Presented by: Joey P. Holmes, library assistant at the Laurens County Library (SC)

Early Registration >>

In FCC Chairman Genachowski’s announcement of the sweeping Connect2Compete initiative to increase broadband connectivity and Internet access across the nation, he listed an impressive array of partners who are joining in the effort. Although he singled out libraries as “vital centers for digital literacy,” any effective actions must involve the whole community of players.

Join us in this webinar to hear about the key role that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is playing in the broadband adoption challenge and the actions already underway for building digital communities. And also hear insights on the collaborative roles and efforts of city/county governments and public and private organizations. Learn how to get started with inclusion efforts from organizations who have taken the steps to implement practical programs which meet local needs and share your ideas about collaborative efforts which lead digital inclusion.

Presenters: Susan Hildreth, director, Institute of Museum and Library Services; Ron Carlee, chief operating officer, International City/County Management Association; and David Keyes, community technology program manager, City of Seattle.

Early Registration >>

Reference librarians from the Illinois State Library will conduct the following webinars:

• Thursday, February 2, 9:30–10 a.m.  Access to Print and Electronic Maps

• Thursday, February 9, 9:30–10 a.m.  Access to Illinois State Library Databases

• Thursday, February 16, 9:30–10 a.m.  Illinois Blue Books via the Illinois Digital Archives (IDA)

• Thursday, February 23, 9:30–10 a.m.  Electronic books available from the Illinois State Library

To participate, please register here. Participants may register for more than one session. A confirmation e-mail with instructions will be sent to you. For further information, please contact the Illinois State Library at 217-558-1945 or e-mail Deb Aggertt at daggertt@ilsos.net.

Forty scholarships will be awarded to cover costs of the registration fee, conference supplied meals and a two-night hotel stay. The scholarship does not cover travel or incidentals. The deadline to submit scholarship applications is NEXT MONDAY, January 30.

Scholarship recipients will be announced in early February. Find the scholarship application here. For questions or comments, please email Gwen Harrison at gharrison@ilsos.net or call her at 217-785-7334.

A teenage couple and their baby joined the high school family literacy program operated by Association House.  The couple wanted to complete their high school education and the baby attended the child education program while both parents attended classes. The parents studied hard, attended class regularly and sought additional academic help and support from the child education program staff. Staff helped the parents study for tests, proofread papers and complete research projects. Both parents attended PACT time (Parents and Children Together) before and after school, and faithfully attended and participated in weekly parent education workshops.

Neither parent had ever been to a library before they began participating in the family literacy program. They are now library cardholders and attend the library on their own time. The mother graduated from high school last year, the first in her family to receive a high school diploma, and plans to work while attending college. The father will graduate this year.

They are both committed to ensuring that their daughter continues to learn throughout her life with their support. Learning has truly become a family affair.

Over the past 30 years, iREAD has grown to become a leader of Summer Reading Program development by providing libraries with all of the resources they need to promote, launch, and execute great reading programs. Increasingly, iREAD themes and programs are being used year-round in schools and literacy programs. For more information, call 877-565-1896 or visit here.

The workshop, presented by Beverly Obert, will be held at the Chatham Area Public Library on Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m CST. Register in L2 by February 24th for $5.00. On site registration will be $7 per person. Questions can be directed  to Amy Ihnen at Director@chathamlib.org or 217-483-2713.

Register Early >>

Presenters David Newyear and Daniel Schwartz will be discussing the the nuts and bolts of serving patrons with gadgets, including policies and procedures for libraries lending e-readers and for patrons using their own readers to access library e-book collections. Hear from a library who has e-reader policies and procedures in place, including how they review and update polices; and from a library who’s recently developed policies and procedures after researching and learning from many other libraries.

Go to Registration Page >>

Illinois Library Day will be held on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 and is a day of advocacy held in Springfield.  It is a time for library supporters to “talk up” libraries with visits to elected officials at the Capitol.  Illinois Library Day is held during the state legislative session and includes training and special briefings the evening before the full day of visits.

For Registration Details >>