ALCTS announces Transforming Collections microgrants

CHICAGO – Supporting innovation is crucial to succeeding in today's library environment. In response to this American Library Association (ALA) goal, Transforming Libraries, the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) launched "Transforming Collections."

This initiative considers how ALCTS can best address ALA's goal of "providing leadership in the transformation of libraries and library services in a dynamic and increasing global digital information environment."

The ALCTS Transforming Collections microgrant program is designed to support and encourage innovative practices, emerging technologies and innovation in collections. The microgrants are intended for small projects or research initiatives in support of transforming collections. Two microgrants up to $1,500 will be funded annually.

Criteria

• Microgrant proposals should include a statement describing how the project or research initiative supports transforming collections.
• The microgrant proposal is to include a clear and concise description of the project or research initiative.
• The microgrant proposal is to include a preliminary budget.^*
• Microgrant proposals will be reviewed for their completeness, clarity and statement of support of ALCTS efforts to foster innovation in collections.
• All ALCTS members in good standing are eligible to submit a proposal.
• Each microgrant proposal must have one designated principal investigator. Co-principals are acceptable.

Guidelines

• Proposals are to be submitted to the ALCTS Transforming Collections Task Force by May 15, 2012.
• Microgrant proposals should be no more than one page in length.
• Microgrant recipients will be announced and microgrant information posted on the ALCTS website by July 1, 2012.
• Each microgrant recipient will submit a brief midyear budget update and progress report.
• Each microgrant is to be completed within one year of notification of funding, concluding with a concise report of finding, in any form appropriate, to the ALCTS Transforming Collections Task Force by June 30, 2013.
• Each microgrant report of finding will be distributed to the ALCTS membership.

^*Budgetary items should not include travel, entertainment or meals.

For more information on the ALCTS microgrants or to apply for one, please contact Mary Beth Thomson, chair, Transforming Collections, mbthomson@uky.edu.