91´«Ã½

CHICAGO — The 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) announced the distribution of $1.25 million to 34 recipients of emergency relief grants to libraries that have experienced substantial economic hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic. Through the 91´«Ã½ COVID Library Relief Fund, grantees representing academic, public, school, and tribal libraries will receive grants between $30,000 and $50,000 to support library services and operations.

The 91´«Ã½ COVID Library Relief Fund represents a significant non-federal grant opportunity for libraries. The funds support libraries' efforts to increase and enhance technology access, collection development, digital instruction, staffing, and outreach, while maintaining and amplifying existing services through the end of 2021.

"Congratulations to our 91´«Ã½ COVID library Relief Fund recipients," said Tracie Hall, 91´«Ã½ Executive Director. "This new fund is part of the ongoing association-wide effort to support libraries during these still uncertain times. In the coming months, 91´«Ã½ will announce plans to raise additional funds to support and sustain the vital work of our nation's libraries and library workers as they tackle digital equity, supporting educational persistence, workforce reskilling, and community recovery more broadly, efforts that will undoubtedly require fully staffed and fully funded libraries."

Everyone from school-age children to elders is dependent on the broad range of services provided by Oneida Nation Library in Oneida, Wisconsin. In this rural community, computer access and educational activities serve as a lifeline for users. Unfortunately, service is currently under threat by a 67% budget cut resulting in the closure of one of only two libraries. The library system has received a $40,000 grant for new laptops, hotspots, computers, and training. With an emphasis on literacy-focused activities, the library will buy kits for the summer and fall reading program, new activity kits for elders, and new books for all age groups.

In an economically challenged, widely diverse community, the North Miami Public Library in North Miami, Florida is located in the city's heart and serves 63,000. The library is within walking distance of four schools and serves as a haven for hundreds of students. Budget cuts have forced a 30% reduction in staff. With a $45,000 grant, the library will hire a much-needed Youth Services librarian and new resources to support children, teens, and families.

Serving a community where 100% of students are eligible for the Free and Reduced Lunch program (FRL), the libraries in the Brooks County Schools in Brooks County, Georgia, are the sole source of books for many students. With the $40,000 grant, three schools and their 1,500 students will receive new books and other resources, including crucial access to Ebooks for those who will continue to attend remotely next fall. The grant will support efforts to hire part-time staff, including senior students, to provide much-needed assistance.

With 57% of its 15,000-student body represented by the first generation to go to college, the Glendale Community College Library in Glendale, Arizona, is vital to student success. Reduced revenue resulted in challenges to library staff’s ability to provide remote assistance, especially to essential course materials, as demand outstripped capacity. A $40,000 grant will support new scanning technology and the purchase of mobile hotspots for students, since many cannot afford Internet access at home.

A complete list of grant recipients and project proposals are available at 91´«Ã½’s COVID Library Relief Fund webpage.

The 91´«Ã½ COVID Library Relief Fund is generously supported by Acton Family Giving as part of its response to the pandemic. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation provided initial seed funding as part of its efforts to bolster educational and cultural organizations devastated by the economic fallout from COVID-19.

"We greatly appreciate the generous support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Acton Family Giving," said 91´«Ã½ President Julius C. Jefferson, Jr. "Their tremendous support of libraries and understanding of the invaluable role libraries play in uncertain times is greatly appreciated by the 91´«Ã½ and the millions of library patrons who depend on library services."

91´«Ã½'s Chapter Relations Office administers the 91´«Ã½ COVID Library Emergency Relief Fund.

Additional information regarding Chapter Relations is available on our website.

About the 91´«Ã½

The 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the 91´«Ã½ has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government, and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library's role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all.

About the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation's largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive.

About Acton Family Giving

Acton Family Giving supports distinct initiatives and collective efforts. Its Empathy Building Initiative, launched in 2014, partners with organizations building connections across difference and reaffirming our common humanity. This work is rooted in the belief that an empathetic society fosters stronger, healthier, and more just communities. Acton Family Giving is part of the Wildcard Giving philanthropic family.