(CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS) – Illinoisans now will have access to a large collection of high-quality digital information and educational resources for free by going to their local library or the Illinois State Library’s website. 

The Illinois Reliable Information Sources, or IRIS, program was announced Tuesday by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. The state entered a contract with EBSCO Information Services — a digital library resource program used by universities, schools and libraries — to provide access to more than 50 of their databases to all Illinois residents.

It could not be immediately determined how much money went into program. 

While it’s common for libraries to have resources for research, not all libraries are able to pay for these kinds of services. 

“Access to reliable information should not depend on a person’s ZIP code or the financial resources of their local library,” Giannoulias said in a news release. “This investment will ensure every Illinois resident has access to educational, professional and personal enrichment resources while helping libraries stretch limited budgets and better serve their communities.” 

The new service includes free access to online databases with e-books, peer-reviewed journals, magazines, newspapers and research databases. Those collections include a diverse range of topics such as business, education, health, technology, science and more. 

The program is also available for academic libraries, which means students and educators will be able to use these databases for research projects and instruction. 

Libraries that already subscribe to other digital information services will be able to use this program and redirect the subscription money to other needs.

Illinois libraries are funded by a mix of property taxes and state and federal grants. Librarians have said it’s often difficult to decide what to prioritize when budgets get tight, and many Illinois libraries have reported they don’t offer online database subscriptions.

As part of last year’s budget implementation bill, Giannoulias advocated for expanded eligibility for Equalization Aid Grants to support more public libraries across the state. That effort increased the number of libraries receiving these grants from 17 to 108. 

According to the Reaching Across Illinois Library System, a regional library system that serves libraries in northern and west-central Illinois, approximately one million Illinoisans live without access to public library services, and this program will cover them, too.

“This statewide database will have a profound impact on libraries,” Amy Byers, library director for Chatham Public Library and former president of the Illinois Library Association, said. “It will help us expand services and continue to provide great resources to our patrons without having to weigh the option of having good, quality online resources.”

 

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.