Illinois - Funding

RE: Best Small Library in America, nomination guidelines

2008-08-26T19:22:13Z

The 2008 Guidelines are out: The Best Small Library in America (2008) Guidelines

You also may want to check out the webinar archive featuring last year's winner: Best Small Library in America: Chelsea District Library

RE: Re: Grants and gifts

2008-08-26T19:15:18Z

Here's a grant that has potential for some small/rural libraries:

Grants for Urban, Public, and School Libraries

Deadline: September 15, 2008
Source: GrantWrangler.com
Web Site• The Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, Inc.

Subscribe to the Grant Wrangler Bulletin

The Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, Inc. annually awards grants to rural and urban public and school libraries serving at-risk children. The Foundation gives priority to applications from libraries and agencies with real need and limited book budgets. Funds are earmarked for purchasing books for young people, and are not intended for administrative or operational use. Previously awarded grants have ranged from $500 to $3,000. Successful applicants have proposed purchases to update their children's book collections generally or to expand their holdings in specific areas.

Re: Grants and gifts

2008-04-01T20:58:48Z

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 2008

The Libri Foundation is currently accepting applications for its 2008 BOOKS FOR CHILDREN grants. The next deadline is April 15th.

The Libri Foundation is a nationwide non-profit organization which donates new, quality, hardcover children's books to small, rural public libraries throughout the United States. Since October 1990, the Foundation has donated over $3,500,000 worth of new childrens books to more than 2,600 libraries in 48 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.

In order to encourage and reward local support of libraries, The Libri Foundation will match any amount of money raised by your local sponsors from $50 to $350 on a 2-to-1 ratio. Thus, a library can receive up to $1,050 worth of new children's books. After a library receives a grant, local sponsors (such as formal or informal Friends groups, civic or social organizations, local businesses, etc.) have four months, or longer if necessary, to raise their matching funds.

The librarian of each participating library selects the books her library will receive from a booklist provided by the Foundation. The 700-plus fiction and nonfiction titles on the booklist reflect the very best of children's literature published primarily in the last three years. These titles, which are for children ages 12 and under, are award-winners or have received starred reviews in library, literary, or education journals. The booklist also includes a selection of classic childrens titles.

Libraries are qualified on an individual basis. In general, county libraries should serve a population under 16,000 and town libraries should serve a population under 10,000 (usually under 5,000). Libraries should be in a rural area, have a limited operating budget, and an active children's department.

Please note: Rural is usually considered to be at least 30 miles from a city with a population over 40,000. Town libraries with total operating budgets over $150,000 and county libraries with total operating budgets over $350,000 are rarely given grants.

Applications are accepted from independent libraries as well as libraries which are part of a county, regional, or cooperative library system.

A school library may apply only if it also serves as the public library (i.e. it is open to the everyone in the community, has some summer hours, and there is no public library in town).

A branch library may apply if the community it is in meets the definition of rural. If the branch library receives its funding from its parent institution, then the parent institutions total operating budget, not just the branch librarys total operating budget, must meet the budget guidelines.

Previous BOOKS FOR CHILDREN grant recipients are eligible to apply for another grant three years after the receipt of their last grant.
Libraries that do not fulfill all grant requirements, including the final report, may not apply for another grant.

The remaining application deadlines for 2008 are: (postmarked by) April 15th and August 15th. Grants will be awarded April 30th and August 31st.

Application guidelines and forms may be downloaded from the Foundation's website at: www.librifoundation.org.

For more information about The Libri Foundation or its Books for Children program, please contact Ms. Barbara J. McKillip, President, The Libri Foundation, PO Box 10246, Eugene, OR 97440. 541-747-9655 (phone); 541-747-4348 (fax); libri@librifoundation.org (email). Normal office hours are: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pacific Time.

Re: Grants and gifts

2008-03-18T20:54:12Z

The National Endowment for the Humanities, in collaboration with the American Library Association, is offering a new free resource that is designed to promote the teaching, study and understanding of American history and culture. Picturing America is available to public, private, parochial, and charter schools and home school consortia, as well as public libraries.

