<div dir="ltr"><div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</b></span></font></div>
<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br>
July 28, 2016<br></span></font>
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<font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b>IMLS Contact<br>
</b>Giuliana Bullard <a href="mailto:gbullard@imls.gov" target="_blank">gbullard@imls.gov</a></span></font></div>
<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><a href="tel:202-653-4799" value="+12026534799" target="_blank">202-653-4799</a></span></font> </div>
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<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b>FY 2017 Guidelines Announced for Grants to
Boost Library Profession and Improve Field<br>
</b></span></font></div>
<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b> <i>September 1 is the first of two FY
2017 deadlines for applications to IMLS </i></b></span></font></div>
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<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b>Washington, DC -</b> The Institute of
Museum and Library Services has announced the guidelines for the first
round of FY 2017 <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=nwplndyab.0.0.fs66ynuab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.imls.gov%2Fgrants%2Favailable%2Fnational-leadership-grants-libraries" target="_blank"><span></span>National Leadership Grants for Libraries (NLG)</a> and <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=nwplndyab.0.0.fs66ynuab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.imls.gov%2Fgrants%2Favailable%2Flaura-bush-21st-century-librarian-program" target="_blank"><span></span>Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (LB21)</a>. The NLG
program invests in projects that address challenges faced by the
library and archive fields and generate results such as new tools,
research findings, or models that can be widely used. The LB21 program
supports human capital capacity projects for libraries and archives.
This call for preliminary proposals has a deadline of September 1,
2016, for both programs. A separate funding opportunity for both
programs will be announced in December with a deadline in February
2017.</span></font></div>
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<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">From the preliminary proposals received in
September, IMLS will select applicants and invite them to submit full
proposals by January 13, 2016. Applicants who are not invited to
continue from the first round of funding may submit new preliminary
proposals in February.</span></font></div>
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<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">As outlined in the 2017 IMLS Congressional
Justification, IMLS is especially interested in projects that address
the following priorities:</span></font></div>
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<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">1.<b> Community Anchors:</b> NLG projects that
advance the role of libraries as community anchors that provide civic
and cultural engagement, facilitate lifelong learning, promote digital
inclusion, and support economic vitality through programming and
services. LB21 projects that investigate and build the skills and
knowledge of library professionals to support the role of libraries as
community anchors that facilitate lifelong learning; enhance civic and
cultural engagement; and support economic vitality, through
programming and services.</span></font></div>
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<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">2.<b> National Digital Platform:</b> NLG projects
that create, develop, and expand the social and technical
infrastructure and the open source software applications used by
libraries and archives to provide digital content and services to all
users in the United States. LB21 projects that increase library
professionals' capacity to create, develop, and use the social and
technical infrastructure and the open source software applications
used by libraries and archives to provide digital content and services
to all users in the United States. NDP projects bridge gaps between
disparate pieces of the existing digital infrastructure for increased
efficiencies, cost savings, access, and services.</span></font></div>
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<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">3.<b> Curating Collections:</b> NLG projects that
can have a significant national impact on shared services for the
preservation and management of digital library collections and content
across the country. LB21 projects that increase librarians' and
library professionals' capacity to create, preserve, manage, and
provide access to digital library collections across the
country.</span></font></div>
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<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Applicants to the LB21 program are required to
align their projects with a project category, i.e., National Digital
Platform, Community Anchors, or Curating Collections. Projects must
also align with a project type, i.e., Pre-Professional; Masters-level
and Doctoral-level Programs; Early Career Development; or Continuing
Education.</span></font></div>
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<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries is now a
funding category within the National Leadership Grants program, rather
than a standalone program. Sparks grants support new tools,
products, services, or organizational practices. Sparks preliminary
proposals will now be accepted twice a year, instead of full proposals
accepted once a year.</span></font></div>
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<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">See the grant program guidelines for more
information about <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=nwplndyab.0.0.fs66ynuab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.imls.gov%2Fgrants%2Favailable%2Flaura-bush-21st-century-librarian-program" target="_blank"><span></span>LB21</a> or <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=nwplndyab.0.0.fs66ynuab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.imls.gov%2Fgrants%2Favailable%2Fnational-leadership-grants-libraries" target="_blank"><span></span>NLG</a> programs.</span></font></div>
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<div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b>Getting Your Questions
Answered</b></span></font></div>
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</span></font></div><div align="center"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">IMLS staff members listed on the <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=nwplndyab.0.0.fs66ynuab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.imls.gov%2Fgrants%2Favailable%2Fnational-leadership-grants-libraries" target="_blank"><span></span>NLG</a> and <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=nwplndyab.0.0.fs66ynuab.0&id=preview&r=3&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.imls.gov%2Fgrants%2Favailable%2Flaura-bush-21st-century-librarian-program" target="_blank"><span></span>LB21</a> program pages are available by phone and email to
answer general questions related to the programs.</span></font></div>
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