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Library Services & Technology Act (LSTA) Funding

What is lsta?

Through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is able to provide funding to support library services to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Territories. In Arizona, those funds are administered by the Arizona State Library in the form of statewide initiatives, subgrants, and cooperative agreements.

Before You Apply

  • Know the Plan!
  • Read Me First: Important Documents
  • Workshops and Webinars

Apply for a Grant

Acknowledging IMLS and the Arizona State Library

Impact of LSTA Funds

  • LSTA Stories
  • Snapshots of Awarded Projects
  • LSTA Informational Handouts
  • AzLA Conference Session Handouts

BEFORE YOU APPLY

Know the Plan!

In order to receive the LSTA allotment from IMLS, the Arizona State Library creates a Five Year Plan that details its library service goals based on the LSTA purposes and priorities. Before you apply, read the Five Year Plan to ensure that your projects align with the goals in the Plan.

The goals for the Arizona LSTA grants are to:

  • Provide access to information in a variety of formats, tapping the capabilities of current and emerging technologies.
  • Support informal educational programs that help Arizona's residents explore, experience and expand.
  • Offer inclusive community resources to enhance engagement, to develop workforce skills, and to learn life literacies such as parenting, health and finance.
  • Stimulate excellent services in Arizona libraries by improving technology resources, staff skills, programs, and collections.

Contact a Library Development Consultant to review your project idea!

Read Me First: Important Documents

Workshops and Webinars

Workshops and webinars about writing an LSTA grant application are usually offered in January. Visit the Library Development Events Calendar for listings.

Are you thinking about applying for a grant to fund an early learning project? You might want to view "Preparing to Apply for Early Literacy Grants". This webinar focuses on MapLit which is an interactive tool developed by ReadOn partners to identify key data sets that impact early literacy outcomes in communities. Find out about researching and applying data to strengthen your grant application.

APPLY FOR A GRANT

To begin the LSTA grant application process, read the Five-Year Plan and the LSTA grant guidelines, and then complete the worksheet found in the guidelines.

Your project idea must align with one of the following Arizona LSTA goal categories:

  1. Information Access
  2. Informal Education
  3. Inclusive Communities
  4. Institutional Improvements

Contact a Library Development Consultant to discuss your project. When you're ready go to the new online application.

Mini-Grants

The 2018 LSTA grant cycle introduces a new mini-grant in the Informal Education category: STEAM In Your Library. Like the Collections and Programming (CAP) Grants, STEAM In Your Library grants have fixed funding levels and a simpler application than the general LSTA grants.

ACKNOWLEDGING IMLS AND THE ARIZONA STATE LIBRARY

All promotional materials resulting from an LSTA grant project must contain the following statement:

This project is supported by the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Whenever possible, use the IMLS, Arizona Secretary of State, and State Library logos to help spread the word about your grant project. Be sure to save copies of your publicity to include with your final report.

IMPACT OF LSTA FUNDS

LSTA funding can help you make a difference! Through the competitive subgrant process, LSTA funding enables dozens of Arizona libraries every year to put new ideas into practice and to enhance existing services. Regardless of size or location, if your library is eligible to apply, you have an opportunity to leverage your local dollars with LSTA.

LSTA Stories

Some of the people touched by LSTA projects have shared their stories, showing how their libraries transform individual lives.

Snapshots of Awarded Projects

LSTA Informational Handouts

AzLA Conference Sessions Handouts

For the last several years, Arizona State Library staff have hosted a half-day session at the Arizona Library Association Annual Conference. During the session, representatives from libraries all over the state have shared experiences and best practices related to their LSTA-funded projects.