Contents

MLS Board President Announces Formation of Organization Planning Committee

Milfred L. Moore, President of the MLS Board of Directors, has announced the formation of an organization planning committee. This committee will prepare a report listing the issues and options for the System in light of the planned retirement of Alice Calabrese, MLS Executive Director. Findings of this committee will be presented to the full Board to use in making a determination as to the future direction of MLS. The committee is comprised of the following members:

• Chair, Marilyn Boria, Elmhurst Public Library
• Academics, Jan Chindlund, Columbia College
• Publics, Megan Millen, Flossmoor Public Library
• Schools, Alicia Duell, Riverside Brookfield Township
• Specials, Amy Affelt, Compass Lexecon
• MLS Board, Bill Coffee, Trustee at LaGrange Public Library
• MLS Staff, Su Bochenski, Director of Operations at MLS

Announcements

On Monday, March 15, 2010 the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Library System, and the Board of LIMRiCC will meet. The LIMRiCC meeting will convene at 3:00 p.m., the MLS Board meeting immediately following. Meeting agendas can be found at http://www.mls.lib.il.us/board. Both meetings will be held at the MLS Chicago office located at 224 S. Michigan Ave, Suite 680, Chicago, Illinois.

Library System Presidents, Directors Chart a new course for Illinois Library Systems The Illinois Library System Presidents and Directors met in Decatur on Friday, February 19, to discuss the current status of system finances and library funding, restructuring efforts, and new sustainability service models. System presidents signed a resolution that was personally delivered to the staff of Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White on Monday, February 22, encouraging him to release Live and Learn Funds so that payments due to the library systems could be brought up to date for FY2010. The group also discussed the draft rules and standards now being circulated, as well as the work of the group following up on the November 9, 2009, Allerton summit on library cooperation. Questions about this can email to Alice Calabrese at CalabreseA@mls.lib.il.us.

It’s that time of the year again when all Academic & Special MLS Libraries are asked to complete their Annual Report, a requirement for membership. The 2010 Academic Library Annual Report can be completed at http://www.mls.lib.il.us/AcademicAnnualReport2010.asp and the Special Library Annual Report can be completed at http://www.mls.lib.il.us/SpecialAnnualReport2010.asp. Deadline is April 1, 2010. Questions, contact MLS Consultants at consultants@mls.lib.il.us.

Attend an Open House Reception to wish Gretel Stock-Kupperman good luck on her new position and thank her for her efforts at MLS. Reception will take place at the MLS Burr Ridge office on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Optional registration at http://www.librarylearning.info/events/?eventID=9795.

Did you know that several of the MLS newsletter articles have been featured on the ALA I Love Libraries site http://www.ilovelibraries.org? Targeted at the general public, the site serves as both an advocacy website and the public face of ALA to keep the public informed about what's happening in libraries today. Check out how your library can play a role in sharing the I Love Libraries message with your community http://www.ilovelibraries.org/aboutus/getinvolved.cfm.
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How MLS School Librarians Communicate their Value: Part Two

This article continues our theme of looking at how school librarians communicate their value. This time we visit with two high school librarians at Benito Juarez Community Academy part of the Chicago Public School District and a member of MLS.
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Read full article http://www.mls.lib.il.us/ennounce/2010/04_05/schoollibrariesvalue2.asp

Continuing Education Events

The April– September 2010 CE Calendar is available at http://www.mls.lib.il.us/consulting/pdf/MLSCECalendarAprilSeptember2010.pdf. Due to budget concerns, the regular 6 month printed calendar was discontinued. Check out upcoming classes and events on this pdf version or visit the online L2 calendar at http://www.librarylearning.info/?LibSys=MLS for up-to-date happenings.

South Suburban Adult Programmers (SSAP) Meeting, March 26, 2010, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Lansing Public Library

Take this Job and Love it! Gail Johnson and Pam Parr, March 30, 2010, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., MLS Burr Ridge

MLS New Librarians Networking Group Meeting, Surviving Your First Years as a School Media Specialist, Sabrena Wetzel, Elementary School Librarian, March, 31, 2010, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., MLS Burr Ridge

Customer Service is More Than Smiling, Dan Wiseman, April 7, 2010, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., MLS Chicago

Chicago Area Solo Librarians Meeting (CASL) April 15, 2010, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Chicago Center for Green Technology

For more information and to register, visit the MLS CE Calendar at http://www.librarylearning.info/?LibSys=MLS.
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Legislative Breakfast 2010

This year’s legislative breakfast provided an opportunity for staff and trustees from system libraries to talk one-on-one with legislators about their concerns for systems and library funding and what can be done to continue the message of support of Illinois Library Systems. A video sharing stories of MLS’s impact on member libraries and their communities was also shown.
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Read full article http://www.mls.lib.il.us/ennounce/2010/04_05/legislativebreakfast2010.asp

Member Spotlight: The Big Read at 10 MLS Public Libraries

A rich example of the power of collaboration and bringing creatively and resourcefulness together can be seen through The Big Read, a 1 Book 1 Community reading program for 10 public libraries within the Metropolitan Library System. Read how these libraries have been supporting this project’s efforts as the 6th year of the program kicks into full gear this month.
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Read full article http://www.mls.lib.il.us/ennounce/2010/04_05/bigread.asp

Next Issue

The next issue of MLS E-nnounce will appear March 24, 2010. [Permalink]

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Editors

Christina Stoll, stollc@mls.lib.il.us

Kathy Roegge, roeggek@mls.lib.il.us