IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Grants – Deadline Sept 24, 2012

Closing Date for Applications: September 24, 2012; Award Amount: Up to $500,000; Issuing agency: Institue of Museum and Library Services; Project Types: Community Engagement, Formal Education, Informal Learning, Partnerships, Professional Development/Continuing Education, Research Institutions: Archives, Federally Recognized Native American Tribe, Historical Society, Library, Nonprofits that serve Native Hawaiians, Professional Association, Regional Organization, State Library Administrative Agency, State or Local Government, Public or Private Non-profit Institutions of Higher Education Informational webinars: Wednesday, July 25, 2012, 3:00-4:00 (EDT); Tuesday, August 14, 2012, 3:00-4:00 (EDT) The Institue of Museum and Library Services Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program invests in the nation’s information infrastructure by funding projects designed to address the education and training needs of the professionals who help build, maintain, and provide public access to the world’s wide-ranging information systems and sources. In 2013, the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program will support projects to develop faculty and library leaders, to recruit and educate the next generation of librarians and archivists, to build institutional capacity in graduate schools of library and information science, and to assist in the professional development of librarians and archivists. This grant program is especially interested in developing information professionals who can help manage the burgeoning data generated by the nation’s researchers, serve as stewards of the nation’s cultural legacy, and meet the information needs of the underserved. The program also seeks to help librarians develop the information and digital literacy of their communities, as well as other critical skills their users will need to be successful in the 21st century. This program addresses the field’s need to advance the work of new faculty in library and information science by supporting an early career development program for untenured, tenure-track faculty. Research conducted under the early careers program should be in the faculty member’s particular research area and is not restricted to research on the profession. The primary goal of this grant program is to develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the library and archives workforce to meet the information needs of the nation. Five project categories of grants are featured in FY 2013. The goals of each LB21 project category are described here:

1. Doctoral Programs
2. Master’s Programs
3. Early Career Development
4. Programs to Build Institutional Capacity
5. Continuing Education

Regardless of the project category you choose, you must also decide which of the following funding categories you want to apply for:

1. Project Grants — Amount of grant: $50,000 to $500,000.
2. Collaborative Planning Grants — Amount of grant: Up to $50,000

In all project and funding categories, if your application has a recruitment component, you should address ways to 1.bring to the profession skills required to enhance library and/or archives services; and2.broaden participation in the library profession, including but not limited to members of traditionally underserved groups and communities We encourage proposals that seek to increase the ability of librarians to provide programs and services relating to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) across all categories. Details are available at http://www.imls.gov/applicants/detail.aspx?GrantId=9.