Library News

A Retirement Open House for Randy Wilson will be held at the Parlin-Ingersoll Public

Library, 205 W. Chestnut St., Canton, IL, on Thursday, May 23, 2013, from

3:00-6:00 p.m.  In his 30 years as Executive Director Randy has moved the library

forward in many areas.  He established the first public computer lab in 1983,

implemented the first integrated library system, presided over two building additions,

served as ILA president, and served on many state, system, and local committees. 

Please join us in celebrating his outstanding library career.

How important is it for library marketers to have the support of their colleagues? Just ask the 75+ attendees of the Fifty Shades of Marketing program that LACONI presented last month.  Or, find out for yourself at the first-ever meeting of the RAILS Marketing Group on May 10.

Marketing staffers from libraries throughout the Chicago suburbs will be meeting at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin.  There is an optional lunch at 11:30 a.m. ($9 paid at the door), a tour of the new Croc exhibit at 12:30 p.m., and an official meeting of the RAILS marketing group from 1 to 3 p.m.  The meeting will address the format/structure of the RAILS marketing group, your marketing concerns and questions, and a targeted discussion of strategic planning and ROI, led by Denise Raleigh.  Join our Facebook group (facebook.com/groups/RAILSmarketing/) and RSVP to the event posted.

Pre-RAILS, the North Suburban Library System (NSLS) and the Metropolitan Library System (MLS) both had marketing groups that met regularly.  In the two years since the individual library systems dissolved, these groups kept meeting, sustained only by the members’ desire to continue.  With the goal of reaching out to other libraries about marketing issues, nine members of the former MLS marketing group presented a program, through LACONI, to address some of the most sought after information among marketers – branding, publicity, and word of mouth marketing.  Afterward, many of us discussed how we could continue to network, to share our struggles, celebrate our successes, and most importantly learn from one another.  Let’s continue to explore these questions on May 10.

Fondulac District Library in East Peoria will be closed through at least Tuesday, April 23, due to flooding damage and clean-up. Delivery and all programs scheduled for those dates have been cancelled. Please watch fondulaclibrary.org for updates regarding reopening.  Pictures are also available at our Facebook page at facebook.com/fondulaclibrary.

Because "Communities Matter @ Your Library," the Mount Prospect Public Library celebrated National Library Week with a community organizations fair on April 16, featuring more than 20 local groups sharing their missions and activities. Patrons stopped by to see what their neighbors are doing to improve the lives of people in Mount Prospect.

Local groups that participated included:

Community Connections Center/Mount Prospect Public Library South Branch

District 214 Continuing Education

Friends of the Mount Prospect Public Library

Hands-on Suburban Chicago

Hanul Family Alliance

Journeys/The Road Home

Kiwanis of Mount Prospect

Mount Prospect Biking Club

Mount Prospect Crime Stoppers

Mount Prospect Emergency Preparedness Committee

Mount Prospect Garden Club

Mount Prospect Historical Society

Mount Prospect Jaycees

Mount Prospect Junior Women’s Club

Mount Prospect Lions Club

Mount Prospect Medical Reserve Corps

Mount Prospect Public Library Foundation

Mount Prospect Public Library Teen Advisory Board

Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy

Rainbow Hospice

St. Hubert’s Jobs Network

Sew Bee It Quilters

Sister City Commission

Sunrise Rotary