ALA Seeks Applications for “The American Dream Starts @ Your Library” Mini-grants

In January 2010, the American Library Association (ALA) received a two-year grant of $750,000 from the  Dollar General Literacy Foundation for “The American Dream Starts @ your library.” This funding makes it possible for ALA to fund 70 public libraries in Dollar General communities to develop literacy programs for adult English language learners.
To be eligible for funding, the applicant institution must be a public library, or a public library with a bookmobile providing literacy services for adult English language learners, and must be within 20 miles of a Dollar General Store, distribution center or corporate office. Each funded library will receive a onetime $5,000 grant.

Applications for funding are being accepted online through Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010. Selected applicants will be notified in early April, 2010. To learn more about the American Dream Starts @ your library, the library grants and to apply online, please visit www.americandreamtoolkit.org .

Dollar General is a Partner in the Campaign for America’s Libraries (www.ala.org/@yourlibrary), ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians.

In 2007, the American Library Association received a similar grant from Dollar General, the Tennessee-based corporation, for mini-grants aimed at helping public libraries expand literacy services to adult English-language learners. In 2008, ALA funded 34 public libraries in 18 states serving communities from under 850 to more than 1 million. Libraries used these funds to expand multi-lingual print and digital literacy collections, improve technology, build mobile language labs, add literacy programs and services, develop training manuals, produce outreach videos,  and train tutors. For additional information about the funded libraries visit http://www.americandreamtoolkit.org/programs.html.