Venturing into the Future is the 16th annual conference for Library Support Staff presented by The Reaching Forward South Committee. This year’s conference will be held on Thursday September 20th and Friday September 21st at the Northfield Inn in Springfield, Illinois.
Thursday’s kick off events include an Illinois Author’s Tea from 2-4:30 and a wine, cheese, and chocolate networking hour immediately after the tea.
On Friday September 21st , the day begins at 8 a.m. with a continental breakfast. The keynote speaker is Dan Schneider who will present “Fonix of the Future.” Immediately following are a series of educational breakout sessions. Breakout session topics include: Programing with Pizzazz, Staff Safety, Library Technology, Art of the Upsell, ebooks, and What .gov can do for You and Your Patrons. After lunch, join featured speaker, Deb DiSandro, with her “slightly off” view on life as she presents “Take Two Ho-Ho’s and Call Me in the Morning.” The conference will adjourn by 3 p.m.
Join the conference for both days for a cost of $75.00. Be sure to check out the Reaching Forward South website for more information about breakout sessions, the nomination form for Support Staff Person of the Year, and the registration form for the conference. Questions can be directed to contact@reachingforwardsouth.org
Michelle Ralston and Joe Sciacca present a display of the PolyTalk Library Interpreters Network at the Diversity Fair at the 2007 ALA Annual Conference.

Our library places are on the go. Hear It! See It! and Read @ Indian Trails Public Library Bookmobile.

Meg Frazier (Bradley University), Kathy Baxter (Author), Mary Richars (Dieterich CU #30), Ellen Popit (Shawnee Library System) and Jan Bolding (Whiteside CUSD #15) network at the Institute for School and Public Librarians. They illustrate the benefits of multitype library collaboration.

Special libraries meet the needs of their unique and specialized constituents. The BP Corporate Library in Naperville, IL is a model for corporate libraries.

Areli joins several of her colleagues at Harper who share their love for reading. See the full set of Library Read Posters in Harper College Library’ flickr set.

Who wouldn’t want to curl up on this sofa with a good book. History is preserved at the Pawnee Public Library as well as within – this wall is over 100 years old.

Sharon Ruda, Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service, Pat Boze, Lincoln Trail Libraries System, and Deb Aggertt, Illinois State Library enjoy a break during the Small Public Libraries Management Institute (SPLMI).

“In the spring of 1901, Andrew Carnegie offered to build a Carnegie Library for the city of Alton. This offer was respectfully declined! John Hayner, through further generous gifting to the endowment fund, provided for the Hayner library to be free to all the citizens of Alton. The acceptance of the Carnegie proposal would have required a yearly taxation on the citizens. Mr. Hayner’s benefaction allowed Alton citizens to enjoy the only free library in the country, wholly under the management of the ladies of the Jennie D. Hayner Library Association, previously the Alton Library Association.” – from the Hayner Public Library District history.

University of Illinois – University librarian and dean of librarians Paula Kaufman is pictured near the mural of the Celestial Hemisphere in the Main Library’ grand staircase.
