Giving a Voice to Small and Rural Libraries

Small and rural libraries play a critical role in connecting community members to vital resources and programs. Each year nearly 30 million Americans are served by the nation’s approximately 4,000 rural library systems. This number illustrates the value that local communities place on library services. Small and rural libraries are the heart of the community they serve. Like their counterparts they are a place of information, a community hub connecting people to people offering safe havens for their users while providing the range of information resources needed to live, learn,

Making the Most of August at the Library

I have a love/hate relationship with August. I hate August because it sometimes feels useless. August is long and hot and dreary. Summer reading is wrapping up or is over already, but it is too soon to start thinking about next year. Patrons seem to be far too preoccupied with tying up their own summers and getting ready for back-to-school to participate in programming. Most autumn activities and programming don’t kick into high gear until after Labor Day. And, there are no universally recognized holidays in August to offer staff a mental break from their routines.

Illinois Prairie District Public Library - Printable Media

The pandemic made Zoom a household word, even if many people were unfamiliar with the platform of the capabilities. I created this infographic to share with our patrons as a step-by-step guide on how to use Zoom for meetings.

Sparks Podcast Episode 33: Durand CUSD #322

What happens when you realize that your community is unaware that they have access to a library? You apply for a My Library Is... grant and use those funds to create awareness that the public library is combined with the school library!

Chillicothe Public Library District - Video

Look what we made! We created a mural with the help of our community. Each square was painted by a different person and they all came together to make something beautiful! Thanks to everyone who painted a square for our community mural, and thanks to Bert Hoddinott, Jr., for allowing us to use his artwork. You can browse more of his artwork in Reflections - available in our collection. Check out the video for a time lapse of the process, and stop in the library to see the finished mural in person.

Partnering with the Parks Department to Inspire a Community

As a youth services programmer this year has been tough. Severe restrictions on space ensured an inability to fully engage and collaborate in person throughout the pandemic. This restricted access made it difficult to feel connected to the community my library sought to serve. In order to help bridge this gap, the Robert R. Jones Public Library has collaborated with the Village of Coal Valley’s Parks Department to provide Coal Valley's youth a fun-filled summer of possibilities through a revamped 2021 Day-Camp program.

Facilitating a Home Delivery Program: Challenges and Rewards

Due to an out of state move, The Lisle Library District is saying good-bye to our amazing Home Delivery Coordinator, Winona Patterson, who has run the program since 2015. LLD’s Home Delivery program began in 1993 with two patrons and one volunteer and has grown over the years to approximately 70 participants and 3 community volunteers. This post shares some of Winona’s insights into the challenges and rewards of facilitating a successful Home Delivery program.

How would you describe LLD’s Home Delivery program?

Subscribe to the My Library Is... Marketing Newsletter

RAILS has a new tool for libraries to stay connected to the My Library Is... campaign. As part of the campaign, you can subscribe to receive a regular newsletter with links to blog posts, templates, and resources. Anyone who is interested in telling the story of the library and proving the library's value to stakeholders is encouraged to subscribe. This email arrives the first Monday of every month.

Bringing the Community Together with Peanut Butter & Jelly

For the fifth consecutive summer, my library will serve as a summer meal location to provide free, healthy, boxed meals for children over the summer. We provide this service from the Dundee Library, our main location in East Dundee. The meals are distributed to all kids 18 and under and are paid for by the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federally funded program managed by the USDA and operated by the Illinois State Board of Education in conjunction with the Northern Illinois Food Bank, who prepares and delivers the meals.

What Does It Mean to Be a Library Marketer?

If you hear the term “marketing,” does your mind jump to Madison Avenue types like Don Draper? Or do you start thinking about what’s on your grocery list? Maybe something in between? Here in Libraryland, the species known as "Ipsum bibliothecarii" (marketing librarian) has only recently evolved. We still don’t know a lot about them, and just when we think we have them figured out, they surprise us.

My Library Is ...

building relationships