Association for Library Service to Children mini-grants

ALSC launches application for Everyone Reads @ your library mini-grants

CHICAGO — The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is now accepting applications for mini-grants intended to prepare libraries to incorporate Día into their existing programs, throughout the year.  Libraries will use these mini-grants to initiate a Día Family Book Club Program.  These mini-grants are part of ALSC’s Everyone Reads @ your library grant, funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

The deadline to accept mini-grant applications is Feb. 1, 2013.

Intended as an expansion of El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Día), the mini-grants will be awarded to libraries that demonstrate a need to better address the diverse backgrounds within their communities.  Up to 12 mini-grants will be awarded at $5,000 each.  In addition to these mini-grants, funding from this grant will also allow ALSC to create a Día Family Book Club Toolkit that will be accessible to all. For more information, and the application form, go to  http://dia.ala.org/dia-2013-mini-grants.

Día is an every day celebration of children, families and reading that emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.  Día was founded in 1996 by children’s book author Pat Mora, who proposed conceptually linking the existing Children’s Day with literacy.  Día’s primary goals are to honor children and their diverse backgrounds; to encourage reading and literacy; and to promote library collections and programs that reflect our plurality, on a daily basis.

The founding partner of Día is REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Literacy and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking.

The mini-grants are part of the activities leading up to Dia’s 17^th anniversary, culminating on April 30, 2013:  Dia: Diversity in Action.   For more information, visit dia.ala.org.