SJRLC Connections

GRANT: Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program

Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program
http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/index.html

Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to improve student reading skills and academic achievement by providing students with increased access to up-to-date school library materials; well-equipped, technologically advanced school library media centers; and well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists.

Applications Available: January 22, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 7, 2008.

Eligible Applicants: LEAs in which at least 20 percent of the students served by the LEA are from families with incomes below the poverty line based on the most recent satisfactory data available from the U.S. Census Bureau at the time this notice is published.

These data are Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates for school districts for income year 2005.  A list of LEAs with their family poverty rates (based on these Census Bureau data) is posted on our Web site at: www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/eligibility.html.

Estimated Available Funds: $18,570,261.  Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2009 from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.

• Estimated Range of Awards: $30,000--$500,000.
• Estimated Average Size of Awards: $250,000.
• Estimated Number of Awards: 80.

Additional Information: Applicable regulations, priorities, and other information are available in the Federal Register notice.

Additional information is available online at:
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2008-1/012208a.html

One Book New Jersey is proud to be back for its sixth year!

Check out the One Book New Jersey website (www.onebooknj.org) for more information on Launch Week & Cafe Press!  Posters will be packaged and sent to NJ libraries soon, and you should receive your poster by the end of January.

Please join your fellow NJ libraries by recognizing OBNJ's official Launch Week during February 10-16, 2008 -- plan a program, prepare booktalks, provide giveaways, be creative!  Check the OBNJ website for great program ideas, related films, and read-alikes for each of the 2008 selected titles.  Remember: February is Love Your Library Month, so invite all of your library users to be a part of Launch Week!

Please remember to post all of your related programs to the OBNJ calendar.  All libraries with a program scheduled during the week of February 10-15 on the calendar will be entered into a raffle to receive a set of 2008 titles.  Winners of the Launch Week Raffle will be notified by February 25.

One Book New Jersey is on Cafe Press!! www.cafepress.com/onebooknj

Help promote and support One Book New Jersey!  Check out our site on Cafe Press for some fantastic gift ideas, contest prizes, and giveaways at programs and during Launch Week.  Grab something for yourself and something for your loyal library users!  Proceeds from Cafe Press go directly to the New Jersey Library Association in support of programs like One Book New Jersey to benefit NJ libraries and library users.

Public Library Literacy Leadership Program Grants

Via Michele Stricker on the NJ-Pub-libs listserv
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Public Library Literacy Leadership Program Grants (FY08)

The New Jersey State Library announces that $200,000 in grant funding is available to public libraries to develop literacy skills in local communities throughout the state. 

The grants are designed to assist public libraries in starting, strengthening or expanding programs in areas such as family literacy, financial literacy for immigrants or teens, English as a Second Language and English for speakers of other languages.  Program proposals may include one-on-one or group literacy instruction, but the key criteria that the New Jersey State Library seeks in awarding these grants are pilot projects that demonstrate innovation and will serve as a model for other public libraries to replicate, and sustainability beyond the grant period.  The maximum grant award is $20,000.

"These literacy grants reflect the New Jersey State Library's on-going efforts to enhance and expand the capacity of public libraries to meet the challenging and growing needs of the state's residents and their communities.  The commitment of the State Library includes using its staff and resources to administer the grant.  Ultimately we hope the awarded grants will provide model literacy programs that other public libraries can follow to better serve their communities," stressed Norma E. Blake as New Jersey State Librarian.

For the grant application visit the New Jersey State Library's website
or: http://www.njstatelib.org/News/news_item.php?item_id=546

Grant application deadline May 1, 2007.

Technical Assistance Workshop at NJSL April 2, 2007 at 10:00 AM.  For registration contact Janice Holt at 609-292-2992 or jholt [at] njstatelib.org

For further information contact:

Michele Stricker, MLIS
Consultant, Library Development Bureau
New Jersey State Library
PO Box 520
Trenton, NJ 08625
609-292-3831
mstricker [at] njstatelib.org