CHICAGO, Ill. (WSIL) -- More than $28 million in library and literacy grants were recently awarded to library facilities across the state.
Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias announced the awarded grants for multiple programs around the state on Thursday morning.
The grants awarded totaled nearly $22 million for library services and $6 million for literacy programs.
These are for library services which include funding to enhance online catalogs, expand interlibrary loan programs, support day-to-day operations and equip vision-impaired individuals with narrations of newspaper content. These are also for literacy programs geared towards promoting basic reading, math, writing and English language skills.
鈥淓quipping our libraries with the resources they need to increase services and expand offerings is essential to enhancing the accessibility of learning materials for all Illinois residents regardless of their geographic location, accessibility needs, income status or educational level,鈥� Giannoulias said. 鈥淢eanwhile, increasing the state鈥檚 literacy level results in opportunities for individual success and makes communities stronger.鈥�
These grants are the latest for a total of more than $104 million in grant funding to expand library services across the state under Giannoulias' administration for the last 18 months.
Giannoulias noted the most recent grant funding includes the following...
- More than $18 million allocated to library systems across the state. Libraries systems use this funding to support day-to-day operations and assure resource sharing occurs between public, school, academic and special libraries, which enables library patrons across Illinois to request materials from any participating library free-of-charge. Last fiscal year, more than 11 million items were shared between libraries throughout the state.
- Nearly $5.8 million in literacy grants that support adult, family and workplace literacy programs awarded to volunteer organizations, community colleges and school districts, and not-for-profit entities.
- More than $2.3 million to expand online catalogues and interlibrary resource sharing between public, school, academic, and special libraries, providing more variety in the types of resources Illinoisans can access.
- More than $500,000 for technology-focused mentorship programs at public libraries to help middle and high school students.
- More than $350,000 to provide narration of local newspaper content to individuals who cannot read standard print material due to visibility challenges or other accessibility needs.
- Nearly $50,000 to support veteran鈥檚 home libraries that provide books, magazines, computers and internet access to veterans in long-term care and their spouses.
These awarded grants for the library and literacy programs are from a combination of state funds and the federal Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
The list of grants include programs in southern Illinois...
Carbondale
Carbondale Public Library - Library Services - $31,531
WSIU-九游体育 Illinois Radio Information Service - Library Services - $21,353
Carterville
Anne West Lindsey District Library - Library Services - $17,135
John A. Logan College - Literacy - $41,336
Fairfield
Frontier Community College - Literacy - $77,000
Harrisburg
Harrisburg Public Library District - Library Services - $5,202
Marion
Marion Carnegie Library - Library Services - $27,978
Mount Vernon
Southtown Youth Program Center - Literacy - $50,000
Sparta
Sparta Public Library - Library Services - $13,911
