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A wide range of funding opportunities, ranging from thousands to millions, are available right now for public libraries to build digital literacy skills, support workforce development and economic advancement programs, offer telehealth support, and enable access to devices and broadband.

Join this free on-demand webinar to get essential information, examples of eligible projects, and practical tips to apply for Digital Equity Act State Capacity Grants, national competitive grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA), and PLA funding for digital literacy workshops. An expert panel will break down funding opportunities with actionable information and recommendations for positioning your library for success—now and in the future.

You’ll also learn more about freely available PLA and resources to support your work, including , Project Outcome to support evaluation and assessment, data you can cite in your applications and promotion, and library-specific guidance related to federal funding.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this free on-demand webinar, participants will be able to:

• Learn how your library can use federal and state funds to advance your state’s digital equity plan in your community;
• Identify two ways your library can use federal and state funds to advance digital equity, literacy, and inclusion to underserved and unserved populations in your community;
• Find more information about funding and resources available to advance digital equity, literacy, and inclusion through libraries; and
• Position your library’s digital equity assets and needs to funders and partners to increase library visibility and secure resources.

Who Should Attend

This free on-demand webinar is intended for all public library staff involved with digital literacy and digital equity initiatives, including library directors, managers, IT staff, trainers, grant writers, and more.

Panelists

James Neal (he/him) holds a BA from Morehouse College and is a graduate of the MLIS program at the University of Maryland's College of Information. He worked for two years as a librarian with Prince George's County Memorial Library System and maintains a strong interest in the future of public libraries. His background and experience include bookselling in several independent bookstores; volunteer service in the Peace Corps in Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo); graduate education in anthropology; publicity, marketing, editorial, and sales roles in academic and scholarly publishing; public school teaching; public relations; and user experience design for the web.

In his current role as senior program officer, Office of Library Services, at IMLS, James manages and monitors a portfolio of grants and applications focused on building equitable digital communities, open educational resources (OER), digital inclusion and digital equity, data privacy and security, open data, public interest/civic technology, and cybersecurity.

Anne Slaughter (she/her) is a librarian and digital equity advocate who has been working in public libraries and consortia since 2006. As director of technology services at the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS)—one of two publicly funded regional systems serving libraries of all types across Illinois—she oversees the IT, data analysis, and cataloging departments and administers grant programs supporting the operations and membership growth of shared catalog consortia. Anne has served on the Illinois Office of Broadband’s Broadband Advisory Council since its inception in 2019, where she champions libraries' essential digital inclusion services and capacity-building needs to a range of stakeholders outside of the library field. She is heavily involved in digital equity coalition and partnership building, continuing education and networking opportunities, legislative advocacy, and awareness-raising across the Illinois library community. She received her MLIS from Dominican University and is also current chair of the Core Technology Section Leadership Team.

Bo Ford (he/him) is committed to closing the digital divide and empowering communities. With a background in community engagement and project management, he’s played a key role in digital equity efforts. As a former community ambassador for Connect 313, Bo helped 100,000 Detroit residents’ access affordable connectivity. At the Osborn Neighborhood Alliance, he expanded digital access in public spaces. Now, as the digital equity program manager at the New Mexico State Library, Bo helps librarians reimagine their roles and highlights how digital access is vital for overall health and wellbeing. He focuses on bringing telehealth, digital skills training, and connectivity to libraries and bookmobile stops statewide, creating culturally relevant materials for Tribal communities.

Webinar moderator Larra Clark (she/her) serves as deputy director for both the Public Library Association (PLA) and the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±app’s () Public Policy & Advocacy Office. Her portfolio includes broadband access and adoption, public library data and research, strategic communications, and national initiatives and partnerships. Her career spans twenty-four years managing library communications, policy, and research following a decade in non-profit public affairs, government relations, and print journalism. She received her library master’s degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Accommodations

This on-demand webinar is captioned in English (United States).

If you have a physical or communication need that may affect your access to this on-demand webinar, please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752) prior to registering so we can attempt to provide appropriate accommodations.

Tech Requirements

To play this on-demand webinar you should use a browser with native HTML5 support. Please use the most up-to-date version available of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, or Edge. A fast Internet connection and computer is recommended.