RAILS Glossary
Acronyms, abbreviations, and terms that are specific to RAILS or important to Illinois libraries.
For general library-related terms, see the Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science
ALS
Alliance Library System, one of the predecessor regional library systems that merged to form RAILS. The ALS office is now the RAILS East Peoria Service Center.
Ask?Away Illinois
Statewide chat/email reference service, run on OCLC's QuestionPoint and staffed and funded by participating libraries. Originally subsidized by the Illinois State Library.
CARLI
Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois.
CCS
Cooperative Computer Services. An integrated automation system for public libraries in the north-eastern area of RAILS.
CE
Continuing education.
CMC
Cataloging Maintenance Center, a contract provider of cataloging services funded by the Illinois State Library. The two CMCs are operated by the Illinois Heartland Library System.
http://www.illinoisheartland.org/?q=node/18
CMS
Central Management Services. The Illinois state agency responsible for videoconferencing, telecommunications, etc.
CODSULI
Council of Directors of State University Libraries in Illinois.
CPDU
Continuing Professional Development Units. Credits earned by school librarians and teachers for continuing education activities.
CPL
Chicago Public Library.
CPLS
Chicago Public Library System. One of three Illinois regional library systems, comprising Chicago Public Library.
DLS
DuPage Library System, one of the predecessor regional library systems that merged to form RAILS. The DLS office is now the RAILS Geneva Service Center.
ELI
Every Library in ILLINET. An online directory of Illinois libraries that are members of the regional library systems. http://www.eli2.org
E-Rich
An Illinois State Library program that subsidizes or negotiates pricing on the purchase of online research database subscriptions for libraries.
Find-It!
Illinois Web portal to Illinois governmental and library information, operated by the Illinois State Library. http://www.finditillinois.org
FOIA
Freedom of Information Act.
FY
Fiscal year.
HECA
Higher Education Cooperation Act. Provides grant funds administered by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
IBHE
Illinois Board of Higher Education.
ICB
Illinois Center for the Book, a non-profit organization promoting books, book arts, libraries and reading in Illinois.
ICCB
Illinois Community College Board.
ICN
Illinois Century Network, the telecommunications backbone for schools and colleges, libraries, museum, and government agencies.
IDA
Illinois Digital Archives, a repository for the digital collections of the Illinois State Library and other libraries and cultural institutions. http://www.idaillinois.org
IGI
Illinois Government Information. A search engine that indexes State of Illinois Web servers, operated by the Illinois State Library and the University of Illinois. http://igi.finditillinois.org
IHLS
Illinois Heartland Library System. One of three Illinois regional library systems. Formed in 2011 through the merger of Lewis & Clark Library System, Lincoln Trail Libraries System, Rolling Prairie Library System, and Shawnee Library System.
ILA
Illinois Library Association. The state organization for library staff and trustees.
ILDS
Illinois Library Delivery System.
ILLINET
Illinois Library and Information Network. All members of RAILS and the other regional library systems are ILLINET members.
INAC
ILLINET Network Advisory Council. An Illinois State Library committee to provide input to the ISL on permanent public access to State of Illinois electronic documents and publications.
IOUG
Illinois OCLC Users Group.
IPLAR
Illinois Public Library Annual Report.
IRLBPH
Illinois Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.
ISBE
Illinois State Board of Education.
I-Share
Consortial catalog of more than 70 members of CARLI. Formerly called ILLINET Online.
ISL
Illinois State Library, an office of the Secretary of State.
ISLAC
Illinois State Library Advisory Committee.
ISLMA
Illinois School Library Media Association.
ISPL
Institute for School and Public Librarians. Sponsored by the ISL and usually held on the campus of Bradley University of Illinois in Peoria in June.
L2
Library Learning. The statewide continuing education and meeting calendar, and directory of libraries.
L & L
Live and Learn (a category of grants from the Secretary of State/State Librarian).
LACONI
Library Administrators Conference of Northern Illinois.
LIMRiCC
Library Insurance Management and Risk Control Combination. An insurance consortium formerly managed by the Metropolitan Library System.
LINC
Library Integrated Network Consortium. An integrated automation system for public libraries in the area of DuPage and Kane counties.
LLSAP
Local Library System Automation Program. Regional integrated automation systems coordinated and supported by the Illinois library systems. There are four LLSAPs within RAILS: MAGIC, PrairieCat, RSA, and SWAN.
LSTA
Library Services and Technology Act. Provides federal funds for library projects, which are administered in Illinois by the Illinois State Library.
MAGIC
Multitype Automated Group in Consortia. One of four LLSAPs in RAILS.
MITBC
Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center, one of the two talking book centers operated by RAILS.
MLS
Metropolitan Library System, one of the predecessor regional library systems that merged to form RAILS. The MLS office is now the RAILS Burr Ridge Service Center.
NIC
Northern Illinois Cooperative. An integrated automation system consortium for public libraries in the north-central area of RAILS.
NILRC
Network of Illinois Resources in Community Colleges.
NLS
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Federal agency that administers the talking books program.
NSLS
North Suburban Library System, one of the predecessor regional library systems that merged to form RAILS. The MLS office is now the RAILS Wheeling Service Center.
OMA
Open Meetings Act.
PALS
Prairie Area Library System, one of the predecessor regional library systems that merged to form RAILS. The PALS offices are now the RAILS Coal Valley, Rockford, and Shorewood Service Centers.
PC
PrairieCat, one of four LLSAPs in RAILS.
PLC
Pinnacle Library Cooperative. An integrated library system consortium of several public libraries in the Joliet area.
Polycom
A vendor that makes the videoconferencing equipment used by RAILS.
PolyTalk
A network of volunteer interpreters who provide services to Illinois libraries over the phone.
PPC
Public Policy Committee (Illinois Library Association).
PrairieCat
One of four LLSAPs in RAILS.
RAILS
Reaching Across Illinois Library System. One of three Illinois regional library systems. Formed in 2011 through the merger of Alliance Library System, DuPage Library System, Metropolitan Library System, North Suburban Library System, and Prairie Area Library System.
RBP
Reciprocal borrowing program. Reciprocal borrowing allows persons to borrow materials directly from ILLINET public libraries.
RiverShare
An integrated library system consortium in the Quad Cities area.
RLS
Regional library system. As of July 2011, the three regional library systems in Illinois are: Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS), Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS), and Chicago Public Library System (CPLS).
ROE
Regional Office of Education.
SHARE Illinois
Share Holdings and Resources Easily. A resource-sharing collaboration among several ILS consortia in northern Illinois.
SILC
Statewide Illinois Library Catalog. A database in OCLC of Illinois library holdings, a subset of WorldCat.
SILO
Serials of Illinois Libraries Online, a subset of WorldCat.
SOS
Secretary of State (State Librarian of Illinois).
SPLMI
Small Public Library Management Institute. Sponsored by the ISL and usually held on the campus of the University of Illinois in Springfield in June.
TBC
Talking Book Center. RAILS operates two TBCs, which provide services to the entire state except for Chicago: Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center, and Voices of Vision.
VOV
Voices of Vision, one of the two talking book centers operated by RAILS.
VTEL
A vendor of videoconference equipment that was formerly used by the regional library systems. (Note: Anyone at RAILS who says "VTEL" really means "videoconference".)
WJIL
WebJunction Illinois.
