Focus on Indiana Libraries: Volume 72, No. 18

Focus on Indiana Libraries :

Volume 72 Number 18, December 20, 2018

Thoughts from the ILF staff:

With a full calendar of ILF activities served by 3.2 FTE (full-time equivalents), your ILF paid staff of five rarely is in the same room. During our December meeting, staff shared what we appreciate about each other, the highlights of 2018 and our goals for 2019. We share a passion for libraries and our ILF mission and goals. Our members might be interested to learn that we… Read More

In This Issue

2019 Policy Priorities
Legislative session starts January 3
License Plate Covers
Renewal Promo ends January 31
Benefits of ILF Membership
Your year-end task list
RosiCon
Volunteers - Thanks and a few more positions
Great Things in Libraries

ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)

Focus on Indiana Libraries - prior issues

Be sure to review the 12/7 issue , which was FULL of important info.

Our 2019 Policy Priorities

Indiana Library Federation releases its 2019 Policy Priorities . During the budget-writing session of our state legislative session, we prioritize funding for libraries. We activity advocate for:

Funding for Internet connectivity for libraries and schools;
Stable funding for INSPIRE, Indiana's virtual library;
Support for certified school librarians, library assistant paraprofessionals and increased funding for school library materials in state-funded K-12 education; and
Expanded broadband coverage to increase access, affordability, speed and capacity for residents and communities.

Additionally, ILF supports, monitors and is positioned for action on other policies that affect libraries or the ways Indiana residents have access to critical library services.

Download the explanatory priorities document or the abbreviated one-page list . Review the Advocacy Guide . Throughout the session, ILF will provide talking points and one-page briefs about priorities. Sign up for ILF's Advocacy Updates which are delivered to your email every week during the session, which include special member only access to the reports from Bose Public Affairs, our contracted lobby firm.

Advocacy is one of ILF's key services to members. The ILF Advocacy Committee meets monthly and makes recommendations to the staff, lobby firm and ILF Board of Directors .

The legislative session starts January 3

The Indiana General Assembly will reconvene January 3 for its long session, where the primary focus will be writing the $32 billion State budget. Proposed legislation about bias crimes, teacher pay, opioid crisis and the Department of Child Services are likely to dominate. Take these steps to prepare:

Download and review our 2019 Policy Priorities.
Mark your calendar for Library Day at the Statehouse on Tuesday, March 12. Registration will open in January.
Review the list of newly elected legislators in the report from Bose Public Affairs. Additionally several longer-serving legislators have new leadership positions. See committee leadership announcements from the House and Senate. Find your legislator.
Explore opportunities to meet with your legislator in the coming months. Attend a Third House session. Network at parties. Invite policymakers and influencers to a special event at the library.
Practice your elevator speech and share it. - What is your library doing to contribute to Indiana and its residents? Why should legislators maintain policies that support libraries? Perhaps you are educating the workers of the future? Or you are increasing the literacy of residents? Or you are increasing the "quality of place" for local residents?

Help share the library message every time you drive!

As a part of our strategy to elevate libraries, ILF is providing license plate covers to members for staff, trustees and friends. ILF designed them to apply to all libraries.

Public and Academic Library Institutional Members will receive shipments with enough to give to each staff member, trustee, Friends group member and volunteer.
School librarian members may request for school library staff and volunteers in their district, as we aim to consolidate shipments.
Affiliate members may request as well.

RENEW today and request a total number of license plate covers for staff and volunteers.

This is the PERFECT marketing tool for the introvert. Put on your vehicle and be a messenger for libraries.

Email us a photo of yours or tag us at @ilfonline . Staff are eager to spot others in parking lots and on the road.

The benefits of your ILF membership include:

Reduced rates for ILF events throughout the year;
Opportunities for professional growth and continuing education;
Networking and collaboration opportunities with colleagues;
A strong legislative and advocacy program—critically important as the Indiana General Assembly writes the biennial budget during the 2019 session and the 116^th session Congress funds the Institute of Museum and Library Services;
Eligibility for participation in leadership, projects, awards and scholarships; and
Support and resources to promote intellectual freedom.

