Over the past 10 years, I have utilized a number of strategies to engage my teachers and communicate the value and importance of library resources, especially the value of a certified teacher librarian. I created a library menu, using humor and visuals to offer choices from quick lessons all the way through fully co-taught units. Our teachers are split-up into subject and tracked level teams to best align curriculum and standards. I get to attend these meetings as well as occasionally present on topics like useful Google cheats, Destiny hosted OERs, specific print or electronic resources...
30 July 2019
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26 July 2019
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In a small town with no regular activities or entertainment opportunities, the library is a place to meet your new best friend. There are many kids between the ages of 8 and 13 who meet at the library after school and during the summer to play their favorite computer games together. As the noise levels increase, so do the friendships. They celebrate Fortnite victories together and teach each other strategies for new games. These are the kids who have internet at home but don't often have someone home with them. I have heard this exchange between two different sets of middle-school boys: "I...
26 July 2019
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Marlene Jones has always made it a priority to stay connected and active in the community.
“I work with my church group to bring in presenters,” she said. “I love the programs and book clubs at The Barn in Schaumburg. And I like to go to Schaumburg Library for programs, too, but it’s tougher these days.”
At 82, it’s not as easy for Marlene to get around as it once was. That’s why she’s so grateful for Schaumburg Library’s home delivery service.
“I love to read mysteries, just like my mother did,” Marlene said, noting some favorite authors are Linda Castillo and J...
26 July 2019
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Linda Swan’s home movie from a 1972 trip to Norway has been brought into the Digital Age.
Shot on Super 8 film, Linda no longer has to worry about deterioration over time – or her projector breaking – because she’s converting her movies using equipment at Schaumburg Library.
“We have movies from when I was a kid, movies from the ‘50s through the ‘90s,” Linda said. “What I’m finding is that even though they’re old, they transfer beautifully.”
Having her film sent out to be digitized would be costly, but Schaumburg Library allows use of the equipment for free. Linda made...
26 July 2019
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Born with a club foot, Jim Mecir overcame his disability to find success in the big leagues as the pitcher for the Oakland A’s team depicted in the bestselling book and movie Moneyball. Now a resident of Kildeer, Jim has teamed up with Ellen Schnur from The Second City and created ImprovTalk , a presentation all about teamwork, communication and innovation.
“On the mound, you have to make strong connections with your team to be successful,” Jim said. “The same is true in business. We make sure people walk away from our presentations with a few new communication tools in their belts...
26 July 2019
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In February, more than 200 teens came to Schaumburg Township District Library in hopes of landing their first job. The Library gathered local businesses looking to hire teens, provided experts to give teens tips on improving their resumes and interviewing skills, and made it simple for teens to connect with potential employers.
The best part about the Teen Job Fair? Teens got hired!
One lucky teen is Victoria Smith. She was hired by British Swim School as an instructor and is already busy teaching swim lessons to little ones. Victoria is a former swim team member and has been...
24 July 2019
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We Help People Find Jobs
Tim Wierdak didn’t know why he wasn’t getting job offers. In two short weeks, he went from not knowing why to landing a new job.
A frequent Indian Prairie Public Library visitor, he learned that the library offers a variety of job and career services, and he spoke with our expert staff.
“Those services started me on the right path,” said Tim, who was looking to change jobs.
Tim attended the library’s Job Club workshop and participated in mock interviews where he got advice and...
17 July 2019
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We are in the heat and humidity of July now and it reminds of me of how I loved to spend my time at the Wilmette Public Library. I could walk there (had to be careful crossing the railroad tracks), and since we were near the lake we didn't have air conditioning in the 1960's. Instead it was the library. The library was quiet and cold.
I loved going to the children's room, the windowseats were covered in shag carpeting and I can read as many books as I wanted. I think I would check out 4 or 5 books each day and return them, report them to the summer reading club and find out more...
14 June 2019
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My local library played a very important role in the direction of my daughter's life.
When my daughter was in middle school, I suggested to her that she might enjoy a Manga/Anime Club event at Homer Library (where I had previously worked and later joined the Board). The first time she went, she felt a little out of place, being younger than the other kids there. But she kept going, and enjoyed the movies and cosplay parties and other activities, and also got some of her friends involved.
She read - and ended up buying - a lot of manga (Japanese graphic novels) and the anime...
11 June 2019
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RAILS provides programs and services to approximately 1,300 academic, public, school, and special libraries in the north and west-central part of Illinois. A very frequent request from all types of members is for help telling their stories and proving their value to their different stakeholders. Because this topic is so important to our members, the second goal in RAILS new strategic plan (revised in 2018) is to Work with libraries of all types to tell the library story.
Earlier this year, RAILS conducted a survey of all of our libraries to discover how we could best help...
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The My Library Is ... campaign
is a project of the Reaching Across Illinois Library System.