Participants will receive a set of 40 high-quality reproductions representing a diverse selection of American art, including Emanuel Leutzes painting Washington Crossing the Delaware, Martin Puryears wood sculpture Ladder for Booker T. Washington and panels from Amish quilts. The program which is intended to enhance the study of American history, social studies, language arts, literature and civics also offers an illustrated teachers resource book and a comprehensive Web site at http://PicturingAmerica.neh.gov with additional information about the artwork. Applications are being accepted through April 15 for fall 2008 delivery.

Using grants to gain gifts to libraries

2007-11-12T20:18:28Z

Our library in Sabetha, Kansas received an Interlibrary Loan grant from our State Library to purchase audiobooks for young adults and older children. The publicity of this grant and the enthusiasm for the audio books grabbed the interest of one of our older patrons. She had never had children, but had taken care of lots of them in her lifetime. She also had a passion for inspirational fiction and donated a lot of those kinds of books to the library over the years. She passed away in early 2007 and a few weeks later, we found out that she had left a $5000.00 gift to the library to be used for audio books and for inspirational fiction books. Needless to say, we were extremely happy to receive such a generous gift. She may have never thought about the audio books if it hadn't been for the publicity about the grant. It is just so important to let your public know what is happening and what is needed. There might just be someone out there who will find your need something for which they can provide.
This kind of giving can in turn start a shower of giving that can help a small library survive even the harshest economic times.

Grants Received

2007-09-18T19:53:07Z

The Jackson County Memorial Library is happy to announce that we have received a Tocker Foundation Literacy Grant and a Target Foundation Literacy Grant. These grants will enable us to acquire new reading materials, audios and read-a-longs to add to our Collection development for ages birth through Young Adult. We feel that these materials will be a great help in developing literacy for all ages by allowing individuals to follow the words in the book while listening to someone read the words on the listening tape.

The Library Staff is looking forward to supplying the patrons needs in Literacy
Development though the use of the new materials we will be receiving soon.

Best Small Library in America, nomination guidelines

2007-08-28T17:14:25Z

Not a traditional grant, but a cash award and great exposure for your library or another in your state that is doing great things:

Best Small Library in America Award Nomination Guidelines
Postmark deadline: November 5, 2007

Library Journal's annual award for the Best Small Library in America, cosponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was founded to encourage and showcase the exemplary work of these libraries. Now in its fourth year, the award honors the public library that most profoundly demonstrates outstanding service to populations of 25,000 or less (see below for eligibility). The winning library will receive a $15,000 cash award, a feature story in the February 1, 2008, Library Journal, membership and conference costs for two library representatives to attend the Public Library Association Biannual Conference in 2008, and a gala reception at the conference.

Members of the editorial board of Library Journal, librarians from around the country, and a representative from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will judge nominations based on key factors, including:

-Creativity in developing services and programs that can be replicated by other libraries

-Innovation in introducing and supporting public access computing, educating patrons in its use, and measuring the impact of this technology usage

-Use of technology to expand the reach of library services

-Demonstrated community support

-Success in developing cooperation with other libraries

-Partnerships with other agencies and businesses

-Increase in library use, particularly by new users

-Evidence of library's role as community center

Keeping the factors above in mind, please tell us how, in the last two years, you have raised the profile of the library in your community, reached out to new users and remote users, and used technology to support and grow patron access to materials and information. Please also describe the use of public access computers (PACs) in your library and how you anticipate sustaining PACs and adapting to the next generation of users. In your description of your collaborations with others, please give examples of how the library has become a model for the partnering organization and how the organization has become a model for the library.

Submission Requirements:

Anyone can nominate a library-the library administration itself, patrons, members of the community, library peers, etc.

