Contact Name
Ms. Amy L. Johnson
Contact Title
Director
State Library Address

Division of Library and Information Services
R.A. Gray Building
500 S. Bronough St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250
United States

Contact Email Address
amy.johnson@dos.fl.gov
Grants to State Programs

The Grants to States Program

The Grants to States Program is the largest grant program run by IMLS; it provides funds to State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAAs) using a population-based formula set by the law. SLAAs determine goals and objectives for the funds in their statutorily required five-year plan (see below). For more information, see the Grants to States program overview.

    Allotments
    YearAllotment Value
    2020 $8,971,754.00
    2021 $9,053,930.00
    2022 $8,900,550.00
    2023 $8,478,750.00
    2024 $9,533,426.00
    5 Year Plan Text

    Each state creates a 5-year plan for its programs to strengthen the efficiency, reach, and effectiveness of library services. View all states' plans.

    5 year plan
    Attachment Size
    florida5yearplan.pdf 540.9 KB
    5 Year Evaluation Text

    At the end of a 5-year period, each state reports their results in achieving goals and objectives projected in their 5-Year Plan. View all states' evaluations.

    5 year evaluation
    Attachment Size
    florida5yearevaluation.pdf 1.97 MB
    Ms. Amy L. Johnson

    “Florida’s libraries are continually adapting to provide innovative services in response to local community needs. During natural disasters, libraries provide assistance before, during and after the event. Libraries distribute disaster preparedness information, function as comfort stations, staff emergency operations centers, provide Internet and Wi-Fi access, manage evacuation shelters including providing general comfort, children’s programming, and pop-up libraries. Our libraries also play an important role in Florida elections, serving as voter registration agencies, early voting sites, and Election Day polling locations." 
    -- Amy Johnson, Director, Division of Library and Information Services

    Project Examples

    Polk County Library logo

    Polk CARES for our Community  
    Using CARES Act stimulus funds, the project took a four-pronged approach to providing services identified by the community as essential as they dealt with COVID-19. The Polk County Library Cooperative (PCLC) implemented contactless, wireless printing that enabled community members to send print jobs to the library, pay for them, and then pick them up. PCLC offered internet access outside the library, through Wi-Fi access points in parking lots as well as hotspots for use at home. They added contactless access to library materials using lockers and self-checkout machines. Finally, PCLC provided increased e-resources by expanding an existing subscription service. 
    IMLS Funds: $105,987 

    Miami-Dade Public Library logo

    Miami-Dade Public Library System Adult Learning Academy 
    The Miami-Dade Public Library System implemented the Adult Learning Academy to promote basic adult education, English language learning, technology education, and language instruction. The program launched virtually during the pandemic to reach users at their point of need. Initially, services were concentrated at five regional libraries geographically located in the northern, southern, eastern, western, and central regions of the county. Classes ran for three semesters and met Monday through Thursday evenings. Instructors utilized curriculum resources with a proven record of success for adult learners, integrating digital literacy instruction into each 90-minute block. The program was well received, with more registrants than initially expected, and staff anticipated offering future iterations of the program in a hybrid format.
    IMLS Funds: $190,083 

    Florida Memory Program logo

    Florida Memory Program
    The Florida Division of Library and Information Services’ Florida Memory program provided free online access to significant photographs, films, sound recordings and textual records from the collections of the State Library and Archives of Florida, allowing educators, students and researchers to utilize these collections without physically traveling to the facility. This grant period, the program added 50 new films, which doubled its goal, as well as 636 new textual records and 2,109 new photographs to its website. Staff also conducted 41 outreach events. The program recruited a team of digital volunteers who contributed 88,753 lines of index data to enhance the accessibility of textual records on the site. Staff also created and launched a new women’s history exhibit and a new method for presenting textual records from Florida’s governors.
    IMLS Funds: $518,113.77 

    Review recent Grants to States projects from this state library in the State Program Report database.

    Search the Awarded Grants Database for additional details about awards in this state or view the State Details Dashboard.

    Five-Year Plan Highlights

    Goal 1: Champion Lifelong Learning 

    • Projects include:
      • BLDing Institutional Capacity (statewide library consulting) 
      • Continuing Education and training
      • Director Connections 
      • E-Rate (affordable broadband for libraries) 
      • Leadership development and recruitment 
      • Library data and statistics 
      • Multitype Library Cooperative (MLC) Continuing Education statewide programs 
      • Meetings of Florida Library Staff (public library director training) 
      • Florida Library Webinars 
      • Adult learning 
      • Florida Library Youth Program
      • Competitive grant projects 

    Goal 2: Advance Collections Access  

    • Projects include:
      • Florida Electronic Library 
      • Florida Memory (archival resources) 
      • Florida Statewide Digital Initiative 
      • State Library and Statewide Resource Sharing 
      • Ask a Librarian (statewide virtual reference service) 
      • Tampa Bay Library Consortium (TBLC) Courier Services (physical resource delivery) 
      • Competitive grant projects 

    Goal 3: Strengthen Communities 

    • Projects include:
      • Community Engagement (navigating e-government resources and showcasing library innovations) 
      • Right Service at the Right Time (portal for social services and government assistance programs) 
      • Florida Library Jobs (online resource) 
      • Competitive grant projects 

    IMLS Data Collection

    State Library Administrative Agency Survey
    The State Library Administrative Agency Survey (SLAA) provides descriptive data about state library agencies for all fifty states and the District of Columbia. To interact with the latest data, please visit the SLAA Survey Comparison Tool

    Public Libraries Survey
    The Public Libraries Survey (PLS) provides national descriptive data on the status of public libraries in the United States and its territories. Explore state profiles representing more than 9,000 public library systems and over 17,000 public library outlets.