“The Arizona State Library provides services to all Arizonans directly through our branches and indirectly through local libraries that use our consulting services, grants, resources and training. We preserve Arizona’s history for future generations and make information about our government, state, and world accessible in a variety of formats. Support from the state, from federal grant funding, and a strong commitment to our values of accessibility, preservation, customer service, community engagement, and collaboration all enable us to fulfill our mission of “Preserving Arizona and Providing Access.”

-- Holly Henley, State Librarian and Director of Library Services, Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
 

Project Examples

Arizona Memory Project
The goal of the Arizona Memory Project (AMP) was to improve access and usability of documents related to the history, culture, and statecraft of Arizona. Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records used funds to purchase software and storage, hire a vendor to complete a specific scanning project, hire a contractor to assist AMP staff with digitizing in-house content, and host recruitment workshops to gain additional collections and partners. Users benefited because AMP provides free access to over 660,000 digitized historical items comprising 380 collections contributed by 102 institutions across Arizona. 
IMLS Funds: $119,274.25
 

School Administration and Library Staff Advancement
Yavapai County Library District provided training and resources for school library staff by hiring a County School Librarian and purchasing print and electronic books. The goals of the project included: 1) improving the knowledge of paraprofessionals working in school libraries; 2) helping to meet the informational needs of the students, faculty, and staff in schools; 3) providing a proven model of a school and public library partnership; and 4) providing another resource for administrators seeking to learn how school libraries can better serve their needs. Community members benefited because school paraprofessional staff gained greater knowledge regarding library operations. As a result, they were better equipped to meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff. 
IMLS Funds: $58,204

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: Information Preservation and Access - Support preservation and stewardship of information in libraries and the State Archives, and encourage equitable access to information in a variety of formats.

• Projects include: 
  • Statewide databases 
  • Statewide resource sharing 
  • Government information digitization 
  • Reading Arizona digital library 
  • Arizona Memory Project 
  • Arizona newspapers 
  • Arizona legal resources 
  • State Archives conservation and digitization activities 
  • Increasing access for visually impaired veterans 
  • Talking Book Library discovery and access 
  • Subgrants to public, tribal, school, special and academic libraries for information preservation, digitization, discovery and access 

Goal 2: Informal Education – Support lifelong learning programs that help to develop life literacies, including digital/technological, workforce, parenting, health, and financial literacies. 

• Projects include: 
  • Building a New Generation of Readers, a statewide early literacy project 
  • Arizona Reading Program  
  • E-resources training 
  • Digital Navigators 
  • Arizona Genealogy Day 
  • Extended Reality (XR) in AZ Libraries 
  • Subgrants to public, tribal, school, special and academic libraries support lifelong learning and literacy for Arizona residents   

Goal 3: Institutional Improvements - Support technology resources, staff skills, programs, and collections in libraries while addressing barriers to accessing these resources and services. 

• Projects include: 
  • In-person and online continuing education 
  • Summer Library Institute for non-MLS public library staff serving mostly small and rural libraries 
  • Leadership Institute 
  • Leaders’ Summit 
  • Internship program and support 
  • Library services consulting 
  • Digital technology projects 
  • Tribal library outreach 
  • Continuing education scholarships 
  • E-Rate support for affordable broadband access 
  • Public library statistics 
  • Subgrants to public, tribal, school, special and academic libraries for institutional improvements 

Goal 4:  Inclusive Communities - Support the efforts of libraries to engage with community members from diverse backgrounds, foster connections with other community organizations, and collaborate with partners to contribute to community well-being.

• Projects include: 
  • Community conversations such as America250, the anniversary of America’s independence 
  • Voter registration in libraires 
  • Community conversations 
  • Arizona Talking Book Library outreach 
  • Teleservices in libraries 
  • Digital equity projects 
  • Subgrants to public, tribal, school, special and academic libraries for projects supporting community engagement, especially in partnership with other local organizations including museums. 

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.

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