Illinois Library Association

ILA President-Elect Rene Leyva attended a recent West of 47 Networking Group event at Starved Rock Lodge & Conference Center.

Leyva connected with library leaders and shared ILA resources focused on supporting small and rural libraries.

The ILA Conference Program Committee invites applications for poster sessions at the 2026 ILA Annual Conference at the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, IL.

Poster sessions will be held in the exhibit hall on Wednesday, October 7, and Thursday, October 8.

Submissions are invited from all types of libraries and on any topic relevant to librarianship and may include a description of an innovative library program; an analysis of a solution to a problem; a report of a research study; or any other presentation that would benefit the larger library community.

Applications are due by Friday, July 24, 2026. https://bit.ly/ILAAC26Posters

Summer Reading programs have kicked off at libraries across the state! Shoutout to all the libraries and staff making these kickoff celebrations so fun for patrons!

Photo 1 - St. Charles Public Library--St. Charles, IL
Photo 2 - Peoria PublicLibrary
Photo 3 - Barclay Public Library
Photo 4 - Watseka Public Library
Photo 5 - Evergreen Park Public Library
Photo 6 - Silvis Public Library

It's ! This week's spotlight shines on Dee Anna Phares.

Phares is an Assistant Professor and Social Sciences and Humanities Librarian at Northern Illinois University. She is the current chair of the IACRL Communications Committee.

Read about Phares on the ILA website. https://bit.ly/ILAMemberSpotlightDAPhares

Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈 This month, we're honoring the history, resilience, and joy of the LGBTQIA+ community. Looking for ways to celebrate? Here are a few ideas:

Read - The American Library Association's Rainbow Book List 2026 features over 160 titles celebrating the lives and families of LGBTQIA+ youth. https://bit.ly/43DIvvB

Watch - WTTW has put together a Pride Month viewing guide, "12 Things to Watch for Pride Month." https://bit.ly/4vjIA3t

Here’s a list of literary films and TV shows coming to streaming services in June.

The Literary Film & TV You Need to Stream in June Every month, all the major streaming services add a host of newly acquired (or just plain new) shows, movies, and documentaries into their ever-rotating libraries. So what’s a dedicated reader to w…

From retirees to young couples, from artists and musicians to people going through tough times, the regulars at the Chicago Public Library's Harold Washington Branch all have their own story about what keeps them coming back and why this place matters to them.

The life and times of the Harold Washington Library - Chicago Reader Regulars recount reading, drawing, and fighting in Chicago's beloved library

Congratulations to the Peoria PublicLibrary for submitting the ILA Member Photo of the Month!

This year, the library became an official regional sponsor of the Scripps National Spelling Bee for Central Illinois, allowing local students to compete.

Isa Zaid, a 7th grader from Peoria Academy, won the area competition and participated in the national bee from May 26-28 in Washington, D.C., where he tied for 55th place out of 247 spellers. Unfortunately, the word "ochlophobist" ended his run.

The photo was taken on April 28, when the Peoria City Council honored Zaid and issued a special proclamation. Joining him for the occasion were his family, Peoria Public Library Executive Director Randall Yelverton, and Deputy Director and Past ILA President Veronica De Fazio.

📣 Illinois Digital Library Protection Act (HB5236) Update

After passing unanimously in the House in April, House Bill 5236 is currently under legal review. It is unlikely that it will be assigned to a committee by the May 31st deadline, but we hope that it will be assigned to a committee in the fall.

In the meantime, ILA, along with our dedicated members, the Illinois Heartland Library System, and the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS), will continue outreach efforts to gain support for the bill over the summer while Senators are in their home districts.

We urge library advocates, supporters, and book enthusiasts to contact your Senators and remind them how important this bill is to libraries. Thank you for watching HB5236 and being part of our collective success!

WGLT recently spoke with John Fischer of the Normal Public Library and Jeanne Hamilton of the Bloomington Public Library, Illinois, to learn why HB5236 matters to their communities.

Bloomington-Normal librarians support state legislation to end high prices on e-books John Fischer and Jeanne Hamilton both support the "Illinois Digital Library Protection Act." They say it will help keep book publishers from forcing unfair agreements in order for them to offer digital content to patrons.