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1. Alliance Library System History
July 1, 1994 - Present
2. Before ALS April 1991, Bridget Lamont, Director of the Illinois State Library requested a discussion on system mergers and realignments
Recommendations from:
ISLAC (Illinois State Library Advisory Committee)
ISLAC Subcommittee on Systems
Ad hoc committee on library funding
Individual System Directors views
1986 Study by HBW Associates, “Vision 1996: A Plan for the Illinois Library Systems in the Next Decade”
3. Before ALS Between July 1991 & June 1992
18 Illinois Library System Directors and two representatives from the Illinois State Library met to discuss alternatives for providing traditional library system services.
As a result:
18 recommendations were created
6 concerned with merger & 12 concerned with improvement of system services
4. Preparing for Merger A natural merger centered around the RSA (Resource Sharing Alliance)
4 Library Systems Currently participate in the RSA
Corn Belt Library System, Bloomington/Normal
Great River Library System, Quincy
Illinois Valley Library System, Pekin
Western Illinois Library System, Galesburg
5. Preparing for Merger cont. July 1, 1993 – Hired transition staff that were housed at Bradley University
Kathleen Weibel
Monica Craig
Charged with the following responsibilities:
Facilitation of the merger process
Providing administrative support to Transition Board
Maintaining communication of 4 system boards
6. Transition Board Appointed a Transition Board
Comprised of 20 members
4 members and an alternate from each System
Charged with:
Developing policies and details of the merger
7. Corn Belt Library System Transition Board Representatives
8. Great River Library SystemTransition Board Representatives
9. Illinois Valley Library SystemTransition Board Representatives
10. Western Illinois Library SystemTransition Board Representatives
11. April 1994 The Transition Board approved:
The Personnel Policies Handbook
Expenditure for temporary transition office staffing
System application to the Illinois State Library
2 year employment contract with Valerie J. Wilford the first director of ALS
12. Governor Approves Merger Governor, George Ryan approves:
The merger of the four library systems (Corn Belt, Great River, Illinois Valley and Western Illinois) into one
Transfer of assets and liabilities to ALS
Effective July 1, 1994
It took 19 months to complete the transition
13. ALS Service Area Map
14. Creating the Organizational Structure Circular structure indicates system-wide services
One Regional Development Consultant in each facility
Bloomington facility housed collection assessment and SILO center, RSA retrospective conversion
Galesburg facility housed the interlibrary loan, and delivery centers
15. Pekin facility housed system-wide automation, business support services centers
Heart of Illinois Talking Book Center
Quincy facility housed continuing education and training, public relations and communications centers
River Road Talking Book Center
RSA was housed at Illinois Central College in East Peoria, IL
16. Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy was included in the ALS Organizational Structure by contract
ALS Reference Center was housed in a suite of offices at Illinois State University, Milner Library Creating the Organizational Structure
17. Creating the Organizational Structure
18. Fun Facts of ALS in 1994 272 Member Libraries serving 958,448 Illinois Citizens in 31 counties
19 Academic Libraries
26 Medical and Corporate Libraries
114 School Districts
112 Public Libraries
Encompassed 14,008 square miles or nearly one-third of Illinois
19. More Fun Facts ALS is larger than 9 US States including:
Maryland, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Hawaii, Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island
ALS is more populated and 7 US States including:
Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming
20. Early Logos
21. First Annual Board of Directors Meeting and Election Held an Election for 15 member board comprised of:
9 public library trustees (one from each zone)
1 public library director
1 special/academic librarian
3 school librarians
Charged with overseeing system operations
First Annual Meeting was held on October 15, 1994
22. Outsourcing Delivery ALS Board of Directors issued a contract with NuWay Transportation Services to provide delivery of materials from ALS Galesburg facility to all ALS member libraries
NuWay Transportation Services and ALS enter into a contract for materials sorting for a six month period (January 30, 1995 to June 30, 1995)
23. Creating the ALS Advisory Council First Meeting was February 22, 1995
Decided on organizational issues:
Election of Chairperson
Election of Vice Chairperson
Creation of Advisory Council Bylaws
Determined frequency of meetings
Location of meetings
Creation of a membership directory
24. Creation of a membership application
Creating the first annual service profile for membership
Members Included:
