As you probably know, ILEAD U is the Illinois State Library’s initiative to help library staff understand and respond to user needs through the application of participatory technology tools and the creation of an easy-to-replicate model program.
Made possible through a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grant, the first cohort of 8 ILEAD U teams met for their final session last week. Following is a summary of each team’s progress towards their final project. [NOTE: Applications are now available if you are interested in forming an ILEAD U Team for the upcoming cohort]
Chicago Legal Information Team
Portal
Lincoln LAWGS: Building Blocks for Illinois Law Students
http://www.lincolnlawgs.com/
What is it?
Lincoln Lawgs was created in 2010 as a collaboration among several law school libraries in Chicago. It is meant to be a place where students from all Illinois law schools can get legal research advice, talk to each other about common law school research problems, and just interact with each other in general. It’s also a great place to show your Abe Lincoln appreciation–just like you, he was an Illinois lawyer himself.
Highlights to Note
- Tutorials to help you answer common law student research questions
- Virtual meeting spaces (Lawg Cabins) you can reserve to live chat with each other, or with Lincoln Lawgs staff
- Message boards (Campfire chats) where you can discuss your research problems
- And anything else you can think of….
Additional information and Team Members on WJIL
ESL DuPage Library System Team
Portal
ESL DuPage
http://www.esldupage.org/
What is it?
Team ESL DuPage was a team of 5 library staff from 3 different libraries – two public libraries and one academic library. Library staff are from National University of Health Sciences Library, West Chicago Public Library and Wood Dale Public Library. Training took place at the University of Illinois Springfield. The objective of the grant project was to explore new technologies and resources for reaching ELL / ESL (English Language Learners / English as a Second Language) patrons in our communities. To create an interactive ELL / ESL resource relevant to patrons and libraries that reside in the area served by the DuPage Library System. The representative languages in our communities are predominately Spanish and Polish. Therefore we focused on Spanish and Polish resources. We plan to expand into other languages.
Highlights to Note
- Welcome videos in English, Spanish and Polish
- Resource Center
- Culture Corner
Additional Information and Team Members on WJIL
Entrepreneurs 2.0 Team
Portal
Business Resource: The Place to Go for All Your Local Business Needs
http://thebusinessresource.org/
What is it?
Empowering our Business Communities – One Inspiration at a Time. The Entrepreneur 2.0 team is comprised of library professionals from five libraries along Illinois’ I-80 Corridor – Fountaindale Public Library, Homer Township Public Library, Joliet Public Library, Rockford Public Library and Shorewood-Troy Public Library.
It is the goal of this project to bring helpful information and resources to the businesses in our respective communities, to strengthen and build a participatory bond between businesses and their local libraries, and to empower individuals and their businesses in their information seeking endeavors. This project has grown out of the belief that local businesses are the life blood of our communities. By facilitating their growth and sustenance through access to free tools, instruction, information and support, we believe that current economic conditions can be weathered, and jobs can be created and saved.
Highlights to Note
Additional Information and Team Members on WJIL
I-ADAPT Team
Portal
Rural Adapt: A Web Portal for Rural Communities
http://ruraladapt.wordpress.com/
What is it?
Our project is a community portal. The content has to do with economic issues, community, growth and adapting. We have defined several commonalities we share such as BUSINESS RESOURCES, EMPLOYMENT RESOURCES, COMMUNITY HUBS, KIDS AND TEEN SPACE, DISCUSSION, EVENTS and NEWS.
Highlights to Note
Additional Information and Team Members on WJIL
Little Egypt Consortium Team
Portal
Still being developed.
What is it?
Provide credible information to young adults via participatory technology in rural, southern Illinois about career and educational opportunities.
Highlights to Note
Additional Information and Team Members on WJIL
Pandora Team
Portal
Library Resources for Illinois State Agencies
http://lrisa.org/
What is it?
LRISA was established to provide state employees with easy access to information available from the Illinois State Library, University of Illinois Springfield/Brookens Library and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, including work related, reference services and grant seeking services.
Highlights to Note
Additional Information and Team Members on WJIL
Southside 2.0 Team
Portal
Nibiru: It’s not the End of the World, Just Teens in Transition
http://www.mynibiru.org/
What is it?
Nibiru is a collaborative project between area libraries and young adults based in the southern suburbs of Chicago, IL. At it’s heart, Nibiru is about connecting teens who are transitioning from one phase of their life to another (graduating from high school and moving on to higher education or the work force) to each other and the resources that might assist them.
What does “Nibiru” have to do with that? One definition of the word comes from the ancient Akkadian (Mesopotamia) language where it means “point of transition” or “crossing.” Our goal in creating Nibiru is to bring ideas, resources, people, and institutions together to help guarantee the success of our young people as they transition into adulthood.
Highlights to Note
Additional Information and Team Members on WJIL
Springfield Big Read Team
Portal
Under the Influence
http://www.influencecontest.org/
What is it?
Uses participatory technology to promote Big Read activities among college age students 18 – 24 in Illinois. The Under the Influence Contest invites multi-media submissions about how music has inspired and shaped the lives of those who enter the contest. The contest is based on the Springfield Big Read book The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers.
Highlights to Note
Additional Information and Team Members on WJIL
This week marked the first session of the second year of ILEAD U (Illinois Libraries Explore, Apply and Discover).
ILEAD U (Illinois Libraries Explore, Apply and Discover) is the Illinois State Library’s initiative to help library staff understand and respond to user needs through the application of participatory technology tools and the creation of an easy-to-replicate model program.