Act, 50 ILCS 70/1 et seq. 50 ILCS 70/1 et seq. requires public library districts and other units of local government to form a committee to study local efficiencies
The new law requires library districts to issue a report within the guidelines set by the Act. It is recommended that as part of the report that district libraries list intergovernmental agreements and outline efficiencies and cost savings through participation.
SWAN is providing a statement with information to cite for our member libraries that are working on their report. SWAN is an agency of Illinois formed under the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act, and each member library has an approved intergovernmental agreement that effectively creates SWAN (known officially as System Wide Automated Network). The written report that libraries must submit to its Illinois county should list its intergovernmental agreements, outlining the benefits and cost savings of those cooperative arrangements. To that end, SWAN has provided cost savings and metrics showing the benefits of participation in a resource-sharing consortium.