ILA TRUSTEE FORUM WORKSHOP  

The ILA Trustee Forum is holding their spring workshop for trustees on Saturday, February 25, 2006 at the Hickory Ridge Marriott Conference Hotel in Lisle.

The day begins with breakfast from 6:30 – 8:30 am, the Forum business meeting 8:30 – 9:00 am, and the full day program from 9 am – 3 PM.

The following topics will be covered at the workshop:

• Fundraising
• How to Engage in Library Community Activities
• Effective Board Training
• How to Evaluate Your Director
• Legal Issues and Board Responsibilities
• Emergency Response Procedures
• Brainstorming
• Networking and Fellowship

Speakers Include: Guy Blaszak, Heil and Heil Insurance Company; Shirley May Byrnes, DuPage Library System; Alice Calabrese, Metropolitan Library System; Kip Kolkmeier, ILA Legislative Consultant; Noreen Lake, Des Plaines Public Library; Phil Lenzini, Attorney; Sandra Norlin, Des Plaines Public Library;  

The cost for Full-Day Registration is $85* ILA Members or $100* Non-Members 

*Register multiple trustees and save! Register one trustee at the full price and each additional trustee from your institution will receive a $10 registration discount! Please send a separate registration form for each trustee. 

Registration includes breakfast and lunch, two snack breaks, and workshops. 

Individual hotel accommodations are available for $79 queen and $99 double queen. Contact Hickory Ridge at (630) 971-5000 to book your stay. 

Registration deadline is February 13, 2006. All cancellations must be received in writing by February 17, 2006. All cancellations subject to a $15 processing fee; no refunds will be issued after February 20, 2006. 

The registration form can be found in the February issue of the ILA reporter on page 41.  Go to this site.

Click on download current issue and move to page 41 and print the registration form.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS   

March 1 Illinois Library Day

This is our day, Library Day at the State Capitol.  In the morning visits will be made to the legislators. Around 11:30 we shall meet at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum to prepare to march to the capital.  We shall march down 6^th Street to Capital Street and end at the Lincoln Statue on the east side of the Capital grounds for a rally in support of libraries.  The theme for the day is “I ♥ Libraries and I Vote”.  You can purchase a box lunch to be picked up at the State Library and then participate in a Trustee workshop from 1:30 – 2:30 PM or go back and tour the Abraham Lincoln Museum.  There is no charge for registration.  There is a fee for lunch, and you can also purchase a Library Day Umbrella that says “I ♥ Libraries”.  To register go to this website (the ILA page) and complete the information.   

March 2 RPLS 40^th Anniversary Celebration

Yes, Rolling Prairie Library System is 40 years old.  Come and celebrate with us.  We will have a dinner, guest speakers, contests, and you will get to vote for the best decorated book carts.  The location for the event is the Hickory Point Banquet Facility. The cost for the evening is $25 for dinner.  Join us at 6 PM to begin the celebration.

Your invitation can be found here. You may print this out and mail to RPLS, or you can register through the RPLS CLeO.

TRUSTEE BASICS: WHAT IS MY JOB WORKSHOPS WERE SUCCESSFUL 

The first two RPLS sponsored workshops for trustees have been held.  They were very successful.  A total of 31 people from 15 libraries attended these sessions.  I encourage the trustees who attended the workshop to share what they learned with their fellow trustees at the next local board meeting.  Remember all your handouts were on white paper to make copying and sharing easier. 

Don’t forget there are still three opportunities for you to attend a workshop.  Just because the Per Capita requirement is for one trustee to attend one event does not mean that that is all you have to do.  It is strongly suggested that different trustees attend each of these sessions and share it with fellow board members to gain maximum knowledge.

Trustees and the Law—Open meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act Tuesday, March 21, 2006 @ Rolling Prairie Library System Headquarters, beginning at 7:00 PM  Come at 6:30 and have a tour of the Rolling Prairie Library System Headquarters.

Ms. Terry Mutchler from the Illinois Attorney Generals Office will present this program.  With changes in the Open Meetings law, questions about closed sessions, and what is a Freedom of Information Request, it is imperative that trustees have an understanding of the law and how to accurately apply it.

Budgets and Buildings for Trustees  Saturday April 29 @ the Chatham Area PLD beginning at 9:30 a.m.  Speaker: Bev Obert.

Budgets and Buildings for Trustees  Saturday May 6 @ the Shelbyville Public Library beginning at 9:30 a.m.  Speaker: Bev Obert.  

The Budget process will be reviewed for trustees with some practical tips on how to keep track of the calendar and not miss any deadlines.  Many libraries are also looking at remodeling, expanding, adding to or building new library structures.  A presentation of the steps in this process will be given. 

Trustees may register for one or all of the training sessions through the RPLS CLeO.   There is no charge for any these sessions.

Rolling Prairie Library System, 345 West Eldorado Street, Decatur, IL 62522.

Executive Director Bev Obert

Trustee Times is compiled and edited by Bev Obert, Assisted by Angela Thompson