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MLA ACCESS AND INNOVATION FUND
The MLA Access and Innovation Fund (administered by the Access and Innovation Fund Committee)
The 2024-2025 application cycle is now open - Apply here!
The grant proposal process is open year-round to accept emergency requests, but the primary process opens annually on July 1 with the deadline on September 1. The committee makes all award decisions before the annual conference and announces grant recipients at the Awards Ceremony. Funding is distributed between January 1-31.
View a recording of the Access and Innovation Fund information session from July 24, 2023. Contact us at access.innovation@molib.org for questions.
In 2019 the Missouri Library Association (MLA) was the recipient of an anonymous, donor directed gift of funds "to be used for the limited purpose of promoting library services related to computer/internet access services to library patrons." MLA has developed guidelines for the use of these funds in keeping with the donor's intent. It is our hope and expectation that these funds will assist a number of libraries around the state achieve improved and innovative patron services. With proper oversight, the fund should grow over time to provide even greater levels of assistance.
PURPOSE OF THE FUND
To enhance, support, and develop library technologies and innovation that improve patrons' access to library services.
SCOPE OF THE GRANTS
This financial support is broadly interpreted to cover a range of possibilities relating to the purpose of the fund including, but not limited to: hardware, technological equipment, computers, devices, associated and peripheral technologies, bandwidth, wifi, hot spots, software, databases, Ecard programs, Erate funds for underserved or economically disadvantaged areas, training for implementation and use of technologies, marketing of technology focused library services, or furniture and renovation that improves patron access to service. The Grant Committee is particularly interested in funding projects or programs that have the potential to make a significant difference to the community served or that are innovative.
ELIGIBILITY
All libraries in Missouri are eligible to apply. Committees and Communities of Interest in good standing within the Missouri Library Association are also eligible to apply. Individual applications not supported by a Missouri Library or an MLA Committee/Community of Interest will not be accepted. Preference is given to institutional members, and to a lesser extent individual members of the Missouri Library Association. Libraries that have not previously received a grant will be given priority consideration. We utilize the Missouri State Library's LSTA grant eligible library definition for the purpose of this grant program.
SIZE OF THE GRANTS
The grant committee endeavors to award multiple grants to multiple libraries. The size of grant awards is expected to be between $500 and $2500, but proposals are accepted for any amount up to $5000.
TERMS
- All grants are for one-time funding.
- Grants may be used for projects incurring ongoing costs, however, this grant program will fund only one proposal for any given project, purchase, or expense. While applicants may apply for a grant in other grant cycles, the proposal must be for a different purpose. Thus, applicants should consider the sustainability of their project in the development of their proposal.
- Grant recipients are expected to expend the majority of funds within one year; all funds must be expended within two years of the initial grant date.
- Grants may be coordinated with LSTA grants.
- Grant applicants need not exhaust all other sources of funding in order to apply.
- Ongoing institutional administrative and overhead charges are not eligible for funding through this program.
REQUIREMENTS
Grantees are required to submit a one page, written report within two years of the initial grant. This report must address the outcomes and impact of their grant, and include a brief outline of actual expenditures. Reports will be added to the MLA Archives and shared broadly with MLA membership. Also, grantees are encouraged to share their experiences in public ways for the benefit of the library community through a conference presentation, publication such as MOInfo, conference table talk, or other venue.
Publications and presentations resulting from projects funded by an Access and Innovation Fund grant must recognize Missouri Library Association funding. MLA will provide recipients with a high resolution MLA logo and statement to be used for acknowledgement of the MLA funding award. Recipients are to provide MLA with links to any published reports or presentation files available on the web.
TIMELINE
The grant proposal deadline is September 1 annually, and the committee makes all award decisions by the Annual Conference Board Meeting. Funding is distributed between January 1 and 31 of the following year. The review process is designed to complement the LSTA grant cycle so applicants may maximize the benefits of their grants. The committee will consider grant requests for emergency needs that do not align with the grant cycle.
MLA Access & Innovation Fund 2023-2024
Summary of Awards
To enhance, support, and develop library technologies and innovation that improve patrons’ access to library services. http://molib.org/awards/mla-access-and-innovation-fund/
Title: LDRL: Health Services from US to You
Award Amount: $2500
Institution: Little Dixie Regional Libraries
Project Summary: Little Dixie Regional Libraries serves the counties of Randolph and Monroe in north central Missouri. LDRL proposes purchasing a variety of healthcare technologies to checkout to patrons to ensure a better quality of life, reduce stress, and work closely with area healthcare organizations to help educate and ensure better health for residents within the area.