There is no entry fee, but each entry must include the following information:

1) Name, address, phone number, and email of nominee and the name of the contact person, as well as contact information for the submitter if different from the nominee.

2) A written explanation of up to two pages (or a list of bulleted narrative points) that clearly enumerates how the library's accomplishments fit the criteria for the award listed above. (Note: Entries that describe programs and their effects on the community will be especially helpful to the judges in rendering a decision. Supporting materials, such as brochures, testimonials, press clippings, etc., may be included and are helpful, but they are less important than the written narrative.)

3) Photo(s) of library, staff, and patrons, if possible.

4) Letters of reference from two library peers. (A library peer is someone who is knowledgeable about libraries in general and knows the nominated library well, but who is not employed by the library in any capacity. Examples include librarians at neighboring libraries or colleagues at the state association or the state library.)

5) Statistical data:

Population served
Total annual budget (if you are part of another body of government, note if you pay utility bills, IT, etc.)
Per capita budget
Circulation
Materials budget (including electronic databases)
Physical visits (door count)
Virtual visits (e-use, if collecting this data)
Number of staff
Percentage of staff who are professional librarians.
Most libraries collect such data, but if you do not have all of these statistics, then submit those the library does have. Also, please detail whether the nominated library is a member of a consortium/county-wide service district-what services are provided by it (technology support, training, databases, etc.), what role does the library play in it? The judges do not make selections based on numbers, though they are helpful in giving context to the written submission.

Eligibility Requirements:

1) A single library serving a community with a population of 25,000 or less is eligible (latest Census).

2) Area library districts or systems may serve an aggregate population of greater than 25,000, as long as the service area of the library includes an area or a community with a population of 25,000 or less. The prize money must be used to benefit that population.

3) A single county or town with a population over 25,000 that is served by two or more library districts or systems operating entirely within the bounds of the county or town may qualify as long as the service area of a given library includes a rural area or a rural community or the population of the library's jurisdiction is 25,000 or less. The prize money must be used for that area.

4) A single community with a population greater than 25,000 and having a library with one or more branches may qualify. The library must have a service area that includes a rural area or community that does not exceed a population of 25,000. The prize monies must be used only for the benefit of the rural or community population under 25,000. Similarly a single community with a population greater than 25,000, which also provide library service to an adjoining community of 25,000 or less population by contract, may also be eligible, provided the prize is used entirely to support the smaller community.

5) A single community library serving a population greater than 25,000 and not providing service to a rural area or to a rural community is not eligible for the award.

Send the nomination, postmarked deadline November 5, 2007, to:

Library Journal's Award for the
Best Small Library in America
c/o Library Journal
360 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010

If you have any questions regarding the submission process, please contact Rebecca Miller at miller@reedbusiness.com or by phone at 646-746-6725.

Rebecca T. Miller

Executive Editor

Library Journal

360 Park Avenue South

New York, New York 10010

646-746-6725

miller@reedbusiness.com

www.libraryjournal.com

Re: Grants and gifts

2007-07-10T16:56:37Z

Disney Minnie Grants Available to Support Youth Service Projects
Deadline: August 30, 2007
The Walt Disney Company ( http://www.disney.com ) and Youth Service America ( http://www.ysa.org ) have announced grants of up to $500 each to support youth-led service projects. These grants support youth (ages 5-14) in planning and implementing service projects in their community. Teachers, older youth (15-25), youth-leaders, and youth-serving organizations are also eligible to apply, provided that they that engage younger youth (5-14) in planning and implementing the service. Service projects must take place between October 1 and November 26, 2007. Projects can address themes such as the environment, disaster relief, public health and awareness, community education, hunger, literacy, or any issue that youth identify as a community need. http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/10007919/YSA

Re: Grants and gifts

2007-07-09T18:06:54Z

Here's one that came across my desk recently. Looks like a great way to jumpstart a digital archiving project:

EMC Corporation has long been a generous contributor of money, equipment and expertise for major projects in historical preservation . . . working with the Kennedy Library, the Shoah Project, the Smithsonian Institution, and many other equally distinguished institutions here and abroad.

