ILLINOIS – The Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS) recently invited school leaders to learn more about the benefits of school libraries and certified library staff.
On Jan. 20, 2026, school administrators and school board members across the state joined a virtual town hall meeting to discuss the impact of school libraries on students. Dr. Carol Hogan-Downey explained that IHLS works with schools to help students access books, resources and more.
“Our goal is to get a certified school library educator in every school in Illinois, because that’s going to help our students the most,” Hogan-Downey said. “Whatever level you’re at, we’re hoping for a step up from there. So get a library if you don’t have one, staff the library if you don’t have staff, get certified staff if you don’t have certified staff, so on and so forth, to help your kids, your students, learn and achieve.”
Hogan-Downey said that evidence has supported the need for libraries in schools. The town hall encouraged school leaders to work with IHLS to support their schools’ libraries and staff.
“The evidence is clear that having a school library and having a school librarian or a certified librarian in that library boosts test scores, boosts literacy, is what you need for excellent learning happening in your schools,” Hogan-Downey explained.
School libraries and certified librarians help students find books, but Hogan-Downey said this “extends beyond and goes deeper” than that. Librarians can help students find the book that triggers their love of reading.
Additionally, certified staff members are experienced at helping students navigate databases and research, which contributes to media literacy.
In Southern Illinois, many public libraries are actually library districts, meaning they cover multiple counties. People who live outside of these districts do not pay taxes toward their library, so they must pay a non-resident fee in order to utilize the public library.
School libraries make it easier for students to access books and resources, especially in rural areas where students might live outside of the public library district. Through IHLS, students can also access materials beyond what is physically available at their school library. IHLS has an interlibrary loan program that allows patrons to check out materials from libraries across the state.
All of these topics were a big part of the town hall meeting on Jan. 20. Hogan-Downey encourages school leaders to reach out if they want to know more about how to support their school library.
With offices in Edwardsville, Carbondale and Champaign, IHLS works with schools and libraries across the southern Illinois area. The organization can help schools find the funding and resources they need to elevate their library program.
Hogan-Downey encourages people to utilize their library, whether you have access to a school library, an academic library, or a public library. She believes libraries have resources that everyone can use, and librarians are trained to help community members access these resources.
“Just remember that whether it is your school library, your public library, if you’re involved in a college or university or academic library, your library is here to serve you,” she added. “They’ve been politicized in a lot of ways lately, but the library is not partisan. They are here. They’ve never been partisan. They’re here to serve their public. So check out your library.”
For more information about the Illinois Heartland Library System, visit the official website at IllinoisHeartland.org.
