The American Library Association (ALA) invites library workers to apply for the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Focus on Small and Rural Libraries. Up to 100 libraries will be awarded in this round of grantmaking, part of the ALA’s longtime community engagement initiative.
Library workers may apply online for grant funding by September 16 at ala.org/LTC.
The opportunity is open to libraries serving small and/or rural communities in the U.S. and U.S. territories. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) defines small communities as those with a legal service area population of 25,000 or less and rural communities as those more than, or equal to, five miles from an urbanized area.
Over 500 public, academic, school and tribal libraries representing 48 U.S. states have been awarded in the past year. None have been awarded in Wyoming yet, and the ALA would like to make one or more grants in this state in this third and possibly final round.
Since 2014, the ALA’s community engagement initiative, Libraries Transforming Communities, has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.