ALA Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities

 Deadline: December 11, 2023

The American Library Association (ALA) invites applications from small and rural libraries for more than $7 million in grants to increase the accessibility of facilities, services, and programs to better serve people with disabilities. This is the second of two rounds of grants to be distributed ranging from $10,000 to $20,000.

Selected libraries will conduct community input-gathering sessions to ensure their work aligns with local needs. Libraries will be required to identify the primary audience they are hoping to reach (e.g., homebound seniors, children with autism, Deaf community members) and facilitate a community conversation with the impacted populations in order to guide the improvement of the library’s services. Grantees will then use the funds to create services or improve their facilities based on the needs identified by their audience.

The opportunity is open to libraries serving small and rural communities in the U.S. and U.S. territories. To be eligible, a library must have a legal area population of 25,000 or less and be located at least five miles from an urbanized area, in keeping with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) definitions of small and rural libraries.

Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities is part of ALA’s longtime commitment to preparing library workers for the expanding role of libraries. The initiative is offered in partnership with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL).

For more information, including a valuable FAQ, visit ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities/access.