WebJunction

Illinois Libraries Explore, Apply and Discover

The State Library will develop ILEAD U (Illinois Libraries Explore, Apply and Discover). The institute, which will be similar to the popular Synergy Illinois Library Leadership Institute, will consist of team- and project-based learning combining intermittent face-to-face meetings and online sessions over nine months beginning in October 2009. Participants will explore new forms of participatory Web 2.0 technology, hone their skills, and use the newly acquired skills to address the needs of their users.

"The Illinois State Library is proud of its strong commitment to continuing education, and providing librarians with the tools and resources necessary to address the ever changing needs of their patrons," White said. "Nowhere is the need for continuing education more important than in the area of technology. Librarians need to constantly enhance their skills to keep up to date with the latest technology, and ILEAD U represents an exciting, innovative new program to build technology and leadership skills among Illinois librarians. We are thrilled to receive this grant and are ready to embark on ILEAD U this fall."

The grant was awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and is named after former First Lady Laura Bush, who holds a Masters degree in Library and Information Science and was employed as a librarian. White congratulated the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign for receiving a Laura Bush grant to offer scholarships aimed at developing more youth services librarians.