Public Programs Office (PPO)
Applications open for new ALA initiative to advance sustainability in libraries
The American Library Association (ALA), in collaboration with the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI), is launching Resilient Communities: Advancing Sustainability in and through Libraries, a new initiative designed to equip public library workers with...
Digital Pathways: Online Health Literacy Programming for Adults Guidelines
Date posted: October 23, 2025 Applications Open: October 29, 2025 - January 7, 2026 Questions? Contact the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5045, or publicprograms@ala.org. Table of Contents Initiative Description Project Overview Eligibility Award Information Application and Submission Information Application Review Award Administration Information Contact Us Initiative Description There has been a significant increase in adults using the internet to access health information over the past decade. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
With Funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation, ALA Announces Aging Together: An Evaluation of Library Programming for Older Adults
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA), with $388,363 in support from The John A. Hartford Foundation, announces Aging Together: An Evaluation of Library Programming for Older Adults, an initiative to support a national evaluation to better...
The Seattle Public Library’s Nourishing Minds toolkit equips libraries to address youth mental health with free and innovative programs and resources
Since its inception in 2022, Nourishing Minds has evolved from a pioneering project into a comprehensive framework transforming how libraries support youth mental health. Initiated by The Seattle Public Library (SPL), Nourishing Minds has now unveiled a...
ALA invites applicants for $3.5 million in grants during round four of the historic Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities initiative
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) invites applications from small and rural libraries for the fourth round of funding of the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant, which is anticipated to be...
Resilient Communities
Resilient Communities, an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA), helps libraries engage their communities in programs and conversations that address the climate crisis. Resilient Communities: Advancing Sustainability in and through Libraries (2025-26) Resilient Communities: Advancing Sustainability in and through Libraries, an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, will inform public library workers about the principles and practices of sustainable librarianship, and empower them to begin taking action in...
Stone Bridge High School Awarded ALA’s 2025 Jaffarian Award for Historical Artifact Footlocker Program
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) has awarded its 2025 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award to Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, Virginia, for its Historical Artifact Footlocker Program. The $5,000 Jaffarian Award, supported by...
Between Two Worlds: Exploring Jewish Culture and Religion Through Yiddish Literature
The American Library Association (ALA), in collaboration with the Yiddish Book Center, invites applications for the Public Libraries Program. Libraries in this program will host discussions on the theme Between Two Worlds: Exploring Jewish Culture and Religion Through Yiddish Literature. Participating libraries will organize a reading group that will discuss three books of Yiddish literature in translation and one book related to a community served by their library. The libraries will receive a collection of Yiddish literature in translation, reading guides to support the discussions, and on...
Three Libraries Awarded ALA’s 2025 Peggy Barber Tribute Grant for Programs for Isolated Older Adults
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) has awarded its 2025 Peggy Barber Tribute Grant, a programming grant named after the transformative ALA leader, to Falls City (Neb.) Library & Arts Center, Hartford (Mich) Public Library and Pottsboro...
Mountain Top Library (N.Y.) and Pottsboro (Texas) Library Awarded ALA’s Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) has awarded its sixth annual Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant to Mountain Top Library (N.Y.) and Pottsboro (Texas) Library. The winning libraries will use the grant to create a collaborative...
ALA awards $3.5 million in library accessibility funding to 300 small and rural libraries in third round of grant initiative
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the third round of recipients of its Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant, an initiative to help small and rural libraries increase the...
K-12 school librarians invited to apply for the annual $5,000 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award
CHICAGO — School librarians are invited to apply for a $5,000 annual award recognizing outstanding humanities programming in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Nominations for the 2025 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award will be accepted until...
Libraries Invited to Apply for the Fifth Annual Peggy Barber Tribute Grant to Support Programs Reducing Social Isolation Among Older Adults
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) invites library workers to apply for the fifth annual Peggy Barber Tribute Grant, a programming grant named after the transformative ALA leader responsible for the creation of National Library Week and the...
ALA Invites Applications for Sixth Annual Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) invites library workers to apply for the Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant (LTCEG), an annual award supporting innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts in libraries...
With funding from the Ford Foundation, ALA announces Community Catalysts: Libraries as Leaders in Bridging Divides Project
CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA), with $200,000 in support from the Ford Foundation, announces its latest initiative Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Community Catalysts: Libraries as Leaders in Bridging Divides. Building on the...
Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities Peer Reviewer
Peer Reviewer Opportunity for LTC Access 3 A crucial part of every grant opportunity in the Public Programs Office (PPO) is the peer review process. Every application is reviewed by external reviewers, peers in the library field, and scored on an evaluation rubric to aid in the selection process. Now is your chance to apply to be one of the peer reviewers for the third round of Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities. Peer reviewers will receive an honorarium of $150 for their work and can expect to review approximately 25 applications. Timeline: Application...
Denise Davis Appointed ALA Senior Fellow for Research and Data
The American Library Association (ALA) has appointed Denise Davis as a Senior Fellow in ALA’s Department on Institutional Advancement, Programs, and Partnerships and in its Public Policy and Advocacy Office.