Illinois Library Association
Vol. 4, Issue:  #24 | October 24, 2011
2012 iREAD Online Store is Open
Special Early Shipping for the Resource Guide
2012 iREAD: Reading Is So Delicious!The 2012 Reading Is So Delicious! online store is now open.  Click here to shop for all your summer reading programming, incentives, decorations, and clothing.

Products ship in January and February, but by popular demand we are offering early shipping of the Resource Guide.  Please place a separate order for your Resource Guides (item #1228) and we will ship them to you as soon as they are available.

Call, Write, or Fax your Local Illinois State Representative Immediately
House Bill 3793 and Senate Bill 2073:  Could Dramatically Reduce Revenues to Local Governments in Tax Capped Counties
Rep. Jack Franks (D-63, Woodstock) has filed legislation as a new bill (House Bill 3793), and as an amendment to Senate Bill 2073 currently in the Illinois House of Representatives that could dramatically reduce revenues to local governments in tax capped counties.  Under current law, a tax capped local government is limited to only increase the aggregate tax extension by the lesser of 5% or the rate of inflation.  Rep. Franks's proposal would set the limitation at 0% if the equalized assessed valuation within the taxing district has declined.  There would be no increase even for inflation.  The result would be a net decline in revenues compared to inflation.  A decline in equalized assessed valuation bears no relationship to the services that need to be rendered or the population served.  Indeed, libraries have seen increased demand in these tough economic times and should not be subjected to a net reduction in revenue.  House Bill 3793 has been scheduled for a hearing in the House Revenue Committee on Tuesday, October 25th.  Please immediately reach out to your local State Representatives and ask them to vote NO on House Bill 3793 or any other bill that contains a similar proposal.

Proposed language is as follows:  Replaces everything after the enacting clause.  Amends the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in the Property Tax Code.  Provides that, if the total equalized assessed value of all taxable property in the taxing district for the current levy year (excluding new property, recovered tax increment value, and property that is annexed to or disconnected from the taxing district in the current levy year) is less than the total equalized assessed value of all taxable property in the taxing district for the previous levy year, then the extension limitation is (a) 0% or (b) the rate of increase approved by voters (instead of the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index during the 12-month calendar year preceding the levy year or (b) the rate of increase approved by voters).  Effective immediately.

To send your message to your elected official, please click here.
2011 Logo
2011 ILA Annual Conference Wrap up
Thank you to everyone who attended #ILAConf2011!  

Conference Evaluation
The Conference evaluation is now available online.  Please click here and take a moment to let us know what you thought of the conference. 

Looking for Conference Handouts?
Many of the program handouts are available on the conference handouts Web site

See you in Peoria for #ILAConf2012, October 9-11, 2012! 
Future of Illinois Library Cooperation
Delivery Consultant Update at the 2011 ILA Annual Conference

Lori Bowen Ayre of The Galecia Group, the consultant working with ILA on statewide planning for new models of materials delivery, made two presentations at the 2011 ILA Annual Conference on

Future of IL Library CooperationOctober 18-19 in Rosemont. Both sessions were well attended and fostered constructive discussion on this critical topic.   Ayre has worked with Massachusetts, California, and other states in this arena; she began interviews with key stakeholders in Illinois in September. The goal of the study/project is to develop recommended steps to move from delivery operations based in the nine former regional systems to a more effective and efficient statewide model.  The report will be presented to stakeholders and the Illinois State Library in early 2012.

 

The following topics emerged as key points for continued study and implementation:

  • Materials delivery needs to be both cost-effective and with costs that are identifiable and sustainable for individual libraries (esp. if they need to assume the cost burden); consider "basic" services with upgrades that might require different models for cost-absorption (state, system, library, patron).
  • Some things will be variable for different libraries, groups, or categories of libraries, such as frequency, volume, speed, etc. (delivery profile matrix)
  • Certain components need to be predictable for libraries, such as staffing and space needs; goal is to limit number of "touches."
  • Importance of simplicity and clarity of operation-for both patrons and libraries.
  • The most likely model/models will be hybrids, with grouping not only by geography, but by library type, size, etc.; exploration of adapted role for ILDS to different needs of public and other types of libraries.
  • Models should be as flexible as possible to allow for adaptation, expansion, contraction, e.g., minimize fixed costs. 
  • Importance of patron discovery as driving force suggests value of shared catalogs in as broad a sense as possible.
Open Holds Survey
In these stressful economic times, it is easy to lose sight of intellectual freedom issues.  However these issues continue to impact Illinois libraries and the patrons we serve.  Through the following survey, the ILA's Intellectual Freedom Committee wants to learn about policies and experiences your library is having with open holds.  We hope to learn what Intellectual Freedom issues Illinois libraries have had (if any) and how the issues are being handled.  Please take a few minutes to complete the 12 question survey. We will compile and post the results.  Thank you!
In the News
Library-related stories appearing in local news media are reflected in this section of the ILA E-Newsletter.  The intent is to alert and inform the Illinois library community about issues and events that are considered significant by the general media.
New Toulon Library Finally on the Horizon
To continue reading about this story, please click here.

Batavia Library Board Removes Trustee
To continue reading about this story, please
click here.

Sugar Grove Library Asks Ex-director to Mediation over Differences
To continue reading about this story, please click here 

Chicago Aldermen Rip Mayor's Proposed Library Cuts

To continue reading about this story, please
click here.  

    

Quincy Area Libraries Waiting on Funding from the State, Too, But Delay Causing Few Problems    
To continue reading about this story, please click here.

Worth Museum, Heights Library among Groups in Historical Coalition
To continue reading this story, please click here.

Free E-book:  School Libraries:  What's Now, What's Next, What's Yet to Come
To continue reading this story, please  click here.

If your library has a newspaper story with link, send it to us at [email protected] for possible inclusion in the next ILA E-Newsletter.  Thanks. 
Sincerely,
 

Robert P. Doyle
Illinois Library Association
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Disclaimer: Links to non-ILA sites have been provided because these sites may have information of interest. The Illinois Library Association does not necessarily endorse the views expressed or the facts presented on these sites; and furthermore, ILA does not endorse any commercial products that may be advertised or available on these sites.



CALENDAR

December 20, 2011
Deadline for February issue of the ILA Reporter.

Guidelines for Submissions to the ILA Reporter.

February 4, 2012
Trustee Forum Workshop, Oak Brook Marriott, Oak Brook, Ill.

March 16, 2012
Illinois Association of College and Research Libraries Conference, Doubletree Hotel, 1909 Spring Rd., Oak Brook, Ill.

March 24, 2012
Trustee Forum Workshop, President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, Springfield, Ill.

April 24, 2012
National Library Legislative Day, Washington, D.C.

May 4, 2012
Reaching Forward Conference of Library Assistants, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Ill.

October 9-11, 2012
2012 ILA Annual Conference, Peoria 



ILA COMMITTEE AND FORUM REPORTS 
March 2011
Reference Services Forum

April 2011
Youth Services Forum
BLOGS
NEWS SOURCES
ILA Reporter

American Libraries American Libraries Direct, issues are not posted on the ALA Web site

Chronicle of Higher Education

First Monday

School Library Journal

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