The Library Innovation Lab grant program aims to build on these efforts by supporting library-based public humanities programs that enable immigrants to express and share their experiences, stories, traditions, values, dreams, and hopes for the future, deepen their connection to others in their families and communities, and feel more at home in California.
Donor Name: California Humanities
State: California
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/01/2024
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year
Details:
Library Innovation Lab (LIL) is a nationally recognized program that aims to build the capacity of California public libraries to provide responsive and relevant public humanities programming through a practice-based professional development experience and participation in a peer-oriented learning community. Over the past seven years, over 70 programming librarians and library staffers have participated in the program, representing libraries across the state.
The program provides a ten-month practice-based professional development experience (and cash grants of up to $5,500) to ten participating library programmers each year.
Purpose
California has the largest immigrant population of any state; 27% of current residents are immigrants, and almost half the state’s children have at least one immigrant parent. Public libraries play and have long played an important role in welcoming newcomers by providing citizenship classes, English language instruction, and other valuable services and programs.
By providing opportunities for all community members to develop greater understanding of what it means to make a new life and a new home in a new place, the programs supported by LIL can help build bridges between new and long-term residents of the state and foster more inclusive communities.
Through LIL, California Humanities also hopes to build the capacity of participating library staff and libraries to provide engaging humanities learning opportunities and experiences that will reach and interest all Californians.
The principal objectives with this program are to:
- Foster innovative and creative public humanities programming in and by libraries through application of Design Thinking and other collaborative methods
- Build the capacity of participating librarians and libraries to meaningfully engage with immigrants and all community members.
- Use collaborative learning and reflective practice to promote professional growth and development.
Specifically, the LIL program will provide participants with:
- A framework for collaborative learning (virtual whole group meetings, regular electronic communications, individual consultations, and site visits). Support will be provided by peers, project staff, library mentors, and consulting experts;
- A $5,500 grant to each participating library (or fiscal agent) to support project- related research, planning, implementation, and assessment;
- Additional support for project-related travel (up to $200, reimbursable at the conclusion of the grant period).
Grant Period
March 1 – December 31, 2024.
Eligible Applicants
- A California public library (system or branch) must serve as the “Applicant Library” If the library wishes, a library-affiliated nonprofit organization with active federal tax- exempt status (e.g. a Friends group or library foundation affiliated with a California public library system or branch library) may serve as a “Fiscal Sponsor.” This organization will receive the award funds and will be responsible for seeing that they are used for approved program activities, in collaboration with the Applicant Library.
- Participation in the cohort is limited to librarians or other library staff members with direct public programming responsibilities; only one person from each applicant library can serve in this capacity. This person will serve as the “Project Director” and will be the primary contact for the grant. This person should be in place at the time the application is made and any changes in project personnel after the award is made are subject to approval by California Humanities.
For more information, visit California Humanities.
