RAILS Announces 20 My Library Is… Grant for School Libraries Recipients

The Reaching Across Illinois Libraries System (RAILS) announced that 20 projects have been selected to receive My Library Is… Grants for School Libraries. The total amount funded for these projects is $78,232.80.

These grants provide an opportunity for libraries to focus on projects that help tell the library story and that increase visibility and support in schools. This year, there was a special focus on asking libraries to develop projects that incorporate principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and to clearly demonstrate the impact these projects will have on their diverse student populations, teachers, parents, and administrators.

RAILS received 30 total applications. The following projects were chosen from those 30:

• Alan B. Shepard Middle School Learning Commons / Deerfield School District 109 - "Sliding Glass Doors 2.0"
• Beach Park Community Consolidated School District 3 - "My Library Is... Grant Project"
• Burbank Elementary School / City of Chicago School District #299 - "Reporting Our Library: News for Students by Students"
• Coal City Middle School - "Quality Library Program to Go Made Fresh for You!"
• East Elementary School / Zion School District 6 - "My Library Is...Their Future"
• Glenside Middle School / Queen Bee Public Schools #16 - "Good Things at Glenside"
• Grace Lutheran School - "Collection Update"
• Hampshire High School - "Hampshire High School Libratory"
• Heyworth CUSD #4 - "YA? Y Not?! Discovering Yourself at the Library"
• Highland Middle School - "My Library Is… A Place We Can See Ourselves, Each Other, and the World"
• John T Pirie Fine Arts and Academic Center/ City of Chicago School District #299 – "Finding a Love of Reading"
• Medinah Elementary School District #11 – "Medinah READS!"
• Peoria PSD #150 – "My Library Is..... Connecting Students to Community through Local History"
• Riverside Brookfield Township District #208 - "My Library is Refreshed and Appealing to Students and Staff"
• Roberto Clemente Community Academy / City of Chicago School District #299 – "My Library Is...Growing"
• Rochelle Township High School District # 212 – "Linking Hubs to Local Libraries"
• Rondout School District 72 – "My Library Is... Building Connections and Deepening Understanding"
• Summit Hill Junior High – "My Library Is... Starting a Conversation Around Mental Health!"
• Wallin Oaks Elementary School / Plainfield CCSD 202 – "My Library is...The Heart of Wallin Oaks"
• Zion-Benton Township High School District 126 - "My Library Is....Sharing Stories"

"This is the second year RAILS has offered these grants specifically for school libraries and the quality of the applications continues to rise higher and higher," said RAILS Executive Director Deirdre Brennan. "While school libraries face many challenges in Illinois, it is apparent that school library workers are ready to meet those challenges with innovation and new ideas. We can't wait to see how these projects transform their schools and communities."

RAILS would like to thank the following volunteers who took the time to evaluate the grant applications:

• Leslie Forsman, Triopia CUSD #27
• Jane Harper, Homewood-Flossmoor High School District #233
• Amy Heyvaert, River Bend Community Unit District #2
• Joanna Marek, LaGrange South Elementary School District 105
• Nicolle Mazzola, Arlington Heights School District 25
• Aimee Miller, Batavia High School
• Rebecca Plaza, Mundelein Consolidated High School District 120
• Heather Perhach, Woodland CUSD 5
• Roxanne Price, Marion CUSD #2
• Miriam Rosen, Evanston Township High School District #202
• Jill Tarnowski, Grayslake Community Consolidated School District 46
• Betsy Yager, Prospect Heights School District 23

For more information on the My Library Is… campaign, please visit the campaign website.

For more information on these grants, please contact Dan Bostrom, RAILS Member Engagement Manager, 630.734.5152