Grant Program Guidelines

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All libraries are eligible to participate in any of the following grant programs using their library credit (a designated amount of money for each library).  

Libraries must submit an acknowledgement form to SOLS by June 30, 2009 to secure their credit. All funds should be expended by December 31, 2010.  

There are five eligible categories: Learning and Literacy for Target Groups, Collections, Training, AODA Compliance and Automation – New Technologies. Libraries may choose to use their credit in one or more categories, ignoring categories not of interest.   

Within each category eligible items are identified. These lists are definitive. If you are in doubt about the eligibility of a purchase, contact SOLS or OLS-North or or prior to making the purchase to confirm its eligibility. Only actual disbursements are eligible. Ineligible items for all categories are:

• Hospitality
• Ongoing operating costs
• Capital expenditures for repair, rehabilitation or expansion of facilities
• Initiatives already underway

In categories where travel is eligible, use 40 cents/km to calculate charges for use of own vehicle.

Category:       Learning and Literacy for Target Groups 

Purpose of the Program
To acquire resources/develop special service areas that address the needs of under-served groups identified by the library (such as newcomers, children, youth and youth at risk, seniors, job seekers, small business, marginalized communities, etc.) 

Eligible Items

• Gaming (hardware + software): Wii, XBOX, PlayStation and related furniture
• Early Literacy Stations and related furniture
• Laptops for lending (Note that support for introducing or upgrading wireless access in the library is available through the Connectivity Fund)
• Special area development such as teen zones, literacy centres, newcomer centres and related furniture
• Special virtual space development for targeted group(s)
• New access sites to library service in remote communities within the library’s service or contract area or for special groups (e.g., in a senior’s home)
• Promotion/information materials to targeted groups (including translation) to introduce the new resources/services

Purchase Method
SOLS offered a consortia purchase option for libraries willing to commit to purchases in advance but this option is no longer available.  Libraries may purchase on their own (or through a CPA) and submit their invoices quarterly to SOLS using the Reimbursement Request Form.   Please go to the Purchasing Agreements - Products and Services section of the SOLS website for the current CPAs.  The Purchases must be made through the vendors directly and reimbursement claimed.

Measurement
Libraries must identify the specific group(s) they are targeting. For each group, change in library usage must be reported. We will need baseline data (i.e. figures prior to using this funding) as well as data from a reasonable period afterwards. Libraries may also identify other measurement criteria that they think make a case for the value/importance of the new resources. Quantitative and/or anecdoctal information may be used.  

Category:       Collections 

Purpose of the Program
To acquire/renew library collections in suitable formats to meet the needs of the community as identified by the library.

Eligible Items

• All collections (fiction, non-fiction, reference)
• All subject areas
• All formats (print, non-print, e-resources)
• All languages
• All ownership models (including pool, virtual, subscription)
• Processing and cataloguing for materials acquired through a jobber
• MARC records for newly acquired items
• Promotion/information materials to introduce the new resources

Purchase Method
Libraries will have the option of selecting titles from order lists in the following areas:

• Recommended First Nations collections for FN libraries
• Recommended First Nations collections for municipal libraries
• Basic reference collection for small libraries
• Genre fiction lists
• Other lists (e.g., Award winners) 

These order lists will be available through jobbers found under the Purchasing Agreements - Products and Services section of the SOLS website.  Vendors that are organized to bill SOLS directly from your library credits are GoodMinds and Whitehots.   For libraries using this method, the jobber will bill SOLS directly. Libraries also have the option of making any purchase entirely on their own and submitting invoices quarterly to SOLS using the Reimbursement Request Form.

Measurement
Libraries must identify the specific needs/collection areas they are targeting. For each area, number of titles acquired must be reported. Please note whether the resources are introducing something entirely new in your library. If it is an addition to an existing service, we will need baseline data (i.e. figures prior to using this funding) as well. Libraries may also identify other measurement criteria that they think make a case for the value/importance of the new resources. Quantitative and/or anecdotal information may be used.

Category:       Training

Purpose of the Program
To strengthen overall capacity of the library and develop individual expertise. Note: The Education Fund is also available to support individual training and development that involves a longer term commitment (e.g., one or two years). It may also be of interest for more expensive programs.

Eligible Items

• Attendance/participation at stand-alone training events (e.g., conferences, workshops, individual EXCEL course, etc.)
• Training opportunities (including in-house training) for all staff or a large segment of staff on issues affecting the library as a whole (e.g., technology training, succession planning, etc.)
• Participation in coop programs
• Acquisition of software and training modules for online training of staff and users
• Staff time exclusively for replacement staff for a small library with less than 1.5 FTEs if 1) the library is continuing to pay the salary of the staff member receiving training and 2) the library would have to be closed due to this person’s absence. The credit may be used for up to $160.00 per day per board to a maximum of three consecutive days only to cover the hours the library is open.

Purchase Method
Libraries submit invoices quarterly to SOLS using the Reimbursement Request Form.

Measurement
Libraries must identify the specific needs/gaps they are targeting. For each area, the number of people trained and the number of training hours must be reported. Libraries may also identify other measurement criteria that they think make a case for the value/importance of the training. Quantitative and/or anecdotal information may be used.

Category:       AODA Compliance

Purpose of the Program
To comply with the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Eligible Items

• Adaptive technology (including hardware, software, accessible computers, etc.)
• Accessible furniture, shelving
• Training vis a vis service standards
• Promotion/information materials in accessible formats (including signage, etc.)

Purchase Method
OLSN will research library obligations for AODA compliance and post a summary of the requirements at http://www.olsn.ca/aodasummary/Selected%20assistive%20technology_Mar3.htm.  In the meantime, SOLS has negotiated a consortia purchase option with Special Needs Computers for adaptive technology products. Orders can be entered online at www.specialneedscomputers.ca and charged to the library credit. Libraries that spend over $200 with Special Needs Computers are eligible to receive a 10% discount. For further information about this agreement, please see http://www.sols.org/resourcesharing/coolcpa/cpa/Special_Needs_Computers.htm.

Libraries also have the option of making purchases entirely on their own from other vendors (such as Frontier Computing, HumanWare or Secrest Resources) and submitting their invoices quarterly to SOLS using the Reimbursement Request Form. 

Measurement
Libraries must identify the specific needs/gaps they must fulfill for AODA compliance and indicate the measurement criteria they will use to demonstrate compliance. Please include baseline data/information (i.e. figures prior to using this funding).

Category:       Automation – New Technologies

Purpose of the Program
To implement new technologies (such as Web 2.0, self-serve options, etc.).

Eligible Items

• Hardware, software
• Consulting time to assist with implementation (including programming)
• Other start-up or set-up costs
• Staff training
• Promotion/information materials to introduce the new service

Purchase Method
Libraries submit invoices quarterly to SOLS using the Reimbursement Request Form.

Measurement
Libraries must identify the measurement criteria they will use. We will need baseline data (i.e. figures prior to using this funding) as well as data from a reasonable period afterwards.

Post Project Report
A post project report will be due no later than March 31, 2011 but preferably within three months of expending your library credit. Post project reports must include a description of the project(s), how you used the funds and project results including measurement criteria as identified above. Please submit only one report covering all the preceding grant categories.

Questions
If you have any questions, please visit http://www.sols.org/ministryprojects/$15MillionInvestment/FrequentlyAskedQuestions.htm where you will find Frequently Asked Questions as well as contact information for submitting other questions.