CARLI News February 25, 2026

CARLI News February 25, 2026

Submitted by mjhuls on Wed, 02/25/2026 - 10:15am

CARLI Moving to New Support Ticketing System

On Thursday, February 26, 2026, CARLI will move to a new cloud-based ticketing system called TeamDynamix (TDX). It will replace the locally run ticketing system that CARLI has used since 2006 and will allow us to provide you with more consistent and better documented support.  
 
CARLI member libraries should continue to send email to to create a ticket with CARLI as they always have. The email address to contact CARLI will not change.  
 
However, instead of receiving ticket communication emails back from support@carli.illinois.edu, tickets from the new system will come from servicereplies@uillinois.edu. CARLI recommends that member library staff add this address, servicereplies@uillinois.edu, to your email address book and/or set it to be allowed through any local spam filters to ensure that you receive ticket communications from CARLI’s new ticketing system. 
 
For more information about CARLI′s new ticketing system, including improvements, handling of open tickets, and what may work a little differently, please see the FAQ "Contacting CARLI Support".  

CARLI Encourages Member Participation in the ACRL Library Trends and Statistics Survey

The 2025 ACRL Academic Library Trends and Statistics Survey deadline has been extended through March 31, 2026. With the conclusion of the IPEDS Academic Library Component, the ACRL survey has become the primary source of comprehensive data about the impact and value of academic libraries.
 
Your participation in this survey enables effective benchmarking, assessment of impact over time, tracking of emerging trends, and demonstration of library value to your administration. When CARLI members complete the survey, the collective data enhances our ability to demonstrate the consortium's value and supports our ongoing advocacy efforts.
 
Resources to help you complete the survey:

  • I-Share libraries can access statistical reports to help you complete the survey. Visit the I-Share Annual Statistical Package page for guidance on using CARLI's reports to answer specific ACRL survey questions. Section 3b of that page includes detailed instructions for matching CARLI statistics to ACRL survey questions. If you have questions about accessing or using these reports, please contact support@carli.illinois.edu.
  • View the "Noon Knowledge Exchange: Completing the ACRL Academic Library Trends and Statistics Survey" recording from February 18, 2026 where Devin Savage, Dean of Libraries at Illinois Institute of Technology and Elizabeth Brown, Director of Assessment at Binghamton University - State University of New York discuss with CARLI members questions, snarls, and sticky spots when completing the ACRL survey.

CARLI Committee Volunteer Application Period Opens March 9

If you have been considering volunteering for a CARLI committee, the application period will open on March 9 and remain open until May 1. Volunteers chosen will serve a three-year term. 

Service on CARLI committees and task forces affords individuals a unique opportunity to use their experience and expertise to help shape the future of the consortium and its services. You can find more information, including the charges for the various committees, from the committee directory.

Faculty and staff from all CARLI member libraries are encouraged to apply!

Call for Proposals for the 2026 Instruction Showcase

The CARLI Instruction Committee invites proposals for the 2026 Instruction Showcase, a forum for library workers across our consortium to share teaching approaches, practical strategies, and reflective insights currently shaping library instruction being held on June 4.

This year′s theme "Trust Us: The Role of Library Instruction in Transforming Landscapes" centers on trust and how we cultivate it with students, collaborate with colleagues, navigate systems and emergent technologies, while also developing our own expertise in a rapidly shifting information landscape.

We anticipate that most presentations will be 15-20 minutes, but please indicate if you would be interested in presenting a lightning talk to briefly present an idea or work in progress, or a 50-minute workshop to fully present a topic. Presentations may focus on:

  • Teaching demonstrations of current instruction practices, activities, or assessment (in-person, hybrid, or online), teaching materials, or learning tools and sneak peaks of those still in development.
  • Presentations reflecting on instruction practices, activities, or assessment, teaching materials, or learning tools (in-person, hybrid, or online)
  • Larger issues of cultivating or addressing trust in issues of instruction.

Deadline for Submissions: April 2, 5:00 p.m.
Notification of Acceptance: April 23

Free Speech Needs Free Libraries: Censorship in Libraries and Academic Spaces , April 16 - 1:00–2:30 p.m.

