Blog

My Library Is...Giving Away Books

27 November 2023

Nichole Novak

Comments: 0

Like many libraries, the Paul V. Galvin Library at the Illinois Institute of Technology receives more donated books than can possibly be added to the collection. Many of the donated titles are fiction and while we do have a leisure reading collection, only a small fraction of the books are of interest to the library. As a matter of policy books that are not selected for the library’s collections are sold to dealers, offered to other libraries, or donated to charities. Even with those options available, the backlog of donated materials continued to grow

After the library received...

parent and toddler in front of LiteZilla

My Library is... LiteZilla Lights Up Lisle Library District

16 October 2023

Stacy Palmisano

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In 2022, while undergoing a major two-phase renovation, the Lisle Library District (LLD) fundraised for a special feature in the Youth Services department: a LiteZilla. The wall installation is akin to a giant Lite Brite with larger pegs that are safe for all ages.

The library led the fundraising campaign with LLD Board support. The Library-wide collaboration was so successful that a 6’x5’ LiteZilla was installed, along with a tabletop LiteZilla mini. However, the true success is seeing the new feature being used.

The glowing, interactive, digital canvas is an opportunity for...

My Library is…Designed for Its Users

9 October 2023

Anonymous

Comments: 1

During the 2022-23 school year, library staff were informed that both of the D219 high school libraries (Niles North and Niles West) would be undergoing significant overhauls. We knew that remodels were on the horizon as we hadn’t been updated in a very long time, but the timeline was earlier than anticipated. Tasked with this exciting prospect, we set out to transform our spaces into homes that would meet the current and future needs of the patrons we serve. Our school librarians were asked to develop a vision and be involved in guiding the design process and this is how the process went...

My Library Is…A Place We Can See Ourselves, Each Other, and the World

17 August 2023

Stacy Palmisano

Comments: 0

Realizing that the biography collection had some big gaps in representation while working with students was an inspiration for this RAILS grant. I wanted students to be able to see themselves in the collection of life stories and also be able to see outside their daily lives in Libertyville. This section of the collection is heavily used for independent reading book projects, particularly by sixth and seventh graders. Using Rudine Sims Bishop’s work “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors” (1990) as a thought guide, I set out to create a more inclusive collection of biographies,...

My Library is...GLaMorous

7 August 2023

Nichole Novak

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In 2022 Illinois Institute of Technology established the Galvin Library Media Studio (GLaMS) with funds received from the On the Road to Recovery: Transforming Library Spaces grant offered through the Illinois State Library. The new studio provides the space and tools necessary for patrons to explore their creativity and curiosity when creating podcasts, videos or music for academic purposes or just for fun.

An office located on the upper level of the library was converted into the media studio and equipped with basic tools for video production, sound recording and editing and...

Youth Art Wall Presented by Old National Bank

My Library Is...Showcasing Local Artwork

10 July 2023

Mallory Hewlett

Comments: 0

Joliet Public Library Unveils Youth Art Gallery Presented by Old National Bank

Joliet Public Library is pleased to announce the unveiling of the new Youth Art Gallery, presented by Old National Bank. The gallery space on the second floor of the Ottawa Street Branch will feature artwork from Joliet’s young artists from local area schools.

“One of our core values as an organization is to act as a child’s first pathway to discovering a larger world,” said Executive Director of the Joliet Public Library, Megan Millen. “We are excited about new partnerships...

My Library Is... Their Future, As It Should Be

5 July 2023

Anonymous

Comments: 0

Our library was created in 2020, after returning from COVID-19, as a newly formed, K-2, dual language center. Previously, we were K-6 English, mono-lingual. With much gratitude towards the support of RAILS and the My Library Is Grant, we are creating and living a new future for our deserving students.

As part of our re-organization, the entirety of our staff participated in GLAD training (Guided Language Acquisition Design). Our teachers were provided with materials to support the grade level units they designed. With the funds provided from the My Library Is Grant, I was able to...

Promo poster with violin and a cutout of a man playing the violin

My Library Is... Hosting the Violins of Hope Exhibit

21 June 2023

Stacy Palmisano

Comments: 0

We at the Gail Borden Public Library District are honored to be hosting Violins of Hope, ten lovingly restored violins played before or during the Holocaust.

This project showcases Jewish stories of resilience, resistance, and unity through the power of musical performance.

“Through hands-on experiences of performance, learning about their unique stories, and thinking into the future with the powerful knowledge of the ability of the human spirit to overcome hate and evil, we aspire to make a difference for all who experience this amazing project,” said Ilene Uhlmann,...

My Library is...Bringing Traveling Exhibits to our Community!

19 June 2023

Mallory Hewlett

Comments: 0

Joliet Public Library is excited to announce a new traveling exhibit will open on June 16. – The Questioneers: Read. Question. Think. PLAY! Based on the best-selling series of books by author Andrea Beaty and illustrator David Roberts, the imaginative world of Questioneers characters Ada Twist, Scientist; Rosie Revere, Engineer; Iggy Peck, Architect; Sofia Valdez, Future Prez, and Aaron Slater, Illustrator comes alive in a hands-on exhibition.

“Joliet Public Library is thrilled to host this exciting exhibit,” said Executive Director of the Joliet Public Library, Megan...

My Library Is... Proud to Offer Sensory Storytime and Assortment of Sensory Materials

15 June 2023

Stacy Palmisano

Comments: 0

Fox River Grove Memorial Library is proud to offer a Sensory Storytime on the second Monday of every month at 10:30 a.m. The next Sensory Storytime takes place on Monday, June 12, 2023. This program differs from the Library’s regular storytimes in that enrollment is more limited; transitions are managed with verbal, visual, and audio cues; repetition and routine are incorporated more heavily with the environment controlled for comforting predictability; and there is an area within the space that allows participants to retreat without leaving the room. There is also an...

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