These articles provide testimony in support of youth services which have been and continue to be a vital part of public library service in Illinois. Organized around the symbol of a mighty oak tree, the articles are divided into three sections: (1) The Trunk--based on strong roots with the past, standards, goals, and objectives are formulated; (2) The Branches--youth services in libraries are working with others in sharing services, facilities, and materials; (3) and The Leaves--changing with the times, youth services offer a new twist to an old program, an introduction to information in a form other than books, and excitement in sharing experiences with others. The first section comprises one article on standards, four on special collections, and two on literature trends. The second section comprises six articles on cooperation, one on friends of the library, two on cable television, two on summertime programs, and one on library users for whom English is a second language. The final section comprises six articles on telling tales, five on involvement programming, two on special events such as fairs, two on computers and kids, and two on toys and games. A list of the Illinois State Library Advisory Committee members and a directory of employees of the State Library are included. (THC)