Using Grant-Funded Projects to Attract New Partners and Funders
Recorded: September 17, 2025
The Public Library Association (PLA) and ALA’s Public Programs Office regularly offer competitive grant opportunities to libraries. This work supports seeding and sharing innovations while building capacity in local libraries. But grant funds are time- and project-limited. In this conversation, hear from past grantees about how they leveraged an ALA award to increase or improve service to their communities, grow partnerships, attract new funding, and sustain key work. ALA and PLA staff will also share their approach to granting and where to look for future opportunities.
Pre-Application Webinar for Round 4 of Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities
Upcoming: October 1, 2025
Are you part of a small and rural library? Then the Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant might be perfect for you.
In this free pre-application webinar, attendees will get an intensive look at the application, learn about the guidelines, requirements, and eligibility for the grant. Attendees will also learn how to write a competitive narrative, how to submit your application and have the opportunity to ask questions of ALA Public Programs Office staff.
Programming for Inclusion: Disability Outreach and Native Representation with Support from the Peggy Barber Tribute Grant
Upcoming: October 9, 2025
Brookings Public Library (SD) and Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Library (MI) were two of the recipients of the Peggy Barber Tribute Grant, an annual grant of the American Library Association (ALA) that recognizes, promotes, and supports meaningful programs in libraries that have limited and/or no access to budgetary support for programming.
Through the grant, the Brookings Public Library created the VisABILITY Initiative, which offered programming focused on disability outreach and education. The BPL began by offering accessible programming that encouraged community members with disabilities to engage with the Library. The educational phase, aimed toward Brookings residents as a whole, worked to bring awareness to disability issues and bring the voices of those with disabilities to the forefront. Through partnerships, events, and connections with area resources, this 2-year initiative set a precedent for disability programming and relations at the BPL.
The Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Library, with support from the Peggy Barber Tribute Grant, presented the program Kna-dwen-mi-go (You Are Needed), at which Native women elected to non-tribal office shared their experiences and encouraged attendees to consider running for office themselves.
"They asked you for WHAT?!" Helping Your Patrons Outsmart Scammers and Avoid Fraud
Upcoming: October 22, 2025
Americans lost an astounding $5 billion to investment-related scams in 2024, according to the US Federal Trade Commission. Chances are high that people in your community are falling prey to these schemes. Your library can help!
In this free webinar, learn how you can protect your library patrons by raising awareness about scams, educating people about fraud prevention techniques, and building connections with trustworthy financial professionals. You will leave this webinar with expert-vetted, timely program ideas that you can implement right away.
ALA's Sara Jaffarian Award Presents - Hands-On History: Bringing History Alive with Historical Artifacts
Upcoming: November 4, 2025
Hear from school librarians at Stone Bridge High School (VA), winner of ALA's 2025 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming, as they discuss their winning program and share tips for school library professionals interested in developing a similar program.
Selected from a record-breaking number of applications, Stone Bridge High School is the second high school to win the Jaffarian Award. Before 2024, only school libraries serving K-8 were eligible.
The Historical Artifact Footlocker Program, begun at Stone Bridge High School by school librarians Laura Channing and Erin Curry, has grown into a county-wide initiative. Footlockers are available for loan to all 37 secondary schools in the district, reaching over 4,000 students in its first year.
The program provides hands-on learning through circulating footlockers containing artifacts from World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War. Designed for 6th–12th grade social studies classes, the footlockers connect to History and English curricula and are tied to the Virginia Department of Education curriculum standards.