News from Illinois Library Association

Vol. 7, Issue: 5| February 12, 2014

ILA Executive Board Determines Positions on Key Legislative Bills

At its February 7 meeting, the ILA Executive Board reviewed more than 50 library bills and determined the association's position on key bills. Legislators have several more weeks to file new bills, and many other bills relevant to the Illinois library community are likely to be introduced.

Both the ILA Public Policy Committee (PPC) and ILA Executive Board met last week, with their next meetings about a month away. In the interim, the ILA Quick Response Team will address any new bills requiring immediate attention. We will keep you informed through the ILA E-Newsletter.

STATE BUDGET

SUPPORT current full funding for the Illinois Secretary of State's public library per capita grants, and restore full funding to school library per capita, equalization, library system per capita and other library grant programs.

ILA INITIATIVES

SUPPORT Senate Bill 1941, Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act (Senator John Mulroe and Rep. Elaine Nekritz) providing for the authentication and preservation of official government laws, rules, reports and decisions when produced solely in an electronic format.

SUPPORT Senate Bill 2926, FOIA and the Internet (Senator Daniel Biss and Rep. Ann Williams) creating an incentive for government bodies to increase access to government documents through Internet posting, while assuring traditional production of FOIA requested documents.

LOCAL CONTROL

OPPOSE Senate Bill 2784, Mandatory Internet Filters (Senator Kwame Raoul) overruling local public library decisions on Internet access by imposing an unfunded mandate to limit access in a manner that clearly violates the First Amendment. Send your message of opposition to this bill using CapWiz. Compose your own message or use the existing message. It takes only a minute. Enter your name and address and press send. Please do it now by clicking here and following the State Legislative link "Illinois - Filtering Legislation Proposed Again." Thank you!

LOCAL LIBRARY PROPERTY TAX REVENUES AND COSTS

OPPOSE legislation that will reduce existing local property tax revenues, increase local library costs, or interfere with the independence of local library trustees and administrators.

Please click here to see the complete list.

(Click on See All Current Legislation at the bottom in the very small type for the full listing including ILA's positions.) The ILA website also includes a link to the full text of every bill, the bill's status, and information about the bill's sponsor(s). The website will be continually updated as additional bills are filed, amended, and reviewed.

ILA will continue to monitor and inform the Illinois library community of any developments in the Illinois General Assembly impacting libraries and our key concerns. Most importantly, we will call upon you to take action at the appropriate time. Thank you for interest and support!

2014 ILA Legislative Palm Card

The 2014 ILA Legislative Palm Card is now available on the ILA website, featuring ILA's legislative priorities for the 98th Illinois General Assembly, 2014 Spring Session, and the 113th U.S. Congress, Second Session.
If a Legislative Meet-up is not scheduled in your area, please use this Palm Card and schedule an appointment with your Representative and Senator in the Illinois General Assembly.

Click here to view or download in PDF.

iREAD Update

2014: Paws to Read
Is your library scrambling to plan its summer reading program? Don't worry, there's still time to place an iREAD order! If you place an order by March 1st, you will receive your items by May 1st. Please click here to order your items. Can't pay before receiving your items? Just check "Bill Me" during check out, and we will send you an invoice.

2015: Read to the Rhythm Resource Guide Submissions
The iREAD Committee is looking for submissions for the 2015 "Read to the Rhythm" Resource Guide! Music themed activities, program ideas, crafts, games, reading lists, etc. are needed for children, teens, and adults. Anyone may submit an idea but all submission must be original (not copyrighted). Submissions are due February 28, 2014 and may be submitted by e-mail to ideas@ireadprogram.org or online here.

2016: Read -- For the Win!

The iREAD slogan has been selected! Get ready to "Read -- For the Win!" This theme will focus on sports and games to coincide with the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Readers will be asked to challenge themselves by setting reading goals and will be encouraged throughout the summer to achieve them!

Job Opportunities

YOUmedia Project Coordinator
Chicago Public Library

YOUmedia Partnership Coordinator
Chicago Public Library

YOUmedia Outreach Coordinator Position
Chicago Public Library

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 Trier Librarians Say Even More Students Using Library

To read the story, please click here.

Gurnee Library Planning to Expand Public Art Collection

To read this story, please click here.

North Suburban Library District Referendum to Ask Voters for Upkeep Funding

To read this story, please click here.

Moving Picture: Hersey Librarian Leads Digital Way for School

To read this story, please click here.

User-friendly Upgrades for Wauconda Area Library in Works
To read this story, please click here.

Galesburg Board Approves Action Plan
To read this story, please click here.

Rockford Library Joins List of Folks Waiting on Big News for Downtown
To read this story, please click here.

Champaign Board Wants City to Pay Off Library Debt: $278,000 Yearly
To read this story, please click here.

Warren-Newport Library Floats Idea to Include 'Book' in Gurnee Street Name
To read 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.

Sincerely,

Robert P. Doyle
Illinois Library Association

The Fund for Illinois Libraries was created in 1990 to help Illinois libraries in their fundraising efforts.

The purpose of the fund is to enable libraries to receive gifts from individuals or organizations that can only make donations to 501(c)(3) charitable organizations.

For more information, please click here.

If you use spam filters to protect your in-box, please take a moment right now to add doyle@ila.org and Illinois Library Association to your e-mail address book, spam software whitelist, or mail system whitelist. Adding the address will help ensure that you receive the ILA E-Newsletter and that your e-mail software displays HTML and images properly. 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.