Blog posts in "Funding"

2010 LSTA Draft Competitive Grant Applications

sonja.hudson — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:00:01 -0700

Friday November 6, 2009 is the deadline for Idaho's Draft 2010 Library Service & Technology Act Grant applications. Applications must be complete and post marked no later than 5 PM on the 6th. Incomplete applications and/or those post marked later than 5 PM will be returned to the sender without review.

Application materials can be found at http://libraries.idaho.gov/page/library-services-technology. If you have questions or concerns please contact me at sonja.hudson@libraries.idaho.gov, (800) 458-3271 or (208) 639-4136

Technology Survey Deadline Extended to November 13

Teresa.Lipus — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:45:27 -0600

Responses to the 2009-2010 Public Library Funding & Technology Access survey at www.plinternetsurvey.org increased significantly in the last week. A big thank you to those who have completed it!

The response rate nationwide is at about 55%, so the survey deadline has been extended to Friday, November 13, 2009 to increase that rate. You can see how libraries in Idaho and other states are doing at http://survey.pnmi.com/states.

If you haven’t yet completed the survey, please make some time to help the Idaho library community document our growing needs for technology and connectivity by participating. State and national information from the most recently completed study is available at http://www.ala.org/ala/research/initiatives/plftas/2008_2009/librariesco..., but if you browse the 2009 State Summaries, pages 77-123, you’ll notice there is no entry for Idaho because we didn’t meet the minimum 60% response rate needed to have enough data for a state summary.Upon completion of the survey, you can register to win an Amazon Kindle.

If you have any questions regarding the survey, please e-mail support@plinternetsurvey.org or call (301) 405-9445.

FY 2010 LSTA GRANT APPLICATION KIT

sonja.hudson — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:44:05 -0600

The FY 2010 LSTA Grant Application Kit is available for libraries looking for funds to support library programs or projects. Draft Competitive Grant Applications are due November 6, 2009. Applications hand delivered to the Commission must be received by 5 PM on November 6, 2009. For those hand delivering, please request the receptionist stamp your application with the date of receipt. Mailed applications must be post marked by 5 PM on November 6, 2009.

The FY 2010 Grant Kit contains all the necessary application and certification forms as well as all the information needed to write a successful grant. Application forms can also be found at http://libraries.idaho.gov/page/library-services-technology in Microsoft Word format.

If you are interested in submitting your application electronically, you will want to review Appendix C page 45 of the FY 2010 LSTA Grant Kit for more information. You must e-mail your application and all the supporting documentation no later than 5PM on November 4th, 2009.

2010 LSTA Grant Allocation Plan

sonja.hudson — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:57:22 -0600

The FY 2010 Library Services and Technology Act.(LSTA) Allocation Plan is posted on this website under Funding. This document is a brief overview of Idaho's LSTA grant programs and the Eligibility Checklist provides information for potential applicant libraries to verify their eligibility to apply.

In the past we have mailed this document and the Eligibility Checklist, to every public, school, academic and special library in the state of Idaho. In order to conserve on resources, this year our website will be our distribution point for this document and no mailing will be sent.

The FY 2010 LSTA Grant Kit will be ready for release very soon and will also be posted to this website. The Kit provides all the information needed to apply for an LSTA grant in the state of Idaho. Upon its release, hard copies will be available from your regional Library Consultant or the Commissions Grants Contracts Officer.

If you have questions or concerns give me a call, Sonja Hudson at (208) 639-4136.

Public Library Opportunity - imPACt survey

ann.joslin — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 06:40:51 -0600

Idaho public libraries have an opportunity to offer a web survey to their patrons to assess the impact public access computing (PAC) has on their lives and on their communities.

"imPACt: the Impact of Free Access to Computers and the Internet in Public Libraries" is a nationwide library study being conducted by the University of Washington Information School and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

As a participating library, you will be asked to install a small piece of code on your library’s website that will create a link to the survey website and make it possible for your patrons to fill out the survey online.

The Information School will provide you with detailed instructions, technical support, informational materials for patrons, and suggestions for increasing participation.
As an incentive for your participation, they will also provide you with a personalized report of the data collected through your library. (If too few responses are received from an individual library to protect the confidentiality of respondents, those responses will be aggregated with other similar libraries before returning the results.)
The web survey will be rolled out beginning on April 6, with libraries linking to it during assigned two-week periods through June 20. Your timeslot will be selected when you contact UW/IS with your agreement to participate.

