SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Secretary of State’s office is awarding over $1 million in new grants to assist public libraries in underserved communities with needed technology enhancements, Secretary and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias announced today.
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According to the Secretary of State’s office, 88 public libraries are receiving a grant – totaling an amount of either $27,500 or $12,500 – depending on the size of the population they serve.
“Libraries play a significant role in our communities, providing a place for every Illinoisan to connect, learn and explore,” Giannoulias said. “We have a responsibility to ensure that all libraries, regardless of their community’s location or wealth, have the resources to meet the needs of residents and expand their offerings, particularly when it comes to technology.”
To qualify, the libraries must have a low tax base in relation to the population of their service area.
In applying for the grants, libraries were encouraged to consider the technology needs of constituents. They can use the grants to help fund things such as adding hardware and software, expanding online collections and e-resources, purchasing digital devices and mobile apps, increasing Wi-Fi capacity and internet accessibility, assuring ADA compliance for library websites and purchasing adaptive technologies that accommodate service needs for persons with disabilities, and incorporating patron self-checkouts.
Because libraries receive most funding through property taxes, budgets are primarily determined by their local tax base. Property values vary widely around the state, leaving some local libraries without the funding needed to continue to provide essential services to their communities or to upgrade their technology infrastructure.
In 2024, the office awarded grants to 113 public libraries where this disparity between tax base and service population exists. The 88 libraries that will receive funding this year are the next group in line for grant eligibility, utilizing the same tax base data for all public libraries in the state.
