J/S Educational Concepts at the Hilton Oak Lawn, 9333 S. Cicero Avenue hosted the CTLA meeting at 8:30 am. The hosts names are Richard Simons, Joe Vulpone, and Susan Raye. The program consists of idea exchange and family reading night discussion. We also had direct representatives for: ABDO, Booksource, Lerner, Raintree UXL, Millbrook/21st Century, and Marshall Cavendish/Benchmark Books. There were drawings for free books, book reviews, food and fun.

The meeting was opened with minutes read from the last meeting and the treasury report was given. Kathy Ryan, our director, thanked the venders for sponsoring the meeting and she also acknowledges the retires. Gwen Hilary and Barbara Fields retired in June and were honored at that time and Diane Walker will retire in December. They are regional librarians and their positions will be open for those who are interested. The topics Cathy Ryan discussed are as follows:

1. Staff that put together new educational plans should include libraries.
2. Duncan’s team, hired from the University of Chicago, will do educational plans for CPDUs. Melva Samuels is responsible for this plan to establish goals for this coming year. Published copies are available.
3. The Department will offer CPDU’s for everything offered to the school librarians by the region office.
4. Every school should have a strong central library, and a reading incentive to get material into the hands of the children.
5. Contact Diane at 553-6216, to participate in the Channel 23 reading program.
6. The classes sponsored by the Department at Dominican University are full.
7. The Union needs to be aware of our concerns. We need union representation and lobby our concerns.
8. We need to develop a library curriculum guide. The librarian’s job is to provide resources for the children to read.
9. ASL Forum- National Board Certification - This teacher certification makes teachers aware of standards of what a media specialist is to do so that librarians may be seen as teachers and not just a person that pass out books.

Dates to consider:
Nov. 1, family literacy night
Nov. 7-9, ISLMA – volunteers needed
Nov. 18-24, Childrens' Book Week
Nov. 21, Illinois family Reading Night
Nov. 23, Book-a-Mania
Next meeting will be Nov. 16.

Respectfully Submitted,
Maude Muhammad
Recording Secretary