ALA Issues New Economic Report on Libraries

The American Library Association just released The Condition of U.S. Libraries:  Trends, 1999-2009. Examining the economic downturn and its effect on public, school, and academic libraries, author Denise M. Davis looks at financial trends and how they affect expenditures, staffing, and services.  Read the report and use the information with your city, board, and other funders to show how much libraries do with so little funding.

In these times of declining income but rising demands, it is even more critical that you publicize information like this.  Never assume your public understands what you do and how well you utilize every penny of your budget.  Tell them. Show them.

As the primaries loom closer and television ads feature candidates that promise no new taxes or others that advocate they want to raise taxes, citizens need to understand what current taxes actually support.  They want to know public organizations are good stewards of their money.  Reports like this help you make that case.

New Freedom of Information Act in Effect

On January 1, several changes in FOIA took effect.  This past Sunday, the Peoria Journal Star’s front page article,  “New Illinois FOIA charged with stressing “transparency” talked about some of the FOIA changes and cited PJS’s  first use of a FOIA request.  Reading this article will give you an idea of the far reaching changes and the possible ramifications for your organization.

If your library has not already done so, you need to update your FOIA policy and post it on your website.  To see a sample policy that will help you in this process, consult the new Administrative Ready Reference located in WebJunction.  Click on “Policy Model”, then on “Legal Requirements” and then “Illinois Freedom of Information Act (on or after 1/1/2010”.  There is a sample policy in Word that can be easily adapted to your needs.

Then to fully understand the changes, access the Illinois Attorney General’s website, specifically on the Ensuring Open and Honest Government page, your library board needs to read and discuss the new act as well as the sections on “Educational Materials”, “Advisory Opinions”, “Mediate Disputes”, “Requests for Review”, “Binding Opinions”, and “Electronic Training”.  The board needs to appoint their FOIA officer, generally the director, who must take the online electronic training of FOIA before June 30.  That electronic training opens this Friday, January 15.

Some of the other changes include a decreased response time required, reduces the number and types of public record exemptions open to FOIA requests, and establishes civil penalties on the public body for failure to comply with the FOIA rules.  It is extremely important that all public libraries familiarize themselves with the law and implement the necessary policies, procedures, and training as soon as possible.

ILA Library Trustee Forum 2010 Workshop

Save Saturday February 27, 2010 for the Illinois Library Association Trustee Forum at Marriott Hickory Ridge Conference Center in Lisle, Illinois.    Gail Johnson and Pam Parr from Face to Face Communications and Training will present the morning session with ILA Legislative Consultant Kip Kolkmeier and Attorney Phil Lenzini offering the afternoon session featuring a legislative update and answers to legal and legislative questions.

This is a prime opportunity to network and learn information important to your library.

Registration  for ILA members is $150 and for non-members is $175.  Registration includes breakfast, lunch, two snack breaks, and the workshop.  A block of rooms has been reserved for Friday night at $79 (plus tax) each.

To register for the workshop, http://www.ila.org/events/index.htm and to reserve a room call Marriott Hickory Ridge Conference Center at (800) 334-0344.

Welcome to the new Alliance Library System blog for library boards!

At long last, the public library trustees in the Alliance Library System have their own resource for information, discussion, and connections.  I will be posting information on events, workshops, ideas, articles, and recommendations on all kinds of subjects related to running a public library in Illinois and elsewhere.  I welcome your subscribing to this blog.  I will be posting at least weekly and maybe more often at the beginning.  Feel free to comment on the posts or email me with questions at rchenoweth@alliancelibrarysystem.com .