As a member, we encourage you to get involved in our programs, projects and conferences . Opportunities include attendance at eight conferences, series of virtual exchanges, three book award programs ( Young Hoosier Book Award , Eliot Rosewater Book Award and Read Alouds ), divisions and more.

Renew by January 31 with PROMO code RENEW19. Consider giving the gift of ILF membership to an emerging librarian or staff member in your library. Contact the office whether someone has "join" or "renew" status.

Year-end task list

Whether you are working through the holidays or taking some time off to recharge, here are a few tasks for your year-end checklist:

Renew your ILF membership.
Mark your calendar for ILF meetings and events: Statehouse Day 3/12, Regional conferences in April, Youth Services Conference 8/25-8/26 and Annual Conference 11/3-11/5.
Schedule a review of your Collection Development, Challenge or Reconsideration and other policies. See 12/7 note from our Intellectual Freedom Committee chairs.
Review the ILF Policy Priorities and the exercises from the Advocacy Plan.

RosieCon

Congrats to Diane Rogers and Wayne Township Schools for receiving a Lilly Endowment grant to support RosieCon . If you are a YA book lover or have teens in your life who are, be sure to mark March 16 on your calendar and get your tickets. Some libraries are even paying for their librarians to attend. Twenty-six authors are coming to Indianapolis for RosieCon. With support from The Indianapolis Foundation, a CICF affiliate, and from host libraries, authors are visiting school and public libraries on March 15. FMI: event website or Diane Rogers .

Thanks, Volunteers!

AND a few more are still needed.

Thanks to all who volunteered over the last two months. We have a few more volunteer spots needing filled, including:

member leaders to help plan regional conferences in 2019, scheduled for 4/2 in Sellersburg, 4/5 in Crawfordsville, 4/10 in Richmond, 4/16 in Evansville and 4/22 in Mishawaka.
member leaders to serve on ILF Committees, Division Leadership Teams (especially Public Services--ILL, Circ, Ref, and Technology), Advisory Boards (especially academics, trustees and supporters) and special projects, including a couple more to help with support for library materials at Ronald McDonald House and the working with homeschoolers project.
1-2 volunteers willing to come in to the office for a sort and recycling purge of office technology.

Submit the volunteer form to share your interest and availability.

Greenwood wants option to fund school, library projects

Greenwood wants to allow the property taxes it collects in an economic development area near the mall to be used in partnerships with the county, townships, libraries and schools. Read More

Bicentennial quilt finds permanent home at David L. Rice Library

David L. Rice Library visitors can now enjoy a colorful representation of Indiana’s history in the form of a quilt celebrating the state’s bicentennial. Read More

Indiana University to develop CitizIN, an interactive tool for teaching Indiana studies

The Indiana University Office of the Bicentennial has selected the Center on Representative Government at IU to develop CitizIN, a free digital interactive learning tool for teaching about the history, government, geography, economics and people of Indiana. Read More

Shaking up Book Sales

Liz Quakenbush loves getting library books into the hands of her students. But she also loves giving them the chance to purchase books of their own. Read More

Indiana's first 24-hour library unveiled at the downtown library

The Tippecanoe County Public library is making it easier for area residents to access all their library has to offer, day or night, rain or shine. Read More

2018 Indiana Statehood Day Essay Contest Winners Announced

The Indiana Center for the Book, a program of the Indiana State Library, is pleased to announce the 2018 Statehood Day Essay contest winners. Read More

ILF Photo and Video Gallery:

The ILF staff would like to say THANK YOU to all our members and leaders for an amazing year!

Check out the year in photos at right.

Members Only benefits

ILF Members have access to

* monthly reports from Bose Public Affairs

* discounts at conferences and events

* eligibility for certain awards, honors and scholarships

* serving in leadership within ILF-- Volunteer today

* certain voting rights (election of the ILF Board of Directors, etc.)

Forgot your login or password? Contact the office and we can tell you and/or reset. A member from a prior year? Please " renew . " By clicking "join," you might create a duplicate account.