Call for Construction Grant Applications

MDE Logo 2013State Library Services is pleased to announce that applications for round two of the 2014 Library Construction Grant program are now available. The program provides public libraries with funding for renovation, construction, and improvement projects that result in more accessible library facilities. Projects may:

• Remove architectural barriers from a library building or site.
• Remediate conditions hazardous to health or safety.
• Renovate or expand an existing building for use as a library.
• Construct a new library.

The 2014 Minnesota Legislature allocated a total of $2,000,000 to the program, with $857,000 of those funds earmarked for specific projects and the remaining funds for competitive grant awards. An estimated $848,000 in state funding is available to award approximately three grants in the second round.

Application forms and instructions are available on the Minnesota Department of Education’s Grants Management site. Scroll to Library Construction Grant opportunity. Completed applications are due November 10, 2015.

An informational webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, 2015, from 3-4 p.m. Call-in via phone at 1-888-742-5095 (using conference code 492 064 9083 / meeting number 598 116 941) or participate via WebEx. Pre-registration is not required.

Please email Emily Kissane  or call 651-582-8508 for more information, or to request a reasonable accommodation to attend the online meeting. Note: The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) requires a two-week advance notice in order to provide the requested accommodation and requires a 48-hour notice to cancel a requested accommodation.

MN Legislative Update 2015-04-21

 The following information was shared via email with the library community by Elaine Keefe, Capitol Hill Associates, in her role as MLA-ITEM lobbyist. 

House Legacy Bill: Yesterday the House Legacy Committee competed work on its omnibus bill and passed it out of committee. Rep. Dean Urdahl, chair of the committee, made it very clear in his opening remarks that no group was entitled to any particular amount of Legacy funding, regardless of what they had received in the past. As such, there is no such thing as a “cut” in Legacy funds. We all start out at zero for the biennium, and the amounts we receive will fluctuate – sometimes they will be higher and sometimes they will be lower than in the past. He said that some groups needed an “attitude adjustment.”

I spoke with Rep. Urdahl today and he expressed annoyance at the number of e-mails he had received about the level of library funding in the bill. I assured him that his message was loud and clear and that I would convey it to the library community. I also thanked him for including funding for libraries in his bill, acknowledging that he has long been a strong library supporter.

So, thank you to those of you who contacted your legislators and members of the House Legacy Committee. However, we need to stop complaining about the level of funding provided in the House Legacy bill.

Broadband: I reported last Thursday that the House was providing no new funding for broadband grants, while the Senate had $17 million in its budget and the Governor had $30 million in his budget proposal. However, on Friday when the omnibus jobs and energy bill was heard in the House Ways and Means Committee, $8 million was added for broadband grants. Funding for the Office of Broadband, which had been eliminated in the bill, was partially restored.

Library Construction Grants: Today I met with Rep. Jeff Howe (R – Rockville), a member of the House Capital Investment Committee. He agreed to introduce our bill to provide $10 million for Library Construction Grants. The bill is intended to put Library Construction Grants under consideration for inclusion in the 2016 bonding bill. We need to have it introduced this session so that it is on the radar of the House and Senate Capital Investment Committees as they tour the state this fall to look at proposed capital projects.

House Omnibus Tax Bill: Today the House Tax Committee passed its omnibus tax bill. Yesterday the committee took public testimony. The bill makes deep cuts in local government aid for Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth, but not for any other cities. Among the witnesses in opposition to these cuts were Kit Hadley, director of the St. Paul Public Library, and two branch managers. They spoke very eloquently about the impact these cuts would have on library services in St. Paul.

Other provisions of interest in the bill are as follows:

A sales tax exemption for building materials purchased by a contractor under a lump sum contract for buildings used by local governments. This was strongly supported by cities and counties.

An expansion of the current K-12 education expense subtraction to include pre-K expenses and private school tuition. The inclusion of private school tuition was strongly opposed by various school organizations.

A Property Tax Payers’ Empowerment Act, which allows a reverse referendum if a city or county increases its property tax levy over the previous year. The referendum is triggered if a petition signed by 10% of the voters in the last general election is filed by June 30. The referendum must be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. This was opposed by cities and counties.

A working group to make recommendations on revising the county program aid distribution formula.

Repeal of library debt service aid for Minneapolis.

Data Practices Training for Local Units of Government: The Senate omnibus state government funding bill passed on the Senate floor yesterday. It includes $100,000 in each year of the biennium for the Department of Administration’s Information and Policy Analysis Division, commonly known as IPAD, to conduct training for local units of government on data practices laws. This was initiated by the League of Minnesota Cities. The funding is not included in the House omnibus state government funding bill.

Library Construction Grants

An appropriation to the 2014 Library Construction Grant program provided $2,000,000 for library construction and renovation projects. One-to-one matching grants help build libraries that meet high standards of accessibility and energy efficiency. Three projects were earmarked to receive funds, with the remaining funds awarded through a competitive process. As of March 2, 2015, grant agreements have been executed for the following projects:

City of Jackson – This expansion and renovation project will add 1,500 square feet and install new windows, a new entrance, new information desk, expanded meeting space and an accessible parking, among other improvements. Plum Creek Library System (PCLS) member.  Grant funds appropriated: $570,000

City of Perham – An exterior wall reconstruction project will mitigate mold and restore a safe and healthy environment to the library. The work will also prevent future contamination and damage to the building. Viking Library System (VLS) member. Grant funds appropriated: $257,000

Ramsey County Library (White Bear Lake) – An expanded and remodeled library will offer enhanced areas for children and teens, more public computers, an improved community room and spaces for individual and group study. Renovations to the parking lot will result in more available parking and improved traffic flow. MELSA member.  Grant funds awarded: $200,000

