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Vol. 4, Issue: #27 | December 2, 2011
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House Bill 588 Passed and Sent to Governor
Four Year Waiver Requirement Offers Relief
| House Bill (HB) 588 advanced out of both chambers -- House of Representatives and Senate. The bill will now be sent to Governor Quinn for his signature. ILA supported this legislation that will allow libraries receiving grants through the Illinois Secretary of State's office to remain eligible even though they may no longer meet the local tax levy requirement. The waiver of this requirement will be limited to the next four fiscal years. Without this legislation, some libraries would lose state funds for which they would otherwise be eligible as a result of local funding restrictions beyond their control.
In previously reported 2011 Fall Veto Session news, House Bill 3793, which would have harmed tax-capped public bodies, was resoundingly defeated in the Illinois House of Representatives by a vote of 34 to 73. ILA opposed this bill because it would have resulted in a net reduction in property tax revenues for any tax capped area experiencing a reduction in overall assessed valuation.
ILA and others were not successful in defeating Senate Bill 2147 that will divert some local funds from the personal property replacement tax to pay the state's regional school superintendents. The proponents of the bill noted that this fund is expected to grow in the current fiscal year. The $12 million diversion will result in local governments receiving less than they would otherwise have received, but likely still more than they received the year before due to the fund's growth. ILA and other were successful, however, in revising the bill to: (1) allow the diversion for only a single year; (2) reduce the amount diverted; and (3) create a task force to study the duties of regional superintendents with an eye to whether there should be mergers or even elimination of these offices.
The General Assembly did not vote on Senate Bill (SB) 512 which contains significant changes to state funded pension systems (state employees, state university employees, teachers, judges, and legislators). The proposed legislation would require existing participants in the state funded systems to make one of three choices: (1) remain in the current benefits structure and pay roughly twice as much in employee contributions; (2) switch to the Tier 2 lower benefits structure with no increase in employee contributions; or (3) switch to a defined contribution system. While this proposal was supported by both House Minority Leader Tom Cross and Speaker Michael Madigan, it clearly lacked sufficient support to pass the House. The proposal would have faced even more opposition in the Senate.
The Illinois General Assembly adjourned the extended Fall Veto Session Tuesday, 29 November, but may return on short notice to deal with the specific issue of corporate and individual income tax relief. |
| ILA Recommendation Appointed to Local Government Consolidation Commission
Richard McCarthy from Gail Borden Public Library District
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Thanks to the hundreds of e-mails and letters from the Illinois library community McCarthy has been appointed to the one year appointment. ILA's position: if the state is discussing consolidation, it is better that the library community is at that table.
McCarthy has served as an elected trustee at Elgin's Gail Borden Public Library District for more than 20 years and is currently president of that body. On the state level, he served two terms on the construction grant committee of the Illinois State Library and as a board member of the Illinois Library Association. Professionally, he is a library architect with Dewberry Architects and has been involved in the design of libraries across the nation.
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| Win a Gift Certificate to the iREAD Store! | 
It's time to get creative! We are
looking for original ideas to include in the 2013 iREAD Resource Guide. The 2013 theme is "Have Book -- Will Travel." We need all of your great ideas to share with librarians around the world who use the iREAD theme. Follow the link below to submit your theme-related ideas.
You could WIN a gift certificate to the iREAD store for submitting an idea! Five random winners will be drawn from the list of people who contribute to the 2013 iREAD Resource Guide by the deadline of February 28, 2012. The submission form can be found on the iREAD Web site.
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E-books in U.S. Public Libraries
Illinois at 46.6% below National Average at 67%
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In addition to free public access to computers and the Internet, public libraries
provide their communities with robust electronic collections. One area of significant interest and growth has been the provision of e-books. Nationwide, 67% percent of public libraries report offering free access to e-books to library patrons -- up 30 percent since 2007. Illinois is 46.6% and certainly behind the national average and some of our immediate neighboring states --- Wisconsin 94.5%, Minnesota 84.3%; and Michigan 66.2%. Get more information about Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study, please click here. |
| Open Holds: a Threat to Patron Privacy or Good Customer Service? |
Representatives of 39 Illinois libraries participated in the recent survey posted in ILA's E-Newsletter. The purpose of the survey was to find out whether or not the practice of open holds leads to patron privacy problems [open holds refers to patrons accessing their own items on hold at their libraries]. The librarians who responded were from diverse public libraries, two academic libraries and one k-12 library.
