GRANTS HELP LIBRARIES GET ON NATION'S INFORMATION HIGHWAY By SECRETARY OF STATE GEORGE H. RYAN

The Secretary of State's office recently awarded $975,000 in grants to make the collections of many Illinois libraries computer accessible and to provide libraries with access to "FirstSearch," an electronic information service.

These are the latest in a series of steps we have taken to help libraries and their patrons be a part of the information highway. They build on my Access Local Library (ALLY) program, which provided nearly $2 million earlier this year to put computers in more than 900 public, school and academic libraries across the state.

Once this system is complete, library users from Chicago to Carbondale and everywhere in between will be able to locate materials in libraries all over the state.

Under this year's most recent effort, each of the state's 12 regional library systems will receive a $50,000 grant to help additional member libraries put card catalogs on-line. Last spring, my office provided more than $1.6 million for similar grants. Both allocations were made possible through my 1993 "Live & Learn" permanent library funding initiative.

The River Bend Library System in Coal Valley, for example, is using its grant to help 10 area libraries convert card catalogs to computer records. Three libraries (historical, genealogical and aging) have records that will be especially useful to libraries in the rest of the state.

"FirstSearch"

Of the total $975,000 grant package, $375,000 will be used to upgrade library technology for "FirstSearch" and to give 2,900 school, public, academic and special libraries access to this service through their library systems.

"FirstSearch" is an easy-to-use research tool piloted at the Chicago Library System with a grant from my office. It provides on-line access to 40 popular databases, including the world's largest (WorldCat) containing 29 million records. Patrons can access books in 17,000 libraries in 52 countries by using "FirstSearch," which also provides instant access to the contents of thousands of magazine and Journal articles.

Under my program, each public, school and academic library will explore "FirstSearch" at its own pace and promote it to the public in its own way. Each library will have access to at least eight key "First- Search" databases for a year and unlimited use of all 40 "FirstSearch" databases during a four-week trial period.

With these grants, Illinois will be the first state library network in the nation to achieve this level of service. While libraries in California and elsewhere are closing their doors, Illinois libraries are arming themselves with information and preparing to enter a new era in information services.

As local librarians learn more about the information highway, students will be able to get more background information for term papers, science fairs and book reports. Teachers will be able to enrich their classrooms by finding new information and identifying unique projects, and general library users will be able to search for information on health, travel and endless other topics.

Half of the library systems were hooked up to "FirstSearch" in October, and the other half are being connected this month. The Illinois State Library will provide training and continuing assistance as each library begins experimenting with "FirstSearch."

November 1994 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 25

ALLY Grant Program

Since February 1994, the ALLY grant program has provided Illinois libraries with equipment and software to dial into local, regional and statewide databases of books and magazines. With these grants, virtually every school and public library in Illinois that wishes to will have a state-of-the-art computer.

For example, the librarian at Teutopolis High School said, "The students in the term paper class do extensive research twice a year for a lengthy paper. In the past, the teacher took the students to Lakeland College for this type of research because the school library could not provide this service. With the new computer link, our students are able to conduct their research at our own library."

This grant program served to increase awareness about library automation in general, and offers a first step for those libraries that, to date, have essentially been disenfranchised from the more sophisticated offerings of our statewide network.

I have spoken often about the need for libraries to keep pace with the incredible advancements we are seeing in information technology. We need to ensure that every Illinois library has the ability to be an on-ramp for the information highway. These grants are designed to help libraries do just that.

STATEMENT OF
OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION

(Act of August 12, 1970:
Section 3685, Title 39, United States Code)

1. Title of Publication: Illinois Municipal Review.

2. Date of Filing: 27th September 1994.

3. Frequency of Issue: Monthly.

4. Location of Known Office of Publication: 500 E.Capitol Ave., Springfield, Illinois 62701. (Sangamon County).

5. Location of the Headquarters or General Business Offices of the Publishers: 500 E. Capitol Ave., Springfield, Illinois 62701. (Sangamon County).

6. Publisher: Illinois Municipal League, 500E. Capitol Ave., Springfield, Illinois 62701. (Sangamon County).

Editor: Thomas G. Fitzsimmons, 500 E. Capitol Ave., Springfield, Illinois 62701. (Sangamon County).

Managing Editor: Thomas G. Fitzsimmons, 500 E. Capitol Ave., Springfield, Illinois 62701. (Sangamon County).

7. Owner (if owned by a corporation, its name and address must be stated and also immediately thereunder the names and addresses of stockholders owning or holding 1 percenter more of total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, the names and addresses of the individual owners must be given. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, its name and address, as well as that of each individual, must be given): Illinois Municipal League, 500 E. Capitol Ave., Springfield, Illinois 62701. (Sangamon County).

8. Known bondholders, mortgages, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None.

A. Total number copies printed: (average number copies each issue during preceding 12 months) 12,900; (single issue nearest to filing date) 13,000.

B. Paid Circulation: 1. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter sales (average number copies each issue during preceding 12 months) None; (single issue nearest to filing date) None.

2. Mail Subscriptions: (average number copies each issue during preceding 12 months) 12,413; (single issue nearest to filing date) 12,489.

C. Total Paid Circulation: 12,413. Single issue: 12,489.

D. Free distribution (including samples) by mail, carrier delivery, or by other means (average number copies each issue during preceding 12 months) 398; (single issue nearest to filing date) 395.

E. Total number of copies distributed: (average number copies each issue during preceding 12 months) 12,811; (single issue nearest the filing date) 12,884.

F. Office use, left-over, unaccounted, spoiled after printing: 1. (average number copies each issue during preceding 12 months) 89; (single issue nearest to filing date) 116.

2. Return from News Agents: (average number copies each issue during preceding 12 months) None; (single issue nearest to filing date) None.

G. Total (Sum of E & F—should equal net press run shown in A) (average number copies each issue during preceding 12 months) 12,900; (single issue nearest to filing date) 13,000.

I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete.
THOMAS G. FITZSIMMONS, Editor

Page 26 / Illinois Municipal Review / November 1994