Led by a steering committee of Chicago-area librarians, we plan and present RA training, in-depth genre studies, book discussion training, and other professional development opportunities for librarians and library staff.
Our steering committee also crafts the ARRT Popular Fiction List, a self-evaluative training tool testing RA knowledge. The latest edition of the list is available to subscribers of NoveList Plus in their Readers' Advisory Toolbox.
We Believe That Black Lives Matter
We believe that Black Lives Matter and we stand in solidarity with Black Americans and especially with our Black colleagues. We see you.
As members of a profoundly White profession and as people who curate collections of books and put those titles into the hands of our communities, we acknowledge our privilege and commit to using our privilege to amplify the voices of Black authors.
We acknowledge that the time to say something was long ago and we recognize that this is not enough. We commit to doing the work to be an anti-racist organization.
Current Steering Committee Members
Karen Toonen, Chair
Naperville Public Library
Layne Arens
Chicago Public Library
Jennifer Asimakopoulos
Wheaton Public Library
Mary Constance Back
Rolling Meadows Public Library
Becca Bolan
Skokie Public Library
Natalie DeJonghe
Westmont Public Library
Kelly Griffin
Chicago Public Library
Christi Hawn
Naperville Public Library
Mike Hominick
Northbrook Public Library
Elizabeth Hopkins
Lisle Library District
Eddie Kristan
Warren-Newport Public Library
Jez Layman
Elmhurst Public Library
Margita Lidaka
Oak Park Public Library
Matthew Matkowski
Palos Heights Public Library
Loretta Murray
Chicago Public Library
Stacey Peterson
Batavia Public Library
Karen Petroski-Sienko
Oak Brook Public Library
Sonia Reppe, Secretary
Stickney-Forest View Public Library
Bill Stephens
Bensenville Public Library
Mary Kay Stiff
Niles-Maine District Library
Melissa Stoeger
Deerfield Public Library
Carrie Straka
Itasca Community Library
Mary Sustar
Downers Grove Public Library
Emily Vinci
Schaumburg Township District Library
Debbie Walsh, Treasurer
West Chicago Public Library