Today is the bittersweet last day of the Metropolitan Library System, and even though we are sad to leave MLS behind, we all should be looking forward to the new adventure that is RAILS. Over the past 12 months, representatives from the five merging systems (ALS, DLS, MLS, NSLS and PALS) have worked to ensure that there would be no interruption of member services. Although the road has sometimes been rocky and the outcome uncertain, hard work along with your cooperation has made it possible to achieve that goal.

So what happens tomorrow, when RAILS launches?

On Friday July 1, delivery will continue with the same schedules, the same routes, the same drivers, the same sorters, and even the same trucks with the same logos and the same license plates. Services will also continue for SWAN and the other local library system automation programs associated with RAILS. You will continue to contact system staff at the same phone numbers and email addresses as before.

In the future, as we introduce changes such as new email addresses and phone numbers for RAILS team members, we will keep you informed so you can keep in touch. Please stand by for more, and be sure to visit the new RAILS Web site (http://www.railslibraries.info/) for updates.

RAILS will hold the first official board meeting tomorrow, Friday July 1, at 10:00AM at the Burr Ridge location along with other remote locations, and we welcome all guests.

On June 22, 2011, the Merger Transition Board (MTB) met via conference call at several prearranged sites. The meeting was called to order by Su Erickson, President of the MTB.
Meeting Highlights:

• An Overview of Bids for RAILS Property and Casualty Insurance was provided. RAILS received two bid responses by the deadline of 12 Noon on June 20, 2011, one from HUB International Midwest Limited (HUB) and one from Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc. (Gallagher).
• The lowest bid meeting specifications is a combination of HUB providing Hartford’s quoted lines of coverage and Gallagher providing Philadelphia’s quoted lines of coverage.
• The MTB approved a combination of HUB providing Hartford’s quoted lines of coverage and Gallagher providing Philadelphia’s quoted lines of coverage.
• The effective date for the property and casualty insurance will be July 1, 2011.

Official minutes, when approved, will be posted to the merger website.

The final meeting of the Merger Transition Board is scheduled for Wednesday, June 29 at 5 p.m. The new RAILS Board will meet on Friday, July 1 at 10 a.m.

• RAILS FY12 Board of Directors

On June 9, 2011, the Merger Transition Board (MTB) met at the Metropolitan Library System (MLS) in Burr Ridge and via prearranged videoconference sites. The meeting was called to order by Su Erickson, President of the Merger Transition Board (MTB). Each meeting site had the customary opportunity to submit public comments and the meeting followed the Open Meetings Act requirements.

Meeting Highlights:

• The MTB Executive Committee recommended that Michael Piper, Executive Director of the Prairie Area Library System (PALS), be named RAILS Interim Executive Director. The MTB approved the recommendation and authorized the Executive Committee to have further discussions with Michael.
• The MTB voted to accept LIMRiCC as the carrier for the RAILS health insurance package (medical, dental, vision and group term life insurance).
• The Board approved the following:
  • a resolution that RAILS join the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF)
  • RAILS Severance Policy for FY 2012
  • RAILS Sick Leave Carry over
  • RAILS FY2012 Staff Salaries
• Su Bochenski, Committee Liaison, reported on the Nominating Committee’s election timeline and on the slate of candidates for the RAILS Board. Election results will be announced on Monday, June 20.

Official minutes, when approved, will be posted to the merger website.

There will be a special meeting of the Merger Transition Board for the selection of insurances at a date to be determined. The final meeting of the Merger Transition Board is scheduled for Wednesday, June 29 at 5 p.m. The new RAILS board will meet in July.

On May 18, 2011 the Merger Transition Board (MTB) met at the Metropolitan Library System (MLS) in Burr Ridge and via prearranged videoconference sites.