These items will be available at all four branches of the regional library and be available to patrons 16 years and older. The area hospital and health departments have agreed to help promote these new items with area healthcare workers and doctors as a way for people to monitor themselves as needed according to a physicians instructions. These healthcare items also may be used to evaluate for future issues if concerns have arisen.
Title: Connection for All in Richmond Heights
Award Amount: $4,085.62
Institution: Richmond Heights Memorial Library
Project Summary: In 2021 RHML acquired a circulating collection of Chromebooks, which have proven extremely popular with the community. The goals of Connection for All are to maximize the value of these Chromebooks and those we hope to soon acquire, and to close the connection gap in broadband internet access demonstrated by the census data. They intend to purchase twenty-two Franklin T10 hotspots. Twenty devices will be combined with the Library’s existing collection of Chromebooks, currently numbering fifteen. The remaining five will be circulated with additional Chromebooks that we plan to purchase with LSTA funds from the 2024 Tech Mini grant offered through the Missouri State Library. The additional two hotspots and cases will be used by library staff in support of our ever expanding outreach efforts both at community events and senior residential facilities.
Title: Circulating Tonies
Award Amount: $4,904
Institution: Scenic Regional Library
Project Summary: We will create at least 19 unique kits including a Tonie box, charger, and 8 Tonie characters in a padded case. These kits will be evenly distributed among our 9 branches but all patrons in our district will have access to all kits. A Tonie box is a padded speaker that is simple enough for very young children to use with minimal assistance. It is an imagination-building, screen-free digital listening experience. Each Tonie character has from 30 minutes to an hour of content that includes books, stories, songs, and informational content. Tonies are designed to foster imagination and active play for children ages 3 and up.
Title: Public WiFi Broadband Improvements
Award Amount: $3,000
Award: Fully Fund
Institution: Joplin Public Library
Project Summary: This project will see five Wifi 6e Access points deployed in central common areas for best distribution as determined by a heatmap of existing usage. These devices will be capable of accommodating the volume of patrons in those areas with ease at speed over 100mbs down. Each location was carefully considered for the amount of coverage area capable vs number of patrons loitering/likely to need services in those areas.
Title: New Patron Printer Funding
Award Amount: $500
Institution: Dade County Library
Project Summary: The goal of the project is to provide a new, more reliable printer in our computer lab.
Title: Large Format, Large Impact
Award Amount: $5,000
Institution: Cameron Public Library
Project Summary: In 2018 we created a Makerspace room in our library using a variety of low-tech materials as well as introductory coding tools. We would like to build off of these successes with additional “high tech” Making tools. After speaking with community members as well as consulting with other small libraries, we believe that the best way to serve our community would be through the addition of a large format printer. We will have the printer available for orders to be sent in and printed for a small fee as well as featured during making events. We feel that the new printer will allow us to print more appealing promotional materials as well.
Title: EagleTech Rural Expansion Pilot
Award Amount: $4,985.40
Institution: Ozarks Technical Community College
Project Summary: Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) serves approximately 15,000 students annually in a 12-county region in southwest Missouri. At the main campus in Springfield, OTC’s library operates the EagleTech technology lending program, loaning laptops, hotspots, and iPads out to students. Hotspot lending has the highest rate of use, leading to waitlists of dozens of students. The popularity of EagleTech hotspot lending and awareness of the urgent need for internet access in the rural counties OTC serves leads us to seek ways to expand this program to where students need it most.
We propose to pilot a program at OTC’s most rural campus, lending hotspots to OTC students at the Table Rock campus. With a small pilot program of 4 hotspot devices, and building on the existing policies and procedures that have been so successful at the Springfield campus, we hope to demonstrate the need and viability of a permanent program at this location. Devices will be available for a 21-day loan period to currently registered students at the OTC Table Rock campus.
Title: Early Literacy Digital Inclusion
Award Amount: $5,000
Institution: Livingston County Library
Project Summary: The Lillian DesMarias Youth Library serves Livingston County and surrounding areas youth ages 0 – 18 years. As a branch location of the Livingston County Library dedicated to serving the county’s community youth, we have introduced gaming for teens, cubelet clubs for elementary students, and now we are looking to include technology for our earliest readers those family units who include preschool and primary school aged children.
The project involves purchasing and installing AWE Early Literacy Station in the Youth Library specifically designed for ages 2-8 without internet accessibility. Additionally, the project involves the purchase of Tonieboxes, their characters and carrying cases to enable ages 3 and up to experience digital storytelling with their imagination without screens. Toniebox is an audio system with predownloaded content with stories and music that offers tactile play or self-directed play. The Tonieboxes would be available for patron checkout, much like hotspots or laptops, are through the library’s lending programs.
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