ILA E-Newsletter

Tax-Capped? Read on for Possible Relief...
February 24, 2016
Q: Under what circumstances are public library districts eligible to receive reimbursement for tax caps imposed under tax increment financing (TIF) districts? A: Public Library Districts are entitled to reimbursement for residents in a TIF district c…
CARLI to Sponsor Free Preconference at IACRL Conference
February 10, 2016
CARLI, the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois, is presenting a free preconference in conjunction with the IACRL Conference. Curriculum Mapping: A CARLI-Sponsored IACRL Preconference, will be held Thursday, March 17, 2016 at the…
Derek Blaida to Join ILA's Advocacy Team
December 21, 2015
The ILA Executive Board has approved a proposal from our long-time Legislative Counsel, Kip Kolkmeier, to expand our efforts in Springfield by adding lobbyist Derek Blaida to our advocacy team. Blaida is a highly experienced local government advocate…
14% of the US Population Can't Read this Post
December 9, 2015
14% of the US population can't read this post because they're illiterate. Without what most of us consider to be a basic skill, adults and children in your community are isolated from modern technology and unable to develop other fundamental skills n…
Progress on State Library Grant Funding
December 7, 2015
Today the Illinois Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill (SB) 2039 which was approved by the Illinois House of Representatives last week. This legislation appropriates a little more than half of the proposed budget for Fiscal 2016 library grants, inc…
A Valued Partnership: US DoD-MWR Libraries and iREAD
December 3, 2015
Words can't express what this amazing partnership with the libraries of the U.S. Department of Defense Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (DoD-MWR) has meant not only to Illinois libraries, but to the thousands of kids and families who participate world…
Want to Know How Your Library Stacks Up? Benchmarking Study Available on ILA Website
December 3, 2015
In a recent survey of 24 libraries in several northern Illinois counties, facility upgrades are the number one ranked spending area. And average expenditures per capita were $118.51. Nearly half of the libraries reported carrying debt with average in…
Cyndi Robinson Named Latest ILA Luminary!
October 30, 2015
Tobi Oberman caught Cyndi Robinson by surprise at the Annual Conference Awards Gala on Friday, 23 October. In addition to unveiling her luminary banner, a tiara was placed on Robinson's head--no better place to honor her contributions than at the mos…
The Governor and Illinois General Assembly Must Pass a Budget!
October 2, 2015
A state budget compromise is long overdue. The failure to pass a budget has impacted every person in every corner of the state. From the most basic services government must provide to protecting the most vulnerable citizens, the lack of funding is pu…
State Budget Crisis Continues
September 2, 2015
The worst state budget crisis in Illinois history continues. While a comprehensive 2016 spending plan has not been adopted, a combination of court orders, executive decisions, and continuing appropriations have essentially obligated 100% of anticipat…
iREAD Summer Reading Programs

Since 1981, iREAD provides high quality, low-cost resources and products that enable local library staff to motivate children, young adults, and adults to read.

Visit the iREAD website »