Fact Sheet
Dollar General, in collaboration with the American Library Association (ALA), the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and the National Education Association (NEA), is sponsoring a school library disaster relief fund for public school libraries in the states served by Dollar General.
The fund will provide grants to public schools whose library program has been affected by a disaster. Grants are to replace or supplement books, media and/or library equipment in the school library setting. Schools may request grants in the range of $5,000 to $15,000.
Applications will be accepted beginning April 17, 2006, and grants will be awarded beginning in June 2006.
Funding focus
Grants will be awarded to public school libraries that have incurred substantial damage or hardship due to a natural disaster (tornado, earthquake, hurricane, flood, avalanche, mudslide), fire or an act recognized by the federal government as terrorism.
The goal is to provide funding for books, media, and/or library equipment that support learning in a school library environment. The impact can be through direct loss or through an increase in enrollment due to displaced/evacuee students. Initially, priority will be given to school libraries impacted by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
Eligibility
To be eligible, the school library must:
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Be located in a public school – PreK-12
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Be located within 20 miles of a Dollar General store, distribution center or corporate office, and
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Recently have lost its building or incurred substantial damage or hardship due to a natural disaster (tornado, earthquake, hurricane, flood, avalanche, mudslide), fire or an act recognized by the federal government as terrorism, or
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Have absorbed a significant number (more than 10 percent enrollment) of displaced/evacuee students.
It is expected that a certified school librarian at the campus, district or regional level will be involved in the selection of materials/equipment to be purchased.
For more information, please visit www.ala.org/aasl/disasterrelief.
