University Library Faculty Mini-Grant Guidelines

Purpose

The University Library provides a mini-grant program to support faculty-requested initiatives aligning with and advancing the vision and mission of the library. Grant requests must elevate the library’s value and visibility on campus or in the community. Initiatives should intentionally leverage the library (resources/materials, services, programs, space, or staff). Proposals that seek to improve student success will receive highest consideration. Consultation with a librarian is a prerequisite for proposal submission.

Application

To apply: download and complete the application narrative document and budget worksheet and submit through the University Library Faculty Mini-Grant Application Form.

Eligibility

Faculty members (Principal or Participating) are eligible to submit a proposal. Collaborative proposals are accepted in conjunction with another faculty colleague or staff member.

Funding Cycles

There are two funding cycles annually: Spring and Fall. Determination of acceptance and amount awarded will be communicated within a month of the submission deadlines. Faculty may submit more than one proposal but will not be approved for more than one individual grant per cycle. A small amount of funds is set aside to support unforeseen time-sensitive requests that fall outside the normal funding cycles.

Submission Deadlines

Spring funding cycle: April 1^st
Fall funding cycle: October 1^st

Award Amounts

Applicants may submit proposals for up to $1,000. Multiple grants, totaling up to $4,000 will be awarded per cycle including up to two at a maximum of $1,000. Partial funding may be awarded.

Time-sensitive requests that fall outside the funding cycles may be awarded up to $250.

Awarded amounts are considered one-time funding and do not imply continuation funding or guarantee future funding. The Library is using three general endowment funds to offer the mini-grants in accordance with endowment restrictions.

Descriptive Examples

The following are examples to give ideas, not meant to be exhaustive, that would merit consideration for funding support:

Implementation of new technologies, following IT policies, that advances the Makerspace and impacts active teaching and learning (for example, acquiring a handheld 3D scanner as part of a class project).
Costs associated with events that bring students into the library to use library resources such as a Library Open House/Escape the Room for new program majors, or in capacity as a faculty advisor to student clubs/organizations (such as a book club).
Production costs associated with creative use of Affordable Learning Material, such as existing library resources, or working with a librarian liaison to identify Open Access, or Open Educational Resources to include in the curriculum to provide students with customized learning materials to best serve their learning needs.
Costs associated with promoting the student research experience, for example, interviewing/filming students about their library research journey for their poster presentations.
Travel costs for an immersive trip for students which leverages UASC collections.
Hosting a conference or symposium that highlights specific library resources such as medieval manuscripts from University Archives and Special Collections (UASC), items from the Humanities Reading Room, etc.
Costs associated with library-hosted events such as faculty book launches for new publications, an invited speaker on a topic of mutual interest to the library profession and to faculty such as Open Educational Resources, Open Access, Copyright, etc., outreach and programming geared toward local communities that feature library resources such as the Makerspace, or provision of a speaker-related book to attendees, etc.
Support for faculty engagement with UASC materials to incorporate UASC into their teaching or scholarship (for example, creating reproduction prints for a course project based on rare books, purchasing magnifying glasses, or printing exhibit labels).
Costs associated with a digital scholarship or an external digitization project that involve library materials or the expertise of librarians (such as application of metadata).
Costs associated with the creation of a scholarly display using the library’s Exhibit Display Space.

Restrictions

Purchase of new resources for the library’s general collections (books, journals, media in all formats) will not be considered as these should be funded through the annual Acquisition budget.
Purchases for University Special Collections will not be considered as these requests should be directed to University Archives and Special Collections as outlined in the Sesquicentennial Endowment for Library Additions.
University Library Faculty Mini-Grants cannot be used as a stipend for applicant though funds for student employment may be considered. (For student employment you must follow the steps outlined in the student employment hiring process.)
Any equipment funded for purchase, such as a handheld 3D scanner in the descriptive example used above, becomes property of the library when the project/class is completed.
Travel may only be considered for funding if the proposal leverages the library and seeks to support student success in accordance with the FY25 Spend Control Directive (Travel Freeze).
The University’s Information Technology Acquisitions and Disposal Policy must be followed for consideration of approval for purchase of hardware or software.
Proposals that include a request for funding of food must follow the FY25 Spend Control Directive (Catering).

Project Period

Start date: Project start date must commence within nine months of the award notification.
End date: Funding for project will expire one year from award notification.

Any awarded funds not expended within one year of the award notification will revert to library endowments.

Reporting

Final report: A final report (PDF) is due within two months after the project end date and should be submitted to the Library Director who will distribute to the review team and to the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs to Academic Excellence. The report (approximately one page) should address outcomes including:

how the library’s value and visibility was demonstrated
evaluation of impact on student success, if applicable
future direction or plans for project, if applicable
recommendations for colleagues’ and library’s consideration

All awards will be listed on library/university website, including applicant name(s), project/title, and award amount. With permission, the final report may also be shared in Exhibit Digital Repository.

Failure to submit a final report will preclude awardee(s) from being eligible to submit future proposals.

Proposal Review

Collected submissions will be reviewed by a team comprised of two faculty serving on the Library Advisory Board and three librarians, two of whom serve on the Library Advisory Board. An alternate faculty member will be selected in the event a review team member applies for an award. All proposals will be reviewed as submitted. No further information will be requested from applicants. The review team will determine criteria used to base their recommendations to the Library Director for his/her endorsement to the Associate Provost for Academic Excellence who has final approval.

Past recipients of mini-grants.