During this time of attacks on freedom of expression, libraries matter more than ever. Join us to find out more about the legal and social context for censorship in libraries. Theresa Chmara and Dr. Emily Knox will discuss the legal history of censorship, the legal landscape today, why people censor, and how to respond.

This webinar is the first of the Free Speech Needs Free Libraries series developed by CARLI, Orbis Cascade Alliance, and PALCI in support of our joint statement "Free Speech Needs Free Libraries."

E-Resources News

FY2027 E-resources Brokering Selection Period Open April 6–May 18

The FY 2027 E-Resources brokering period for libraries to make selections will tentatively be April 6 to May 18.

We will be offering products from Bloomsbury, EBSCO, Gale, Kanopy, MLA, Swank, The Chronicle of Higher Education, ProQuest, and Oxford University Press.

Electronic Resources Management Tea (ERMT)

These tea sessions are an opportunity to gather with electronic resources management peers, network, ask questions, comment on aspects of ERM that you are struggling with and/or are enjoying, and find community with a group of folks that are dealing with the same concerns and issues. Three upcoming sessions will be held on the fourth Wednesday of the month from March to May at 9:00 a.m.

Zoom meeting information:
https://illinois.zoom.us/j/88311733987?pwd=E6wObizWreEh2agzeBrklXrV0ZaQd1.1
Meeting ID: 883 1173 3987
Password: 655525

Consortia Manager Tricks and Tips - March 10 - 2:00–3:30 p.m.

Join the Commercial Products Committee for a webinar about ConsortiaManager, CARLI′s system for managing the e-resources brokering program. The webinar will include an overview of ConsortiaManager, as well as tips and tricks for navigating and using system features. 

Spring 2026 ERMC Webinar Series

Join the CARLI E-Resources Management Committee (ERMC) for their Spring 2026 ERMC Webinar Series. These sessions will be recorded and available for viewing on the CARLI website.

Interpreting Counter Stats & Storytelling - March 16 - 1:30–2:30 p.m.

Explore how to interpret COUNTER statistics and transform usage data into persuasive stories for academic libraries.

Using Analytics to Pull Your Data/Working with Vendors/ SUSHI without Analytics - April 13, 1:30–2:30 p.m. 

Learn about importing usage statistics into Alma, LibInsight, and other free SUSHI harvesters. We will demonstrate how to set up vendors and how to generate reports on these platforms. 

Technical Services Q&A

DEI Options for Alma and Primo VE - March 5, 10:00–11:00 a.m.

The Technical Services Committee has been investigating tools and techniques for libraries to address and revise harmful language in Primo VE catalog records. Options identified so far will be presented and we will discuss other actions that libraries and CARLI may take to manage harmful language.

Alma Acquisitions - March 26 - 10:00–11:00 a.m.

This informal discussion about using Alma Acquisitions functionality is for Acquisitions users at all experience levels. We know not all I-Share libraries use Alma Acquisitions, maybe you are one of these libraries, or maybe you have been using Acquisitions for the past 6 years but are still running into workflow hiccups and you would like advice from your colleagues.

Ask a Preservation Expert - May 1, 1:00-2:00 p.m.

Do you have questions about the best way to store and preserve your institution′s collections?  Join the CARLI Preservation Committee for Ask a Preservation Expert virtual office hours. Committee members will be on hand to answer questions, offer advice, and share resources to help you plan for the long-term preservation and access of your materials. The Preservation Committee includes members who specialize in archives and special collections, conservation, collections care, disaster planning, and more.

Don′t have a specific question? You’re still welcome to join the sessions and hear what other CARLI members want to know.

Learning Commons and Collaborative Library Spaces Open House

The CARLI Public Services Committee is hosting in-person open houses at Kishwaukee College and Northern Illinois University for CARLI members on April 8. Registration is limited to 25 people.

OER News

Call for Proposals: CARLI Member OER Initiative

The Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries of Illinois (CARLI) is pleased to announce the availability of its application for the CARLI Member OER Initiative. This OER Initiative will provide financial support to CARLI member libraries to increase the awareness and use of Open Educational Resources (OER) at their institutions.
 
For detailed information and to access the application materials, view the CARLI Member OER Initiative webpage. CARLI will fund approximately $300,000 in total for the CARLI Member OER Initiative.

Each CARLI member library may submit one proposal. Applications must be submitted online. Proposals are due by midnight on March 31.

