An initial study of ICMA members found some communities using their public libraries for compelling new projects, like providing services for teen and immigrant residents and supporting recycling and public safety. Over the next two years, with the help of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ICMA intends to multiply those novel practices and demonstrate the value of public libraries in supporting sustainable communities. 

In November 2008, local governments will be able to apply for an ICMA Public Library Innovation Grant. Grants will be 18 months in length, and will focus on using the public library to address community priorities and issues. During the project, ICMA will provide a total of $500,000 in Public Library Innovation Grants to cities, towns, and counties. Individual grants will likely range from $25,000 to $75,000.

More than a year ago, ICMA began working with the Gates Foundation on the Local Government and Public Libraries Initiative to engage local government managers as leaders in support of public libraries. An ICMA survey conducted in November 2007 indicated that less than half of the responding local government managers reported that the chief librarian/library director was a member of the local government management team and only 41 percent reported weekly meetings with the chief librarian/library director. These statistics suggested that for many local government managers, libraries are not being used to strategically address community needs. If local government managers remain unaware of and uninvolved in the changing role of libraries, these valuable community assets will be forced to tackle obstacles alone and will struggle to meet broader community needs.

As a result, a 26-member ICMA advisory committee looked at a variety of ways to strengthen the partnership between communities and libraries. The committee identified areas where public libraries could play a larger role in delivering services, including public safety and disaster preparedness, sustainability, health, immigration, civic engagement, and economic development. The advisory committee also noted that a strong relationship between the library and the local government manager is vital for the success of these services and improves the overall health of the community.

All Innovation Grants will be anchored by a partnership between the office of the chief administrative officer (city, county, and town managers) and the public library, recognizing the importance of the manager/librarian relationship to create and sustain change. The grantees will be supported by a series of leadership workshops and project coaching. The aim of the professional development component is to solidify the partnership, ensure the short-term success of the project, and secure new capacity for the awardees that will support the long-term use of libraries in addressing community goals.

Applications for the Public Library Innovations Grants will be available in November, and grants will be awarded in February 2009. ICMA members who would like to receive e-mail updates on the program should contact Molly Donelan at mdonelan@icma.org.

For more information about ICMA’s Local Government and Public Libraries Initiative, visit www.icma.org/public_libraries.