The Department of Libraries supports the mission of local public libraries to provide easy interlibrary loan access for all patrons. The Department provides access to a statewide interlibrary loan system to support this.
In addition to the statewide interlibrary loan system, the Department of Libraries administers an interlibrary loan courier service contract and provides grants to those public libraries that can be added to the service by the vendor. The purpose of this grant is to make it possible for public libraries to provide interlibrary loan services to their communities without the rising costs of postage limiting service access.
This year, we anticipate being able to offer a grant to public libraries that will cover half the cost of one stop per week for the federal fiscal year.
General Information
- Each eligible library with one courier stop per week will receive a grant of covering half the cost of one stop per week to be used toward payment(s) to the courier service vendor. Libraries are not authorized to use grant funds for any other purpose. The 2024-2025 grant will be $683.80.
- Eligible costs include one or more weekly stops by the courier service vendor.
- The library programs supported with this grant must take place between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025. All grant funds must be expended by September 30, 2025.
- Libraries must acknowledge funding support from IMLS through the Vermont Department of Libraries in program publicity and press releases.
Eligibility
- Vermont public libraries may receive grants under this program. For this grant cycle the grant will be considered non-competitive.
- Eligibility for this grant award includes grantee compliance with assurances required by previous Courier grants as well as any previous grants awarded by VTLIB.
- Eligible grantees are those that are not currently suspended or debarred by the Federal government and are current in submissions of the Subrecipient Annual Report and Single Audit Reports for at least the past three years and must pass a pre-award risk assessment.
Application Period
The Courier Grant application period will open on August 1, 2024 and will close on August 31, 2024. Both the grant application and supporting documents must be submitted before the application period closes.
Applying for the Grant
- Method of submission: The application for the grant is available here.
- Applications must be completed online by the deadline listed on the application and this website. Any applications completed past that date will not be considered.
- Award letter and grant administrative documents will be sent to the Library Director.
NOTE: Your application is not considered complete until both the application and the supporting documents are submitted.
Prior to beginning your application, please review the information needed (on the first page of the grant application) and make sure you have the following documents ready to upload:
- Library Name
- Business Name (required only when a library is a department within a municipality)
- *Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
- *Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) name if registered to a municipality
- Expiry date of UEI
- Subrecipient fiscal year end month
- A copy of your W9 signed in the last twelve months (handwritten signature and date required. No typed, digital, or electronic signature or date.)
- A copy of your Certificate of Insurance (more information on how a COI is reviewed is available here: https://aoa.vermont.gov/document/reviewing-certificate-insurance)
Please note: If you do not have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), you cannot apply for a grant.
Previous Awardees of the Courier Grant