ILA Reporter Article on My Library Is Campaign

Just in case you missed it, the December 2019 issue of the Illinois Library Association Reporter includes an article about the My Library Is... campaign. The article gives some practical tips on things every library can do to tell their story more effectively.

Pinnacle Library Road Trip

Super fun thing to do as a family. We learned a lot! And visited other libraries we wouldn't of otherwise. Thank you! ~Gabriela S.

Great Road Trip. Liked my journey a lot. Will return to all of these libraries. Good planned idea to focus on Pinnacles libraries. ~Carol P.

This was a great idea! My daughters and I really enjoyed visiting all the libraries. It was nice to see the layouts and catch a glimpse of where all our materials come from. A truly wonderful experience. ~Ann B.

Story by Trisha Campbell on Oct 16, 2019

We are an academic library but we still make time for fun! This October, in honor of our local OBOC book, Rise of the Rocket Girls, we held a space-themed party for the students. Events included space trivia, alien creations & a hula hoop contest! We had a "blast"!

Story by Linda Vering on Aug 6, 2019

Finishing a novel is a triumph for any writer. For Hollie Smurthwaite, it’s doubly thrilling.

Earlier in the year, she had submitted her manuscript, The Color of Trauma to the "Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Manuscript Contest."

Weeks later she received a phone call informing her she was one of three finalists from the state.

“I had a Sally Field moment! ‘They really like me!’ I felt the excitement of a preteen getting to meet her idol,” she said.

Story by Anonymous on Aug 2, 2019

Walking through the doors of the Still Bar & Grill in Bartlett to join in on the Bartlett Public Library District’s BookLite book club conversation sounds a bit nerve-wracking when you don’t know many people present, but Bartlett resident Cristina Ligocki absolutely loved it.

“It was a dream come true,” Ligocki said, referencing her experience at the Booklite book club.

Communicating Library Value to Teachers

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.

Story by Anonymous on Jul 26, 2019

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!

Story by Anonymous on Jul 24, 2019

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.

My Library Is ...

community engagement