Professional Groups

ILA Groups

Click here to view a list of ILA Forums.

Students And New Professionals Forum (SANP): Represents the interests of students and new library professionals in Illinois, provides a forum for students and new professionals to discuss issues of particular interest to their demographic, and encourages active participation in Illinois library organizations.

Youth Services Forum (YSF): That's us! Addresses the needs and interests of those concerned with quality library service for children.

Young Adult Services Forum (YASF): Creates and provides professional development opportunities and materials for library staff members working with young adult populations.

IHLS Groups

SouthWest Advocates for Youth Services (SWAYS): Meets monthly during the school year, topics chosen at the September Meeting and officers chosen at May's Business Meeting. Meetings allow for time to troubleshoot issues. Reaching Forward South works with SWAYS to help bring children's and teen programming to Reaching Forward South.

SouthWest Advocates for Teen Services: IHLS libraries have created a working group for library staff working with teens! They meet mostly on Zoom on the 1st Tuesday of August, November, February, and May at 2pm. Check L2 for more information and to register.

You can join a Youth Services ListServ on the IHLS website where library staff troubleshoot issues, share performer information and resources, and give advice.

RAILS Groups

Click here to view a list of all RAILS Networking Groups

Click here for their ListServ information.

BIPOC Library Workers (BIPOC LW): This group aims to foster connection, share resources and discuss specific experiences in a safe, welcome, and open space for all library workers members who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color.

Central Illinois Regional Children’s Group (CIRCL): A continuing education support group for youth and teen librarians located in Central Illinois (about a 60 mi. radius from Peoria, IL). We share resources, and provide professional educational opportunities for librarians serving youth ages 0-18 and their families. A group for Young Adult Librarians was also started at this time to provide networking and support for those working within this specialty.

Northeast Youth Managers (NYM): Youth Services Managers from RAILS public libraries meet every other month to discuss relevant topics. NYM meetings are located in north-east Illinois, but all Youth Services Managers are welcome to attend.

Preschool Outreach Programmers: This is a group for librarians and library staff who do preschool outreach programming, both including traditional preschool outreach services like story times for children 5 years old and under at preschools and child care centers, as well as other outreach services to the community involving preschool children.

School Facilitators Networking Group (SFNG): We are a group of School Services Librarians serving grades K-12. 

Spanish Programming And Resources for Kids (SPARK): Programmers who want to do Spanish programming, you do not need to speak Spanish to join, share resources and performers.

Teen or Youth Services Selector Group (TOYS): Connects Youth/Teen Collection Librarians and library staff with each other to share and develop ideas related to collection development. Anyone who participates in collection development for ages 0-18 in welcome to attend.

Tween Illinois Librarians (TWILL): Networking, program sharing, and discussion for library staff working with tweens. We meet four times a year in the suburbs of Chicago to discuss library services to kids in approximately grades 3 to 8. Each meeting has a topic (including a discussion and sometimes a presentation), around-the-table time to discuss our successes and challenges, and a tour of the hosting library.

Regional Groups

Metropolitan Area Youth Public Librarians (MAYPL): Metro St. Louis Youth Services Librarian group meets 4 times a year. You can talk about a topic or share if you need support.

Youth Services Managers: More information coming.