Birmingham Public Library Is Recipient of $50,000 ALA COVID Library Relief Fund Grant
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| BPL's $50,000 ALA COVID Library Relief Fund Grant will be used to expand collections & resources. |
Birmingham, Ala. - The American Library Association (ALA) has announced the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) as a recipient of the ALA COVID Library Relief Fund. BPL will receive $50,000 to support library services and operations.
BPL is among 34 grantees representing academic, public, school, and tribal libraries across the United States that have experienced substantial economic hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund provides grants between $30,000 and $50,000 and represents a significant non-federal grant opportunity for libraries. Grants support libraries' efforts to increase and enhance technology access, collection development, digital instruction, staffing, and outreach, while maintaining and amplifying existing services through the end of 2021.
According to the American Library Association, only 15 percent of applicants received these grant awards. The Birmingham Public Library was the only recipient in Alabama. See the complete list of 34 recipients by clicking here “We are honored to be a recipient of the ALA COVID Library Relief Fund grant," said Janine Langston, BPL Interim Executive Director. "This award will allow BPL to rebuild our on-line tools, subscriptions and expand our e-resources. Our patrons depend on these valuable services, and we are so grateful to ALA for their support.”
The $50,000 grant will help BPL continue to recover from budget losses caused by COVID-19 by restoring resources cut back due the pandemic. Patrons from children to the elderly depend on a broad range of services provided by BPL, from free computer access for those without Wi-Fi to online educational resources such as Homework Alabama.
BPL will use the grant to:
• Provide important online tools relied upon by the elderly, as well as patrons needing legal forms and businesses needing assistance in recovering from the pandemic
• Provide access to local newspapers such as the Birmingham News, Birmingham Times, Birmingham Business Journal, and others
• Expand library resources for K-12 students
The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund is generously supported by Acton Family Giving as part of its pandemic responsive grant making. Initial seed funding was provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as part of its efforts to bolster educational and cultural organizations devastated by the economic fallout from COVID-19. ALA's Chapter Relations Office administers the ALA COVID Library Emergency Relief Fund.
The mission of the Birmingham Public Library is to provide the highest quality experience to our community for life-long learning, cultural enrichment, and enjoyment. This system—with 18 locations and serving the community for 135 years—is one of the largest library systems in the southeast. For additional information about the programs and services of the Birmingham Public Library, follow us on Facebook and Twitter @BPL.
The American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government, and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library's role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation's largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive.
Acton Family Giving supports distinct initiatives and collective efforts. Its Empathy Building Initiative, launched in 2014, partners with organizations building connections across difference and reaffirming our common humanity. This work is rooted in the belief that an empathetic society fosters stronger, healthier, and more just communities. Acton Family Giving is part of the Wildcard Giving philanthropic family.
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