LibreTexts Workshops

These workshops are part of a series of workshops designed for the CARLI members who have opted to use LibreTexts thanks to the support from the Illinois Support for the Creation of Open Education Resources (SCOERs) grant that CARLI received from the U.S. Department of Education. The workshops are open to all CARLI members. 

Virtual OER Meetup for Humanities Faculty, Instructors, and Librarians - March 6, 1:30–2:30 p.m. 

The CARLI OER Committee is sponsoring an upcoming virtual meetup intended for faculty, instructors, and librarians. Join us for a lively discussion designed to spark ideas, share experiences and tips, and explore opportunities for cross-institutional OER partnerships.

Open Pedagogy Workshop - March 4, 11:00 a.m. –12:30 p.m.

In this online workshop, you will learn the definition and context of Open Pedagogy, view innovative examples being applied in a variety of subjects and formats, and work with other attendees to create an assignment that you can use in your own class.

Community Chat: Students within Reach--Academic Libraries and Belonging - March 5, 9:00–10:00 a.m.

The CARLI OER and Public Services Committees invite those at Illinois libraries to an informal discussion on increasing student belonging through outreach, events, activities, campus collaborations, and employing open educational practices to empower students as co-creators in the classroom and beyond.

CARLI Archives Committee Announcements

Come One, Come All for a Peek into the ISU Circus & Allied Arts Collection

Milner Library at Illinois State University and the CARLI Archives Committee invite CARLI members to an Open House on April 16 from 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. that showcases Milner Library′s Archival Circus & Allied Arts Collections. Attendees will get an up-close glimpse of Special Collections at Milner Library, including the Circus & Allied Arts Collection, which is one of the three largest of its kind in the United States.

With complex collections comes a range of issues relating to arrangement and description, access, outreach, and care.

Come experience the spectacle of an archival collection that documents over a century of the circus in America. This collection contains over a million items, including manuscripts, correspondence, business records, posters, ephemera, books, photographs, advertisements, costumes, and more.

Please see the Archives Collection Highlight for an overview of just one portion of this amazing collection.

CARLI Member Archives Collection Highlight

This month's archives collection highlight is on the Circus & Allied Arts Collection, held at Illinois State Milner Library. The collection includes photographs, letters, and a pro-management petition scroll related to the 1938 strike of workers on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Read this full article for a more in-depth view of this special collection or make plans to join the open house being held at Illinois State University Milner Library on April 16.

Professional Development Alliance Events

The following programs from the Professional Development Alliance are currently on the calendar. Programs are offered on a wide variety of subjects. Check out everything the alliance is making available to our libraries!

  • February 26: Navigating the Continual Evolving AI Landscape
  • February 26: Next Chapter: Career Literacy for Library Staff – Managers: How to Create Job Postings
  • March 3 and 5: Making Documents Accessible - Part 1: Microsoft Word; Part 2: Power Point
  • March 4: CARLI Open Pedagogy Workshop
  • March 11: Strengthening Library Services through Student Staff Engagement and Development
  • March 12: Next Chapter series: Career Literacy for Library Staff - Turning the Page: Career transitions outside of libraries
  • March 24: From Memorization to Critical Thinking: An Embedded Librarian′s Guide to Designing Higher-Order Assessments
  • March 31: The Facilitation Librarian: Collaborative Conversations for Community
  • March 31: Personal Workflows, Tips, and Tricks to Make Our Jobs Easier
  • April 2: Open Education vs Inclusive/Equitable Access: Cage Match vs Co-Existence?
  • April 2: Rewriting the Inner Critic: Using Writing as a Tool to Challenge and Transform Self-Doubt
  • April 8: From Concept to Display: Creating Impactful Library Exhibitions
  • April 9: Management 103 - Managing with Emotional Intelligence
  • April 14: Teaching Data Literacy
  • April 16: Copyright and OER Creation

To register, visit the CARLI Event Calendar.

Recordings of past CARLI-sponsored PDA events are available on the Professional Development Alliance website when permitted by the presenter. 

View recordings of past AI-specific PDA webinars offered this fiscal year, compiled by Minitex.
 
Are you interested in presenting a topic for CARLI members and the Professional Development Alliance? Or would you like to moderate a follow up discussion for an upcoming program? to become more involved in CARLI′s continuing education efforts!