The imPACt web survey is the first nationwide effort to collect information directly from our patrons about how they use PAC resources. The study will analyze their impact in seven key areas:

civic engagement
eCommerce
education
eGovernment
health
employment
social inclusion

This information will help public libraries across the U.S. evaluate and improve the ways they provide access to computers and the Internet. You can learn more about the imPACt studies at: http://impact.ischool.washington.edu.

If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity to learn more about the impact of PAC resources on your patrons, please contact Samantha Becker, imPACt project manager, by Friday, April 3 at srbecker@u.washington.edu with questions or your agreement to participate in the study.

ALA Grant Opportunities

sonja.hudson — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:05:52 -0600

The American Library Association's Office for Literacy and Outreach Services with support from Verizon Communications, is offering grants to public, school, or academic librarians who have found a creative way to connect literacy and gaming. Grants are designed to help librarians expand and further develop innovative literacy gaming services for children and youth between the ages of 10 and 18.

The program will award ten grants of $5,000 each to libraries that clearly demonstrate creativity, sustainability, and a strong commitment to literacy-related gaming services. Winners will also continue to receive ongoing support and technical assistance from a team of library gaming experts.

The grant application is available online. Winners will be announced during National Library Week, April 12-18, 2009.

Visit the program's Web site for complete program guidelines.
RFP Link: http://librarygamingtoolkit.org/rfp/.

Grant Due Date: March 20, 2009

The Commission for Libraries does not administer or award the above grant opportunity. For those wishing additional information please refer to the grant's web-site.

Coeur d'Alene Public Library nominated for national medal

Teresa.Lipus — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:41:57 -0700

Congratulations to Coeur d'Alene Public Library, which has been nominated for a National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Democrat Congressman Walt Minnick nominated the library, calling it “a shining example of the great things that happen when a community comes together to work toward a common goal.”

The National Medal for Museum and Library Service is awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and honors institutions that “make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities.” The main qualification for selection is community service, demonstrated by commitment to the institute's community at every level. The medal includes a prize of $10,000 to be given to each recipient at an awards ceremony to be held in Washington, D.C.

See the KTVB.com article about the nomination.

Read more about the National Medal for Museum and Library Service on the IMLS website.

Teen Tech Week 2009: Press Play at the Library

sue.walker — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:43:31 -0700

If you're thinking about participating in Teen Tech Week 2009 (March 8-14, 2009)check out the resources available at:

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teentechweek/ttw09/home.cfm

Everything from a wiki for sharing ideas, publicity materials, and booklists will make planning and implementing a successful program so much easier.

Involve your local teens by sharing "25 Ways to Celebrate Teen Tech Week" (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teentechweek/ttw08/activityideas...) to see what technology excites them.

You can even apply for a mini-grant to offset expenses and wow your supervisor with your grantwriting skills.

Grant highlights:

Applicants must be YALSA members
Grant amount: $450.00 plus Teen Tech pack products valued at $50.00
Deadline for submission: January 19, 2009

E-rate: Next step (Form 471 window opens 12/2)

jan.wall — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:11:29 -0700

If you've written your tech plan (which is necessary for everything except basic telephone service), or have an approved plan which runs through June 30, 2010 and have filed Form 470, then the next step is Form 471. The application window will open next week at noon EST on December 2 and will close on Feb. 12, 2009 at 11:59 EST. This is a 73-day window which is a few days less than previous years.

Remember, Form 470 has to be posted at least 28 days before you can file Form 471.

Questions? Contact me -

NEA Foundation Offers Funding for Public School Library Books

Shirley Biladeau — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:17:34 -0700

Deadline: November 20, 2008

The NEA Foundation in collaboration with the National Education Association is accepting applications for Books Across America Library Books Awards. The program will make awards of $1,000 each to public schools working to provide economically disadvantaged students with new books in their school libraries.

To be eligible, an applicant must be a practicing pre K-12 school librarian, teacher, or education support professional in a U.S. public school. At least 70 percent of the students in the applicant's school must be eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program. Visit the NEA Foundation Web site for complete program information.