I've been asked to help on a new project . . . designed to support small libraries, archives, and museums around the world . . . who need help digitizing their collections for all the best "stewardship of the trust" reasons!

The smaller grants will range from $5,000 to $15,000 to start . . . and, if the project is especially interesting, a longer term relationship with EMC might well ensue.

Application is easy. (Please feel free to forward this!)

For more on the Information Heritage Initiative (for those of you with larger projects in mind) . . . please see: http://www.emc.com/about/destination/information_heritage/index.jsp

For more on the local-resource-focused Information Heritage Trust program see: http://www.emc.com/about/destination/information_heritage/heritage_trust/

For an application form for one of the $5K to $15K grants . . . click on the application-form notice in the upper right hand corner of the site noted above.

Just in case . . . here's the text.

The EMC Heritage Trust Project

Application/Nomination Form

for Grant Year 2007

About The EMC Heritage Trust Project

The EMC Heritage Trust Project recognizes and supports projects in local communities around the world that preserve and protect information resources of special significanceand that improve access to them. Recognition will include cash grants to honorees ranging from $5,000 to $15,000.

Any local organization or institution (public or private) or any individual may apply for, or be nominated for, recognition and support.

*With the exception of fraternal organizations, political causes or candidates, or organizations that promote or practice discrimination.

Examples of Projects

The Heritage Trust Project supports those contributing to the digital curation and stewardship of:

Local library, museum, or historical society collections

Significant private collections of music, letters, or art

Archives and records of cultural or educational institutions and local businesses.

Key Deadlines

Deadline for Grant Year 2007 applications and nominations is November 30, 2007.

Evaluation by an independent panel of judges will be completed by January 30, 2008 .

Honorees will be notified no later than February 14, 2008.

Children's Literacy Grant

2007-06-19T13:56:26Z

The Jackson County Memorial Library in Edna, Texas is continuously striving to address Children's Literacy. We are currently endeavoring to expand our collection development area from Juvenile through Young Adult. We have recently applied for a Tocker Grand and a Target Grant. If these grants are received, the funds will be applied to expand these areas.
Carolyn Morton

Re: What are some funding resources?

2007-04-19T17:10:32Z

I need money, too. Here's the deal: I have written my Congressman to float the idea of a rural community college library sustainability act at the federal level to guarantee federal funding for rural community colleges that are more than an hour's drive away from anything approaching a large academic library. The way I figure it, if you are a rural community college within an hour's drive, you can always develop a symbiotic relationship with a sister library. However, if that type of relationship is impossible, a rural community college needs a floor funding level to guarantee money for a director, a public services librarian, a technical services librarian and a systems librarian. We also need a guaranteed floor to permit the purchase of one book per full time student per year, database subscriptions to support major fields of study and general education requirements, And, maybe, support staff to allow at least 65 hours of operation per week. In looking at a couple of other sites, as many as 500 community college libraries might qualify (still playing with google earth to confirm). Seems to me there are 250 congresspersons who ought to be interested. However, the go-it-alone approach seems strong amongst the rural stalwarts. So, would anyone else be interested?
Gogebic's email server has issues, so let me know at waltless@yahoo.com

Re: Grants for ADA Compliance - thanks!

2007-03-20T17:57:05Z

Thanks for posting this info, Stephanie; my apologies for not catching it up til now.

I am on the CT Library Association's ADA committee and we are constantly looking around for funding, opportunities, all that.

It sure seems like there 'ought' to be MORE federal funding for this, I find it really odd that there's not. But I'm relatively new to the ADA world so it's probably just my naivete.

thanks again,

Doug (Fishrocker)

Re: Rural Funding Brainstorm

2007-02-20T21:38:17Z

We have a WestFest activity and the Friends of the Marathon Public Library have the childrens carnival games to raise money. We also do a quilt raffel for donations.

