Committees

ILA's committees are instrumental to the work of the association

ILA's committees provide major support services for the membership at large and the ILA Executive Board. Terms of office vary and include a single two- or three-year term for most committees. This term is designed to provide an avenue for interested members to become easily involved in ILA activities, and staggered terms help ensure continuity. The opportunity to serve on or chair an ILA committee is a benefit of ILA membership; committee members and chairs, and forum managers and board members, are required to maintain personal membership in the association during their term of service.

The Committee Interest Form submission priority deadline to be considered for a July committee appointment is March 15. Forms will still be accepted after that date, but volunteer early for your first choices!

Committee Interest Form

Overall committee composition statement

Please also see individual committee composition statements and charges via the individual committee links to the right, or below.

It is the duty of the appointing officer to make appointments in keeping with ILA policies, and that reflect the Illinois library community’s diverse constituencies. Diversity includes, but is not limited to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital and/or familial status, mental and/or physical impairment and/or disability, military status, economic status, political affiliation, and other human distinguishing characteristics. In addition, the Illinois library community’s diverse constituencies include geographic location, type of library worker, and library type and size. Source: ILA Statement of Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

In the event of a committee vacancy with an unexpired term, the current president shall serve as the appointing officer. Replacement appointees serve out the remainder of the unexpired term.

Committee work cannot be done in absentia. A vacancy may be declared for any member who is absent for 25% of meetings and/or committee activities in the period of one year.

With the exception of the Nominating, Conference Program, iREAD, Public Policy, and Awards committees, the vice president/president-elect shall serve as the appointing officer of all committee terms that begin on July 1st of their year as president.

  • The immediate past president shall serve as the appointing officer of all Nominating Committee seats beginning on July 1st of their year as immediate past president.
  • The vice president/president-elect shall serve as the appointing officer of all Conference Program Committee seats beginning on July 1st of their year as vice-president.
  • The iREAD Committee identifies its own appointees, but the incoming chair is “subject to the approval of the vice president/president-elect.
  • The vice president/president-elect shall serve as the appointing officer of the Public Policy Committee and Awards Committee vice-chairs whose terms begin on July 1st of their year as president.

Committee chairs shall be considered members of the committee, holding one (or two, if there are co-chairs or vice chairs) of the existing committee terms. Unless otherwise noted, the committee chair role is a one-year term and the vice president/president-elect shall serve as the appointing officer of all committee chair terms that begin on July 1st of their year as president.

Approved by the ILA Executive Board 5/20/2021

Advocacy Committee
  1. Gail Graziani Gail Graziani, Co-chair, Member Head of Resource Services at Indian Prairie Public Library District

    Term ends 06/30/2023
  2. Nanette Donohue Nanette Donohue, Co-chair, Member Collections and Technical Services Manager at Champaign Public Library

    Term ends 06/30/2023
Awards Committee
  1. Elizabeth Boden Elizabeth Boden, Chair, Member Hinsdale Public Library

    Term ends 06/30/2023
Best Practices Committee
  1. Alea Perez Alea Perez, Chair

    Term ends 06/30/2023
Conference Program Committee, 2022
  1. Heidi Knuth Heidi Knuth, Co-chair Assistant Head of Youth Services at Bloomingdale Public Library

    Term ends 10/31/2022
  2. Lora Del Rio Lora Del Rio, Co-chair Humanities Librarian, Associate Professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

    Term ends 10/31/2022
Conference Program Committee, 2023
  1. Amber Creger Amber Creger, Co-chair Youth Department Director at Schaumburg Township District Library

    Term ends 10/31/2023
  2. Eric Anthony Edwards Eric Anthony Edwards, Co-chair Interlibrary Loan Librarian at Illinois State Library

    Term ends 10/31/2023
Diversity Committee
  1. Jazmin Wilson Jazmin Wilson, Co-chair, Member Children's/Teen Librarian at Lemont Public Library District

    Term ends 06/30/2023
  2. Lindsay Holbrook Lindsay Holbrook, Co-chair Librarian at Chicago Public Library

    Term ends 06/30/2023
Finance Committee
Fundraising Committee
  1. Rebecca Pfenning Rebecca Pfenning, Chair Head of Materials Management at Plainfield Area Public Library

    Term ends 06/30/2023
ILA Reporter Advisory Committee
  1. Jennifer Robertson Jennifer Robertson, Chair Adult Program Librarian at Carbondale Public Library

    Term ends 06/30/2023
Intellectual Freedom Committee
  1. Matthew Matkowski Matthew Matkowski, Co-chair, Member Associate Head of Public Services at Palos Heights Public Library

    Term ends 06/30/2023
iREAD Committee
  1. Donna Block Donna Block, Chair, Member Teen Services Librarian at Niles-Maine District Library

    Term ends 06/30/2023
Nominating Committee
  1. Jeanne Hamilton Jeanne Hamilton, Chair Director at Bloomington Public Library

    Term ends 06/30/2023
Public Policy Committee
  1. Ryan Livergood Ryan Livergood, Chair, Member Executive Director at Warren-Newport Public Library District

    Term ends 06/30/2023
iREAD Summer Reading Programs

Since 1981, iREAD provides high quality, low-cost resources and products that enable local library staff to motivate children, young adults, and adults to read.

Visit the iREAD website »