National Library Outreach Day
It’s that time of year again. National Library Outreach Day. Also formerly known as National Bookmobile Days, according to the ALA (American Library Association), it takes place during National Library Week and honors Library Outreach and Bookmobile programs. These are programs that bring the library to the community. It’s essential that this program is available for residents who are unable to come to the library for various reasons, especially for those living in a rural community who don’t have a library close by. It can also be important for those who lack the transportation or mobility to come to the library themselves. These outreach programs are vital in helping to bring library accessibility to the community.
In addition to outreach, libraries support vast and diverse programming. Some of us may think of libraries as just a place to find books, use a computer or do research. But in many cases, libraries offer many other programs and activities to the community. GrantWatch wants to highlight the many ways in which libraries support the community.
Library Programs
From yoga to taxes and a lot in between, today’s libraries have activities for everyone. Some of the programs and information libraries offer include:
- Subscriptions to grant search databases for businesses and nonprofits such as GrantWatch.
- Free Tax Help
- Literacy help
- Book clubs
- Historical Lectures
- Crafts
- Yoga
- STEM classes (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math)
- Graphic Design
- Language Lessons
- Standup Comedy
- Children’s Classes
Support National Library Outreach Day
Additionally, there are ways to share your love for your library, especially the staff and all they do to support the community:
- You can share your love for your library on your social media accounts
- Donate books to your library
- Give a monetary donation
- Also, you can visit your local library and give thanks to the staff in person
In addition to grants for Libraries and Literacy, GrantWatch has grants for Community Services, Veterans and Children.
Library Grants
- Grants of up to $3,000 and in-kind donations of materials available to nonprofit museums and libraries to preserve and exhibit collections.
- Award to a public library to recognize outstanding community impact. Criteria include community engagement, promotion of inclusion, leadership development and environmental sustainability. The winning library will also be profiled in the November issue of Library Journal and online.
- In-kind donations of books to nonprofits, schools, colleges and universities, museums and libraries, and also local, state and federal government agencies, to build library collections.
- There are also In-kind grants for new children’s books to public and tribal libraries in rural areas.
- Opportunity for librarians and library workers to receive professional development training to improve public access to health information.
- Additionally, grants are available for library workers and LIS students to participate in a data service training program.
- Opportunity for library staff, information professionals and disaster workforce members to receive training to prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies.
- Finally, there are In-kind donations of books to nonprofits to benefit children from underserved and low-income backgrounds.
With close to 8,000 grants currently available, GrantWatch.com is the leading grant listing directory. A MemberPlus+ subscription is required to view full grant details, including eligibility criteria and application information. For more information, you can also visit the GrantWatch FAQ page.”