by Christina Stoll, MLS

Despite the realities of budget cuts from the Illinois State Library, MLS continues to provide member service to the best of its abilities.  The MLS staff, along with feedback from a system wide-survey and member focus groups, were able to create a new MLS Plan of Service (http://www.mls.lib.il.us/members/ServicePlanFinal.pdf), outlining how MLS will continue to provide service to its member with a reduced budget and staff.

The year still saw many accomplishments both at the system and throughout its membership that should be recognized.

MLS welcomed the following new member libraries in 2009:

• Berkeley School District #87
• Chicago Center for Green Technology
• Casa Italia Roselli Library
• Hales Franciscan School
• Instituto Cervantes of Chicago
• Lincoln College of Technology
• South Holland School District 150

Services 

MLS launched the Macy’s Museum Adventure Pass Program (http://www.museumadventure.org) on the first of September, taking place in 164 libraries within MLS, DLS, and NSLS and 17 Chicago suburban area museums. The program is going strong with close to 12,000 visitors having taken advantage of the pass program since its launch.

The MLS Member Directory was moved to L2, the state-wide CE calendar for library systems.  The new directory can be found at http://www.librarylearning.info/libraries/system.aspx?LibSys=MLS

The L2 membership directory allows each library staff member the ability to create their own account.  Your account allows you to register for system meetings and workshops.  Library Directors can update their library and staff information through L2, as well as see reports such as how many events their library staff have attended.

A system map of members can still be found on our web site at http://www.mls.lib.il.us/members/maps.asp.

The new ILLINET Resource Sharing Policy Directory (http://www.librarylearning.info/rsdirectory/Default.aspx) was also added to L2. This directory includes Interlibrary Loan, Photocopy, and Reciprocal Borrowing policies from libraries across the state. As an added feature, in order to assist libraries in meeting the ILLINET ILL Code, libraries will have the capability to upload their written ILL Borrowing and ILL Lending policies to the directory.  All libraries are encouraged to add their data.

Within SWAN several exciting achievements occurred this year:

• Bridgeview Public Library officially joined SWAN in April.   
• The Oak Park Public Library was approved for full participate in SWAN by the membership.
• The Research Pro Group Purchase brought over 30 databases to 63 participating libraries.
• SWAN won the ILA Hugh C. Atkinson Memorial Award at this year’s ILA conference, for its value of “collaboration, cooperation, commitment, innovation and reliability”.

Networking Groups

• Two School Networking Groups were launched in the fall by the MLS School Advisory group. The goals is that these groups will  provide an informal opportunity for school library staff within MLS to meet each other, share what’s happening in their schools, ask questions, and seek advice.  Another pair of meetings will be scheduled for spring 2010.

Delivery Statistics

For calendar year 2009 the MLS Delivery vans drove for a toal number of 91,615 miles with 23,312 total stops being made. 18,590 ILDS bags were handled, and 128,497 ILSS items were handled.

MLS remains on track for an 8,000,000 total items handled this year.

Events & Opportunities

MLS held its second Legislative Breakfast on Monday, February 16 with an attendance of over 60 including 10 legislators, representing approximately 35 communities.   A recap of the entire day can be found at http://www.mls.lib.il.us/ennounce/2009/03_05/legislatorsbfast09.asp.  MLS looks forward to the 2010 Legislative Breakfast taking place at its Burr Ridge office on President’s Day, Monday February 15.  Registration is open at http://www.librarylearning.info/events/?eventID=9241.

The MLS Annual Meeting and Awards took place at the Tinley Park Public Library on October 21.  Eleven awards were handed out to MLS staff, member libraries, government officials, all who did…. In the year and were recognized for their efforts.   See all of the winners and their accomplishments at http://www.mls.lib.il.us/ennounce/2009/03_21/annualmeetingawardwinners.asp.

On November 6, MLS played host to the joint event between DLS, NSLS, and the Illinois Chapter of SLA with its Innovate, Create, and Succeed, One day Conference for Special Librarians (https://www.librarylearning.info/events/?eventID=5671).  The event included a keynote by SLA President Elect Anne Caputo along with presentations on topics ranging from facilitating and incorporating creativity into your work, creative marketing, and use of tools and resources.

The MLS Annual School Holiday Program brought together School Librarians and Public Library Youth Service Librarians for a dialogue around the value of partnerships.  Three library districts Lisle, Homewood-Flossmoor, and New Lenox, shared insight to the success of their on-going partnerships.  

System-Wide Achievements

The MLS group Reference Association of the South Suburbs (RASSL) was this year’s winner of the ILA’s Reference Services Award, for their Guadalajara International Book Fair Sponsorship.

MLS member library Member Moraine Valley Community College, won an ACRL award recognizing them for “creating an environment that fosters numerous relationships with partners outside those traditionally associated with libraries.”

Published January 6, 2010 in vol. 4, iss. 1 [View]