Connecting Idaho Students: Tablets to Teach & Transform

This program provides tablets to public school districts throughout Idaho to expand access to e-books and digital resources in the classroom. Participating school districts will commit to training their staff on using e-books through the Sora platform and digital resources through LiLISchools.org so that staff can pass that knowledge on to their students. School districts may apply for one tablet per school to provide training at the site level. Additional tablets may be awarded based on student enrollment and inventory.

The Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) will provide training resources and ongoing support for school districts to aid them in their digital resource training.

The goals of the program include:

  • Improve Idaho students’ access to recreational and educational reading materials through Sora by OverDrive and the Idaho Digital E-book Alliance (IDEA).
  • Build the institutional capacity of schools to best serve their students and staff through ongoing training and awareness of the LiLI databases.

Who Can Apply:

  • Any public school districts and charter schools in Idaho that are not currently using the IDEA by ICfL e-book collection provided on the platform Sora by OverDrive.

The ICfL will screen submitted applications to ensure applicants are eligible to participate and have submitted complete applications. Applications deemed eligible and complete will then be selected for approval on a first-come, first-served basis.  

Official award notifications will be signed by the ICfL authorizing official, the State Librarian, or alternate assigned official. The completed application signed by the applicant, along with the official award notification signed by the ICfL authorizing official, will serve as the agreement/contract for this program. 

  • Award Summary
    • School districts may apply for one tablet and tablet case per school in their district. Additional tablets may be awarded based on student enrollment and inventory.
    • The school district agrees to:
      1. Sign up for Sora access at https://pub.e.overdrive.com/sorasetup and commit to connecting their students and staff to the IDEA collection during the 2023-24 school year.
      2. Require at least one staff member from each school in the district to attend a Sora training with the ICfL’s E-Resource Consultant and a representative from OverDrive.
      3. Require at least one staff member to attend a LiLI for Schools training with the ICfL’s E-Resources Consultant.
      4. Make awarded tablet(s) available for all district staff members to train students and other staff in using Sora and the databases available on LiLISchools.org.
      5.  Document the number of students and staff trained to use Sora and LiLi for Schools and submit a final report.
  • Allowable Uses of Awarded Supplies
    • Tablets are intended to be used by school district employees to learn and teach others how to use Sora by OverDrive and the LiLI Databases available on LiLISchools.org.
    • The school district may determine the location for the intended use of the tablets (e.g., in the classroom, in the school library).
  • Prohibited Uses of Awarded Supplies
    • Using tablets for any non-educational activities
  • Reporting Requirements
    • Submit a final report by April 30, 2024 (Round One) or June 14, 2024 (Round Two). See the grant webpage to submit a report online.
  • Records Retention
    • The library is required to retain records related to this program for a period of three years.
  • Acknowledgment
    • This program is brought to you by the Idaho Commission for Libraries and was made possible by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant number LS-252457-OLS-22 and the IMLS authorization statute (20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.). We ask participating schools to acknowledge the IMLS in program materials, including signage, brochures, webpages, press releases, and events.

Round One:

  • Submit applications between September 5 and October 13, 2023. Complete applications will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Informational webinar held on Wednesday, August 30, 2023.
  • Conduct program activities from November 1, 2023, through April 15, 2024.
  • School staff members complete online training courses provided by the ICfL in November 2023.
  • The school district will make tablets and training programs available to other staff and/or students by late November 2023.
  • Submit the final report by April 30, 2024.

Round Two:

  • Submit applications between November 1 and 30, 2023. Complete applications will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Conduct program activities from January 2, 2024, (or first day after winter break) and May 31, 2024, (or last day of school year).
  • School staff members complete online training courses provided by the ICfL in January 2024.
  • The school district will make tablets and training programs available to other staff and/or students by late January 2024.
  • Submit the final report by June 14, 2024.

The online application must be completed in one sitting and cannot be saved for completion later. We suggest drafting responses in a separate document before completing the online form. The application is currently closed. Please keep in mind applicants will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, so we highly encourage submitting soon after the application opens. If selected, the application will serve as your official award agreement along with a signed award notification from the ICfL.

If you have questions about the application process, please contact either of the following staff members at the ICfL:

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Program Application

The application for this program is currently closed.

Click the button to complete the online grant application.

If you need a PDF copy of the application, please contact us.

If you have questions about this grant, please contact E-Resources Library Consultant Marina Rose at marina.rose@libraries.idaho.gov or (208) 639-4165.

This program is brought to you by the Idaho Commission for Libraries and was made possible by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant number LS-252457-OLS-22 and the IMLS authorization statute (20 U.S.C. § 9101 et seq.).