• Su Erickson, President of the Merger Transition Board, reported on the status of the application to merge five northern and central Illinois library systems. A letter was received from Anne Craig, Director of the Illinois State Library stating that the Secretary of State and Illinois State Library approved the Application to Merge.
• Su Erickson reported on the status of hiring Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) staff and on the receipt of a letter from Anne Craig stating that the Merger Transition Board could not sign an employment agreement with Tom Sloan, DuPage Library System (DLS) Executive Director, to serve as the RAILS Interim Executive Director because the MTB hiring process was not in compliance with the Governmental Joint Purchasing Act.
• The Merger Transition Board received updates on work being conducted through contracted services in support of establishing fiscal services, developing recommendations for staff benefits, developing recommendations for position descriptions and a salary schedule, and facilities planning.
• The following were approved by the MTB:
  • Fiscal Accountability Policy
  • Provision for Appeal of Board Decisions on Membership Policy
  • Resource Sharing Policy
  • Employee and Employer Payment Share Policy
  • Recommendation of IMRF to service as the RAILS retirement plan
  • RAILS Employee Handbook
• The MTB received an updated Projected Cash Flow report regarding the financial status of the current systems.
• The LLSAP contracts were reviewed. They will be included in the RAILS Fiscal Year 2012 System Area and Per Capita Grant application.
• Su Bochenski, Nominating Committee Liaison and Executive Director of MLS, provided an update on the election of new system board members. The Slate of Candidates was presented and the Nomination and Election Timeline reviewed.
• The FY2012 System Area and Per Capita Grant Application was approved by the MTB for submission to the Illinois State Library.
• Tom Sloan reported on the work conducted by the Management Association of Illinois in developing RAILS job descriptions and a RAILS salary structure.  Anne Craig reported on the fiscal condition of the State of Illinois and salary structure issues regarding positions funding through the System Area and Per Capita Grant.
• Kathleen Pilat, Communications Subcommittee Chair, presented a final report from the Subcommittee on recommendations for determining a RAILS logo.
• Official minutes, when approved, will be posted to the merger website. The next meetings of the Merger Transition Board are scheduled for June 9 and June 29 at 5 p.m.

Update on RAILS Staffing and Interim Executive Director Position

• At the May 18, 2011 meeting, the Merger Transition Board (MTB) agreed that to facilitate the merger transition, all full-time and part-time ALS, DLS, MLS, NSLS, and PALS employees who are employed as of June 30, 2011 will be employed by RAILS on July 1, 2011 and granted existing system executive directors the authority to hire RAILS staff.

• The Merger Transition Board (MTB), at the April 20, 2011 meeting, voted to hire Tom Sloan, DLS Executive Director, as the RAILS Interim Executive Director. At the MTB meeting on May 2, 2011, the MTB received a recommendation from the RAILS Executive Committee that the MTB approve an employment agreement for Mr. Sloan. Anne Craig, Director of the Illinois State Library (ISL), noted that the MTB could discuss and vote on the agreement, but she asked that the contract not be signed pending legal review by the Illinois State Library. At the Merger Transition Board meeting on May 18, 2011, Su Erickson, President of the MTB reported that the MTB could not sign an employment agreement with Mr. Sloan because the Illinois State Library had determined that the MTB’s hiring process was not in compliance with the Governmental Joint Purchasing Act. On May 19, 2011, Mr. Sloan reported to the officers of the MTB that his understanding of the Interim Executive Director position had considerably changed based on conversations and meetings conducted between the MTB and ISL. He respectfully withdrew his name from consideration as the Interim Executive Director.

“We are very pleased to receive the approval of Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White to merge our five systems in order to reduce operating costs and continue to provide critical services to libraries and their users,” said Su Erickson, President of the Merger Transition Board. “The merger has been a cooperative and collaborative effort among the boards of the five systems, the Merger Transition Board, and the Illinois State Library,” she added.

RAILS services will be provided to more than 1,500 public, private, university, and school library members at more than 3,700 library locations in a 27,000 square mile area. The organization will also provide talking book services for persons unable to read or use conventional print material due to a visual or physical disability in all 102 Illinois counties.

More information about the merger is available from the Merger website at: http://www.systemsmerger.info.

