HR0479 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0479 LRB096 13089 KXB 27563 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Tamiye Trejo Meehan, Director of the Indian Trails Public Library District since 1997, on being nominated for the Robert R. McClarren Legislative Development Award 2009, and on her retirement as Director of the Indian Trails Public Library District; and

WHEREAS, Tamiye Trejo Meehan was an articulate spokesperson on behalf of Illinois Libraries with the Illinois Secretary of State, members of the General Assembly, and members of the Illinois Congressional delegation; she was instrumental in establishing a program of legislator education and awareness in Internet Filtering and Tax Increment Finance legislation; and she encouraged others to become involved in the legislative process on behalf of libraries; and

WHEREAS, In May of 2007, Tamiye was in Springfield as the Illinois Library Association's (ILA) official representative to testify before the Illinois House of Representatives regarding the impact of the proposed Internet Filtering Bill, House Bill 1727; she explained why mandatory statewide Internet filtering would not protect children from inappropriate sites, virtual contact, or pictures; she gathered stories and statistics from libraries statewide, and she built on research and evidence gathered by ILA in the perennial battle against filtering; and

WHEREAS, Her legislative efforts also included expansion of TIF legislation to include library compensation when new development in the community increases the number of library users and impacts services; and

WHEREAS, As President of the ILA, Tamiye mobilized and supported ILA's Intellectual Freedom Committee efforts to present crucial training on Intellectual Freedom to library directors, staff, and board members throughout the State; the ILA Intellectual Freedom Committee's good efforts were so successful that they are being awarded the ProQuest/SIRS State and Regional Intellectual Freedom Award, to be presented at the American Library Association's Annual in Anaheim, California in June, 2009; and

WHEREAS, From the beginning of her tenure at Indian Trails, Tamiye saw to it that Board members and staff at every level were aware of larger issues; every year, pages, clerks, paraprofessionals, and librarians made the trip to Springfield for Legislative Day; Board members attended State and national legislative events, as well as ILA, PLA, and ALA conferences where they not only stayed on top of legislative concerns, they also networked with other trustees and then were able to call upon that network when legislative concerns arose; and

WHEREAS, Tamiye encouraged trustees to visit with elected officials at their home offices; Indian Trails Public Library District officials were frequently invited to attend and participate in library functions; nearly all area community representatives appeared at the library to recognize the efforts of volunteers, staff, and Friends of the Library; most of the representatives within the library district read their favorite book for their very own READ posters that could be found on display in their Springfield offices; and

WHEREAS, As a library director committed to her profession, Tamiye worked to support the Indian Trails Public Library District trustees and staff in their advocacy efforts for more than ten years; the best proof of her success was walking through the Illinois State Capitol and having trustees called over for a hug from their State representative, not the other way around; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Tamiye Trejo Meehan on this nomination and her retirement and wish her continued success in all her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Tamiye Trejo Meehan as a symbol of our respect.