Re: Rural Funding Brainstorm

2006-11-28T14:08:49Z

Consider the alumni from local schools who may have left the area--some have made it big! Ask the local High School if they will share their alumni database (send appeal to those outside the area who have not seen your local fundraisers). If the school will not share their database, perhaps they will permit you to put an appeal in the alumni newsletter. Many of those who have left rural areas still have a heart for their hometowns.

Re: Friends Groups for Small & Rural Libraries...

2006-11-08T19:12:34Z

3 of our 5 branches have Friends and each is unique. I was VERY surprised that in a town of less than 1000 people they are able to have a succesful Holiday Home Tour each year. One of the groups never holds in person meetings but instead uses email and phone to organize whatever they do. Each group raises $1000-2000 for it's specific branch.
As for the accountant question...we can't even afford one for the library district I'd not see doing it for the Friends...but then in Illinois we have the option of joining a library directors group that is a 501 and can be used for clearing our charity grants/funds. Maybe your state system could look into that (it's free for us to belong)

Re: Free art books for rural libraries

2006-11-08T19:06:37Z

wow thanks!! my son had just commented that we don't have comtemporary art books in any of the branches!

Grants for ADA Compliance

2006-08-25T22:31:29Z

During the Aug. 25th RLS Inf Focus webinar, <i>Grant Writing and the Rural Library</i>, someone asked about grants available for accessible library doors, so that the building would be ADA compliant. I found some sources that other libraries have used for ADA grants, list below. If you know of other sources, or have received grants for ADA compliants, please reply to this message. Thanks!
Stephanie in AZ

<li>Many states have a Department of Rehabilitative Services that will give ADA grants for updating buildings
<li>Check with the Department of Community Affairs
<li>Some libraries have received grants from a Business Council to make improvements for ADA compliants
<li> Block Grants; one example are those from the DECD: Department of Economic & Community Development. In the past these were named Small Cities Grants for ADA Compliance. The HUD (US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development) provides the state administered Community Development Block Grant Program especially for communities with populations of less than 50,000. It will depend on how your state uses the funding, but they may have grants for ADA compliance. More information at: http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/communitydevelopment/programs/stateadmin/#funds

Free art books for rural libraries

2006-08-03T11:40:29Z

The Distribution to Underserved Communities Library Program (DUC) distributes books on contemporary art and culture free of charge to rural and inner-city libraries:

http://www.ducprogram.org/index.html

Free, free, free, really free. The books are free, the shipping is free, everything is free. They're quality books from very good publishers, and they're just itching to be snatched up by rural libraries.

Have a regional system? No problem-- order as many copies as you need for your branches.

Re: Friends Groups for Small & Rural Libraries...

2006-07-27T19:11:11Z

I am wondering if any of your Friends groups has ever hired an accountant to oversee and manage a capital campaign? We are interviewing for a part-time accountant to oversee the books and to file the necessary 501(c)3 forms each year. We would still have in in-house treasurer who would take care of the day-to-day check writing and receipts from the book sale, etc. Any suggestions on what one would pay for this service??? THanks. Ann

Re: Fundraising Favorites

2006-07-17T20:59:08Z

I'd like to cross-pollinate this discussion with a related topic over in the Funding forum: [url /forums/thread.jspa?threadID=723&start=0&tstart=0 ]Fun & funky funding ideas[/url]. Between the two threads, there's a pretty nice collection of ideas.

I thought you might be interested in the [url http://www.dishupliteracy.org/ ]Dish Up Literacy[/url] event put on by the Page Ahead organization. It's the same idea as the [url http://www.diningoutforlife.com/home.php?city=12 ]Dine Out for Life[/url] AIDS benefit that has had 13 successful annual fundraisers. I don't know for sure, but I think they approach area restaurants individually to get them to contribute all or part of the proceeds. It's a win-win, because the event is so popular, the participating restaurants are filled to capacity for hours. This is a great association between food and libraries!