Look through the resource flyers at the Skokie Public Library, and one thing stands out: from HIAS Immigration & Citizenship providing citizenship classes to JVS Career Services offering career exploration workshops, JCFS has long been a trusted resource for library patrons. 

In turn, the library has served as such a dedicated collaborator to JCFS that the agency named the library its 2025 Community Partner of the Year. 

“Although the library is the recipient of this year’s partnership award, it feels like the roles should be reversed and we should be recognizing all the ways JCFS has enhanced our library services and spaces over many years,” said Nancy Kim Phillips, Director of Community Engagement for the Skokie Public Library, during her acceptance speech at the JCFS Annual Meeting in September.  

JCFS Chicago and the Skokie Public Library are so intertwined that on any given day there is a JCFS presence at the library.  

There are sharpened pencils and paper at every catalog kiosk, clean toys for toddlers, and countless buttons for readers of all ages, thanks to the vocational student volunteers previously supervised by longtime paraprofessional Kelvin Warner. Before his recent retirement, Kelvin regularly drove JCFS’s Knapp School & Yeshiva students to the library to volunteer, training them on all their library responsibilities. 

“This partnership is a win-win,” Nancy said. “Students learn skills to be successful in the work environment; the library saves hours of time while keeping our service standards high; and library patrons not only enjoy the results of the volunteers’ work but also can be part of an inclusive and accessible community.” 

The student volunteers continue to work at the library, keeping the partnership going following Kelvin’s retirement. 

“The student volunteers are part of our rhythm, and people appreciate them being here,” Nancy said. 

Twice a week the Let’s Get Together Book Club, which is designed for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, meets at the library. Nearly 15 of the participants are residents supported by JCFS. Aside from reading a book aloud every week, book club members build social connections and authentic community. 

“JCFS has been a really good anchor partner on that,” said Nancy, commending JCFS staff for providing transportation to the library for its residents as well as support during book club sessions. 

Another group that meets regularly at the library is the Niles Township Youth Coalition, which is a group of providers that work with middle and high school students. Nancy said that the group is lucky to have JCFS Response for Teens at the table, sharing information about a range of services for teens in the community.  

“I have been impressed by the people who come from Response,” Nancy said. “They are really engaged and knowledgeable about working closely with teens.” 

The Response team recently joined teen volunteers at the library to pack period products to donate to The Period Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to providing menstrual products to homeless and low-income individuals in the Chicagoland area.

In 2021, JCFS and the library’s Teen Services collaborated on a grant proposal to the Skokie Community Foundation, which requires partnerships for all submissions. The grant supported Response for Teens staff in providing mental health support to participants in the library’s Teen Civic Engagement Program as they explored issues important to them and built a sense of purpose and agency. 

In recent years the library has partnered with HIAS Immigration & Citizenship to enhance its services for immigrants and refugees with mock citizenship interviews. HIAS volunteers conduct the mock interviews at the library. After being put on hold for some time, these programs will resume in 2026.  

Just as the library supports new citizens, it also helps community members take the next step in their careers. While library staff can help jobseekers download resume templates and complete job applications, they rely on partners such as JVS Career and Employment for support with interview preparation and personalized professional branding, helping patrons build skills and confidence. 

“During in-person programs at the library, we’ve watched how JVS employment specialists apply their expertise with empathy to coach participants individually,” Nancy said.  

The library’s job-related partnership extends to the Duman Opportunity Center. Employment specialists from Duman have collaborated with the library to create internships, resulting in ongoing jobs for two library staff members. One of the employees who began as an intern is now pursuing a degree in library science.  

“Our collaboration is not only helping the people JCFS serves, the library and our patrons,” Nancy said. “But is also adding to our profession.” 

Read more about the library employee whose internship inspired her to study library science and begin a new chapter.