The Illinois State Library is pleased to announce the long-awaited update of Keeping the Public Informed: Administrative Ready Reference.

When the Administrative Ready Reference CD product was released in 1999, it was considered a valuable support resource for public libraries and trustees. The new 2009 edition includes updates of key resources and introduces a new interactive platform for exchange of information, ideas and practice within the Illinois library community.

In addition to the documents (which are available in various file formats for ease of use and adoption in your library) this new version of the Administrative Ready Reference resides within the larger WebJunction Illinois repository of documents and services.

One of the requirements for public libraries to receive a FY2010 Public Library Per Capita Grant from the Illinois State Library is for library staff and trustees to review the Administrative Ready Reference. Libraries that have already reviewed the former ARR as part of the grant process do not need to review the update.

Please share your comments and input about the ARR update with Project Director Steve Johnson.

We thank members of the Illinois library community for their patience as this important document was being revised. Thanks also to Shawnee Library System for managing the update. The Illinois library community will benefit enormously from the ARR for many years to come, and we believe the update, like the original ARR, will serve as a model for the nation.

Funding for Keeping the Public Informed: the Administrative Ready Reference was awarded by the Illinois State Library (ISL), a division of the office of Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White, using funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), under the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).