The open house will be held on Thursday June 2 from 12:00 – 3:00 PM at 125 Tower Drive, Burr Ridge IL 60527.

Download the invitation here:

• MLS Merger Celebration Invitation (pdf)

This is also the day of our regular MLS/SWAN quarterly meetings, so the schedule will be:

• SWAN Quarterly: 9:30—11:30AM
• MLS Quarterly: 11:30—12:00PM
• Merger Celebration: 12:00PM—3:00PM

On May 2, 2011 the Merger Transition Board (MTB) met at the Metropolitan Library System in Burr Ridge and via prearranged videoconference sites.

Meeting Highlights:

• The MTB approved the FY2012 Plan of Service for RAILS.
• A slate of candidates for the FY2012 RAILS Board of Directors was announced.
• The MTB selected the Metropolitan Library System’s building in Burr Ridge as the FY2012 RAILS administrative office. The final choice of RAILS headquarters will be based on the facilities study now underway. A permanent headquarters will be chosen by the FY2012 RAILS Board.
• The MTB agreed to defer any decision regarding establishing a member advisory council to the FY2012 RAILS Board in order to allow time for RAILS members to fully participate in the council’s planning process.
• The MTB approved the contract for the RAILS interim executive director. The process to select the interim executive director is under review by the Illinois State Library.
• A draft of the FY2012 System Area and Per Capita Grant was reviewed.
• Tom Sloan reported on the RAILS FY2012 administrative staff search process and organization.

Official minutes, when approved, will be posted to the merger website.

The next meetings of the Merger Transition Board are scheduled for May 18 at 4 p.m., and June 9 and June 29 at 5 p.m.

Meeting Highlights:

• Reports were presented on the contractual services work to support the planning and implementation of RAILS financial services, a human resources plan including benefits, and facilities planning.
• The MTB adopted a Policy for Visitors to Speak at Board Meetings and discussed a proposed policy on the approval of the last meeting minutes of the MTB.
• The projected cash flow report of the five systems was presented by Michael Piper, PALS Executive Director and reports on the current status of services, budgets, and properties were presented by the executive staff of ALS, DLS, MLS, NSLS, and PALS.
• The merger planning process and timeline were reviewed by Jane Arsenault, merger consultant. Michael Piper provided an update on the LLSAP process and timeline for contracting for services, and an update on issues regarding libraries served in the Quad Cities area.
• Based on the recommendation of the MTB Search Committee, the MTB approved the selection of Tom Sloan, DLS Executive Director, as the RAILS Interim Executive Director.
• The MTB discussed a proposal on selecting the MLS/Burr Ridge location as the RAILS administrative office for FY12.
• Janice Sherman, MTB Nominating Committee Chair, provided an update on plans for conducting the election of the RAILS Board of Directors and a report on nominations received as of April 20, 2011.
• A proposed FY12 RAILS Plan of Service and an update on the process and timeline for the development, approval, and submission of a FY12 Area and Per Capita Grant Application were presented by Su Bochenski, MLS Executive Director.
• The MTB accepted the report from the MTB Communications Subcommittee on a proposed FY12 Communication Plan.
• Official minutes, when approved, will be posted to the merger website. The next meetings of the MTB are scheduled for May 2, 2011 and May 18, 2011 at 4 p.m.

Nominating yourself is quick and easy, just read through the nomination information here: http://www.systemsmerger.info/board/nominations, then complete the nomination form.

Serving on the first board of a newly merged system will be interesting and challenging, and is an opportunity to help shape services that over 1500 members across 27,000 square miles will receive.

While all Directors are expected to represent the entire System, the Board of Directors will be made up of the following types of individuals.

• Eight (8) seats will be held by Board members of Member Public Libraries.
• One (1) seat will be held by an individual representing a School Library.
• One (1) seat will be held by an individual representing an Academic Library.
• One (1) seat will be held by an individual representing a Special Library.
• The remaining four (4) seats will be filled by individuals elected at large and representing libraries of any types: public, academic, school and special, and without regard to type of library.