From the desk of Maura Walsh, WSL’s Grant Manager

Washington State Library has the task of helping distribute funds. We’re accepting applications for four different grants right now. We’d love to help your library share in this funding. Look at the programs below. Each title is a link to more information and applications. Please contact [email protected] if you have more questions.

Digital Literacy

Help your community find and use quality information. We support projects to help your library users get special skills. These can include projects for underserved populations, projects to introduce new technology and projects that can develop new skills. Public, academic, tribal, and school libraries can apply. Please apply by May 26, 2016.

Metadata Enhancement & Remediation Grant—Pilot Project 2016

This is a grant designed to help institutions prepare their collections for launching or placement on other platforms by meeting Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) requirements. Our goal is to help make your materials more accessible and to help use best practices for your digital collections. This is to support public, academic, and tribal libraries in remediating, re-cataloging, and/or enhancing digital collection records currently available to the public through digital library and digital repository systems. The applications are due by June 10, 2016.

Microsoft Imagine Academy

Today everyone needs technology just to apply for a job or stay competitive. We’re trying to help bridge the technology skills gap. If your college or library is an Imagine Academy Program Member, we have special funds available now. We can provide up to $3,000 for supporting materials. You can also use the funds for publicity. Or they can help with salaries. The opening for these funds is April 7, 2016.

Professional development (PD)

Would you like to send your library staff to a special conference? Would you like to bring a trainer to your library? WSL designed our PD grants to help. Every qualified library, system, or district can apply for up to 75% of what is spent. This can include transportation, lodging and registration. Apply for this grant year-round.

Refreshing School Libraries to Engage Students

Recent data showed the average copyright of many school collections is over 20 years old. WSL wants to help school libraries update nonfiction collections. WSL will provide grants of $1,000 to school libraries for buying nonfiction books. If awarded a grant, teacher librarians will be able to select the books they wish through their normal channels. They may choose to purchase processed, shelf-ready books if they want, but the grant limit is still $1,000. WSL will reimburse schools for their purchases. Applications for this grant are due by May 10, 2016.

Washington Rural Heritage

What’s interesting or unique about your area’s history? What do you want to be able to share easily today and tomorrow? This program helps public and tribal libraries create historical digital collections. You actually digitize your treasures locally with our expert help. These can be objects and documents. Then they become part of the Washington Rural Heritage collection. Your library can collaborate with other groups in your community.  Applications are due by May 25, 2016

From the desk of Rand Simmons

Imagine walking into your local public library, community college library, or tribal library and registering to take one of Microsoft’s IT course … for free!

Through a partnership with Microsoft, the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, is seeking funding from the legislature which will be used to pay for the non-discounted portion of the cost of taking a Microsoft course. (Microsoft has discounted these courses by 90%.) It will also cover the cost for the Washington State Library to oversee the project.

The Washington Microsoft IT Academy will provide the people of Washington access without charge to a wide range of Microsoft online courses and learning resources through their local public, community college or tribal libraries. The IT Academy will also be available through the Washington State Library prison libraries. It is currently available through school districts, a project administered by the Office of Public Instruction. Course certification is also available but will not be covered by state funding.

“The Microsoft IT Academy delivered through Washington libraries is a no-brainer. The return on investment of state funds is astounding; an investment of $1.5 million will yield $4 million if Washington’s libraries were to pay full price. There will be no direct charge to people for IT training. Libraries are ready and capable of taking on this project. People are used to coming to their libraries for assistance,” notes Secretary of State Kim Wyman.

The ubiquity of libraries throughout the state, estimated at 472 outlets, and the recognized nature of libraries, to connect to their communities to improve the lives of citizens brings credence to this project model. The Washington State Library is a leader and facilitator among the library community and has decades of experience in managing statewide projects.

For more information on this project, please visit our broadband page.

Comments and inquiries can be sent to Rand Simmons, State Librarian.