Sue Herring - Chairperson, Toni Tucker – Vice Chairperson, Marge Berglund, Kathe Conley, Ruth Cope, Joanne Cox, Nancy Crow, Carol Galganski, Nancy Glick, Donna Goehner, Katie Grumbine, Carolyn Jensen, Carolyn Jud, Fr. Victor Kingery, Matthew Kubiak, Anna Kugler, Ann Larson, Donna Lutkehaus, Kay Maynard, June Meece, MaryAnn Nannen, Sister Mary Osborn, Earl Robertson, Kathleen Roegge, Cindy Sanders, Donna Sands, Barbara Shryock, Nancy Stackhouse, Becky Trewartha, Marsha Westfall, Michael Wold, and Helen Wright Creating the ALS Advisory Council
25. Major Accomplishments & Events of ALS in the Early Years First Membership Application approved on March 11, 1995
First SILO Union List of Periodicals Plan approved on May 11, 1995
First Membership Profile was adopted as an academic, special and school library membership requirement on May 11, 1995
26. Board authorized the lease of the property on Hovey in Normal to Normal CUSD #5
Leased space for the Bloomington facility from the Illinois Agriculture Assocation
Participated in the Regional Planning Panels
Conducted a Search Conference on May 30, 1996 to devise the ALS Strategic Plan Major Accomplishments & Events of ALS in the Early Years
27. The two talking book centers within ALS merged to become Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center officially on July 1, 1996
Illinois Veterans Home closed and was no longer a part of ALS
February 1997 Implemented videoconferencing capabilities in all four facilities Major Accomplishments & Events of ALS in the Early Years
28. June 1997 ALS received 7 Grants
Live and Learn Grant for $65,000 for Electronic ILL Pilot Project
Live and Learn Grant for $70,000 for Automation
Live and Learn Grant for $60,000 for Discretionary Technology (videoconferencing)
Educate and Automate Grant for $65,000 for Illinois Women and Other Unsung Heroes Major Accomplishments & Events of ALS in the Early Years
29. Educate and Automate Grant $23,780 for Vets on the Net
Educate and Automate Grant $109,113 for Hometown Countryside Connection
LSCA Title I Grant for the Korean War, 50th Anniversary Project
September 1997 Discontinued the ALS Reference Service and contracted with Suburban Library System for a 6 month trial Major Accomplishments & Events of ALS in the Early Years
30. Launched the Power of the Partnership Campaign
February 1998 Endorsed the ALS/RSA Year 2000 Vision Statement as a basis for the Strategic Planning Process
May 1998 ALS/RSA Organization
Fall 1998 Partnered with Illinois Central College to Present LTA (Library Technical Assistant) Courses via video to all four facilities Major Accomplishments & Events of ALS in the Early Years
31. FY2000 - Created the P.I.G.S. project in conjunction with the Power of the Partnership Campaign
P.I.G.S. or Partners In a Great System
200 Themed, Decorated, Life-sized fiberglass pigs at libraries in the ALS service area
FY2002 Purchased ALEC (Alliance Libraries Electronic Classroom) mobile training center complete with laptops and satellite internet connection Major Accomplishments & Events of ALS in the Early Years
32. Received an IMLS Grant of $435,456.00 for the Recruiting and Educating Librarians for the 21st Century
Partnered with Dominican University
Created 3 cohort groups
Offered scholarships and equipment to participants
Graduated ? librarians Major Accomplishments andEvents of ALS
33. 2003 Purchased land at 600 High Point Lane to merge the Pekin, Bloomington, MITBC, and RSA Facilities into one
October 31, 2003 Terminated the lease on the Bloomington Facility
December 31, 2003 Terminated the lease with Illinois Central College for housing the Resource Sharing Alliance (RSA) Major Accomplishments and Events of ALS
34. December 2003 Valerie J. Wilford, the first Executive Director of ALS retires
January 1, 2004 Kitty Pope becomes the Executive Director of ALS
2004 – Redesigned the ALS website
2004 - Created the first ALS Trends Report that included a watch list of libraries doing innovative things
Major Accomplishments and Events of ALS
35. 2005 – Built a new delivery hub at 600 High Point Lane, East Peoria facility
2005 – Closed and sold the ALS Galesburg facility
2005 - Began the first Libraries Matter campaign selling bracelets
2005 - Implemented the PREP (performance review and evaluation program)
Major Accomplishments and Events of ALS
36. 2005 - Developed the first Consultants Certification Program
2006 – Closed the Quincy facility making the 600 High Point Lane, East Peoria the only facility
2008 – Redesigned the ALS website to make it a dynamic and interactive site for the ALS membership Major Accomplishments and Events of ALS
37. Implemented the Knowledge Based Consulting Model providing on-time needs based service to ALS members Major Accomplishments and Events of ALS
38. Fun Facts About ALS in 2009 256 Member Libraries serving 1,116,868 Illinois Citizens in 31 counties
20 Academic Libraries
21 Special Libraries
99 School Districts
112 Public Libraries
Encompassed 14,008 square miles or nearly one-third of Illinois