From the Director's Desk

February, 2006

Beverly J. Obert, Executive Director, Rolling Prairie Library System
Beverly J. Obert, Executive Director

Where will you be on March 1, 2, and 24th?

I know where I will be on those days and I hope that many of you will be with me also.

March 1 is Illinois Library Day, the day we head to Springfield to let our state Representatives and Senators hear about library issues. This year there are new activities planned for the day. Along with our traditional visits with the legislators, there will be a march and rally. The gathering place is the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum at about 11:30. We shall then march to the capitol and hold a rally with speakers--

  • Richard Norton Smith, the Executive Director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
  • Keith Michael Fiels, Executive Director of the American Library Association
  • Dianne Harmon, President of the Illinois Library Association (ILA) Board of Directors. As an Associate Director at Joliet Public Library, Ms. Harmon is Manager of Library's Black Road Branch.
  • Shirley May Byrnes, President of the Illinois Library System Directors Organization (ILSDO) and Executive Director of the DuPage Library System.
  • Susan Chenoweth, President of the Illinois Chapter of the Special Libraries Association (ICSLA) and works at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
  • Leslie Forsman, President of the Illinois School Library Media Association (ISLMA) and Library Administrator for the Triopia Community Unit School District #27 in Concord.

In the afternoon there will be two workshops offered, one for Trustees and one for school librarians. All the information about the day, including how to register, purchase a special library day umbrella, etc., is found online.

March 2 is a celebration. You may ask, “What are we celebrating?” The answer is, “40 years of Rolling Prairie Library System.” You read that right, 40 years. Oh the changes that have been made, but the goal remains the same: to provide the best services to the RPLS Membership as possible.

Join us at 6 PM as we gather at the Hickory Point Banquet facility in Forsyth. We shall begin our dinner at 6:30 pm and follow with a program at approximately 7:30 pm. The evening will be fun, with a contest to “name that staff member,” a show of pictures from the past, and special guests speaking about Systems and RPLS. Come and celebrate with us.

March 24 is the Sixth RPLS Seminar. This year the seminar will be held in the Shilling Center at Richland Community College; no need for shuttles this year between buildings. A line up of exciting speakers awaits you. There will be something for everyone, from the Keynote address by Bill Erbes, "Negociación De Cutural: the Language of Diversity" to storytelling to open source software and virtual reference, to the Illinois Children’s Choice Book Awards.

Come and spend the day with your colleagues. Have a conversation with someone new, learn a new skill or a new idea. Register in RPLS CLeO.

Don’t forget to pick out your sandwich for lunch and mark the events you plan to attend.

We will see you at Richland on the 24th.

Now that you know about these important events, take the time now to register. I look forward to seeing all of you in March.