The Metropolitan Library System will serve 77 academic, 86 public, 294 special or corporate, 114 public school district, and 52 private school libraries. Traditional services such as materials delivery, access to computerized resources, and staff development will be offered, as well as nontraditional services such as consultation on administrative and technical matters.
CMLS Executive Director Alice Calabrese, who is also serving as SLS interim director, will head the new system, which she told American Libraries will be the largest of its kind in the nation, even though it does not include the Chicago Public Library. The boards of the two systems met separately March 22 to approve the union, which was then given a stamp of approval by the Secretary of State May 1. The CMLS office in Chicago and the SLS office in Burr Ridge will both remain open, Calabrese said.
Posted May 14, 2004.