Before you begin
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Welcome
The following guide contains information on the following topics to start your school year:
Welcome to 2026/2027 School Libraries (click to expand for list of topics)
- Closing Dates & End-of-Year Dates
- Delivery Start Date
- Having trouble logging in to WorkFlows?
- WorkFlows Quick Reference
- Restore your WorkFlows Configuration Folder onto your computer
- Batch uploading students to WorkFlows
- Holds and Picklists – a refresher
- Need Help Cataloging an Item?
- Brief Record Upgrade Process
- Training Videos
- Request a visit
- Information from RAILS
Download the Welcome to 2026/2027 School Libraries guide
July 2026
How to Run Your School Library
The Operations Manual is designed to support staff who work on the front lines with patrons at RSA member libraries.
Go to the Operations Manual page
The Documentation Index contains a list of every RSA document on this support site.
Go to the Documentation Index page
Circulation
User Registration for School Libraries Standard
Students attending RSA School Libraries are permitted to have a card both at their local public library and at their school library. December 2025.
Download the User Registration for School Libraries standard
User Registration for School Libraries Guide
Instructions on how school libraries should register student and faculty users in WorkFlows. December 2025.
Download the User Registration for School Libraries guide
User Registration for School Libraries Video
Watch the video “User Registration for School Libraries” 10:41 minutes 
Circulation Overview for School Libraries Video
Watch the video “Circulation Overview for School Libraries” 46:16 minutes
Discarding a Lost Item from a Graduated Student Procedure
Note: This should only be done with items that belong to your library. If it belongs to a different library, please contact them about the issue. July 2026.
Download the Discarding a Lost Item from a Graduated Student procedure
Special Due Date Helpers
This guide discusses how to use the special due date helper in the checkout, renew user, and renew item wizards.
View the Special Due Date Helpers page to download the guide or watch a video
Learn on YouTube
Head over to our YouTube channel to find a playlist curated just for school libraries.
Cataloging
Cataloging Links
How to Catalog in WorkFlows (Cataloging Handbook)
For more info beyond these topics, see the Cataloging Handbook.
Reports, Data, and Statistics
Monthly Statistical Reports page – updated monthly, these downloadable reports share collection, hold transit and circulation info.
System Generated Reports page – a grid/matrix documenting all the reports that RSA sends out through our system.
Annual Requirements
Illinois State Library Annual Certification 2026
A comprehensive guide to completing the certification can be found at this external site.
In compliance with Illinois statutes and administrative rules [23 Ill. Adm. Code 3030.200], annual certification is required of ALL library system members to retain system membership and eligibility for grants administered by the Illinois State Library. Examples of Illinois State Library grants include public and school library per capita grants and public library construction grants. Completing the ILLINET Interlibrary Loan & Reciprocal Borrowing Statistical Survey is a prerequisite for certification and should be completed by December 31, 2025.
The Illinois State Library Annual Certification form has been streamlined and moved to the Library Directory and Learning Calendar (L2). The certification period runs from January 2 to March 31, 2026.
RSA Schools Grant Survey 2026 (open August 10th to September 23rd, 2026)
All School, Special, and Academic Members must fill out a short survey to provide your Collection Budget total for the 2025/26 school year.
Every year, RSA provides data to help RAILS determine the total grant to RSA. We need data about your collection budget. The survey will open on August 10th and remain open until September 23rd, 2026.
Providing this data is about the most important thing you can do as an RSA member. In 2020, RAILS grant funds for School, Special, and Academic libraries ranged between $5,499 and $9,571. Libraries who don’t provide data result in a loss of grant funds for your library.
You must submit ONE survey per RSA Member. If your library has branches, please fill out the survey with the combined data for all the branches automated in RSA (i.e. using WorkFlows). Non-automated buildings ARE NOT included in your count. Your response should be the total of all the branches covered by your RSA membership (3 libraries for Abingdon – Avon for example)
This survey will be sent out via email, so be sure to subscribe to updates.