Two Grants For Small, Rural Libraries

A recent issue of the ARSL Newsletter (Association for Rural and Small Libraries) included two grant opportunities worth looking into.  One comes from ALA’s Libraries Transform, one comes from Penguin Random House Publishing.   

ALA Libraries Transforming Communities Grant

The American Library Association invites applications from small and rural libraries for the Libraries Transforming Communities—Accessible Small Rural Communities Grant.  This project 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.  This is part of ALA’s longtime community engagement initiative. 

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 (homebound seniors, children with autism, deaf community members) and facilitate a community conversation with the impacted populations in order to improve the library’s physical facilities and / or services. 

Up to 300 libraries will be awarded in this current application period.  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 urban area, in keeping with Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) definitions of small and rural libraries.  Applications are being accepted now through February 28, 2023. 

More About ALA Libraries Transform Grant

Penguin Random House Grant 

This grant is predicated on eligible libraries meeting the IMLS definition of "small and rural:" the library must have a legal service area population of 25,000 or less and be located at least five miles from an urban area.

Applicants may request either (a) one monetary grant in support of a community-oriented project for up to $1,000 OR (b) an in-kind grant donation of up to $1,000 in equivalent value to support a circulating collection in your library. Applications are being accepted from November 28 through December 12, 2022.

The program will award grants to libraries that demonstrate a true need. Monetary grants are not limited to literacy and may be used for everything from library programming and books to resources like hotspots that help community members access important information. Library seeking support for digital collections should request a monetary grant.

More About Penguin Random House Grant

Notifications of funding decision will be sent to applicants by January 27, 2023.  Projects must be completed by December 31, 2023.  Project reports must be submitted by February 1, 2024.  The project’s Frequently Asked Questions, along with the grant applications themselves, open in Google Docs.

View This Grant’s FAQ Page 

Be Part of the All Iowa Reads Program

Serve on an AIR Committee Last week’s Eye-Opener shared the news about the All Iowa Reads titles chosen for 2023. This week comes an opportunity to take part in the All Iowa Reads selection committee, the group charged with choosing the adult AIR title each year.

The committee that selects the annual AIR title for adults has two open spots to fill. If you’re a voracious reader of books with broad appeal, then read on to find out more about serving on this committee and how to apply.

Expectations for Committee Members

• Read alot! Members must be prepared to read intensively during the selection process
• Attend four in-person meetings during the selection process at the State Library building in Des Moines
• Commit to a two-year term, with optional renewals

Selection Process

1. At the initial committee meeting in March or April, members make recommendations of books they have read recently, titles they feel would work well in public library book discussions
2. The committee comes up with a list of approximately 20 recommendations which must meet the All Iowa Reads selection criteria.
3. During subsequent meetings, the list is narrowed to approximately six titles which are read by all committee members. Members provide their honest impressions independent of outside influence.
4. The official selection is made by consensus at the final meeting of the year, typically in September or October.

If you’re interested in serving on All Iowa Reads Adult Title Selection Committee, please contact Helen Dagley of the State Library ( [email protected] ) or 515-281-3063.  And if you’re interested, please make that call to Helen Dagley by Friday December 16 in order to be considered.

All Iowa Reads Titles for 2023 Chosen

Earlier this month, the All Iowa Reads titles for 2023 were e announced on Iowa Public Radio’s Talk of Iowa program with program host Charity Nebbe.  Here are the books chosen for the All Iowa Reads program in the new year:

Adult Title: How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

“In 2030, a grieving archeologist arrives in the Arctic Circle to continue the work of his recently deceased daughter at the Batagaika Crater, where researchers are studying long-buried secrets now revealed in melting permafrost, including the perfectly preserved remains of a girl who appears to have died of an ancient virus. Once unleashed, the Arctic plague will reshape life on Earth for generations to come, quickly traversing the globe, forcing humanity to devise a myriad of moving and inventive ways to embrace possibility in the face of tragedy…”

Teen Title: Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley  

“Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team. Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug.

Children’s Title: The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

 “Struggling with anxiety after witnessing a harrowing instance of gun violence, Manuel Soto copes through photography, using his cell-phone camera to find anchors that keep him grounded. His days are a lonely, latchkey monotony until he's teamed with his classmates, Sebastian and Caysha, for a group project.  Sebastian lives on a grass-fed cattle farm outside of town, and Manuel finds solace in the open fields and in the antics of the newborn calf Sebastian is hand-raising. As Manuel aides his new friends in their preparations for the local county fair, he learns to open up, confronts his deepest fears, and even finds first love.”

More information and resources for the 2023 All Iowa Reads program, including book discussion questions and more, will be available on the program website soon.

More About All Iowa Reads

This Week and Next ...

These webinars are on tap in the week after Thanksgiving. 

It's (Not) Going According to Plan: Panel Discussion on Disaster Planning in Libraries. 
November 29. 9:30-11:00AM

Join a panel of Iowa librarians who have led their libraries through various types of disasters. Each brings a unique perspective on how having a disaster preparedness plan in place (or NOT having a plan in place) contributed to the speed and success of the recovery process. Panelists include Jillian Aschliman (Bettendorf) Bill Carroll (Marion)  Darryl Eschete (West Des Moines) Susan Mesecher (Clinton PL) Helen Rigdon (Sioux City) and Dara Schmidt (Cedar Rapids)

Check It Out Webinar. 
November 30. 11:00AM-12:00PM  

This series spotlights the best new books for ages 0-18. Join Janeé Jackson-Doering, State Library Youth Services Consultant, every month for booktalks on the latest titles. Check It Out! gives you collection development suggestions, looks at trends in publishing, and more.

The Boardroom Series 2022 / Policy Watch: Policies Lost and Found. 
November 30. 6:00-7:30PM

This session of The Boardroom series turns to policies, with a discussion of some topics not commonly addressed.  November's Boardroom welcomes guest speaker Rachel Onuf, Program Director with Vermont Historical Records. Rachel has expertise in disaster preparedness, one topic not often addressed in libraries.  Rachel will tak with trustees about their role in developing disaster-related policies.  State Library consultants Samantha Bouwers and Bonnie McKewon will point to a few other policy topics like library programming and social media.

Register For Next Week’s Webinars

Thanksgiving Holiday

State agencies, including the State Library, will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday November 23-25,  And while offices open again on Monday November 28, the Monday Morning Eye-Opener comes back on December 5. Safe travels to all, enjoy the holiday!