From Concept to Display: Creating Impactful Library Exhibitions - April 8, 1:00–2:00 p.m.

Join us for a webinar on creating impactful library exhibitions. Melanie Emerson (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) and Leora Siegel (Chicago Botanic Garden, Lenhardt Library) will draw on their experience across academic, museum, and research library contexts to illuminate the value of exhibitions as a core library function. They will consider why exhibitions matter—how they activate collections, advance institutional missions, support teaching and research, and cultivate meaningful engagement with diverse audiences. From increasing the visibility of underrepresented materials to opening new entry points into collections, exhibitions provide dynamic opportunities to interpret, contextualize, and connect.

Preservation Tip

Beyond Paper: Audio-Visual Formats
Stephanie Gowler, Book and Paper Conservator, Northwestern University Libraries

Basic preservation guidelines for audiovisual (AV) materials will sound familiar to anyone responsible for book and paper collections:

  • Maintain a stable environment: Unlike film-based formats (discussed last month), AV materials should NOT be frozen; keep them in a cool environment with 30-50% relative humidity (RH).
  • Handle carefully with clean, dry hands and keep away from food, drink, and smoke.
  • Place in supportive housings made of inert plastics (polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester) or pH neutral, buffered paper/paperboard. AV materials, including discs, cassettes, and open reel formats, should be stored vertically on shelves or in boxes.

The combined challenges of physical deterioration, obsolete media formats, and limited access to appropriate playback equipment or technical expertise can make efforts to preserve AV collections, especially daunting as preservation of AV materials will nearly always entail digitization, projects can be complex, costly and time consuming.

Read this full article for more information about identifying your materials and resources for planning any audiovisual digitization project.

Other Library News

Annual Library Certification

Annual certification, which is required of all CARLI Members, is now open! The form for 2026 has moved to the Library Directory and Learning Calendar (L2). The certification period ends on March 31. 

Please visit L2 for directions on how to complete your certification. If you have questions, you can view the ILLINET ILL Statistical Survey FAQ.

L2 Library Directory & Learning Calendar

RAILS has developed an onboarding handout, Library Directory & Learning Calendar (L2), to help libraries acquaint staff with the L2 platform and the benefits of creating an L2 account.

Any library type can use this onboarding handout to welcome new employees and trustees, or in turnover packets for new staff members. Those with an L2 account can register for webinars and networking events, find colleagues at other libraries, view delivery information, and much, much more.

The document includes information on creating and updating individual accounts or updating a library′s profile. The PDF file can be printed or shared digitally and included in any onboarding packets your organization uses.

New FY2026 L2 CMC Courses

Dr. Pamela Thomas at Illinois Heartland has added two new courses being offered this spring. To get the most benefit, cataloging knowledge and experience is strongly recommended.

Focus on Cataloging 3D Objects - April 20-May 3. This two-week course will provide hands-on cataloging of 3D Objects. 
Focus on Cataloging Realia - May 18-31. During this two-week course, students will originally catalog realia. 

Call for Nominations for the IACRL Executive Board

Want to make a difference in the Illinois academic library community? Looking for an opportunity to develop your leadership skills? Consider running for an Illinois Association of College & Research Libraries (IACRL) office!

Two offices, Secretary and Vice President/President-Elect, are on the ballot each spring. Terms run from July 1 to June 30 of the following year. Once elected, new officers are not expected to know how to do everything right away–previous officers and ILA staff are there to help when questions arise. More information is available on the ILA website.

If you are interested in running for either office or you would like to nominate someone else, please , IACRL Past President and Nominating Committee Chair, no later than March 25.

Learn more about IACRL on the Illinois Library Association website. 

IACRL Call for Submissions

IACRL is highlighting the outstanding scholarship happening in Illinois academic libraries—and want to feature your work in their Spring IACRL newsletter! If you’ve published recently, please consider sharing your contribution.

To be included, please send a citation or link to your publication, a brief summary or note about your work, and your name and institution to wegerk@iecc.edu by 4:00 p.m., March 5.

Upcoming CARLI Events and Meetings

Consult the CARLI calendar to view the current list of meeting times and locations.

Contact Us

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Registration is typically required for CARLI events. For more information and to register for events, please visit the event page links.