Contributions designated to any of the following funds are tax-deductible, and count toward Illuminate recognition.
If you will be making a donation via check, be sure to make the check out to the "Illinois Library Association" or "ILA" and designate which fund you are donating towards in the memo line. Check donations can be mailed to the Illinois Library Association, 560 W. Washington Blvd., Suite 330, Chicago, IL 60661.
- Diversity Scholarship Fund
This scholarship fund supports ILA’s efforts to increase diversity in the profession. The fund supports Sylvia Murphy Williams Scholars, who are Illinois recipients of ALA Spectrum Scholarships. The Spectrum and Williams Scholars programs strive to ensure diversity within librarianship; ILA's program is named in honor of 2002-2003 ILA President, the late Sylvia Murphy Williams. In addition, the fund will be used to increase financial support by providing travel grants to allow library workers to attend conferences and other continuing education opportunities and expand networking opportunities targeted to members of underrepresented groups.
- Hugh C. Atkinson Memorial Fund
This fund supports the Hugh C. Atkinson Award, which is made annually for sustained activity and contributions having a lasting impact on librarianship.
- Intellectual Freedom Fund
The Intellectual Freedom Fund was created by the ILA Executive Board in honor of Robert P. Doyle on the occasion of his retirement in recognition of his extraordinary personal and professional commitment to ILA and to the principles of intellectual freedom. The Intellectual Freedom Fund will provide financial support for ILA’s Intellectual Freedom Award.
- Legal Defense Fund
In 2004, ILA filed its first amicus brief on behalf of an Illinois library (Cherry Valley Public Library District case) to protect the ability of public library districts to annex new territory. Contributions have nearly covered the costs of this filing, but a fund is being developed to support future legal needs to defend freedom of information.
- Robert R. McClarren Fund
This fund supports the Robert R. McClarren Award, given to a worthy recipient from the Illinois library community––librarian, trustee, legislator, or library––who has contributed significantly to legislative development in the state of Illinois.
- Valerie J. Wilford Memorial Fund
This fund, begun in 2016 by Ms. Wilford's family, friends, and colleagues, supports ILA initiatives that encourage multi-type library cooperation, including the Hugh C. Atkinson Award and the Valerie J. Wilford Scholarship Grant. Ms. Wilford, 1984 President of the Illinois Library Association, was a teacher and mentor to hundreds of librarians and made enormous contributions to school librarianship, multi-type cooperation, and resource sharing in Illinois, and is herself a past winner of the Atkinson Award.
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