Breadcrumb

  1. Home

My Library Is... Blog

Red background with "We love diverse books" text and books in a heart

My Library Is... Diverse

Posted on May 12, 2025

Research has shown that diverse books are beneficial in many ways: they provide students with affirmation of their identities, they allow students to see other perspectives and experiences, and they help to create empathy and community.

People giving a presentation, standing before and audience and in front of a screen.

My Library Is… Becoming Dementia Inclusive

Posted on May 5, 2025

What Dementia Is 

A group of students play a game around a table.

From Shhh to Woohoo: Reinventing the Marist ARC as the Heart of the School

Posted on April 28, 2025

Once a quiet place reserved for hushed study halls and solitary reading, our Marist library has undergone a radical transformation with Project Refresh and it was exactly what our students needed. Our administration greenlit an overhaul of the space and this grant provided the funding to create a brand new collection of games and maker activity materials.

Shelf with various books and letters spelling READ.

Loving All Things Library

Posted on March 10, 2025

It was quite an honor for the Virginia Community School District to receive the RAILS My Library Is… Grant! We were able to receive this grant through our teamwork and love for the library.  It all started when our 2023-2024 School Librarian, Ms. Stephanie, and our High School ELA teacher, Mrs.

"Lift Every Voice & Read" in colorful font with a rainbow behind.

My Library Is... Free to Read

Posted on January 27, 2025

We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of the Right to Read Poster Project, an inspiring initiative celebrating intellectual freedom and libraries' vital role in our society. This project was made possible through generous funding from the My Library Is... Grant.

A group of students holding various books, various books in various languages.

My Library Is... Bilingual to Meet Student Needs

Posted on January 20, 2025

The My Library Is... Grant has allowed over seventy of our students to read books in their home language. Some of the languages spoken in our school are Ukrainian, Spanish, and Portuguese.

My Library Is... logo

My Library Is... Visible, Accessible, and Vital

Posted on January 13, 2025

The Learning Commons (LC) Library at Sauk Valley Community College (SVCC) is pleased to announce some significant developments made possible through the My Library Is... Grant funds. These enhancements are aimed at improving branding, visibility, and overall awareness of the LC, which also includes the Tutoring Center and Writing Center. 

A school library bookshelf with various books and big sign that says, READ.

AISLE Response to Recent Chicago Tribune Article

Posted on December 16, 2024

On Sunday, December 8 2024 the Chicago Tribune ran a story entitled “Schools pick local control over grants.” This article discussed how libraries must adopt the ALA Bill of Rights or an equivalent statement against blanket book bans or lose their eligibility for the IL state library per capita grant.   

A woman kneels and gestures towards a wall mural filled with book and library imagery, books, a ship, and a dragon.

My Library Is... Welcoming!

Posted on November 25, 2024

We set out to prove that “My Library Is …” a welcoming place for students who read in all languages. Thanks to a generous RAILS grant, the Library Media Center at Vernon Hills High School has been very successful in making this statement feel true to our multilingual students, as well as the whole school community. 

My Library Is... logo

2025 My Library Is… Grants Now Open for Application

Posted on November 1, 2024

RAILS is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2025 My Library Is… Grants. These grants are designed to help libraries tell their story and are open to ALL types of RAILS member libraries (academic, public, school, and specialized).