News from Illinois Library Association

Vol. 5, Issue: 38| December 11, 2012

U.S. Appeals Court Today Strikes Down State's Concealed-Carry Ban

The state of Illinois would have to allow ordinary citizens to carry weapons under a federal appeals court ruling issued today, but the judges also gave lawmakers 180 days to put their own version of the law in place.

In a 2-1 decision that is a major victory for the National Rifle Association, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals said the state's ban on carrying a weapon in public is unconstitutional.

As the Illinois library community might recall, previous legislative proposals to allow concealed carry did not always contain language allowing libraries to prohibit guns in library facilities. The most recent version of the proposal did include a public library exemption, but there is no guarantee that this will be included in future proposals. With this court victory, gun rights advocates will likely be less willing to compromise with opponents of concealed carry, and therefore less willing to allow flexibility and "opt out" provisions for different types of property owners. With this court ruling, firearm concealed carry is coming to Illinois in the very near future and ILA will work on legislation providing maximum flexibility for libraries.

Illinois is the only state in the nation not to have some form of conceal carry.

House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, a longtime gun control advocate, said she hoped the state would appeal the ruling. But Currie also said lawmakers must "get cracking" on how to respond to the ruling and begin parsing its key points.

Currie, D-Chicago, said that "justices surely do not mean that we would have to have wide-open" laws in Illinois. She said Illinois must now look at what other states are doing, such as disallowing guns in day-care centers and other locations.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office is reading the just-issued opinion and is unable at this point to comment about the prospects of filing an appeal, a spokeswoman said.

2013 ILA Annual Conference Call for Programs

The theme for the 2013 ILA Annual Conference is Ignite!, with fire symbolizing the burning enthusiasm of our profession, the sparking and catching of ideas, and the untamed ambition of all those who seek to offer warm atmospheres, transforming ideas, and hot services to their communities. Illinois library employees are proud to be trailblazers, consistently striving to spark new ideas for serving the burning needs of our communities. Through kindled inspiration, connectivity and collaboration, we actively share our ideas, Ignite! the conversation and, in doing so, light a path for others.

The ILA Annual Conference Program Committee is seeking program proposals that focus on engaging your community, stimulating imagination, fostering creativity and ingenuity, sharing gifts and talents, and demonstrating leadership for libraries of every size and every type. Whether you are an academic, special, school, or public librarian; a human resources, marketing, facilities, or law professional; or in a rural or city library serving a large or small population, we ask you to consider submitting a proposal. Please consider collaborating and partnering with each other.

Become catalysts for the larger world-Ignite! and help others blaze the trail for the present and future of Illinois library services. Let your bright minds shine! Attend the 2013 ILA Annual Conference at Navy Pier in Chicago, October 15-17, 2013! We encourage you to put a firecracker in your back pocket and participate in Ignite! Meet a fire-starter or one of our beloved Illinois Library Luminaries. Discuss the burning issues for libraries. Network and share what fires you up as a passionate library employee, trustee, or friend of the library world. Set your dreams ablaze and spark innovation. Illuminate the way and by all means, light your fire!

Click here to submit your program proposal.

ILA Candidates for 2013

The ILA Nominating Committee has announced the candidates for election in the spring of 2013.

For vice president/president-elect (three-year term beginning July 1, 2013 -- June 30, 2016):

ILA Vice President/President Elect

Jeannie Dilger, LaGrange Public Library

Deanne W. Holshouser, Edwardsville Public Library

Board of Directors (three-year term beginning July 1, 2013 -- June 30, 2016). A candidate from each pairing will be elected in accordance with the ILA bylaws as amended at the 1998 ILA Annual Conference; a total of four directors will be elected to serve three-year terms on the ILA Executive Board.

Director-at-Large:

Christina Stoll, Arlington Heights Memorial Library

Julie Milavec, Plainfield Public Library District

Director-at-Large:

Alissa Williams, Pekin Public Library

Amanda E. Standerfer, Decatur Public Library

Director-at-Large:

Rick McCarthy, Gail Borden Public Library District

Carol Vaughan Kissane, Brookfield Public Library

Director-at-Large:

Keshia Garnett, Chicago Public Library/West Englewood Branch

Portia E. Latalladi, Chicago Public Library/Garfield Ridge Branch

Any ILA member wishing to be added to the ballot by petition may call the ILA office for information. Nominations by petition for an elective office shall be proposed in writing by at least one hundred (100) personal members of the association and delivered to the executive office by March 1, 2013. Candidates for director nominated by petition shall be added to the slate and placed in the paired candidate group that most clearly matches the affiliations of the petitioner as determined by the nominating committee. Petition candidates for vice president/president-elect will be added to the presidential slate as requested. The polls will open electronically April 1, 2013. In addition, paper ballots will be sent to persons requesting one. The return deadline is thirty (30) days after the ballot is postmarked. The electronic polls will close April 30.

Serving on the nominating committee are Kathryn Harris, Sarah Hill, Matthew Paris, David Seleb, Mary J. Soucie, Randy Wilson, and Lynn Elam, chair.

ILA Advocacy Committee Says Thanks

The Advocacy Committee would like to thank Peregrine, Stime, Newman, Ritzman & Bruckner, Ltd. for sponsoring the ILA Advocacy booth at both the ILA Conference in Peoria and the ISLMA Conference in St. Charles this year. Both booths proved to be a huge success and ILA is thrilled that 209 Illinois library members signed up for the Legislative Action Network (LAN).

The winner of the booth drawing for a Tablet was Mary Williamson, head of reference services from the Oak Brook Public Library.

If you missed us at ILA and you want to sign up for the LAN, please click here.

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.

Rejected Santa Claus Leads to Criticism of Barrington Library
To read this story, please click here.

Digital Magazines a Hit at with Vernon Area Library
To read this story, please click here.

American Dental Association Library Be Set to Close; American Medical Association Shut its James S. Todd Memorial Library on March 28
To read this story, please click here.

Elmhurst College Librarian Headed to State Legislature