Sparks Podcast - Episode 30 - Quincy Public Library
Release Date: 02/11/2021
Sparks Podcast - Episode 44 - Open Educational Resources
Sparks - the RAILS Podcast
RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris talks with Dan Matthews, Cataloging and Digital Services Librarian at Moraine Valley Community College Library about the benefits of open educational resources and how to get started using OERs.
info_outline
Sparks Podcast - Episode 43 - Illinois Libraries Present
Sparks - the RAILS Podcast
RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris talks with Kate Hall, Jennifer Czajka, and Mara Barbel from Illinois Libraries Present, a cooperative programming intitative that provides high-quality online events at equitable prices for member libraries. They talk about how ILP was created, the long-term goals for the program, and how your library can take advantage of its benefits. Related links: Intro/Outro music by Julie Jurgens,
info_outline
Sparks Podcast - Episode 42 - CPL Commissioner Chris Brown
Sparks - the RAILS Podcast
RAILS (then interim) Executive Director Monica Harris talks with Chicago Public Library (CPL) Commissioner Chris Brown about The Book Sanctuary (committed to protecting banned and challenged books) and the 150th anniversary of CPL. Links: Intro/Outro music by Julie Jurgens,
info_outline
Sparks Podcast - Episode 41 - Support for School Libraries
Sparks - the RAILS Podcast
RAILS Interim Executive Director Monica Harris talks with AISLE Executive Secretary Carolyn Kinsella and RAILS Data Research Specialist Janette Derucki about efforts to support school libraries in Illinois, including a statewide partnership and RAILS’ School Library Data Project. Related Links: School Library Data Project Data in Libraries Pulse Page AISLE (Association of Illinois School Library Educators) SLIDE – The School Librarian Investigation - Decline or Evolution? SOPPA – Student Online Personal Protection Act Intro/Outro music by Julie Jurgens,
info_outline
Sparks Podcast - Episode 40 - Career Online High School
Sparks - the RAILS Podcast
RAILS Executive Director Deirdre Brennan talks with Lynn Stainbrook and Leon Smith of Rockford Public library, and Leila Heath of RAILS about Career Online High School, a nationally accredited online high school degree program. Lynn and Leon discuss the program’s tremendous success at their library and how it makes a huge impact on lives. RAILS offers a vendor discount on the scholarships from Smart Horizons to libraries offering this program. Related Links: RAILS Deals and Discounts web page for COHS Rockford’s COHS web page Intro/Outro music by Julie Jurgens,
info_outline
Sparks Podcast - Episode 39 - Data Analysis
Sparks - the RAILS Podcast
RAILS Executive Director Deirdre Brennan talks with RAILS Data Analysis Manager Grant Halter about how he defines data, demonstrating the library’s value through data, the difference between useful and interesting data, using your strategic plan to develop a survey and gather data, and much more! Relevant Link: Intro/Outro music by Julie Jurgens,
info_outline
Sparks Podcast - Episode 38 - More Strategic Planning
Sparks - the RAILS Podcast
RAILS Executive Director Deirdre Brennan talks with RAILS Associate Executive Director Monica Harris about our recent strategic planning process: choosing a consultant, virtual tools, member feedback, and much more. They also give advice on how libraries can create their own strategic plans. Intro/Outro music by Julie Jurgens, https://juliejurgens.bandcamp.com/
info_outline
Sparks Podcast - Episode 37 - Strategic Planning
Sparks - the RAILS Podcast
RAILS Executive Director Deirdre Brennan talks with Stephanie Chase, Founding Principal of Constructive Disruption (), about the importance of strategic planning. Stephanie gives some good tips for what to do if you have little money or little time. Intro/Outro music by Julie Jurgens ()
info_outline
Sparks Podcast - Episode 36 - CARLI Open Educational Resources
Sparks - the RAILS Podcast
In our latest Sparks podcast, RAILS Executive Director Deirdre Brennan talks with CARLI (Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois) staff members Anne Craig (Senior Director) and Michele Leigh (Senior Coordinator, Open Illinois) about CARLI’s $1.08 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Open Textbooks Pilot Program. The grant will fund a program that will provide access to open textbooks and personalized learning tools for entry-level courses in high-demand health care and human development career paths. Please note: We had some technical issues with...
info_outline
Sparks Podcast - Episode 35 - My Library Is... School Grants
Sparks - the RAILS Podcast
RAILS Executive Director Deirdre Brennan talks with Heather Perhach (CUSD #5 in Streator), Andrea Perrin (CCSD #50 in Gurnee), and Emily Porter (CCSD #299 in Chicago), who have all received My Library Is… grants for their school libraries. Each is working on projects that focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Intro/Outro music by Julie Jurgens, https://himissjulie.com
info_outlineRAILS Executive Director Deirdre Brennan talks with Executive Director Kathleen Helsabeck and Assistant Director & Marketing Coordinator Burgundy Hill from Quincy Public Library, about how they worked with library users to tackle budget cuts to the library. Using simple, low-cost methods to make their case with the city council, Quincy Public Library came out victorious. This is a wonderful story about the importance of advocating for your library.
Relevant Links:
- Quincy Public Library - https://www.quincylibrary.org/
- My Library Is... blog post about the videos of community members speaking up for the library at city council meetings - https://www.mylibraryis.org/blog/how-quincy-public-library-used-videos-show-their-community-support
QPL Community Videos:
- https://www.mylibraryis.org/showcase/videos/378 (Patron talks about the value she receives from Quincy Public Library programs)
- https://www.mylibraryis.org/showcase/videos/377 (Patron talks about QPL's value for genealogy research)
- https://www.mylibraryis.org/showcase/videos/376 (Quincy Public Schools staff member describes the benefits QPL provides to schools and children)
- https://www.mylibraryis.org/showcase/videos/375 (Community leader talks about the value of a strong library to the community and to her personally)
- https://www.mylibraryis.org/showcase/videos/374 (Teens tell about the value of QPL to the teens in our community)
- https://www.mylibraryis.org/showcase/videos/373 (Patron describes the impact of a library for her family and her community)
- https://www.mylibraryis.org/showcase/videos/372 (Patron describes how QPL has changed her family's life)
Intro/Outro music by Julie Jurgens, https://himissjulie.com