LSTA Grant Allotment Update

Posted on 19 April, 2013 by WJIL Project Team

The Illinois State Library received notice from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) this week that the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2013 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) allotment, funded through the Grants to States Program, will be $5,333,615. These funds will be used in Illinois during the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2013.

To put this in perspective, in FFY2010, Illinois received an allotment of $6,520,126. The FFY2013 allotment is more than one million dollars less than four years ago. On Friday, March 1, 2013, sequestration took effect, resulting in a series of automatic across-the-board cuts to federal government agencies. By September 30, 2013, $85 billion in reductions will be in place. For nondefense discretionary accounts including IMLS, this computes to a 5 percent annual reduction, which for IMLS means about a $12 million cut. Consequently, all states have seen a decrease in their LSTA allotment.

The Illinois State Library will continue to use the federal LSTA funds to support statewide initiatives and library services while continuing to address the goals of Illinois’ Long Range Plan for the Use of LSTA Funds. You can view the plan at:
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/grants/pdfs/lstalongrangeplan.pdf.

Delivery Service Survey Responses Due Tomorrow!

Posted on 16 April, 2013 by WJIL Project Team

The Illinois State Library wants your valuable input on the issue of delivery of library materials. Delivery is the bedrock service that unites and enhances statewide resource sharing through ILLINET, the Illinois Library and Information Network.

All those involved with delivery in a particular library agency (library director, resource sharing staff and others) are encouraged to work together to complete a survey for your library agency. The survey is accessible via Survey Monkey and responders should complete the survey by April 17.

The Illinois State Library has developed an Illinois State Library Delivery Advisory Committee (ISLDAC). The committee’s charge is to develop recommendations for a uniform, statewide delivery service. Consistency and standardization are critically important to ensure fairness and equity statewide, maximize efficiency and promote effective stewardship of funding. Survey responses will be shared with ISLDAC to help present a clear picture of current delivery practices and the goals and desires of persons who respond to this survey.

New Illinois Talking Book Outreach Center

Posted on 10 April, 2013 by WJIL Project Team

On July 1, the Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center in East Peoria and the Voices of Vision Talking Book Center in Geneva are consolidating their services, and will become the new Illinois Talking Book Outreach Center.

The new Center will operate from the Reaching Across Illinois Library System building in Burr Ridge. Staff at the Illinois Talking Book Outreach Center can be reached via email at: info@illinoistalkingbooks.org. Patrons can also contact staff and reader advisors via phone: 800-426-0709. The new Illinois Talking Book Outreach Center will serve the entire state outside the city of Chicago. City of Chicago patrons will continue to use the Chicago Public Library Talking Book Center.

There will be a new user friendly website, illinoistalkingbooks.org, to offer more connections to databases, related service providers, various help links, book lists, and news items. Patrons will continue to receive materials as they do now, and will still be able to interact with reader advisors.

Important Delivery Survey

Posted on 4 April, 2013 by WJIL Project Team

The Illinois State Library wants your valuable input on the issue of delivery of library materials. Delivery is the bedrock service that unites and enhances statewide resource sharing through ILLINET, the Illinois Library and Information Network. ILLINET is our multi-type network consisting of more than 5,000 system member libraries.

The Illinois State Library has developed an Illinois State Library Delivery Advisory Committee (ISLDAC). The Committee’s charge is to develop recommendations for a uniform, statewide delivery service. Consistency and standardization are critically important to ensure fairness and equity statewide, maximize efficiency and promote effective stewardship of funding. Survey responses will be shared with ISLDAC to help present a clear picture of current delivery practices and the goals and desires of persons who respond to this survey.

All those involved with delivery in a particular library agency (library director, resource sharing staff, and others) are encouraged to work together to complete a survey for your library agency. The survey is accessible via Survey Monkey and should be completed by April 17.

You may print a PDF version of the survey for internal use and discussion. However, please be sure and submit your library agency’s final response using Survey Monkey online.

