Frequently Asked Questions

If your question is not answered on this page or in the project guidelines, please contact the Public Programs Office at 312.280.5045, or publicprograms@ala.org.

Q. May I preview the application before completing it?

A. Yes. You may download a PDF of the application for reference; the application process is also covered in detail in Section IV of the project guidelines.

Q. May applications be submitted in hardcopy?

A. No. Applications must be submitted online at https://apply.ala.org/medialiteracy by 11:59 p.m. Central Time, on September 11, 2017. Applications that are late or incomplete will not be reviewed.

Q. What types of institutions are eligible?

A. This opportunity is open to all public libraries in the U.S. and U.S. territories.

Q. Why aren’t school/academic libraries eligible to apply for this opportunity?

A. This project specifically looks at the question of delivery and development of web-based media literacy resources for opt-in adult audiences using resources developed by the Center for News Literacy@ Stony Brook University.

Q. Who should be a part of my proposed team?

A. It is required that a library director or manager be a member of the three-person team. The additional two team members may include additional library staff and/or community members with an understanding of the library and community to work with the library during the project (e.g. a library trustee, board member or active friends group member).

Q. Is it possible for multiple libraries to apply together, if each library does not have the required number of staff?

A. Small libraries may apply together, if by joining together they gain enough capacity to work as a team to successfully implement adult media literacy programming for their communities. One library must be designated as the applicant institution.

Q. For larger library systems with multiple branches, is it preferable to form a team that include staff from more than one library, or to narrow our focus to one library?

A. This depends on what your outreach and programming goals are for this project. Ask yourself what you feel is manageable within the 22-week period of this project?

Q. Is the in-person media literacy training on Thursday, October 19, 2017 in Chicago required for all three team members listed in my application?

A. Yes.

Q. What if a member of my team can’t come to the October media literacy training?

A. Attendance by all proposed team members is mandatory at the media literacy training on Thursday, October 19, 2017 in Chicago. Center for News Literacy@ Stony Brook University is using a train-the-trainer model, which makes it critical that the three core team members complete the training. During the course of the project, library teams may expand to include additional library staff members, and other community leaders who will contribute to the initiative, taking their cues from the core team members who completed the training.

Q. What if a member of my team cannot attend the mandatory October media literacy training, but can participate in the rest of the project?

A. That team member may be a valuable contributor to your library’s participation in the project, but is not an appropriate member of the proposed library team. Attendance by all proposed team members is mandatory.

Q. What expenses will be covered for my team to attend the October media literacy training?

A. As part of the grant agreement, ALA will be able to cover some meals and up to two nights at a hotel for the three required team members of each selected library. Travel to the workshop and other expenses related to attendance will be the responsibility of the library.

Q. Can part of the $1,500 program stipend be used to alleviate some of the expenses related to my team’s travel to the workshop?

A. Yes. Eligible expenses for programming stipend expenditure include travel, communications and program expenses. Please note that staff time is not consider an eligible expense.

Q. Will participants be expected to be trainers in the future? To train other libraries/librarians?

A. That is not a requirement of the grant or for library or library professional participation. However, we do ask that participants serve as ambassadors to the field, and that during the course of the project you communicate candidly to project staff and your peers about your experience and that you share your stories widely.

Q. Can our proposed programs be presented at multiple sites?

A. Yes. Programs may be presented at any applicant or partner organization locations that offer free programs for public audiences.

Q. Are we allowed to change the proposed programs listed in our application?

A. Yes. We expect, and encourage, selected sites to modify the list of programs they propose in their application in response to what they learn at the media literacy training in October.

Q. How descriptive should our narrative answers be for the proposal?

A. We strongly encourage you to be as descriptive as possible in your narrative answers. Detailed responses help peer reviewers better understand your library’s ability and plans to participate in the project.

Q. When is the application deadline?

A. Applications will be accepted between August 1 and September 11, 2017. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (CDT) on September 11, 2017. Late or incomplete applications, and applications from ineligible institutions, will not be reviewed. Applications and support materials may not be submitted by mail or email.

Q. When will I be notified whether my library has been selected?

A. All applicants will be notified of their award status by September 25, 2017.