The American Library Association (ALA) invites applications from small and rural libraries for more than $7 million in Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Accessible Small and Rural Communities grants to increase the accessibility of facilities, services, and programs to better serve people with disabilities. Up to 300 libraries will be selected for the third round of grants and receive $10,000 or $20,000 to support a community engagement project; virtual training; online resources; and technical and project support from the ALA Public Programs Office throughout the grant term.
Selected libraries will conduct community input-gathering sessions to ensure their work aligns with local community needs. Libraries will be required to identify the primary audience they hope to reach (e.g., older adults with mobility disabilities, children with autism, Deaf community members) and facilitate a community conversation with the impacted populations 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 be located in an area with a population of 25,000 or less, and be 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.
Since 2014, ALA has distributed LTC funding to foster community engagement skills among library workers and support need-driven projects. The initiative is offered in partnership with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL). It is supported by a private donor.
Interested applicants can register for a pre-application webinar to be held Oct. 10, 2024 at 12:00 pm CST. Applicants are accepted through the grants management system, ALA Apply.
For more information, including a valuable FAQ, visit: https://www.ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities/access/guidelines.
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