Latest from RAILS

Seven staff members from four public libraries that belong to the Resource Sharing Alliance (RSA) NFP LLSAP attended a cataloging workshop on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at the Chenoa Public Library District. The laptops and projection screen used during the workshop were purchased with the Eliminate the Digital Divide grant funds received by the Chenoa Public Library District in 2012. This grant was made possible by the Illinois State Library and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Workshop attendees learned how to use the bibliographic utility OCLC Connexion Client to find catalog records to load into the RSA integrated library system. The catalog records help library patrons access materials in the RSAcat Discovery Search catalog. RSA thanks everyone who attended and extends special thanks to Sheryl Siebert, Director of Chenoa Public Library District, for hosting this workshop.

RSA is one of four RAILS LLSAPs (MAGIC, PrairieCat, RSA, and SWAN) that serve nearly two million registered Illinois library users. More information can be found at: http://www.railslibraries.info/catalogs. For more information on RAILS LLSAPs, see the Benefits of LLSAP Membership flyer.

Pictured above: Cataloging workshop attendees from RSA member libraries at the Chenoa Public Library District. Left to right: Brenda Peden (Towanda District Library), Erica Laughlin (RSA NFP Cataloging and Database Administrator), Debbie Oakland (Dominy Memorial Library), Sheryl Siebert (Chenoa Public Library District), Ellen Odum (Chenoa Public Library District), Juan Bravo (Chenoa Public Library District), Jackie Reineke (Pontiac Public Library), and Karen Stott Bersche (Towanda District Library and RAILS Board member).  

Photo and article courtesy of Erica Laughlin, RSA.

Executive Director Dee Brennan will be at the Freeport Public Library on Thursday, May 16. Members are invited to share their feedback about RAILS and to network with other colleagues. To register and view other dates and locations for these meetings, see: http://www.librarylearning.info/events/?eventID=15358.

Pictured: Dee Brennan with RAILS members at the Quincy Public Library. Photo courtesy of B. Waters.

Congratulations to the RAILS members who received FY2013 Back to Books Grants! Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White awarded more than $1 million in grants to Illinois libraries to acquire fiction and/or nonfiction books, learning CDs and DVDs, and other educational materials.

RAILS grant recipients include:

