My Library Is... Conversation About Why School Libraries Matter

RAILS Member Engagement Manager Dan Bostrom talks with Andrea Perrin, Janine Asmus, Gail Meyer, & Robyn Whitlock about their letter published in the Chicago Tribune. These four Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE) members discuss why school libraries are so important and what librarians can do to advocate for the profession.

Woodland CUSD 5 - Press Release

Encouraging Student Creativity Through a Young Authors Contest

The Kankakee School District and Kankakee Public Library love to collaborate with each other when the opportunity arises. The My Library Is…Grant gave us the opportunity to work together to support KSD students’ creativity. Kankakee School District has held a district-wide Young Authors contest for many years, but we recently started promoting it through the libraries. Each KSD school library promoted the contest during school hours and KPL provided support and promotion outside of school hours.

E-Books Add to Student’s Emotional Wellness

The social emotional wellness of our students is always a priority. The question becomes how can we make sure that students are getting the support and assistance they need when they need it. Unfortunately, there is not one set solution that meets the needs of all. The best solution is to offer multiple avenues for students to access reliable social emotional information and resources that they need when they need it. This grant funded an ebook collection to support the mental wellness of our students.

3-D Printing Builds School Library Bridges

The library at Deer Creek-Mackinaw High School has made a positive impact in the lives of students in that it has become a place where students can meet, become friends, and have positive interactions with one other. It is a place where all students are welcome, and a place where all students interact and become friends. We play games - both board games and computer games. They discuss and debate issues, and really expand viewpoints and perspectives, as cliques and social standing really do not matter.

Putting More Digital Books in the Hands of Students

After years of hearing other librarians talk about Axis 360, our District librarians were anxious to give it try. It seemed even more ideal after having limited access to books during the Pandemic. With our students now having 1:1 devices, this was the perfect time to really push ebooks and having a subscription to Axis 360 would increase our inventory greatly. The My Library Is... grant seemed like the perfect way to test the subscription, and our district was willing to maintain the subscription after the initial year provided by the grant.

The My Library Is… Survey Results Are In!

Thanks to all who filled out the recent My Library Is... survey!

In November 2021, RAILS conducted four separate surveys targeted at our four library types (academic, public, school, and specialized) to measure awareness of the My Library Is... campaign and to determine what changes to the website/campaign could help libraries more effectively demonstrate their value to different stakeholders, justify the need for continued or increased library funding, and more.

Help Us Help You Get More Support for Your Library

Do you need help demonstrating the value of your library to different stakeholders? Want to know what to say to justify the need for continued/increased library funding or staffing? Would you like to attract new library users? Want advice on how to promote the library’s role in identifying fake news or why libraries are needed more than ever in the internet age?

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.

Upcoming My Library Is... Online Roundtables

Are you interested in graphic design for your library? Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newbie to the topic, there are two events coming up that can help you unlock new possibilities! Both of these events are open to any library staff from any Illinois library.

My Library Is Online Roundtable: Canva for Libraries
Tuesday, July 20
10:00-11:00 a.m.
Presenter: Samantha Rusk, Business Manager, Vespasian Warner Public Library District

My Library Is ...

school libraries