REPORT TO LIBRARY BOARDS

From: Vandella Brown, Diversity Program Manager

Illinois State Library

December 2005

I am unable to attend this December meeting as planned. Iím feeling a little under the weather today. I plan to v-tel to the January meeting, because of the ISL Diversity Program business, I will not able to attend in person. I wish you and yours the merriest and happiest of the Holiday Season.

General Report from the Illinois State Library:

• Budget. The ISL budget is expected to be flat funding for grants in 2007. Greg McCormick and Anne Craig have finalized and presented the 2007. A flat budget funding is expected for 2007, increases are likely to be only in Personnel-- in the form of raises for Union employees. No new hiring or replacement of staff is expected.

… At the quarterly ISLAC Meeting, the group focused on advising the library director in the areas of Advocacy, Continuation and Improvement of School Libraries, Delivery Service of Library Materials and Technology Expertise and Tools for Libraries. Planning meetings have already begun for March 1, 2006 advocacy events.

… Don OíNeil from the University of Illinois- Springfield will head the Illinois State Library Strategic Plan Development.

… Sharon Wiseman will head up the training for Rural Sustainability Grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for ISL. Letters and information about training will go out soon to system directors and 473 libraries.

… Susan Singleton has been selected as the director of CARLI

… Hurricane Katrina donations totaled $6,125 from the ISL and SOS Offices.

• Applications to SYNERGY

2006 Synergy: Library Leadership Initiative sponsored by the State Library and the Illinois Library Association. Synergy is the statewide library community's proactive movement to recruit and nurture future Illinois library leaders. Applications are being reviewed for the next class.

• ISL Diversity Program will partner in the Changing Face of Medicine grant Exhibit with the Southern Illinois School of Medicine, Passavant Areas Hospital and St. Johnís Hospital to promote the exhibit. The traveling exhibit celebrates the contributions of Americaís women physicians, with a special focus on minority women doctors. The exhibit is schedule for March 31-May 13, 2010.
• ISL Diversity Program

The IDP staff, area library and diversity directors and cultural agencies will partner to present a series of Black History Month Program in February 2006 in Springfield and Chatham libraries.

Meetings, Workshops Scholarships and Conferences:

No Report

Reminders:

No Report