 10/05/2012 - 13:27
Applications are now being accepted for the FY13 School District Library Grant. Applications and all other information concerning the grant can be found on the State Library's website.
 
Please note, once you have accessed the blank application online, save the file to your computer before completing it. When submitting your application, please include "FY13 SDLP Per Capita Grant - (School District Office Location)" in the subject line on the email.

This year's deadline to submit the grant application and signature page is November 16. For questions concerning the grant, contact Robert Jones at rjones1@ilsos.net, 217-785-1168, or Becky Hunter at bhunter1@ilsos.net, 217-782-7849.

Board Meeting Recap - September 2012

Submitted by Nick Bennyhoff on Thu, 10/04/2012 - 07:17

A recap of significant actions taken by the board at their September 25, 2012, meeting in Effingham, IL.

Click here for the original agenda.

Next board meeting date: October 23, 2012, 6:00 pm at the the Helen Matthes Library in Effingham.

 

Moving Forward TOGETHER

Submitted by Nick Bennyhoff on Fri, 09/28/2012 - 07:07

SHARE Update

Everything is moving along on schedule--SHARE staff has started entering data on the Polaris servers;  they are quite actively adding codes to spreadsheets to "slurp" legacy data into Polaris; and SHARE staff is participating in webinars and phone conferences with Polaris, as we prepare to migrate.
 

Exchange Listserv

The "Exchange" list is the listserv you'll want to be a member of if you like to get messages about job postings, questions from your fellow IHLS librarians, and book giveaways. Recent threads include:

  • Overdrive instructions for using audiobooks and iTunes
  • WiFi usage policy
  • Building / maintenance levy question
  • Paid time off for part-time workers
  • Retention list for public libraries
  • Unattended children and/or unattended home schooled children during school hours
  • Lending out Kindles with preloaded purchased books

Go to the IHLS Listserv page to subscribe to the list.

Try-It! Illinois returns October 1–November 30

Submitted by Nick Bennyhoff on Wed, 09/26/2012 - 09:34

The State Library will again offer Try-It! Illinois, the popular annual statewide electronic resources trial, from October 1 through November 30. The trial offers the 5,000-plus ILLINET member libraries, their staffs and communities a wonderful opportunity to evaluate a wide variety of electronic resources. Thanks to the collaboration between the State Library and the participating electronic resource vendors, there is no charge for accessing these databases during Try-It! Illinois. Look for the latest on Try-it! Illinois in the weekly electronic newsletter, E-News from the ISL, or contact Gwen Harrison at 217-785-7334 or gharrison@ilsos.net.

Public Library Per Capita Grant Application Tips

Submitted by Nick Bennyhoff on Wed, 09/26/2012 - 09:27

FY2013 Illinois Public Library Per Capita and Equalization Aid Grants Application

Deadline: October 15, 2012
With the submission deadline fast approaching, the ISL wants to offer some tips to aid in the completion of Public Library Per Capita Grant applications.
--Please be sure to use the application found at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/grants/plpc_equalization.html.
--We no longer require original signatures from the board president, secretary or librarian, nor do we require an original signature and seal from the county clerk.
--DO NOT use commas when inserting numbers; DO use decimal points, and always tab to subsequent lines.
--All applications must be submitted electronically to isl_grants@ilsos.net on or before 11:59 p.m. on October 15. The required supporting documentation must be postmarked on or before October 15.
--We no longer require a paper copy of the application be sent to the Illinois State Library.
--When submitting your application, please include the city name in the subject line.
--You do not need to send a paper copy to the State Library once you have e-mailed your application to isl_grants@ilsos.net. We only need the county clerk's information.
--If you have submitted your application, but have not received an acknowledgement, please resend it just to be safe.

 

Moving Forward Together

Submitted by Nick Bennyhoff on Thu, 09/13/2012 - 12:07

September IHLS Board Meeting

The next IHLS Board meeting is Tuesday, September 25, 2012. IHLS Board meetings will be available via videoconferencing at each of our four offices as well as the Illinois State Library. If you are not able to join us in Effingham, perhaps one of these other locations will suffice. When available, you will find the September agenda and board packet here.
 

Illinois Library Laws and Rules

IHLS is coordinating a group purchase of the latest edition of Illinois Library Laws & Rules (2012) for $20/copy. The books are available to ILA members for $25/copy. IHLS Library Directors are asked to complete an online survey by September 24 to pre-order their copies. Libraries will be billed when the books are shipped. We will not utilize in-house delivery services and instead will deliver by U.S. Mail.

To offer these savings to our members, we will purchase in bulk reducing our cost to $17.50/copy. We will assess a $2.50 fee to cover processing and shipping. That's a 20% savings to our members. Pre-order your copy here.
 

SHARE Staff are Busy!

The first of three SHARE Local meetings was held last week. The SHARE staff is getting ready to participate in Polaris training so they can then go forth and train library staff; the Polaris servers were installed at the ICN POP in Champaign last week; and they’ve been working diligently at standardizing the different codes that are used in the library software (Polaris).
 

FY2011-FY2012 Illinois Public Library Annual Report (IPLAR)

The FY2011-FY2012 Illinois Public Library Annual Report (IPLAR) is now available online. For additional support using LibPAS, Counting Opinions will host three live webinars September 18th-20th. More information has been posted on the IHLS website, including links for the upcoming webinars.
 

FY2013 Illinois Public Library Per Capita and Equalization Aid Grants Application

Deadline: October 15, 2012
Tips from the Illinois State Library on completing the application have been added to the IHLS website.

Illinois Library Laws & Rules discount opportunity

Submitted by Nick Bennyhoff on Thu, 09/13/2012 - 09:56

IHLS is coordinating a group purchase of the latest edition of Illinois Library Laws & Rules (2012) for $20/copy.  The books are available to ILA members for $25/copy.  IHLS Library Directors are asked to complete an online survey by 24 September to pre-order their copies.  Libraries will be billed when the books are shipped.  We will not utilize in-house delivery services and instead will deliver by U.S. Mail.

To offer these savings to our members, we will purchase in bulk reducing our cost to $17.50/copy.  We will assess a $2.50 fee to cover processing and shipping.  That's a 20% savings to our members.

Pre-order your copy here

IPLAR now available online

Submitted by Nick Bennyhoff on Wed, 09/12/2012 - 10:49

The FY2011-FY2012 Illinois Public Library Annual Report (IPLAR) is now available online. The Library Performance Assessment System (LibPAS) is a Counting Opinions web-based service used by library organizations to capture, consolidate, process, report and compare report Library performance metrics. LibPAS for Illinois libraries is accessible by visiting the following URL: http://il.countingopinions.com. Library usernames and passwords to access the system are the same as they were when using the previous system.

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