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CHICAGO – Through a special offering of its Inspire Collection Development Grant, made possible through the generous support of Marina “Marney” Welmers, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) will offer grants to specifically address collection loss and remote access requirements due to COVID-19 school closures. To help meet the needs of school libraries making the fall return to learning, applications are due by 4:30 p.m. on September 30, 2020. Criteria, eligibility, and application requirements can be found at .

“School librarians pivoted quickly when schools began to close due to the pandemic,” said AASL President Kathy Carroll. “Many school librarians allowed students to keep resources for the remainder of the school year and over the summer. With schools reopening, librarians are reappraising their collections as schools institute remote or hybrid learning models, highlighting the need for digital access.”

The Inspire COVID Recovery Grant allows existing public middle or high schools to recover from losses sustained due to COVID-19 school closures. Funds can be used to restore school library collections and extend online and remote resources to address learner needs. Eligible purchases include books, online subscriptions, and/or software collections, as well as accessibility extensions (hotspots, increased bandwidth, etc.).

“This grant is a direct result of Marney recognizing the immediate needs brought on by the pandemic and that collection development goes beyond the four walls of the school library,” said Carroll. “Her generous support will allow school librarians to continue to put the needs of our learners first. Thank you, Marney--you inspire us all.”

The American Association of School Librarians, , a division of the 91��ý (91��ý), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.

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