Illinois School Library Workers Symposium 2026

The library is one of the most expensive classrooms in the school, and where and how we spend our funds reflects what we value.  As collaborative school partners, we often want to say yes to every request for books or materials, and yet we also know that we have to prioritize or else we will run out of funds by October.  How do we make these decisions fairly?  How can we justify these decisions with our stakeholders without it seeming like we are just playing "favorites" with students or staff? In this presentation, we will discuss FREE methods to track spending and purchases as well as FREE resources and ideas for obtaining resources to secure "extra" items that you know your students and staff have been craving.  Attendees will learn how to leverage local resources and consider potential opportunities for collaboration and community partnership.