UPLIFT Professional Excellence Grant
- Application form (doc)
- Evaluation and claim form (doc)
- Acknowledging the Utah State Library
- UPLIFT Program
Grant Description
The Utah State Library (USL) offers the UPLIFT Professional Excellence Grant to persons employed in Utah libraries for advancing the knowledge, skills, and abilities of individual library employees to better serve their patrons. The Utah State Library funds these grants. Recipients are required to acknowledge the Utah State Library when undertaking and promoting grant supported activities.
Application deadlines:
- February 15
- June 15
- October 15
Applicant Eligibility
- Applicant must be a resident of Utah for at least one year.
- Applicant must be employed by, or be a board member of, a publicly funded school or public library, or be a Utah-based member of the Utah Academic Library Consortium.
- Only one grant per individual funded each state fiscal year (July 1- June 30).
- An MLIS applicant must first have completed at least six credit hours in a library science program to be eligible for a tuition support grant.
- Individuals working in personal, church, or private libraries and full-time students working on general undergraduate degrees are not eligible for these grants.
Project Eligibility (Priority given in the following order)
- Graduate library science courses.
- Appropriate undergraduate courses in library science.
- Appropriate non-credit courses in library science.
- Workshops, in-depth training opportunities in library service, or library-related conferences having direct impact upon work or board responsibilities, not to include attendance at regular library conferences.
- Targeted training that is customized to the audience.
Funds Available
Applicants may request funds to reimburse registration fees and reasonable travel to a professional development opportunity. Applicants registering for credit courses in a graduate or undergraduate library science degree program may request funds for tuition support only. In this circumstance, a maximum grant pays tuition up to $1,000 per individual, based upon available funding. The Utah State Library will reimburse grant recipients enrolled in credit classes after USL receives a copy of an unofficial transcript and evaluation.
Evaluation
Grant recipients agree to evaluate training opportunities and credit courses using the evaluation and claim form provided by the Utah State Library.
Procedures
- The applicant obtains an application form provided by the Utah State Library.
- The applicant submits a typed original and two copies of the completed application and all supporting materials. Completed applications should also be e-mailed to the Training Coordinator.
- Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on whichever deadline is most appropriate. This schedule may vary in future years depending upon demand and funding.
- Utah State Library staff reviews the application and gives recommendations to the Director. USL notifies applicants of the decision within thirty days of the review dates (by March 15, July 15, or November 15) and sends out a contract for signatures.
- The grant recipient returns the signed contract to the State Library.
- The grant recipient submits financial receipts (for credit courses, a grade report showing successful completion of the course with a grade of C or better), and an evaluation and claim form to the Utah State Library within 30 days of the completion of the event.
- The applicant submits an article for inclusion in the USL Directions Newsletter to the training coordinator, by email. It should include how the material learned will benefit your library community. The article may be edited by the Directions Newsletter editor. The article must be received before funds are dispensed.
For more information or assistance contact:
Colleen Eggett
Training Coordinator
(800) 662-9150 x776 (Utah toll-free) or (801) 715-6776
ceggett@utah.gov