Link to Sarah Long's January Daily Herald column, "Regional libraries have not received a funding increase since 1989".
Excerpt: There are 10 regional library systems around the state. One is the Chicago Public Library, but the other nine are made up of libraries of all types (academic, public, school, and special) in a geographic area. For example, the North Suburban Library System serves about 650 library buildings north of the Chicago city limits, including all of Lake County, north, and northwest Cook County, and portions of Kane and McHenry counties.
We help libraries do their work. We negotiate agreements among them so that tax payers in one library area can also use the libraries of other areas. We provide a delivery service so that materials from one library can be moved around to serve anyone in the region.
We provide education and training to keep library workers cognizant of new developments and competent with new skills. We serve as the research and development arm of your local library. We negotiate and offer discounts ranging from health care to online databases. We build and host electronic "helps" for libraries such as Digital Past for local history, and host online forums for sharing knowledge.
Sarah Long is Executive Director of the North Suburban Library System.
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