WHO WE ARE
Founded in 1966, the Lewis & Clark Library System is one of nine regional
multitype Library Systems in Illinois, funded by grants from the Secretary of
State’s office through funds appropriated by the Illinois General
Assembly. Each of the regional library systems, Lewis & Clark Library
System included, offers a variety of services to the multitype libraries within
a specific geographic region. Illinois Library Systems, as such, do not
administer or govern library members instead we provide services to our
membership. The core set of services offered consists of:
- Automation/Technology
- Bibliographic Access
- Consulting*
- Continuing Education
- Delivery
- Interlibrary Loan
- Reciprocal Access
- And more
*Consulting assignments cover such topics as collection
management, library establishment, expansion and development of library
service, grants development, interlibrary cooperation activities,
legislation/law, library and personnel administration, marketing of library
services, planning and budgeting, and others.
The Lewis & Clark Library System’s regional area covers 4,915 square miles
in an eleven county area of southwestern Illinois with the System headquarters
located 20 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri. According to the 2000 U.S.
Census, this area has a total population of 670,077. As can be imagined,
the population in the Lewis & Clark Library System (LCLS) service area is
quite diverse, as are the libraries that directly serve those
populations. We serve communities in Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Green,
Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Sangamon, and St. Clair
counties.
From rural to suburban, impoverished to affluent, homogenous to multicultural,
the people served by the library members of LCLS all equally have access to
library services and materials. The LCLS membership consists of 134
academic, public, school, and special libraries, 60 of which fund and
participate in the Local Library System Automation Project through a shared
integrated library system (GateNet).
We are governed by a nine-member Board of Directors composed
of five public library trustees and four representatives from the academic,
public, school, and special libraries in our service area.
MISSION
Lewis
& Clark Library System advances libraries in successfully serving the
evolving needs of their communities.
VISION
As
a catalyst, LCLS enables Illinois residents to benefit from seamless, quality
library service.
VALUES
We
value people, equity, access, collaboration, excellence, intellectual freedom,
and diversity.
Lewis & Clark Library System: Possibilities