City of Waseca – A redesign and renovation of the library’s layout will result in improvements to the entryway, restroom and meeting rooms to increase the accessibility, functionality and attractiveness of the building. A close working relationship with the Independent Counseling and Advocacy Network will ensure the needs of patrons with all types of disabilities are reflected in the renovation. Traverse des Sioux Library Cooperative member.  Grant funds awarded: $75,000

Construction Grants for 2016 Session

Libraries Strengthen Minnesota logo smallSenator Stumpf, chair of the Senate Capital Investment Committee, is encouraging the library community to introduce a bill yet this session to fund Library Construction Grants.  While this will not be an actual topic of discussion until the 2016 legislative session, it will put the potential of future library construction on the Senate committee’s radar as they plan fall tours of bonding project communities.  Usually the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) would begin discussing the size of a library request at the summer Library Legislative Forum.  However, if a bill is introduced this session, a proposed dollar amount will be needed.

The history of MLA request for construction and remodeling has varied.  In 2012, MLA requested $10 million.  Last session MLA asked for $3 million and the legislature appropriated $2 million for Library Construction Grants.  Of this amount, $877,000 was set aside for three specific libraries, leaving $1,123,000 for the competitive grant pool.  The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) received five applications requesting a total of $1,851,225.  Requests exceeded the funds available by $728,225.

Call for Construction Grant Reviewers

State Library Services invites applications from individuals interested in participating on the Library Construction Grant review panel. Reviewers will read and score applications and assess applications for adherence to Library Construction Grant guidelines. The panel will meet in October. Please submit a resume and a brief letter detailing experience with library construction projects and services to library patrons with disabilities by 4:30 p.m. on Friday August 1, 2014 to Emily Kissane.

Library Construction Grant Applications

MDE Logo 2013

 

State Library Services is pleased to announce that 2014 Library Construction Grant program applications are available. The program provides public libraries with funding for renovation, construction, and improvement projects that result in more accessible library facilities. Projects may:

  • Remove architectural barriers from a library building or site.
  • Remediate conditions hazardous to health or safety.
  • Renovate or expand an existing building for use as a library.
  • Construct a new library.

The 2014 Minnesota Legislature allocated a total of $2,000,000 to the program, with $570,000 for the city of Jackson, $257,000 for the city of Perham, $50,000 for the city of Bagley, and remaining funds for competitive grant awards.

Application forms and instructions are available at the Department of Education’s Grants Management site. Scroll to Library Construction Grant opportunity. Completed applications are due October 2, 2014.

An informational webinar is scheduled for Friday, August 1 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Call 1-888-742-5095or participate via WebEx. Pre-registration is not required.

Please contact Emily Kissane or 651-582-8508 for more information, the complete timeline, or to request a reasonable accommodation to attend the online meeting. Note: The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) requires a two-week advance notice in order to provide the requested accommodation and requires a 48-hour notice to cancel a requested accommodation.

Library Construction Talking Points

Libraries Strengthen Minnesota logo smallToday’s libraries are a marvelous blend of brick and mortar, collection, and technology. The Minnesota Library Association and the Minnesota Educational Media Organization support the appropriation of $3 million dollars for the 2014-2016 biennium for the construction of public library buildings through the State’s currently authorized matching program.  A series of Talking Points have been prepared to assist library advocates.

Encourage your local legislators to support HF1501 / SF1473 as discussions about the 2014 bonding bill unfold.

State Library Seeks Info

State Librarian, Jennifer Nelson, forwarded this request for input from regional library systems and recent Public Library Accessibility and Improvement grant recipients —

State Library Services is gathering information to aid in updating and revising the Public Library Accessibility and Improvement grant application and guidelines. A short survey has been posted and an online meeting/conference call is scheduled to get feedback directly from the library community. The survey will be available through March 31, 2014. The online meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 3, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Call in to 1-888-742-5095Call: 1-888-742-5095 or participate via WebEx. Pre-registration is not required; please join the conversation.

For more information about the Public Library Accessibility and Improvement grant program, or to request a reasonable accommodation to attend the online meeting, please email Jennifer Nelson or call 651-582-8791.

MDE Logo 2013

Public Library Accessibility and Improvement Grants Awarded

Public Library Accessibility and Improvement Grants announcement from State Librarian, Jennifer Nelson for libraries in ALS and MELSA:

State Library Services is pleased to announce the Round Two 2013 Public Library Accessibility and Improvement grant awardees. With $608,700 in funds available, five completed applications totaling more $1.1 million in requests were received by State Library Services. The two applications receiving top average scores by an independent review committee were approved for funding by Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius.

Anoka County will receive a grant of $150,000 toward the renovation of the Northtown branch in Blaine. The project will improve the accessibility of the building with an improved entrance, adapt the children’s area and other building spaces. Robert D. Thistle, Anoka County Library Board President noted that “the Library Board is pleased to receive this grant … the funds will allow us to make the service desk, restrooms and book returns accessible to all.”

The City of Ely will receive a grant of $458,699 toward building a new accessible library building. The current library, housed in Ely’s Community Center, has outgrown its space and is not accessible to people with mobility impairments. The new building will bring the library into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines. Rachel Heinrich, director of the Ely Public Library, noted that the grant will help “this ‘end of the road’ community to improve library service to the area residents without a significant tax increase by bridging the gap between cost savings gained by the new building and the payments on the building’s construction.”

The Public Library Accessibility and Improvement Grant program is a one-to-one matching construction grant program intended to support the renovation and construction of public libraries, with a special interest in ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities. The program is funded biennially by an appropriation from the Minnesota Legislature.