videos

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.

In a new Specialized Library Spotlight, RAILS Member Engagement Manager Dan Bostrom speaks with Rita Hassert, Library Collections Manager at the Sterling Morton Library at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL. Rita discusses ACORN (Arboretum COllections & Resources Nexus), an online platform that provides access to the library's special collections. This platform is open to anyone and gives users the opportunity to search photos, videos, audio, letters, and more! To access ACORN, please visit: https://acorn.mortonarb.org/

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.

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!

RAILS Member Engagement Manager Dan Bostrom speaks with Katey Moore, Marketing Coordinator, Bourbonnais Public Library about their approach to video marketing. 

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The following talking points can be used by library staff when faced with the question: Why do I need the library when I have the internet? They can easily be adapted to fit any situation that might arise in an academic, public, school, or specialized library. 

The Fox River Grove Public Library District has created two videos to promote the Library and the Fox River Grove community. The videos were funded by the My Library Is… Grant from the Reaching Across Illinois Libraries System (RAILS). The videos are available on the Library’s YouTube channel, social media, and website, as well as the RAILS My Library Is... website.