Board Members

President
Special Library Representative

I have always loved to read, so later in my career when I had the opportunity to work in a school library I jumped at the chance. Now I run the Law Library and General Library at the Lincoln Correctional Center. My library ensures the incarcerated receive their constitutional rights to access legal aid. My patrons have access to legal forms, law books, magazines, and books. Incarcerated patrons (on average) read twice as many books compared to other patrons. My library is a "public library" just inside a barbed wire fence. IHLS and its community provide instrumental support to librarians like me who run small libraries.

Vice President
Public Library Representative

I've been a library-geek since I was a very young child; and interestingly enough I'm in the same library now as I was then (Granite City is my hometown). I've worked in libraries across Illinois for almost - gasp - 30 years! It is my honor and privilege to try to support and contribute as much as possible to all types of libraries, because all types of libraries have added so much to my life both personally and professionally.

Treasurer
Public Library Trustee

I love libraries and all the things I can explore and learn about in them. I have worked in public libraries and in the systems. Being a trustee allows me to help libraries remain strong and vital for others to explore.

Public Library Representive

I was first exposed to a library growing up a little north of Pittsburgh when my sister and I would walk to our small public library to get our weekly books. The staff was always welcoming and set a deep-rooted appreciation for customer service at a library. With a 20-year career in the military, I was able to see libraries across our country and many locations across the world. During this period my wife earned her MLS and I quickly learned that a library was more than a place to get a book. I started to see what was necessary to keep a library running smoothly. Around 2000, I became a Board member for the Mascoutah Public Library and shortly thereafter, became the board treasurer. I sat on the Board for the Shawnee Library System in between 2003-2006 and was exposed to the need for more services in addition to the reality that limited resources (funds) kept us from providing the level of service we would have liked. I see our challenges for the future to be: living with diminished resources, the need to broaden library services, and a perception from some in the community that libraries may no longer be needed because of what the Internet can provide.

Public Library Trustee

Libraries have a great impact on lives!

When I was a child, it was my good fortune to live a block from our local library. When I was old enough to go to the library on my own, I spent hours on end sprawled on the floor in the history section of the children's area reading everything I could about American history - I read a wide variety of fiction, too, but nonfiction was always my favorite. I wanted to know how things work! I would sit in the same spot for so long one of the librarians would come to check on me. I don't know how often I looked up to see Mrs. Bryant smiling at me from the end of the bookshelf as I was absorbed reading about our pioneer ancestors.

I worked part time while in high school and the local college and found myself working with Mrs. Bryant at the library. At that point in my life, I didn't expect to be a librarian, but I finally realized that was where I belonged. I became a school librarian in 1987, spent the first 7 years working at a K-12 facility (what a blast!) and then moved back to my home town to be the high school librarian. I retired in 2016.

I was the first president of IHLS in 2011 and represented school libraries.

Presently, I am on the Centralia Regional Library District board of trustees and have returned to the IHLS board as a Public Library Trustee. I'm glad to be back!

Public Library Representative

Serving in a trustee capacity is new for me but I realize, after 30+ years, I do have some valuable insight and experience to bring to the table. I earned my Masters in Library Science while working at the Shawnee Library System. There, I served in various capacities and had the privilege of working closely with staff from all types of libraries in southern Illinois. I was the manager of the Talking Books Department at Shawnee when the four southern library systems merged to form IHLS in 2011. I became the library director at Sallie Logan Public Library in 2014. I feel librarians have a responsibility to actively participate in the profession outside of the walls of our libraries. Serving on the IHLS board is just one way to contribute, and I am honored to do so.

Public Library Trustee

School Library Representative

Librarianship is the only career path I have ever known. In 1988, I graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor's degree in library science education while working at Milner Library during my undergraduate years. I returned to my hometown and was employed as the young adult librarian at Robinson Township Public Library before becoming the librarian at Robinson High School where I've loved my job and my students for the last 30 years! Along the way, I received my master's degree in educational administration from Eastern Illinois University (1993), achieved my National Board Certification in school librarianship (2011), served on various committees as an active member of AISLE (formerly ISLMA), and mentored some amazing former students-turned-librarians. The loss of school librarians is a serious concern of mine. We are not just keepers of books, but also technology integration specialists, social media experts, AV technicians, problem solvers, bibliotheraphists, teachers, and cheerleaders for lifelong literacy and learning!

School Library Representative

Public Library Trustee

Public Library Trustee

Public Library Trustee

Public Library Trustee

The library was my sanctuary growing up, an endless world of opportunity. Over the years I have been on both sides of the counter, both employee and patron. I became a board member of the Louis Latzer Memorial Public Library as a way to shape how the library grew and evolved with the changing times. I am equally excited to be just as involved with the Illinois Heartland Library System.

Public Library Trustee

The enjoyment of reading for entertainment and information has been central to my life. For a number of years this pursuit was channeled to helping others as a member of the staff of a public library. Serving on the IHLS board has expanded my goal and responsibility to provide information by means of books and technology to the public of Illinois.

Public Library Trustee

My early library memories are discovering the stories of the early scouts exploring the unknown territories of western North America to be especially captivating. Like those early pioneers, I explored the stacks of the libraries looking for adventures. I found those adventures in the world of science fiction and also discovered that books contain real knowledge that can be used to fix a car, learn to knit, or write a computer program. I also found that books can be keys to unlock an individual's possibilities. Today, I think it's important that libraries continue to provide books and other materials that people can explore and that inspire the imagination.

For most of my adult life I was a casual and normal library patron, checking out books and the occasional video. A few years ago I joined my local friends of the library group, mainly to assist them with their yearly book sales. From there my involvement became more serious when I agreed to serve on the local library board itself. I'm now into my third year as a local library trustee and am looking forward to serving the larger statewide community of libraries as a board member of the Illinois Heartland Library System.