Legislative Update -- June 13, 2024
June 13, 2024
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The Illinois General Assembly passed and Governor Pritzker recently signed into law over $75 million in Fiscal Year 2025 library funding. Library grants and other formulaic revenue streams upon which we rely are again contained within the state's spending package, which will become effective on July 1. The Illinois Library Association thanks Illinois legislators for recognizing the importance of these dollars to our state's libraries.
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias was successful in passing his initiative, House Bill 4567, through the Illinois House of Representatives during its final days of the spring session. This proposal will allow the Secretary of State to establish rules to promote library, patron, and employee safety, allows certain grant funding to be used to improve library security, and expands the "disorderly conduct" definition by including libraries in specific criminal code sections that may result in higher penalties for those charged and convicted of this offense.
House Bill 4567 currently awaits Illinois State Senate action and could be acted upon later this year.
Contained within one of the omnibus budget bills is ILA's language found within the introduced version of House Bill 4224 on lowering treasurer bond percentage requirements. The bill containing our proposed language will be signed into law by the end of this month.
Illinois General Assembly members also included specific libraries as FY2025 budget grant recipients. The relevant state agency will be in contact with individual libraries later in the year if your library is one of those designated to receive funds from the budget package.
Thanks to you, this year in Springfield was again a successful one. The association looks forward to planning for our fall legislative meet-ups in preparation for next year in Springfield.
Digital Equity Events
Digital Equity Grant Co-Design for Libraries with the Illinois Office of Broadband
July 11 @ 10:30 a.m.
The Illinois Office of Broadband has been conducting co-design workshops with stakeholders as they develop the grant program that will distribute the Digital Equity Act funds, and reached out to ask RAILS to partner on one for libraries. Both RAILS and IHLS are co-sponsors of the event. This is a great opportunity to have an impact on grant program requirements, and particularly to try to mitigate some of the administrative overhead that could be a barrier to libraries in accessing these funds.
Digital Equity Networking Group – Kickoff Meeting July 15 @ 2:00 p.m.
Libraries have an important role in mitigating the digital divide. We provide access to the internet and connected devices, offer digital skills training, and keep patrons informed about new technology. Participants in this group will work together to identify barriers that stand in the way of digital equity and will collaborate on solutions and opportunities for bridging the digital divide, working toward a connected Illinois. This meeting is open to all library staff from all library members. All Illinois library workers are welcome.
Save the Academic Libraries Survey
Data about libraries – topics like collections, circulation, budgets, and staffing levels – are crucial to understanding the state of libraries and telling our stories. Unfortunately, the federal National Center for Education Statistics is proposing to stop collecting data about college and university libraries. Please join ALA in speaking out against this ill-advised plan.
The federal government has collected statistics about academic libraries since 1966. However, due to tight federal budgets, that unique longitudinal data collection may soon come to an end.
The Academic Libraries survey makes it possible to understand budget, staffing, and service trends in college and university libraries. These data also allow individual academic libraries to benchmark compared to their institutional peers. Although these data are widely used by academic libraries, the federal government is planning to stop collecting them.
In your own words, explain why you oppose the plan to eliminate the Academic Libraries survey. For more information, see the comments filed by ALA, ACRL, and other library associations
Submit a comment by June 24.
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