Based on the survey, in appropriate situations, open holds can streamline customer service. Libraries using open holds took patron privacy issues into consideration when implementing. They continue to evaluate the effect of open holds on patron privacy. In general, the participants in the survey who use open holds have had positive experiences. Issues beyond privacy, such as space, also impact on library staff's decisions on providing open holds.
Click here to read the full survey summary.
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| Open Meeting Act Amendment
Duty to Post Compensation Information
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A recent amendment to the Open Meetings Act requires an employer who participates in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund ("IMRF") to post on its Web site, or at its principal office if it does not have a Web site, for two (2) different categories of employees: those employees with a total compensation package in excess of $75,000 and those employees with a total compensation package equal to or greater than $150,000. These changes were part of Public Act 97-609, the pension reform bill. The provisions concerning posting on the Web site become effective on January 1, 2012.
The term "total compensation package" is defined to mean, "payment by the employer to the employee for salary, health insurance, a housing allowance, a vehicle allowance, a clothing allowance, bonuses, loans, vacation days granted, and sick days granted."
For employees who have a total compensation package in excess of $75,000, the total compensation package must be posted within six (6) business days of approving a budget. As stated above, an employer must post the information on its Web site, if it maintains a Web site, or at its principal office if it does not maintain a Web site. The law also allows an employer that maintains a Web site to post a physical copy of this information at its principal office rather than posting it directly on the Web site. The Web site, however, must include information concerning how to access the information.
The law also requires an employer to post on its Web site the total compensation package for each employee that is equal to or in excess of $150,000 per year at least six (6) days before approving the employee's total compensation package. This information may also be posted at the employer's principal office if it does not maintain a Web site or if it includes information on the Web site about how to access the information.
The review of the total compensation package for all employees who make in excess of $75,000 should be completed as part of your budget process so that you can determine the posting requirements for any employees that fall within either category. In order to complete the review, you will need to review payments for health insurance, vacation days granted, sick days granted and any housing allowance, vehicle allowance, clothing allowance, bonuses, or loans.
The above copy was provided by Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, Ltd. |
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. | Schultz, Ihnes Will Retire after 21 Years of Service at Parlin-Ingersoll Public Library
To continue reading about this story, please click here.
Champaign Library OKs Limits for Non-residents
To continue reading about this story, please click here.
Galesburg City Council Pares Capital Projects, May Add Library
To continue reading about this story, please click here.
Bloomington Library Facing Big Hike in Insurance Costs
To continue reading about this story, please click here.
Library No Longer Throws Book at SnoozersTo continue reading this story, please click here. New Director Hired for Ela LibraryTo continue reading this story, please click here.
If your library has a newspaper story with link, send it to us at doyle@ila.org for possible inclusion in the next ILA E-Newsletter. Thanks.
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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.
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CALENDAR
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December 20, 2011Deadline for February issue of the ILA Reporter. Guidelines for Submissions to the ILA Reporter.February 4, 2012February 20, 2012 22nd President's Day Advocacy Breakfast, Arboretum Club, Buffalo Grove, Ill.
March 13-17, 2012 Public Library Association Conference, Philadelphia, Pa.
March 16, 2012 Illinois Association of College and Research Libraries Conference, Doubletree Hotel, 1909 Spring Rd., Oak Brook, Ill. March 24, 2012April 2, 2012
Youth Services Workshop, Peoria Public Library
April 11, 2012
Youth Services Workshop, Illinois Heartland Library System, Edwardsville, Ill.
April 13, 2012
ILA Executive Board meeting, Bloomington
April 13, 2012
Youth Services Workshop, Arlington Height Memorial Library
April 18, 2012
Youth Services Workshop, Rock Island, Ill.
April 18, 2012
Illinois Library Day Springfield, Ill.
April 24, 2012National Library Legislative Day, Washington, D.C.May 4, 2012October 9-11, 20122012 ILA Annual Conference, Peoria ILA COMMITTEE AND FORUM REPORTS March 2011 Reference Services ForumApril 2011 Youth Services Forum
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