ALA Grants for Libraries Transforming Communities

As part of our continued partnership with the American Library Association (ALA) to support library workers through the Libraries Transforming Communities project, we wanted to share this related grant opportunity with the network.

Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities will offer more than $7 million in grants to small and rural libraries to increase the accessibility of facilities, services, and programs to better serve people with disabilities. ALA is now accepting applications for grants to be distributed over the next three years ranging from $10,000 to $20,000. Applications are open through February 28, 2023. Learn more about this opportunity in the post below and find further details at www.ala.org/LTCAccess. 

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Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities

Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities will offer more than $7 million in grants to small and rural libraries to increase the accessibility of facilities, services, and programs to better serve people with disabilities.

To be eligible, a library must have a legal service area population of 25,000 or less and be located at least five miles from an urbanized area, in keeping with Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) definitions of small and rural libraries.

ALA is now accepting applications for grants to be distributed over the next three years ranging from $10,000 to $20,000. 

Participating libraries will first conduct community input-gathering sessions to assure that their work aligns with local needs. Libraries will be required to identify the primary audience they are hoping to reach (e.g., homebound seniors, children with autism, Deaf community members) and facilitate a community conversation with the impacted populations in order to guide improvement of the library’s services. Grantees would then use the funds to create services or improve their facilities based on the needs identified by their audience.

Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities is part of ALA’s longtime commitment to preparing library workers for the expanding role of libraries. The initiative is offered in partnership with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL).

Find the full post and apply at: www.ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities/access