Insight

              Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White
has named Anne Craig the new director of the
Illinois State Library. Craig has been employed at
the State Library since 1989, most recently as
associate director, Library Automation and
Technology.
“Anne is innovative, personable, hard-working and
proactive, and I am confident that she will keep the
State Library strong and responsive,” said Secretary
White. “One of Anne's greatest strengths is her
knowledge and expertise about technology and
how libraries must use automation and technology
to better serve the needs of patrons.”
Craig is charged with carrying out the State Library's
mission to develop and promote libraries and to
provide librarians training and continuing education
opportunities that allow them to better serve library
users. “Illinois has a network of 4,000 public,
school, academic and special libraries, and Anne is
committed to strengthening that network and
maintaining our libraries as the best and most
reliable sources of information in the state,” said
White.
During her tenure with the State Library, Craig has
played a role in the development of such major
initiatives as Find-it! Illinois, the statewide digital
library, and the Illinois Digital Archives. “Though
the State Library's major responsibility is to serve
state government, Anne has helped the library
become a computer-age source for information that
can be accessed by anyone,“ said White.
Craig also has served the State Library as
coordinator of Public Services, ILLINET/OCLC
network coordinator and as a reference librarian.
Prior to joining the State Library she worked at
Founders Memorial Library at Northern Illinois
University. She obtained both her B.A. and Master's
of Library and Information Studies degrees from
NIU. A native of St. Charles, Illinois, Craig's father,
mother and brother all are librarians. She and her
husband, Paul Knox, live in Springfield with their
three children.
May/June
in
this
issue
New State Library
Director Named
Illinois Authors
Book Fair
National Library
Week
Illinois Emerging
Writers
Competition
Letters About
Literature
Winners
Secretary White names Craig State Library director
2005
Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White and the Illinois Center for the Book
have established the first annual Illinois Emerging Writers Competition. The competition
promotes writing and creativity and recognizes and encourages new talent.
This year's category is poetry. Three cash prizes will be awarded, and winning poems
will be submitted for possible publication in Ninth Letter magazine, Another Chicago
Magazine and Rhino magazine. The competition is open to Illinois residents age 18 and
over. The deadline for entering the contest is June 30. For more information, visit
www.cyberdriveillinois.com.
ILLINOIS EMERGING WRITERS COMPETITION
State Library Director Anne Craig and Secretary White.