A 29 year-old single mother, who dropped out of school after the 9th grade, realized she needed a GED to obtain a job. She took GED classes and passed every test but math. After failing to pass the math test, the woman was referred to the Kishwaukee’s adult literacy program. With assistance from a tutor, the woman improved her math skills, took the GED math test again and passed. She obtained the GED certificate she needed to enter the Certified Nursing Assistants class at Kishwaukee.

If you have already begun to work on the PDF version of the application, please be certain to save that document on your desktop or your hard drive.  You will be able to cut and paste from the PDF version into the Web-based version.

Here are important technical instructions for using the Web-based version of the application:

• You are encouraged to develop the proposal offline using a word processing program. The Web-based application does not have spell or grammar check capabilities. Compose and check the document using your word processing program, then copy and paste the proposal into the Web-based application.
• Be aware of the character limits within the text boxes.
• A timer within the Web-based application will expire after 30 minutes with no activity. Typing within one section or screen does not activate this activity monitor. After 30 minutes, any information on the screen will be lost.  Clicking the “Save” button periodically will prevent that data loss. When you click “Save” or “Next,” your valid data is also saved.
• A shaded progress bar at the top of every page will indicate your advancement through the application.
• Navigational directions, “Previous” and “Next”, appear at the bottom of every page.  Use those buttons rather than the back and forward arrows in your browser.
• To make a change within a text box, use your back space key.
• You may logout before finishing or submitting your application.  When you re-enter the application, you will be directed to the last place that you entered data.

This Web-based application for the Penny Severns  Summer Family Literacy program is a PILOT PROGRAM.  The Illinois State Library is working toward automating all of our grant programs, from application to submission of reporting forms.

This pilot application is the first step in that direction. Your input and suggestions regarding the pilot application process are welcomed.  Please submit feedback via email to Beth Paoli  so that we may document your suggestions. 

If you encounter any problems or have questions in preparing the Web-based application, please do not hesitate to contact  the Literacy Office at 800-665-5576, extension 3,  or 217-785-6921.

“On the Front Lines” is an excellent continuing education opportunity for “front line” library staff working in all types of libraries.   Participants will obtain training, exposure, and techniques that will enable them to deal effectively and efficiently with their day-to-day activities as front line employees.  Some of this year’s sessions will include:

• Forming a Green Team and Making It Work
• Optimizing Interlibrary Loan throughout ILLINET
• Preservation in a Hybrid World: Past, Present, and Future
• Copyright Compliance in a Web 2.0 World
• Reference Desk Realities
• Turning a Good Grant into a Great Grant
• Internet Safety
• Emergency Preparedness

The Conference registration fee is only $15.00 for the entire event, regardless if participants attend one, two or all three days.   To register and see the full conference agenda, go to L2

Contact Gwen Harrison at gharrison@ilsos.net or 217-785-7334 for further information.

Several large companies who employ hourly workers reduced their workforce or closed completely in communities served by the literacy program at John Wood Community College (JWCC).

With a shortage of job opportunities, job seekers use the literacy program to become better candidates for positions that are available. An employee of a company that closed was referred to the literacy program at JWCC and began taking GED classes twice a week and working with a tutor once a week. She had worked for nearly 20 years for this company and knew she would need to improve her English literacy in order to obtain another job.

Even though she could communicate fairly well in English, her reading and writing skills were not good. The woman wanted to be at least on the same level as her children who are progressing well in school. Testing has shown that she is improving both her reading level and her writing ability since she started to work with a tutor. In fact, she is so anxious to learn that she begs for homework and will not take a break when she is working her tutor. The future is beginning to look brighter for her.

The application deadline is March 15th. Applications must be printed, filled out, and mailed. They cannot be submitted on-line. All grants require a one-to-one ($1 for $1) in-kind and/or cash match. Grant projects will run for one year.

The Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board is made up of representatives from different archives, museums, universities and libraries from around the state and seeks to facilitate cooperation among historical records depositories and other information agencies within Illinois. The Illinois State Archives serves as the coordinator of the board.

For additional information, email or call David Joens at 217-782-3492.

In 1994 the Small Public Library Management Institute (SPLMI) was created by the Illinois State Library  and Western Illinois University  using funds provided by a Library Services and Construction Act (now LSTA) grant. The goals of SPLMI were to:

• Enhance administrative skills
• Develop leadership skills
• Provide opportunities for networking
• Build confidence and self-esteem
• Introduce automation, technology and on-line searching techniques

Since its beginning the program has gained local, statewide and national attention. Each year 50 applications from all over the state are accepted to participant in the institute. Topics covered by the institute include laws and legislation impacting libraries, programming, administering a library, director/board relations, standards, customer service and policies. During the 5 days participants are afforded opportunities for networking and to visit other libraries or sites. Over the years the institute has expandeded its requirements to allow more libraries to be able to participate and moved the site of the institute from WIU to the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) in 2001.

In 2007 the State Library, as part of their LSTA Five-Year Evaluation stated “Four dimensions were consistently evaluated across the four years—amount and quality of learning, application of learning, networking, and contact with the Illinois State Library. There were extremely high ratings for the amount and quality of learning, with nearly all giving this the highest ratings. At least nine out of ten participants definitely felt that their new knowledge would change the way they would approach their library responsibilities. Most reported developing a better network of librarians (85 to 94%), and a similar number reported that they were more likely to contact ISL for assistance.”

A recent (2009) participant, Jim Deiters director of the Blue Island Public Library,  talks about his experience at SPLMI…(read more)

Any library interested in sending their director or other staff to the 17th Annual Small Public Management Institute should visit the Illinois State Library web site for an application. The deadline for applying is March 1 and the institute will be held at UIS on June 6 – 11.

*Anthony Auston, Palatine Public Library District
*Emily R. Compton-Dzak, Deerfield Public Library
*John I. Ericson, Schaumburg Township District Library
*John R. Fischer, Bloomington Public Library
*Sue Foster, Rock Island Public Library
*Ryan A. Franklin, Mattoon Public Library
*Jeanne Hamilton, Helen Matthes Library, Effingham
*Liz M. Hubert, Barrington Area Library
*Lauren A. Jensen, Monmouth College Hewes Library, Monmouth
*Robert Jones, Illinois State Library
*Esmeralda M. Kale, Herskovits Library of African Studies, Northwestern University
*Susan L. Kunkle, Forest Park Public Library
*Kathy M. Ladell, Northlake Public Library District
*Heather Love Beverley, Cook Memorial Public Library District, Libertyville
*Laura A. Lowe, Des Plaines Valley Public Library District, Lockport Branch Library, Lockport
*Dianne L. Ludwig, Addison Public Library
*Kathy Lynch, Chase Elementary School, Chicago
*Courtney Anne O’Keefe, Des Plaines Public Library
*Susan B. Parsons, Plainfield Public Library District
*Kerrin K. Riley, Hinsdale Central High School
*Christine M. Ross, Brookens Library, University of Illinois at Springfield
*Deborah Shippy, Moline Public Library
*Anne Slaughter, Oak Park Public Library
*Liz Steffensen, Huntley Area Public Library
*Carrie Straka, Vernon Area Public Library District, Lincolnshire
*Penny S. Sympson, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., Northbrook
*Andrea L. Vernola, Woodstock Public Library
*Eric Werthmann, Acorn Public Library, Oak Forest
*Frances Whaley, Jacobs Library, Illinois Valley Community College, Oglesby
*Rita Ziemlo Perona, Elmhurst Public Library