Accepting Applications for 2024 Native American Library Services Basic Grants

LynnDell Watson
Students at the listening center in the children’s library, Nooksack Tribal Library. Photo courtesy of FY 2023 grantee Nooksack Indian Tribe.

Application Deadline: March 1, 2024

Grant Amount: $6,000 or $10,000

Grant Period: One Year

The grants are available to federally recognized Native American tribes and Native Alaskan villages, corporations, and regional corporations and are designed to assist Native American tribes in improving library services for their communities.

Some examples of what grant funds may be used for include: purchasing library materials and furnishings, renewing subscriptions, funding salaries and staff training, and providing internet connectivity and computers.

More information can be found at this link: https://www.imls.gov/news/accepting-applications-2024-native-american-library-services-basic-grants

Potential applicants can learn more about the FY 2024 application process in an on-demand webinar. Application materials can be found on the grant program page. For more information, please visit the IMLS website.

UELMA/UCET Conference 2024!

Chris Haught

Librarians – 

UELMA is excited to be partnering with UCET for our combined UCET/UELMA conference this year. We are in full conference planning mode and hope you are as excited as we are. We still have a lot of planning to do but want to make sure you have your calendars marked and questions answered.

To help you plan ahead we would like to answer some of your questions – 

When is the conference?

  • March 19-20, 2024 (Tuesday & Wednesday)

Where is the conference?

  • The Salt Palace in Salt Lake City

What time will the conference be?

  • Registration opens at 7:30 am
  • Opening session starts at 9:00 am
  • Sessions end at 4:30 pm each day

If I can only attend one of the two days – which would be better?

  • Both days will have many incredible sessions however, if you can only attend one day, Wednesday will be our ‘library heavy’ day.
  • Register here!

Can I attend virtually?

  • Yes! If you can only attend in person one day, we are happy to have you! We also want you to be able to get the most out of the conference so if you register for both days, you will be able to access some of the second day & materials virtually. The virtual session will include the keynotes and prerecorded sessions, not all live sessions will be streamed or recorded.

Are there other activities available after the scheduled sessions?

  • Tuesday night conference attendees will be able to attend AFTER DARK – a time to get together with other conference attendees and have some fun. We will be hosting games, karaoke, a movie, and more! Attendees are welcome to participate no matter how much of the conference they are able to attend in person. Come have fun with us!

Still have questions?

  • More information about the conference, the statewide book club, awards, and more – is forthcoming so please stay tuned. 
  • Information will be posted on the website as well as our social media platforms
  • You are always welcome to contact the UELMA board at board@uelma.org
  • Visit the UCET page here for more information as well.

See the full schedule below! Your Sched login will be sent after you register.

View the UCET 2024 schedule & directory.

UT Author Awarded Utah Ambassador of Young People’s Literature Medal

UELMA

UT Author Jennifer Nielsen to be Awarded Utah Ambassador of Young People’s Literature Medal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–The Utah Educational Library Media Association (UELMA) is pleased to announce that author Jennifer A. Nielsen has been chosen by its membership to receive the first Utah Ambassador of Young People’s Literature Medal. As the inaugural Utah Ambassador of Young People’s Literature, Nielsen will travel the state over the next two years presenting to and visiting with young readers and writers to inspire a love of reading. UELMA recognizes Jennifer A. Nielsen for her award-winning body of work and tireless service to Utah’s young people through her professional and charitable efforts.

Jennifer A. Nielsen is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 20 books for young readers. Born in Utah, Nielsen’s early life was marked by a love for writing and reading. She attended Weber State University and graduated with a composite major in Theater Arts and Communication Education, and a minor in History. She and her family currently reside in Northern Utah.

Jennifer A. Nielsen’s breakthrough as an author came in 2010 with the release of her debut novel, Elliot and the Goblin War. However, it was her subsequent series, The Ascendance Trilogy, which includes The False Prince, The Runaway King, and The Shadow Throne, that catapulted her to literary acclaim. Other notable books by Nielsen include A Night Divided, Resistance, Iceberg, and The Traitor’s Game series. Nielsen’s works have won multiple awards notably the Sydney Taylor Notable Book Award for Resistance, the Outstanding Achievement Award, and other Whitney Awards, and 35 state book honors and recognitions including awards from Washington, Georgia, California, and Utah.

Throughout her career, Nielsen has written compelling middle-grade and young-adult novels that explore a range of genres, from historical fiction to fantasy. Her works often feature strong-willed protagonists, moral dilemmas, and thought-provoking themes that resonate with readers of all ages. Jennifer Nielsen’s dedication to crafting engaging narratives and exploring the complexities of the human experience ensures that her work will remain a source of inspiration for readers and aspiring young writers alike.

The Utah Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Medal recognizes a respected author and/or illustrator either born or living in Utah chosen by the UELMA membership whose creative work represents the aspirations, imaginations, and stories of and for young people. Like the Library of Congress’s National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, the Utah Ambassador is appointed to “raise [state] awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education, and the development and betterment of the lives of young people.”

The Utah Ambassador of Young People’s Literature program was made possible by a grant from the Utah State Library Division. Funds are provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act. Nielsen will be awarded the Utah Ambassador of Young People’s Literature Medal this fall in front of a student audience. Schools in central Utah are invited to apply for the honor of hosting the event here. Over the course of the next two years, schools in other areas of the state will be invited to apply for a free school visit by Ambassador Nielsen as she shares her inspiring message about the power of story and the love of reading.

UELMA Executive Board 

Gretchen Zaitzeff, President  2023-2024

Michele Edgley, Past-President 2023-2024

Erica Owens, President-Elect 2023-2024

Davina Sauthoff, Executive Director

2023-10-Utah-Ambassador-of-Young-Peoples-Litera-ture-Medal_Press-Release

2024 Jason Reynolds/Simon & Schuster Travel Grant Application Now Open

LynnDell Watson

The grant will cover the expenses of five (5) Black/African American youth or teen services librarians or school librarians/media specialists who work in either public or school libraries. 

Recipients will receive up to $3000 (and not less than $1500) to pay for expenses related to attending the ALA Annual Conference including but not limited to travel, housing, registration, and a ticket to the Coretta Scott King Award Breakfast.

  • Applications will be accepted from September 1 – December 1, 2023.
  • Five (5) winners will be selected, with an announcement to be made in February 2024 of the selected recipients.
  • The recipients will also be acknowledged at the 2024 ALA Annual Conference in San Diego, Calif. during the Coretta Scott King Awards Breakfast.

Apply Now.

The grants are funded through a generous donation provided by Simon & Schuster, Inc. and administered by the ALA Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR).

For details regarding the selection criteria and/or more information visit the grant’s webpage.