2022-2023 Program Year Information

The Outreach for Underserved Children program provides resources to enhance public library outreach visits, reaching those children who cannot get to their local library and increasing the number of families with access to books in their homes throughout the year. Outreach events may occur anytime during the year; Libraries may request books for their outreach efforts between August 15 – June 15 each year.

If you do not have a public library nearby or if your public library cannot serve your school through their outreach efforts, school libraries that want to conduct outreach efforts may apply independently to this program on a case-by-case basis. Schools, please contact Kristina Taylor to discuss your outreach effort and, if approved, a separate school application link will be sent to you for completion.

The Outreach for Underserved Children program opens on August 15, 2022 and closes for the fiscal year end on June 15, 2023. 

Outreach for Underserved Children Book Request Information

Program Objectives:

  • To increase access to books in the home of young children, reaching those children and families/caretakers who are unable or unlikely to access resources available at their local public library.
  • To provide information about free library programming and promote library cards to all members of the families/caretakers served.
  • To encourage out-of-school reading time and share affordable ways in which all families/caretakers can encourage this.

Program Requirements:

By applying to this program, participating libraries agree to meet the following requirements –

  • The library shall conduct outreach efforts outside of the library walls and regular, in-house library programming, going to where the children who cannot reach their local library already are and targeting the children and families who are currently not able to or are least likely to utilize the public library.
  • The library is encouraged to offer a storytime or another library program element at their outreach event if possible.
  • The library shall include the sharing of library programming, online access and library card promotion at their outreach event.
  • Participating libraries shall understand that this program is designed to support one book per child or per family, depending on the size of your event. This program shall NOT be used to give children at your outreach event a new book each week or each time you visit.
  • Participating libraries are encouraged to seek out local businesses and partners to help fund additional paperback books for these on-going and future outreach efforts.
  • Participating libraries shall submit a final summary report for our outreach effort/s 2 weeks after the conclusion of the event.
  • Books provided through this program will NOT be given to students during a school assembly presentation (ICfL no longer supports this method as it has proven ineffective due to lack of parental contact);
  • Books provided through this program will NOT be used for an in-house Dia de los Ninos event (you can request materials for a Dia outreach event), Idaho Family Reading Week, or Summer Reading programs (unless it is for Summer outreach). (ICfL offers separate applications and support for these programs);
  • The Outreach for Underserved Children program should not be used for general library promotion.

Due to increasing requests/popularity of this program, the affordability of certain types of books, and ICfL’s desire to stress formal partnerships and meaningful interaction between library staff and parents/caregivers, Outreach for Underserved Children has the following  limits on book requests for this year:

  • Number of Requests – max of 2 school-year outreach events per library branch/per fiscal year and 1 summer outreach event per library branch/per program year (Note: requests for summer putreach events must be submitted by June 15 deadline, but may occur anytime in the summer months)
  • Board Books – max of 50 board books total
  • Bilingual Books – max of 200 bilingual books total
  • Overall Total – max request not to exceed 500 books per outreach event (For additional books for your event, consider the list of discounted book vendors below)
  • Little Libraries – ICfL can provide one-time, initial books to establish a partnership or a new outreach effort involving a Little Library, however ICfL is unable to re-stock Little Libraries. Libraries are encouraged to seek out local partners or discounted books to help re-stock Little Libraries (see list of discounted book vendors below).

(If these limitations keep our library from implementing your original outreach plan, please contact Kristina or Staci to discuss possible options.)

Program Registration

August 15, 2022 – June 15, 2023

(Apply 3-4 weeks before your event)

Summary Report

Due 3-4 weeks after outreach event

(End of year deadline for any outstanding reports: September 15)

Questions? Contact Youth Services Project Coordinator, Kristina Taylor

Kristina Taylor

Kristina Taylor

Youth Services Project Coordinator
Email / 208-639-4136
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This program is brought to you by the Idaho Commission for Libraries and was made possible by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.