ILA Trustee Forum Spring Workshop

Plans are set for the ILA Trustee Forum Spring Workshop.  The date is Saturday, March 5, 2005 at the Hickory Ridge Marriott Conference Hotel in Lisle, IL.  The cost for the day's events including two meals is $85 for ILA members and $100 for Non-Members.  Rooms are available at the conference center for $79-$99 per room.  The registration form can be found on page 42 in the December ILA Reporter.  Go to this site and click on download current issue. The deadline for registration is February 18.

 New Trustee Facts File Available 

You have or soon will receive a CD of the new Trustee Facts File.  This is the third edition of this document.  The Facts File is a trustee handbook for Illinois Trustees.  If your library would prefer to have a print copy of this document, it is available from ILA for $12 for members and $15 for non-members. Information about ordering this and other ILA Publications can be found at this website.

Library Days and Dates to Remember 

Do you get confused about when elections are held, when the Budget and Appropriation must be passed, or just need to get a calendar of dates together for your board?  The answers to these questions can be found in the Library Days and Dates to Remember calendar.  Prepared each year by Phil Lenzini, an attorney that specializes in library law, the calendar gives you the last date for actions to be taken.  To be sure that you do not miss a date, it is wise to develop a calendar accomplishing the various tasks a month or two in advance of the deadline.  To find the current edition of Days and Dates for 2005 and 2006, go to this document

This is found on the Illinois Library Systems Directors Organization web page.

Illinois Library Laws 

Do you have the newest version of the Illinois Library Laws?  ILA has copies available of the latest Library Laws and Regulations in Effect January, 2004.  This time the book also included the Administrative Rules.  For more information go to the ILA website. The cost is $12 for ILA members or $15 if not an ILA Member.

One of the roles that public library trustees have is that of an advocate for their library and libraries across the state and nation.  Plain and simple, this is called politics.  Many people do not want to be involved in politics, but if you are a member of a library board, you are involved locally, if nothing else, by the simple fact that you were either appointed by the mayor of your city or elected by the citizens of your community. 

If you are not certain how to be a library advocate, there are resources to help you.  One of those can be found on your new Trustee Fact Files III CD.  It is titled, surprise, Library Advocacy.  It explains what advocacy is, how to go about advocacy, and gives tips and resources to make you comfortable with the process. 

Two advocacy events are coming in the Spring.  The first is the Illinois Library Association (ILA) Legislative Day in Springfield on April 13.  This is the day that library trustees and staff come to Springfield to tell the legislators about the good things libraries do for their constituents and how current legislation could help or hinder the ability of the library to continue to serve the public. Details about the day will be forthcoming, so watch the RPLS website and the Prairie News.

On May 4^th the American Library Association (ALA) Legislative Day will be held in Washington DC.  During this day delegates, library trustees, and librarians meet with senators and legislators and explain the importance of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funding in the development of libraries across the country. 

If you are saying that you cannot come to Springfield or travel to Washington DC, don’t feel that you cannot be an advocate.  Talking with your local legislators in their local offices or when they visit your community is important and often more effective than the short visits in Springfield or Washington.  If you are having an event at your library, open house of a new building, mortgage burning, family reading night, or other big event that will draw crowds, invite your local legislators to attend.  Do not forget to also ask your local mayor or township officials to attend.

Occasionally, there are bills before the Illinois House of Representatives or Senate that have an impact on libraries.  When this happens, ILA and the System will send information out explaining the issue and asking that you phone or write a letter to the Representatives or Senators encouraging them to vote for or against the bill and why.  Two bills that ILA is following this spring are HB263 that will exempt pension cost from the tax cap and HB 158 that changes the basis of the computation of the tax cap from the Consumer Price Index to the Employment Cost Index. 

To help you know who your legislators are and how to contact them, what the current legislation is and why ILA supports or does not support it, ILA has a page titled CapWiz.  Visit this website to see the page, explore it, see what is there, and bookmark it in your list of favorite websites so you can easily go back to it.   

You can be a library advocate, and it is your duty as a trustee to be the best advocate you can.

RPLS Membership— You do have Responsibilities!

Your library’s membership in the Rolling Prairie Library System (RPLS) gives you and your staff access to consulting from knowledgeable System staff on all aspects of library administration and management.  The System facilitates communication through various newsletters such as the one you are reading and email lists.  A program of continuing education workshops is provided at minimal or no cost to the staff of your library.  Your library also has access to grants and selected FirstSearch databases from the State Library.  There is no cost to you for these services.

 By virtue of your membership, your library may choose to participate in the Local Library System Automation Program, LLSAP for short, the online catalog and circulation system that is housed at RPLS.  Currently over 140 libraries are members of the LLSAP.  Dynix Horizon is the name of the system currently in use by the LLSAP.  As a member of the LLSAP, you pay yearly fees for access and maintenance of the Horizon system.

 Did you know that as members, you have responsibilities to the Library System?  One of those is to hire as qualified a librarian as possible to direct the library operations.  Your library must be open a minimum of 20 hours per week.  A member of your library staff must attend at least one continuing education event each year.  The membership requirements and responsibilities can be found in the System Plan for Cooperation webpage.

Your staff and Board members are encouraged to participate in the running of the System by serving on committees or the RPLS Board of Directors.  In February, nominations will be sent to the libraries asking for nominations to the RPLS Board.  Think about becoming a member of the RPLS Board.

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

Executive Director Bob Plotzke

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