August 31, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IMLS Press Contact
202-653-4799
Giuliana Bullard gbullard@imls.gov

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today announced 276 grants to institutions totaling $14,165,292. The grants were awarded through six programs: National Leadership Grants for Libraries, Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries, Native American Library Services Basic, Native American Library Services Enhancement, Native Hawaiian Library Services, and Laura Bush 21st Century Library Program.

See a list of awardees and project descriptions for Native American Library Services Basic and Enhancement and the Native Hawaiian Library Services program grants.  

See a list of awardees and project descriptions for the remainder of the funded projects.

“The Institute of Museum and Library Services is proud to support the exciting work of the library grantees announced today,” said IMLS Acting Director Maura Marx.  “These projects underscore the important role libraries play across the country in engaging all ages of learners and in providing access to content, in physical and digital form. We look forward to watching these projects evolve and develop new models, tools, and research that can be broadly adapted by the library profession.”

National Leadership Grants for Libraries support projects that address challenges faced by the library and archive fields and that have the potential to advance library and archival practice with new tools, research findings, models, services, practices, or alliances that can be widely replicated. Among the 17 funded projects, totaling $6,439,248, are:

  • Stanford University Libraries’ effort, with university partners and the Metropolitan New York Library Council, to improve ePADD, an open-source software package archiving emails. The two-phased project will support software development and scalability issues to provide access to otherwise hidden cultural heritage materials.
  • Vermont Department of Libraries’ Vermont Early Literacy Initiative to be developed in partnership with the Vermont Center for the Book and the Montshire Museum of Science.  The three-year project will help 25 librarians learn concepts and practices essential to STEM learning and weave STEM language and ideas throughout programming for young children, parents, and community childcare providers.

See the IMLS website for more information about the National Leadership Grants for Libraries program.

Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries provide opportunities to expand and test the boundaries of library and archive services and practices. Sparks Grants support the deployment, testing, and evaluation of promising and groundbreaking new tools, products, services, or organizational practices. Twenty projects, totaling $473,343, were funded this year, including:

  • The Free Library of Philadelphia’s Prison Services project to meet the needs of incarcerated parents, returning citizens, and their children and families by supporting bonding and by connecting them to critical resources, literacy and workforce development programs. The project will include two new services: a family televisiting and shared reading program hosted in libraries close to participants’ homes; and the dissemination of temporary library cards and reentry resource packets to returning citizens on the day of their release.  

See the IMLS website for more information about the Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries program.

Native American Library Services Basic grants support existing library operations and maintain core library services. These noncompetitive grants are distributed in equal amounts among eligible applicants. Grants of $1,561,000 will be provided to 211 Indian tribes, Alaska native villages, regional corporations, and village corporations.

See the IMLS website for more information about the Native American Library Services Basic program.

Native American Library Services Enhancement grants enhance existing library services or implement new library services for Indian tribes. Enhancement Grants are only awarded to applicants that have an active Native American Library Services Basic Grant in the same fiscal year.  IMLS is awarding $1,731,000 to 13 institutions through this grant program, including:

  • The Chilkat Indian Village Library’s program focusing on Tlingit culture, tribal history, and impacts of library and cultural services with the goal of increasing community knowledge of tribal cultural history, media literacy, and life and career skills. The library will present programs, develop collections, provide increased access to cultural resources, create films that record tribal lands history, and analyze the long-term impacts of cultural and library services. 

See the IMLS website for more information about the Native American Library Services Enhancement program.

Native Hawaiian Library Services grants are available to nonprofit organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians so they can enhance existing or implement new library services.  This year IMLS is awarding $550,000 to four Native Hawaiian-serving organizations.  See the IMLS website for more information about the Native Hawaiian Library Services program.

The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program supports projects to recruit and educate the next generation of librarians, faculty, and library leaders. IMLS is awarding $3,410,701 for 11 projects with funding from this program. The IMLS website has more information about the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program.

Use the IMLS Search Awarded Grants tool to view our archive of grants awarded by IMLS. Search grants by grant name, institution, or project type.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Programs
Native Hawaiian Library Services
Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries
Native American Library Services
National Leadership Grants for Libraries
Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program
Learning Opportunities Grants