Advisor Opportunity
ALA will select nine project advisors to participate in this project during a one-year term (March 2026 – March 2027).
Selected advisors will work with the project team to help inform the initiative’s research and provide feedback on deliverables. To participate as an advisor, each library practitioner must recruit a local community partner from the field of aging (e.g. area agencies on aging, local non-profit focused on services for older adults, etc.) to serve on the committee with them. For those located in areas without local organizations with which they can partner, they may recruit an older adult community leader. This individual may be a library volunteer, board member, town council member, etc.
If selected, library advisors and their community partner will commit to the following activities:
- Participate in a one-day in-person convening at the Public Library Association (PLA) Conference in Minneapolis, MN, on March 31, 2026.
- Travel for one library advisor and one community partner to the convening will be covered. This includes roundtrip airfare, per diem, hotel for 2 nights, and a PLA conference registration.
- Participate in monthly virtual meetings with project staff and the rest of the advisory committee, beginning May 2026 and ending March 2027.
- Serve as thought leaders for the project and its outputs.
- Act as subject matter experts who suggest additional resources and/or serve as webinar presenters.
- Promote project deliverables within their networks.
- Present project findings at national, local, and state-level conferences, meetings, and other convenings.
- Be available to provide feedback to project staff, as needed, by phone (rare) or email (common).
Each library advisor will receive:
- A $2,500 honorarium for the library advisory and a $2,500 honorarium for their community partner.
- Travel for 1 library advisor and 1 community partner to the in-person convening in Minneapolis on March 31, 2026.
Eligibility
To be eligible to serve as an advisor, the applying library worker must:
- Have an active ALA membership
- Work at a public library within the U.S. or U.S. territory
- Have older adult programming and service expertise
How to Apply
To apply, submit an application online via our grants management platform (ALA Apply).
Opportunity Deadlines
Deadline for Submission: Monday, December 1, 2025, by 11:59 pm (CT)
Notification Date: Friday, December 12, 2025
This project is generously supported by The John A. Hartford Foundation, a private, nonpartisan, national philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults. The leader in the field of aging and health, the Foundation has three priority areas: creating age-friendly health systems, supporting family caregivers, and improving serious illness and end-of-life care. Learn more at www.johnahartford.org.