Awards (Scholarships & Grants)

AASL Announces Inaugural Toor Scholarship Recipients

CHICAGO – Eight school librarians from across the country have been awarded an American Association of School Librarians' (AASL) Toor Scholarship for Strong Public-School Libraries. The Toor Family, in honor of their parents, Jay and Ruth Toor, established the Toor Scholarships for Strong Public-School Libraries.  The scholarships are awarded to public school librarians who have created and implemented a local public awareness/marketing campaign that promotes and positions their school library as a necessary resource in the community.

2023 AASL STEM Special Event Grants Awarded

CHICAGO – Eleven STEM Special Event Grants have been awarded by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). Supported by the Danaher Foundation, the STEM Special Event Grant Program supports a special event to increase student engagement by providing direct assistance funding to middle or high school libraries for special short-term projects or events that would engage students to promote STEM education and student interest in a career in the STEM field. Each recipient will receive a $3,000 grant to fund their project or event.

Sheila Michaels named YALSA’s 2023 MAE Award winner

CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has awarded Sheila Michaels, Library Media Specialist at Nixa High School in Nixa Missouri, its’ 2023 Margaret A. Edwards (MAE) Award for Best Literature Program for Teens for her Program BookBag, a community summer outreach initiative. Michaels will receive a $500 award for herself and an additional $500 for her library.

Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table Announces Recipients of the GNCRT Comics Librarian Conference Travel Grant

The American Library Association Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table (GNCRT) is excited to announce Gabriel Lopez of San Antonio, TX, and Avi Netzorg Woontner of Santa Fe, NM, as the recipients of the first GNCRT Comics Librarian Conference Travel Grants.

Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table celebrates the 2023 recipients of the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries – Billings Public Library, Blue Island Public Library, and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library

The American Library Association’s Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table and the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation are pleased to announce the 2023 recipients of the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries. These grants, funded by the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation, are administered by ALA's Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table (GNCRT).

2023 AASL Research Grants Awarded

CHICAGO – Three research papers have been awarded the 2023 American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Research Grants by the Educators of School Librarians Section (ESLS) of AASL. Sponsored by ABC-CLIO, the grants recognize excellence in manuscripts addressing a persistent and recurring challenge in the field of school librarianship. Each grant consists of a $350 award and the researchers will present their papers at the 2023 AASL National Conference in Tampa, Florida.

Recipients of the 2023 AASL Research Grants are:

ALA Announces Building Library Capacity Fund Grants for Minority Serving Institutions

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) announces the opening of the ALA Building Library Capacity Grants that will provide grants to assist libraries at Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) across the United States and US Territories that have experienced economic hardship due the consequences of the pandemic and its aftermath, to help increase academic support and achievement for students.

2023 IRRT Mission Enhancement Grant winner announced

The “Capacity Building for LIS Professionals in Cambodia and Maldives through Continuing Professional Development (CPD) project is this year’s recipient of the American Library Association’s International Relations Round Table (IRRT) Mission Enhancement Grant. 

Travel Grants Available for First-Time AASL National Conference Attendees

CHICAGO — Thirty travel grants are available to school library professionals wishing to attend the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) National Conference for the first time. The $750 grants for first-time attendees of the conference are sponsored by Bound to Stay Bound Books. Those interested in applying can access the application at www.ala.org/aasl/conferences/aasl23/btsb.  The deadline for applications is April 24, 2023. Late applications will not be considered.

Charlotte Chung receives AASL Innovative Reading Grant

CHICAGO – Charlotte Chung, media specialist at Suncrest Elementary School in Morgantown, West Virginia, is the recipient of the 2023 American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) Innovative Reading Grant. Sponsored by Capstone, the $2,500 grant supports the planning and implementation of a unique and innovative program for children that motivates and encourages reading, especially with struggling readers.