Annual Certification Deadline is Almost Here!

Posted on 22 March, 2013 by WJIL Project Team

There is only a little over a week left to complete the Illinois State Library’s Annual Library Certification process! This certification is mandatory for all library system members, and must be completed by March 31. Those that fail to certify will be suspended from system membership and will lose system services and the ability to apply for ISL-sponsored grants. The online form and additional information about the process are available at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/libraries/librarycertification.html.

Questions about the process should be emailed to ISL Library Development Group at isl_certify@ilsos.net.

Could Your Library Host an Organ/Tissue Donor Drive?

Posted on 21 March, 2013 by WJIL Project Team

April is Donate Life Month, a time to inform citizens about how they can help save lives by becoming organ and tissue donors. Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White oversees the state’s organ/tissue donor program. White is seeking Illinois public libraries willing to host organ/tissue donor drives beginning in April and continuing throughout the year.

This effort involves public libraries making space available in their buildings for one day or multiple days. Secretary of State organ/tissue donor program staff would set up a table in the library to provide information to library patrons and sign patrons up to become organ/tissue donors at LifeGoesOn.com. Public libraries soon will be receiving a supply of donor registration cards from the Secretary of State’s office to help sign up participants.

If your library would be willing to host an organ/tissue donor registration drive, please contact Wyconnda Boatman at wboatman@ilsos.net. Please include the name of your library, a contact person, email address, telephone, mailing address and the day(s) your library would be willing to host an organ/tissue donor registration drive. If you have questions, please call 800-210-2106. The Illinois State Library truly appreciates your cooperation in this effort.

ISL Delivery Advisory Committee Members Needed

Posted on 19 March, 2013 by WJIL Project Team

The Illinois State Library is inviting library professionals and staff to serve as committee members on the ISL Delivery Advisory Committee. The Delivery Advisory Committee will work to achieve uniform statewide delivery service methodology that results in a single method of:

Establishing statewide service standards
Gathering statistics
Sorting, packaging and labeling
Training and communications
Integrating statewide technology/software solutions whenever feasible and possible
Ensuring compliance with federal postal regulations
Standardizing performance expectations for libraries, system agencies, and ILDS

From late April through November, committee members will work to create a single, seamless statewide delivery service model. The committee’s recommendations will be presented to the Illinois State Library Advisory Committee. Any meetings of the committee will be open and subject to the Open Meetings Act.

If you are interested in serving, please compose a brief letter of application with your name, workplace, address, phone, fax, and email. Briefly explain why you would like to serve and explain your knowledge of delivery. Email your letter of application to Ron Winner at rwinner@ilsos.net on or before March 29. The Illinois State Library encourages interested persons from all library types and sizes and all areas of the state to apply.

Please direct any questions to Ron Winner at rwinner@ilsos.net.

Last Chance to Apply for SPLMI

Posted on 8 March, 2013 by WJIL Project Team

The March 15 deadline to apply for SPLMI (Small Public Library Management Institute) is quickly approaching! Sponsored by the Illinois State Library and hosted by the University of Illinois Springfield, SPLMI will be held June 2–7, 2013, and is intended for directors of all sizes of libraries who are either new to their position or new to the Illinois library community. The registration fee for successful applicants is only $50, which includes housing, meals, speakers and program materials.

Further information and contact information for submitting the application are available online or via phone at: 217-782-1891.

Don’t Forget: Annual Library Certification Process

Posted on 28 February, 2013 by WJIL Project Team

There are less than six weeks left to complete the Annual Library Certification before the deadline of March 31. This certification is mandatory for all library system members. Those that fail to certify will be suspended from system membership and will lose system services and the ability to apply for Illinois State Library sponsored grants.

The online form and additional information about the process are available at:
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/libraries/librarycertification.html.

Questions about the process should be emailed to ISL Library Development Group at isl_certify@ilsos.net.

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