Milner Library Receives LSTA Grant Funding

Date: 10/17/06
Contact: Eric Jome

Illinois State University's Milner Library will develop a collection of materials on the history of terrorism and study ways to enhance library outreach through digital media thanks to approximately $74,000 in Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant funding.

Milner Library has been awarded the funding by Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White. White's office recently administered the distribution of $3.4 million of federal LSTA grant funding to nearly 500 libraries, library systems and museums containing libraries in Illinois.

Milner Library's project, "Mobile Media and Libraries: Reaching Out Digitally," will research ways to effectively deliver electronic media and library materials directly to students, faculty and other patrons using popular legal media downloading services and commonly-used devices, such as MP3 players. The project's aim is to examine ways to better serve library patrons by employing the media downloading services, devices and search capabilities they commonly use to access things such as images, music and movies. Digital media vendors will be consulted to determine the capabilities of their services in providing copyright protected local content and how media files could be searched through Milner Library.

The grant money will also be used to conduct a series of library training workshops in the spring of 2007. Nationally-known library technology trainers Jenny Levine, Internet development specialist and strategy guide at the American Librarian Association, and Michael Stephens, an instructor at Dominican University's Graduate School for Library and Information Science, will conduct the workshops. The focus will be the effective use of social technology tools such as instant messaging, blogs and podcasts in order to provide service to the growing community of patrons who never enter the physical library.

In addition to making technology enhancements, Milner Library will use the grant money to build and support a new collection specialization on the history of terrorism, disaster planning and civil defense. The project, "Understanding 9/11: Terrorism and Homeland Security," will involve the purchase and maintenance of electronic and print materials on the subject.

LSTA funding is awarded to states by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The Illinois State Library administers LSTA funding awarded to the state of Illinois each year, and issues grants to applicants who seek funding as part of a competitive grant program. LSTA grants are available for the development of projects that specifically provide and focus on library service, new initiatives and library activities.