• Algonquin Area Public Library District, $5,000
• Aurora East Community Unit School District #131, $5,000
• Aurora Public Library, $5,000 
• Barrington Community Unit School District #220, $3,000 
• Alpha Park Public Library District, Bartonville, $5,000 
• Beach Park Community Consolidated School District #3, $5,000 
• Bensenville Community Public Library District, $5,000
• Bensenville Elementary School District #2, $3,000
• Berwyn Public Library, $2,500 
• Henderson County Public Library District, Biggsville, $4,900 
• Blue Island Public Library, $4,368 
• Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, $3,050 
• Bradley Public Library District, $5,000 
• Brimfield Public Library District, $5,000 
• Brookfield Public Library, $4,900 
• Hinsdale CCSD #181, Burr Ridge, $4,000 
• Bushnell-Prairie City CUSD #170, $4,565 
• Lincoln Elementary School District #156, Calumet City, $2,500
• Canton Union School District #66, $5,000
• Parlin-Ingersoll Public Library, Canton, $5,000
• Carthage Public Library District, $5,000
• Three Rivers Public Library District, Channahon, $2,500
• Cherry Valley Public Library District, $5,000.00 
• Chicago Theological Seminary, $5,000
• Chicago Public Schools - Department of Libraries and Information Services, $5,000
• Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago, $5,000
• Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, $5,000
• Instituto Cervantes Library, Chicago, $5,000
• Marist High School, Chicago, $3,510
• Prairie State College, Chicago Heights, $5,000
• Chicago Ridge Public Library, $5,000
• Coal City Public Library District, $5,000
• Ridgeview Community Unit School District #19, Colfax, $5,000
• Cortland Community Library, $5,000
• McHenry County College, Crystal Lake, $5,000
• Darien School District #61, $5,000
• DeKalb Public Library, $5,000
• Des Plaines Public Library, $4,000
• Dixon Public Schools #170, Dixon High School, $3,500
• Dunlap Public Library District, $5,000
• East Dubuque District Library, $3,350
• United Township High School District #30, East Moline, $5,000
• East Peoria Community High School District #309, $5,000
• Fondulac Public Library District, East Peoria, $5,000
• School District U-46, Elgin, $5,000
• National University of Health Sciences, Lombard, $5,000
• Eureka Public Library District, $3,625
• Evergreen Park Public Library, $5,000
• Homewood - Flossmoor High School #233, $3,500
• Franklin Park Public Library District, $4,200
• Galesburg Public Library, $3,000
• Geneseo Public Library District, $5,000
• Delnor Community Hospital, Geneva, $5,000
• llini Bluffs Consolidated Unit District #327, Glasford, $5,000
• College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, $5,000
• Community Consolidated School District #89, Glen Ellyn, $5,000
• Glenside Public Library District, Glendale Heights, $3,750
• Queen Bee School District #16, Glendale Heights, $5,000
• Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library District, Hampshire, $2,500
• Hampton School District #29, $4,000
• Keeneyville Elementary School District #20, Hanover Park, $4,000
• Hartsburg - Emden CUSD #21, $5,000
• Harvard CUSD #50, $5,000
• Harvard Diggins Public Library, $2,500
• Harvey Public Library District, $5,000
• Eisenhower Public Library District, Harwood Heights, $5,000
• Alden Hebron Community Consolidated Unit #19, Hebron, $5,000
• Putnam County Public Library District, Hennepin, $4,878
• Herscher CUSD #2, $5,000
• Hillside Public Library, $5,000
• Hodgkins Public Library District, $5,000
• Hudson Area Public Library District, $2,500
• Huntley Area Public Library District, $3,000
• Itasca Community Library District, $2,500
• Johnsburg CUSD #12, $5,000
• Johnsburg Public Library District, $4,918
• Joliet Junior College, $5,000
• Joliet Public Library, $5,000
• Joliet Township High School District #204, $5,000
• Kankakee School District #111, $5,000
• Kewanee Public Library District, $4,500
• Wethersfield CUSD #230, Kewanee, $5,000
• Ladd Public Library District, $5,000
• Lake Villa Public Library District, $2,500
• Eastland Community Unit School District #308, Lanark, $4,500
• LaSalle Public Library, $5,000 
• Bertolet Memorial Library, Leaf River, $5,000
• Lemont Township High School District #210, $5,000
• Will County School District #92, Lockport, $5,000
• North Suburban Library District, Loves Park, $5,000
• Lyons School District #103, $2,550
• Macomb Public Library District, $4,000
• Western Illinois University, Macomb, $5,000
• Kishwaukee College Library, Malta, $5,000
• Bureau Valley Community School District #340, Manlius, $4,552
• Manteno Community Unit School District #5, $4,134
• Marengo Community High School District #154, $3,500
• Prairie - Hills Elementary School District 144, Markham, $5,000
• Mt. Hope - Funks Grove Townships Public Library District, McLean, $2,500
• Melrose Park Public Library, $5,000
• Bremen Community High School District #228, Midlothian, $5,000
• Wysox Township Library District, Milledgeville, $3,500
• Moline Public Library, $2,500
• Moline School District #40, $5,000
• Warren County Public Library, Monmouth, $3,000
• Morris Area Public Library District, $5,000
• Mount Morris Public Library, $5,000
• Mount Prospect Public Library, $3,450
• Ridgewood Community High School District #234, Norridge, $5,000
• Acorn Public Library District, Oak Forest, $5,000
• Illinois Valley Community College, Oglesby, $3,000
• Oglesby Public Library District, $2,500
• Oregon Community Unit School District #220, $2,655
• Oswego Public Library District, $5,000
• Reddick Public Library District, Ottawa, $3,600
• North Palos School District #117, Palos Hills, $5,000
• Park Forest Public Library, $3,500
• Park Forest - Chicago Heights District 163, $4,680
• Park Ridge Public Library, $2,500
• Pecatonica Community School District Unit #321, $2,500
• Peoria Public Library, $5,000
• Peoria Heights Public Library, $2,600
• Peru Public Library, $3,000
• Plano Community Library District, $3,500
• Plano CUSD #88, $5,000
• Pontiac Public Library, $5,000
• North Boone CUSD #200, Poplar Grove, $5,000
• River Valley District Library, Port Byron, $5,000
• Princeton Public Library, $2,500
• Lillie M. Evans Library District, Princeville, $4,500
• Blessing Rieman College of Nursing, Quincy, $3,000
• John Wood Community College, Quincy, $4,800
• Quincy Public Library, $5,000
• Nippersink School District #2, Richmond, $4,950
• Dominican University, River Forest, $3,700
• River Forest Public Library, $2,600 
• Trinity High School, River Forest, $5,000
• Rochelle Township High School District #212, $5,000
• Rockford Lutheran Schools, $2,500
• Hononegah Community High School District #207, Rockton, $5,000
• Rockton School District #140, $3,000
• Valley View Community Unit School District #365U, Romeoville, $4,500
• Roselle Public Library District, $3,600
• Indian Creek CUSD #425, Shabbona, $5,000
• Sherrard Public Library District, $5,000
• Shorewood - Troy Public Library District, $4,900
• South Holland Public Library, $5,000
• South Suburban College, South Holland, 5,000
• Richard A. Mautino Memorial Library, Spring Valley, $4,475
• Steger-South Chicago Heights Public Library District, $5,000
• Streator Public Library, $2,500
• Sugar Grove Public Library District, $5,000
• Table Grove VIT CUSD #2, $3,500
• Towanda District Library, $2,500
• Governors State University, University Park, $5,000
• Clinton Township Public Library, Waterman, $3,000
• Waukegan Public Library, $5,000
• West Chicago Public Library District, $3,500
• Westchester Public Library, $5,000
• Thomas Ford Memorial Library, Western Springs, $2,500
• The Theosophical Society in America, Henry S. Olcott Memorial Library, Wheaton, $4,250
• Wilmington Public Library District, $5,000
• Harrison School District #36, Wonder Lake, $2610
• Woodstock Community Unit School District #200, $5,000
• Yorkville Community Unit School District #115, $5,000
• Zion - Benton Public Library District, $5,000

Awards are made possible by a combination of funds from the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services and state of Illinois library funds.

To reach RAILS staff in Coal Valley, Rockford, and Bolingbrook (formerly Shorewood) service centers, please call (toll-free) 877.542.7257 and enter the appropriate extension number when prompted. The extension numbers have not changed and are located in the Contact section of the RAILS website (available from the Contact tab in the upper right corner). Currently, the direct dial numbers for these locations using the 309 and 815 area codes are not working. We expect this situation to be resolved soon and will keep members posted with new developments.