United for Libraries and Penguin Random House announce recipients of grants to U.S. rural and small libraries

APRIL 8, 2025 | Penguin Random House and United for Libraries announced today, during National Library Week, the 51 recipients of a new grant program serving rural and small libraries across the country.

The cash grants, totaling $25,000, are being awarded to support libraries in need - 19 cash grants of $1,000 and 12 cash grants of $500. Grant funds will assist Friends of Library groups, or nonprofit groups that support and fundraise for libraries in their communities, with priority projects, including summer reading programs for youth, outreach to seniors, bookmobile improvements, technology upgrades, Friends group development, and more. In addition to the cash grants awarded, 20 in-kind book donation grants of $500 are being awarded to 20 libraries to purchase Penguin Random House titles.

Grants are administered by United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, whose mission is to support those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for all types of libraries. Grant funding is provided by Penguin Random House.

Grant recipients receive complimentary eLearning from United for Libraries, including a year of access to United for Libraries Learning Live monthly webinars which present in-depth training to library Trustees/Board Members, Friends, Foundations, advocates, and those who work with them, and training on how to leverage the grant funds to build support for the library and the Friends group. Online trainings by United for Libraries on “Starting a Friends of the Library Group” and “Grant Writing Basics for Small/Rural Libraries and/or Friends Groups,” which were provided to anyone considering applying for the grant, are still available on-demand to all at no cost.

"United for Libraries received a huge response to this grant program, which demonstrated just how much Friends and library support organizations do for their libraries and communities,” said 2024-2026 United for Libraries President Deborah Doyle. “These grants will empower rural and small libraries across the country to make a big impact locally, and to access United for Libraries resources on advocacy and fundraising to continue to support their libraries at this critical time.”

“During a time when the future of public libraries is under attack, our collaboration with United for Libraries is more important than ever as we work together to support these vital institutions and ensure that every American has the right to access the resources they need to thrive,” said Skip Dye, Senior Vice President of Library Sales and Digital Strategy at Penguin Random House. “Small and rural libraries in particular are essential to their communities and we are thankful to have the opportunity to provide them with this meaningful support.”

Recipients of $1,000 cash grants are:

• Elmwood (Wis.) Library Friends Incorporated
• Eureka (Mont.) Friends of the Library
• Flenniken Public Library, Carmichaels, Pa.
• Friends of Homer (Alaska) Library
• Friends of Nesbitt Memorial Library (Columbus, Texas)
• Friends of the Bushnell-Sage Library (Sheffield, Mass.)
• Friends of the Goldston (N.C.) Public Library
• Friends of the Library, Blackstone, Va.
• Friends of the Pendleton County Public Library, Franklin, W.V.
• Friends of the Starkville (Miss.) Library
• Friends of the Swampscott (Mass.) Public Library
• Friends of the West Fork (Ark.) Library
• Friends of Webb Shadle Public Library (Pleasantville, Iowa)
• Gentry (Ark.) Public Library Association
• John G. McCullough Free Library (North Bennington, Vt.)
• Kemmerer Library Harding Township (New Vernon, N.J.)
• Lydia's Friends, Inc., (West Dummerston, Vt.)
• Rouses Point (N.Y.) Dodge Memorial Library
• Storm Lake (Iowa) Public Library

Recipients of $500 cash grants are:

• Astoria (Ore.) Public Library
• Banks (Ore.) Public Library
• Foresthill (Calif.) Friends of the Library
• Friends of Lewes (Del.) Public Library, Inc.
• Friends of Newbury (N.H.) Public Library
• Friends of the Augusta (Wis.) Library
• Friends of the Gilpin County Public Library (Black Hawk, Colo.)
• Friends of the Pelican Rapids (Minn.) Library
• Friends of the Sundown (Texas) Library & Parks Group
• Friends of Wornstaff Memorial Public Library (Ashley, Ohio)
• Morton Memorial Library (Pine Hill, N.Y.)
• Newton County Friends of the Library (Jasper, Ark.)

Recipients of $500 in-kind book grants from Penguin Random House are:

• Ardmore (Tenn.) Public Library
• Blue Earth (Minn.) Community Library
• Cherokee (Iowa) Public Library
• Frankford (Del.) Public Library
• Friends of Pettee Memorial Library (Wilmington, Vt.)
• Friends of the Belen (N.M.) Public Library
• Friends of the Crawford (Neb.) Public Library
• Friends of the Guilford (Vt.) Free Library
• Friends of the James Memorial Public Library (Saint James, Mo.)
• Friends of the Lebanon (Ore.) Public Library
• Friends of the Upsala (Minn.) Public Library
• Friends of Walnut Grove (Ga.) Library
• Froid (Mont.) Public Library
• Ishpeming (Mich.) Carnegie Public Library
• Liberty (Maine) Library
• Mendon Public Library (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.)
• Oscar Grady Public Library (Saukville, Wis.)
• Ririe (Idaho) City Library
• Union (Ore.) Carnegie Public Library
• Whitman County Library (Colfax, Wash.)