Illinois CLICKS! FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)• What does CLICKS stand for? Citizens’ Library of Illinois Comprehensive Knowledge Service • Who started Illinois CLICKS!? > Many Illinois librarians had discussed having such a website, especially, Barbara Alexander, then with the Illinois State Library; Barb Brattin, then with Warren Newport Public Library; Jenny Levine, formerly of the Metropolitan Library System; Judy Moskal of Arlington Heights; Frances Roehm of the Skokie Public Library and others. Key to the site being established was then Director of the Illinois State Library, Jean Wilkins, who approved the project and provided startup funding in January of 2003. The first phase of Illinois CLICKS! would not have been possible without the contributions of the 70+ other librarians who joined the effort from every corner of Illinois. * Barbara Alexander, Network Consultant for the Illinois State Library, served as liaison to the project. * Louise McAulay, Director; and Pamela Brown and Jenny Levine, all from the then Suburban Library System (now Metropolitan Library System), served as advisors and the fiscal agent for the project. * Click here to see the names of the original Illinois CLICKS! team members, the “CLICKSters”! • When was Illinois CLICKS! started? > The initial idea was first discussed at meetings of a sub-committee of the Illinet Network Advisory Council, convened by Director Jean Wilkins at the Illinois State Library in 2002. Funding for Phase I was secured in January 2003 from LSTA funds granted by Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White. The site went live later that year, in October. • Who can join the Illinois CLICKS! team of librarians? How do I apply? > If you are a librarian and/or an individual with expertise in any of our main subject areas, you can volunteer to submit websites, local organization information, and local event information that will appear on Illinois CLICKS!. Contact us and let us know that you are interested in joining the volunteer team. If you have other ideas for subjects that should be included on the portal, we’d also like to hear from you. • How can I suggest a website to be included on Illinois CLICKS? > Send an email detailing your suggestion to Contact us • Aren’t search engines enough to find vital, high quality information? What does Illinois CLICKS! offer that they don’t? > No. Search engines simply use computer programs called “spiders” or “robots” to automatically go page by page through the web, reading content, and adding it to their databases. Unlike directories, especially those manned by specialists, a search engine cannot vouch for the legitimacy, authority, or quality of the information provided by the millions of websites accessible on the Internet. CLICKS! is a directory legitimized by the high caliber of subject experts who organize its contents: Illinois librarians! • Why was Illinois CLICKS! created? > Research for Illinois CLICKS! was conducted through surveys to Illinois librarians and by contacting existing statewide information program coordinators. Surveys were sent to all Illinois libraries and library systems. The preliminary results showed there was significant duplication of effort across Illinois libraries and a strong interest in the Illinois CLICKS! project throughout the state. With this portal, many can contribute and all in the state benefit. • How Was Illinois CLICKS! Created? > Other existing statewide information websites (Michigan Electronic Library, Librarians’ Internet Index, Alaska’s SLED, and several others) were surveyed for content, organization, and design. The librarians who created them were also queried about the costs of maintaining their portals in terms of dollars and staff time, and what they would do differently if they could start over. Program administrators then took this information back to the State Library, and in conversation with ISL staff and others in the Illinois library community developed the technology, usage, and methodology. > We then put out a call for volunteers for the first subject teams to be added to the website. These teams each had different skill sets and subject expertise, and worked with different audiences, from children to adults looking for jobs to senior citizens looking for health information. Read more about the project startup here • How is Illinois CLICKS! funded and supported? > Since its creation in 2003, it has been funded by the Illinois State Library (ISL), a Division of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), under the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and is supported by more than 100 librarians contributing numerous hours to developing and maintaining this statewide information portal. • Why is Illinois CLICKS! a Vital Service for Illinois? > It serves everyone in the state. > It brings resources to many citizens not served by traditional libraries. > It helps to bridge the digital divide by making information accessible to a large variety of people > It promotes Illinois and its resources to both residents and visitors > It saves tax dollars by minimizing individual libraries’ duplication of efforts in maintaining quality informational and education reference links. Web work takes time and expertise. When many work together, all benefit. Thus saving the local libraries the time and money necessary for a collection of authoritative and up-to-date web links. • How does Illinois CLICKS! provide this service? > By offering high quality information reviewed by librarians with subject expertise > including 13 subject teams of more than 100 librarians from each corner of the state > making navigation and comprehension easy for all > offering access to many previously hard-to-access, one-of-a-kind collections > With reliability, provided by a server housed at an Illinois State Library system and monitored 24 hours a day. • What topics does CLICKS! offer information for? > Arts & Entertainment, Business & Investing, Genealogy & Local, History, Home & Garden, Immigration, Law & Government, Travel & Tourism, Books & Reading, Consumer Information, Health, Homework Help, Jobs & Careers and Society & Culture. For more details, see the Illinois CLICKS! website. • Where can I get more information about Illinois CLICKS!? |
