Tag Archives: School Library

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Collections, events, and makerspace funding ideas!

Are you looking to update your school library collection? Maybe put on an event that promotes literacy, reading, or authors? Both of these opportunities come from AASL, but happily they do not require a membership. Read on for details and links to apply:

  • Inspire Collection Development Grant
    • This grant is intended to help public middle or high schools “extend, update, and diversify the book, online subscription and/or software collections” in order to increase student learning and achievement
    • Award amount: direct assistance grant capped at $5,000
    • Deadline: May 23, 2016
  • Inspire Special Event Grant
    • The goal of this grant is to assist public middle or high schools “create new or enhance educational activities in order to engage students within the library and to promote books, reading, literacy, and authors.”
    • Award amount: direct assistance grant capped at $2,000
    • Deadline: May 23, 2016

Have a great idea for a makerspace, or even just a classroom project? Check out these sites for grants to help fund your enterprise:

  • MakerSpace Lab Grants Page
    • This page features 16 different makerspace grant opportunities in amounts ranging from $500 – $75,000! They also have some non-monetary grants that award Adobe software and e-subscriptions to news services.
  • e-School News Funding Section
    • Check out this link to 14 different crowdfunding sites specifically geared towards classrooms. They also have some helpful tips before deciding on a site to use, which includes looking at who uses the platform, the pricing structure, and what features are included (in this case, less can be more.) Remember, there’s really no limit to how much you can raise!

Remember that CMLE wants to help fund your projects for your library, school or classroom! Check out our grants page here. 

Image credit: https://unsplash.com/, licensed under CC0 1.0

 

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

School Libraries Under Threat

Barbara Stripling Portrait
Barbara Stripling, ALA President

Barbara K. Stripling is the current ALA President, and she is making a point that I fully support about the importance of thinking beyond our “siloed” view of the type of library we work in and/or support. Stripling maintains that academic, public and school libraries together support lifelong learning, and that they form an ecosystem that works together to serve people of all ages. As Stripling describes the serious threat to  school libraries, it is understandable that stressors in that sector, place stress on the entire  “library ecosystem.”

Read Stripling’s article which provides great examples and information about impact to the entire ecosystem when school libraries are cut. She concludes with ….” We all deserve the right to libraries and must understand that, when one part of the ecosystem is under threat, we all pay the price.”

The American Library Association (ALA) asks that you show your support and stand up for our nation’s libraries by signing the ALA’s Declaration for the Right to Libraries.

 

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

The State of America's Libraries Report

SOAL14_CVR.inddOn April 13, the American Library Association (ALA) released its report on the 2014 State of America’s Libraries during National Library Week, April 13–19, detailing library trends of the past year. Included in the report are trends associated with academic, public, and school libraries; ebooks and copyright issues; social networking; library construction; legislative issues; and intellectual freedom.

The report has a strong focus on the importance of school libraries.

“More than 90 percent of traditional public schools have a school library, but public schools continue to struggle with the impact of funding cuts. For public school libraries, that means that professional staffing has been targeted for cuts nationwide.

The ALA is on the forefront of efforts to shore up support for school libraries.

“On one hand, budget and testing pressures have led to decisions to eliminate or de-professionalize school libraries,” said Barbara K. Stripling, ALA president. “On the other hand, the increased emphasis on college and career readiness and the integration of technology have opened an unprecedented door to school librarian leadership.”

Stripling and the ALA are undertaking an advocacy campaign for school libraries that sets goals in five critical areas: literacy, inquiry, social and emotional growth, creativity and imagination, and thoughtful use of technology. The task for school librarians, Stripling said, is to fulfill the dream that every school across the country will have an effective school library program

Stripling wrote a really excellent short piece on standing up for school libraries, which gets to the heart of the school library being a place of trust and opportunity.

The full text (80 pgs) of the 2014 State of America’s Libraries report is available at http://tinyurl.com/kpy5ct6

Portions of this post were from the April 14 ALA Press Release