Metropolitan
Library
System

A Message to Illinois Library Patrons

While you are aware of the financial problems the State of Illinois is experiencing you may not be aware of the impact it is having on your local public library service.

Illinois Library Systems are funded directly by the State. Two of the most important services that they support financially are shared online catalogs (SWAN in our case) and the delivery of materials between libraries.

Because of the long delays in receiving State monies due them, Illinois Library Systems are cutting services and staff. This will have an impact on your local library.

With the loss of MLS's financial support for services, your local library will need to cover these expenses itself and perhaps even downsize some services to make them more affordable.

The impact on services to patrons may include:

Limits on the number of items that may be ordered or borrowed from other libraries.
A longer waiting period for items requested from other libraries.
Modification or elimination of special programs or joint ventures such as the Macy's Museum Adventure Pass program

Libraries are dependent on community support, and during these difficult financial times you can help your local library by:

Limiting your interlibrary loan requests
Returning your borrowed materials on time
Paying your library fines and fees (all of which are used to buy new and replacement materials)

Over the next year(s) changes will occur as libraries adapt to the loss of system support. We will do all we can to keep you informed of these changes and to minimize their effects on service to you, our patrons.

Illinois libraries have always been and will continue to be committed to providing the best possible service to their communities. We will continue to work together toward that goal.

The priority of all Illinois libraries is to sustain the statewide delivery service and all shared online catalogs to make sure that resource sharing continues between libraries.