Babu Tangewala
CHICAGO: Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White has awarded over $1.4 million in FY21 School District Library Grant Program awards to 649 public school districts. More than 1.5 million Illinois students served by school library media programs will benefit from the grants.
“As a former public school teacher and administrator, I know our school libraries are very important in helping students learn and prepare themselves for the future,” White said. “Illinois was the first state to implement a school district grant program, and I’m pleased that we can continue to provide school libraries with some of the financial resources they need to produce well educated students.”
Public Act 102-0039 provided for an increased school library grant rate of $.885 per student, with a minimum grant award of $850. The School District Library Grant Program is used to acquire fiction and/or non-fiction books, educational CDs and DVDs, and library subscriptions to electronic resources, as well as to improve technology by purchasing new computers or improving wi-fi connectivity.
Information about the grant program can be found at: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/grants/schoolpercapgrant.html.
