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NEH Small Grants to Libraries: John Adams Unbound

The Small Grants to Libraries program brings traveling exhibitions and other types of public programming to libraries across the country. “John Adams Unbound” has been designated as part of the NEH’s We the People program, which supports projects that explore significant events and themes in our nation’s history and culture and advance knowledge of the principles that define America. “John Adams Unbound” is about Adams’s personal library itself—a collection of 3,500 books willed by Adams to the people of Massachusetts and deposited in the Boston Public Library in 1894. For more information visit the NEH Web site. Deadline is April 4, 2008.

NEH Picturing America Grants

Picturing America is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA). The goal of Picturing America is to enhance the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture by bringing some of America’s greatest works of art into school classrooms and public libraries. Picturing America℠ will provide K-12 schools and public libraries with 40 images of American art on laminated posters, an illustrated teachers resource book, and a web site containing additional information including lesson plans.

For more information about Picturing America, including a list of the artwork featured, grant guidelines, and the online application, visit http://picturingamerica.ala.org. Deadline is April 15, 2008.

KWIK (Security) Cases Available

Danville Public Library is giving away approximately 200 VHS and 600 Audiocassette Kwiksecurity cases. Just pay shipping or arrange to pick them up at DPL. Contact Audiovisual Librarian Mike Boedicker at mboedicker@hotmail.com for more information.

Mahomet Library Building Project Moves Forward

Residents of Mahomet voted in favor of issuing $3.325 million in bonds to build a new, larger library Tuesday but turned down a second proposal that would have provided operating money for the new facility.

The bond proposal passed 1,588 to 1,461. The second question, which would have raised taxes 8 cents per $100, failed by 1,308 "yes" votes to 1,651 "no" votes.

Libraries, Millennials and You: The New World Patron/Student

Kankakee Community College is sponsoring a free workshop designed for library professionals entitled "Libraries, Millennials and You: The New World Patron/Student." T. J. Urbanski from the New Mexico State University Library will speak on Defining your Millennial Patron; A Different Landscape: Technology's Role in the Millennial Learning Environment; and What Tools Can You Use. Two sessions will be held at Kankakee Community College on March 3, 2008 (10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2:30-5:30 p.m.) and a third session will be held on March 7, 2008 (2:30-5:30 p.m.) at the College's Satellite Center in Watseka. CPDUs are available to participants. Register by February 25, 2008 by contacting Karen Becker at kbecker@kcc.edu or 815-802-8405. Funding for this program was made possible with an LSTA grant, awarded by the Illinois State Library, a division of the Secretary of State's office.

History Channel Announces Guidelines for Save Our History Grant Program

An initiative of the History Channel, the Save Our History Program invites history organizations to partner with a local school or youth group and apply for funding to help preserve the history of their communities. Eligible applicants are nonprofit 501(c)(3) history organizations such as museums, historical societies, preservation organizations, historic sites, libraries, archives, or other history organizations that are located in one of the fifty states or the District of Columbia. The History Channel will award a total of $100,000 in grants of up to $10,000 each in 2008.

For more information visit the Save Our History Web site. Deadline is June 6, 2008.

FY2009 LSTA Grant Offerings Announced

Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White and the Illinois State Library are pleased to announce that applications are now available for FY2009 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants.

LSTA grants are some of the most popular grants the State Library offers each year, and this year's offerings include several new categories. Information and applications may be found at:
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/what_we_do/lsta2009.html.

Important dates to remember are April 2nd, the deadline for Letters of Intent to be submitted; and May 12, when the full application must be postmarked or hand delivered to the Illinois State Library.
LSTA grant opportunities are made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Illinois State Library.

Libraries nationwide to benefit from President Bush’s proposed budget

The American Library Association (ALA) applauds the funding increases for libraries proposed in President Bush’s fiscal year (FY) 2009 budget, released this morning. The increases in library funding proposed by the President will mean that many of America’s libraries can continue to provide key programs and services to their communities, like bookmobiles and public access to the Internet.

In a budget where domestic discretionary spending was severely restricted and funding for 151 programs was cut or eliminated, the Library Services and Technology Act saw several key increases. Included in LSTA, the most important federal legislation affecting libraries, are the following totals:

$171.5 million for state grants, an increase of $10.6 million over FY 2008; this funding increase ensures that smaller states will have the resources to serve their populations, a priority the Congress recognized in 2003;

$12.715 million for the National Leadership Grants for Libraries, an increase of $556,000 over FY 2008;

$26.5 million for the Recruitment of Librarians for the 21st Century, an increase of $3.16 million over FY 2008;

$3.717 million for Native Americans Library Services, an increase of $143,000 over FY 2008; and

$3.5 million for library policy, research, and statistics (included in the administration total),

an increase of $1.54 million over FY 2008; this will help libraries identify the programs that most effectively serve users.

“This budget is fantastic news for library users across the country,” said ALA President Loriene Roy. “LSTA is a vital funding source for American citizens, especially children. LSTA monies go toward helping people of all backgrounds achieve literacy, including those with disabilities.”

“Across the country, libraries use LSTA funding for a wide variety of access services,” Dr. Roy added, “including workshops on career information, family literacy classes, homework help and mentoring programs, information on religions and other cultures, access to government information, and so much more.”

“ALA thanks President Bush for recognizing that library services contribute so much to the American people and urges Congress to pass this budget with the proposed LSTA numbers.”

Virtual Worlds: Libraries, Education and Museums Conference

In Second Life on March 8, 2008, join a conference on virtual worlds and libraries, education, and museums! The purpose of this conference is to provide a gathering place for librarians, information professionals, educators, museologists, and others to learn about and discuss the educational, informational, and cultural opportunities of virtual worlds. There will be a variety of presentations to attend including keynote programs by Kitty Pope, Executive Director of the Alliance Library System; Barbara Galik, Director of the Cullom-Davis Library at Bradley University; Doug McDavid from IBM; and Christy Confetti Higgins from Sun. For more information and to register for the conference, visit the conference website at http://www.alliancelibraries.info/virtualworlds/.

The conference is organized by Alliance Library System, TAP Information Services, IBM, and Sun. For more information on attending or presenting, contact Lori Bell at Alliance Library System at lbell@alliancelibrarysystem.com or Tom Peters at tapinformation@yahoo.com.